Friday, May 7, 2010

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea Campbell

Rating:
Characters: 19/20
Plot: 18/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 20/20
Recommendation: 19/20
Overall: 95/100 or A
Source: Publisher
Superheroes and Supervillans are an ordinary occurance in Golden City. Damien Locke is the son of Mistress of Mayham and he is destined to a supervillan. He can't wait for his fingerprint to turn to an "V", which will happen on his sixteenth birthday and it will also gurantee his admitance to Vilamore. Except his thumbprint doesn't turn into a "V", it turns into a "X". This means that his father is a superhero.
He now must spend six weeks with his father's family, which while the perfect time to observe the enemy. He wants to keep his supervillan persona and must also face the decisions between what is right and wrong.
I really loved Damien. He though he knew what was happening to him, but was given a surprising and interesting chance to change his life. I really liked that he had a fear of hieghts, because I could relate to that. He was also very funny and was constantly making me laugh. Sarah was also a great addition to the book. The fact that she wanted to be a sidekick made me laugh. I also loved her spirit and how vibrant she was. Kat was also a great character, even if she is a supervillan. I also loved Damien's family. It lacked the usual absents that most families in YA have.
The plot of Rise of Renegade X could have been better, but it is made up with the amazing characters and originality. Also, Damien had normal human probelms like a cheating girlfriend and confidence at times. The world in which Campbell sets her story is masterfully made with incredible skills. I felt like Golden City was a town that I knew and loved. For example, Damien even discussed how the Superhero and Supervillans brought in tourist. Campbell is a fantastic writer and I can't wait for what she will write about in the future. I hope there will be a book 2. I highly recommend this book for laughs and amazing character development.

2 comments:

  1. I loved this, too! I'm so glad you rated it so highly. I found it original, entertaining and thought-provoking. I even think it would make a great book club discussion book-- Damien's struggle with his identity somehow felt universal. I also loved all the fantastic super-villain-at-home details. (I recommend Austin Grossman's "Soon I Will Be Invincible" if you're in the mood for another superhero/villain adventure.)
    Thanks for the wonderful write-up!

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  2. I've been eyeing this on up at the bookstore for awhile! Now I know I need to get it! Great review!

    New follower-Stop by and say hi if you get a chance!
    Have a great weekend!
    Kristin
    MyBookishWays

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Thanks for visiting. Every comment creates a smile.

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