From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—This may not be the first tale of a group of crime-fighting teenagers with supernatural powers, but its talented writing team get points for creating some fresh and original superpowerd abilities. Scam has a seemingly omniscient inner voice, which can speak for him and get him out of trouble or, all too often, into it. Flicker is blind but can perceive what others see. Crash can take down any computer and finds the experience embarrassingly—and dangerously—enjoyable. Bellwether can control the energies of the group and unite them in a common purpose. And Anonymous—well, never mind, no one seems to remember anything about that guy. These five, plus one unpredictable new addition, make up the Zeroes, a team that split up due to infighting but get called back together to fight a baddie and come to terms with their talents and their place in the world. Told from six different points of view, the plot of this hefty tome slows down at times, but the effort taken to develop each character pays off. With two sequels planned, readers can look forward to spending more time with the Zeroes in the future. VERDICT For fans of superhero fiction looking for a character-driven tale and those who enjoy stellar writing.—Eliza Langhans, Hatfield Public Library, MA
Review
Westerfeld (Afterworlds), Lanagan (Yellowcake), and Biancotti (Bad Power) weave a sprawling adventure about a group of superpowered teenagers who call themselves Zeroes. When one of their number, named Scam for his ability to tell people exactly what he needs them to hear, is detained after being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the others reunite after months apart, some less eager than others. Events quickly escalate, and soon half the group is in hiding, while the authorities and the mob hunt for them. The plot meanders, but the authors give their characters plenty of depth, skillfully blending human dilemmas with superhuman abilities. With the exception of Crash, who can bring down technology with a thought, these aren’t flashy, cinematic powers; subtle yet powerful, they largely revolve around coercion and manipulation. Mob and Bellweather can influence the emotions of crowds; Anonymous is nearly impossible to perceive or remember; and blind Flicker telepathically sees through the eyes of those around her. With action, romance, and thorny ethical questions, it’s a book with a little something for everyone. (Publishers Weekly May 25, 2015)
This may not be the first tale of a group of crime-fighting teenagers with supernatural powers, but its talented writing team get points for creating some fresh and original superpowerd abilities. Scam has a seemingly omniscient inner voice, which can speak for him and get him out of trouble or, all too often, into it. Flicker is blind but can perceive what others see. Crash can take down any computer and finds the experience embarrassingly—and dangerously—enjoyable. Bellwether can control the energies of the group and unite them in a common purpose. And Anonymous—well, never mind, no one seems to remember anything about that guy. These five, plus one unpredictable new addition, make up the Zeroes, a team that split up due to infighting but get called back together to fight a baddie and come to terms with their talents and their place in the world. Told from six different points of view, the plot of this hefty tome sometimes gets bogged down, but the time taken to develop each character pays off, and with two sequels planned, readers can look forward to spending more time with the Zeroes in the future. VERDICT For fans of superhero fiction looking for a character-driven tale and those who enjoy works by the three capable authors. (School Library Journal, *STARRED REVIEW July 2015)
Science fiction powerhouse writers Westerfeld, Lanagan, and Biancotti join forces to create a group ofteen superheroes living in Cambria, California. Socially awkward misfits, the six protagonists have powersranging from crowd control, the ability to crash computer systems, a voice that can talk anybody intoanything, and more. “Glorious Leader” Nate uses his powers of persuasion to reunite the group after adisastrous rant by Ethan (code name Scam) in which he alienates every member. They succeed in rescuingScam from police questioning and acquire a sixth member in the process. There is a comfortablypredictable flow to the cinematic, nonstop action; the multiple and intersecting story lines; and thearchetypal characters. These heroes see themselves as zeroes, but by the story’s end, they have realizedtheir powers are in fact valuable gifts, formed alliances and romances within the group, and seem poisedfor more adventures. It’s a fat but quick read, whose abrupt ending will leave fans ready for a sequel.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Westerfeld’s name alone draws a crowd, following the success of hisUglies series, Leviathan series, and Afterworlds (2014). Add Printz Honor Book author Lanagan,Biancotti, and a major marketing campaign to the mix, and this collaboration will fly off the shelf. (Booklist June 1, 2015)
