The Feros

May 1, 2013
The lukewarm sequel to the tepid supervillain series opener The Vindico (2012) underwhelms. The five former proteges of the villainous Vindico have only two more months of life among the ordinary before at last being allowed to join the League of Heroes. The kids find their time in the doldrums cut short when they are attacked by a splinter group of the League--what gives?--and one of them, computer-genius Emily, is kidnapped by a mysterious third party who controls a team of superpowered Wraiths. Could her abduction be connected to the recent disappearances of League members? James, Lana, Sam and Hayden travel from one superbase to another in search of their friend, leaving a trail of wreckage in their wake as they fend off rebel Heroes, Wraiths and the Vindico, who are, predictably enough, released from their imprisonment to join the fray. King's sequel suffers from the same flaws that characterized the first book: bland protagonists, double and triple crosses that don't do anything but move the plot from point A to point B, less-than-compelling motivations behind the various villains' actions, overwrought dialogue and clumsy exposition. Readers new to the series will be lost in a thicket of comic-book names and superpowers, and even those familiar with the first book may find keeping track of the expanding cast a challenge. Ultimately forgettable. (Adventure. 10-14)

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July 1, 2013
After switching allegiance to the League of Heroes in The Vindico, the five ex-supervillain protigis await their official superhero induction. The book quickly shifts into full-throttle action when the Feros learn about the kidnapping of League members. King throws a lot into the mix, but it all works, in part because he humanizes his heroes and villains.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2013
After switching allegiance to the League of Heroes in The Vindico (rev. 7/12), the five ex-supervillain prot'g's, a.k.a. the Feros, bide their time at home awaiting their official superhero induction. King's sequel quickly shifts into full-throttle action when the Feros learn about the kidnapping of League members and discover they're being watched, but by whom? King throws a lot into the mix here, with a rift between League members, the escape of the Vindico villains from a supposedly impenetrable prison, the appearance of a sinister society of Wraiths, and -- what else? -- a love triangle, of course. Yet King makes it all work, in part because his characters are more than just old-school comic book archetypes. He humanizes his heroes and villains, allowing them to express regret, remorse, distrust, anxiety, fear, and love. He also provides compelling backstories that ground the characters with credible motivations. And he smartly balances the violent battle scenes with humor, mostly channeled through wisecracking Hayden ("I'm brilliant, but at a measured pace"). King's take on superheroes and their counterparts is fresh and captivating; here's hoping there's a third book on the horizon. tanya d. auger

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)