We Could Be Heroes

October 19, 2020
Chen (Here and Now and Then) delivers a fun, fast-moving superhero adventure that sees supervillain Mind Robber (aka Jamie Sorenson) continually running into vigilante Throwing Star (aka Zoe Wong) at inconvenient moments—first when he’s mid–bank robbery, and later at the San Delgado Memory Loss & Dementia Support Group. There they discover they share an uncommon backstory: both lost their memories two years ago, waking in strange apartments to find a one-year lease from 2D Industries and a note detailing their superpowers. Zoe’s desperate to know who she was before as proof that she’s “more than just a weapon,” while Jamie’s focused on committing enough robberies to realize his dream of an early retirement. Zoe offers to help Jamie pull off his biggest heist yet if he’ll use his mind manipulation powers to restore her memories. But when Jamie sees himself in Zoe’s mind, he’s sucked into an investigation of his own past and how it intersected with Zoe’s. Chen’s creative spin on the standard hero/villain origin story zips along—and unfortunately speeds past an enormous plot hole, offering a less than satisfactory explanation for the motivations and operations of 2D Industries. Still, fans of the genre will enjoy how thoroughly and gleefully Chen ticks off the checklist of superhero tropes. Agent: Eric Smith, P.S. Literary.

November 1, 2020
In this vivid story, supervillain Mind Robber and superhero Throwing Star recognize each other at a support group for people with memory loss. Two years prior, they both woke up with no memory, but with superpowers. Jamie has been robbing banks so that he and his cat, Normal, can move to a tropical locale; between drinking heavily and delivering fast food, Zoe has been dishing out vigilante justice. Now, they both try and uncover the conspiracy that created them. The heart of Chen's latest (after A Beginning at the End, 2020) lies in Zoe's stubborn, impulsive attitude, and Jamie's practical, grounded approach. Their richly developed characters and the inner workings of their friendship root the action as the plot dives and twists. Chen's novels always put character first, and We Could Be Heroes is no different, inspiring fierce loyalty to both protagonists as they run spy operations into a mad scientist's lab, encounter blue electric men, and try to keep each other alive while figuring out their origins. The growth of these flawed but relatable super-people power this fast read.

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November 1, 2020

Jamie Sorenson has superpowers. As the Mind Robber, he has been robbing banks and saving the money to get away from San Delgado and its new hero, the Throwing Star. As the Throwing Star, Zoe Wong figures at least she can pound on some bad guys while she tries to figure herself out. These two enemies have one thing in common: neither of them have any memories from before two years ago. When Jamie runs into Zoe at a memory-loss support group, they discover their pasts may be linked, and the search for answers will lead them into a deep conspiracy of medical experiments and memory wipes that threatens their city and more. Each has reasons to mistrust the other, but it will take breaking down boundaries--and pounding on more bad guys--to find their paths to true power. Interesting characters and solid pacing enliven this superhero story with twists. VERDICT Chen's (A Beginning at the End) writing wraps hard topics with heartfelt and humorous prose, creating a delightful novel of the steps and missteps of power, friendship, and trust.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

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