A sextet of mutant superhero teenagers just want to be safe in this weighty tome. Last summer, Ethan had so antagonized his fellow Zeroes that their friendship ended. Now his own carelessness has made him a material witness in a bank robbery, and only the Zeroes can rescue him. Ethan, you see, has a secret power: "the voice." The voice knows more than Ethan himself ever could and uses Ethan's mouth to tell people what they need to hear in order to get Ethan out of the frying pan—though there's often a nearby fire. The other Zeroes have equally strange abilities, including Nigerian-American Chizara's ability to crash the myriad technological gadgets that cause her chronic pain; rich, Latino Nate's "Glorious Leader" charisma; and blind, white Riley's (overdone and too-obvious) extraordinary vision. The teens undergo no particular quest; the story's driving force is the desire to escape drug-dealing mobsters. Given the fizz superhero teens could contribute to any narrative, this tome is oddly weighty in both tone and heft. These solidly characterized 16- and 17-year-olds all have younger siblings who seem quirky enough for sequel-bait; hopefully they won't become more noise in the already-crowded premise. In this series opener by three acclaimed authors, intriguing protagonists and cinematic powers will surely please adventure fans who don't mind an ensemble developed at the expense of the individual. (Kirkus June 15, 2015)
“Fresh and original superpowered abilities.” (School Library Journal, starred review)
“Intriguing protagonists and cinematic powers.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“With action, romance, and thorny ethical questions, it’s a book with a little something for everyone.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Cinematic, nonstop action” (Booklist)
Each of the five teens in “the Zeroes” has a unique supernatural ability; Thibault, for instance, is impossible for people to remember or even notice without serious effort. Leader Nate (“Bellwether”) gives the Zeroes code names—Thibault’s is “Anonymous”—and runs simulated training missions (training for what, exactly, is not immediately clear, and never really becomes so). An opportunity for a real mission arises when a Zero gets himself into serious trouble: Ethan (“Scam”) uses his preternaturally persuasive voice first to obtain a duffel bag full of cash, and then again in an ill-advised attempt to outmaneuver some bank robbers. The Zeroes jailbreak Ethan, who’s being questioned by the police, and in the process they cross paths with Kelsie, another gifted teen. At five-hundred-plus pages, with six main characters’ stories to follow (the third-person chapters rotate perspective), this series opener occasionally struggles to maintain its pace, although curiosity about the various characters and how their storylines relate—prior to the introduction
of the Zeroes as a team—will keep pages turning. There’s plenty of time to flesh out each of the teens’ individual motivations, their unusual abilities, and the repercussions of using these powers carelessly: with great power comes great… you know. (The Horn Book October 6, 2015)
Powerhouse fantasy/science fiction author Scott Westerfeld leads a team of talented authors in this impressive reworking of the superhero genre. This character-driven twist on the standard super-powered teen group focuses on the problems powers create. The powers themselves are unique. Fore xample, Anon is invisible, but not physically. No one remembers him, giving him the freedom to move about as if invisible, but he is miserable. Switches between multiple perspectives are handled seamlessly and, though the characters are what will draw the reader in, the pacing is fast and the plot satisfying. This is the first book in a series, but comes to a satisfying conclusion and can stand alone. The diversity of the characters insures that this titlewill appeal to more than just fans of the superhero genre, though there are enough of those to make this book worthy of adding to any young adult collection.
Recommended (School Library Connection March 2016)
About the Author
Scott Westerfeld is the author of the Leviathan series, the first book of which was the winner of the 2010 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Fiction. His other novels include the New York Times bestseller Afterworlds, the worldwide bestselling Uglies series, The Last Days, Peeps, So Yesterday, and the Midnighters trilogy. Visit him at ScottWesterfeld.com or follow him on Twitter at @ScottWesterfeld.
Margo Lanagan has been publishing stories for children, young adults and adult readers for twenty-five years. She has won numerous awards, including four World Fantasy Awards. Two of her books have been Michael L. Printz Honor books and she has been shortlisted for the Hugo and Nebula awards and for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the young adult division. Visit Margo at her blog, AmongAmidWhile.Blogspot.com, or follow her on Twitter at @MargoLanagan.
Deborah Biancotti has written two short story collections, Bad Power and A Book of Endings. She’s been nominated for the Shirley Jackson Award and the William L. Crawford Award for Best First Fantasy Book. You can find her online at DeborahBiancotti.com or on Twitter at @Deborah_B.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Zeroes
