Hero

Let me start by saying that I am not Mike Lupica's target audience. It may be that the problems I found with this book might all be chalked up to the fact that I am not a twelve-year-old male. Or, there could be issues yet to be cleaned up, since I was reading an ARC. Honestly, though, I don't think either of those will really erase the problems that this start-of-series YA novel has.

Lupica's journalistic writing style has all the charm of a Tweet -- he writes as if sentences came with legal length limits in the 25-character range. Some may find this style blunt, modern, even Hemingway-esque, but for experienced readers, it comes across as hurried and choppy. For all its hurry, however, it took quite a while for me to read this, largely show more because the novel glosses over details that would help the reader care about the main character.

This is an especially grievous sin, given the fact that we are reading a superhero novel, one of many that uses the "special male child loses parent and finds destiny" plot, so the level of detail is really all there is to distinguish any participant in such an overstuffed tradition. Lupica falls short in that -- the reader neither cares about the main character nor his friends or family, despite obvious attempts to provide quick hooks (the female "sidekick" figure, for example, is smart and sassy, though not in any original way). There are some inconsistencies -- for instance, the main character reflecting on something that was supposedly said in a previous conversation, though it wasn't actually said in the dialogue -- that also interfere with the investment of a reader's belief. Overall, though, the big block is simply how fast and trite everything here is. Every character is a post-modern archetype -- other than the main character himself, who is a common cookie-cutter image, we also meet a Kennedy-esque character, an Alice-the-housekeeper, a classic football captain bully for our misunderstood and rebellious hero to foil, a mysterious-old-man who speaks in riddles, etc. -- but none of these figures transcend the models set for them. Unlike other authors, Lupica seems content to stitch together patterns, rather than build them up into something more.

There's not much that redeems here, but I will give Lupica this -- if he had constructed this as a graphic novel, I think it would have worked just fine. His terse, minimalist style would have been complimented and expanded by a visual story, perhaps by a classic comic book artist. This should be a comic book, bottom line, but without a visual element, it's left feeling half-written. show less

Hero taps into the dream that almost every kid has - the desire to have special powers. Zach is an ordinary boy living an ordinary life... and then his dad dies in a mysterious accident. Almost immediately, Zach feels the changes start happening. The mystery of his dad's death, combined with curiosity over his new powers, makes him start looking into the accident. He soon discovers that his dad also had powers, and used them as a real-life superhero. No tights or capes involved, just one man standing against the 'Bads'.

Now, it's Zach's turn. With the help of his friend, Kate, and a mysterious old man who might be more than he appears to be, Zach has to find out if he has what it takes to be a hero.

I'll admit it. I'm a former comics show more geek, and the concept of this story immediately got my attention. At the beginning of the story, Zach is a typical fourteen-year-old with typical fourteen-year-old problems. The realism of him makes the story work. Even when he gets his powers, his attitude is portrayed in a realistic manner, and it's easy to feel his anguish as he tries to unravel the mystery of his dad's death.

Zach's partner in crime is Kate. She's a feisty and smart girl who wants to help, even though she's a little scared of this new and slightly darker version of her best friend. Another form of 'help' comes in the form of an old man who appears out of nowhere, seeming to know everything there is to know about both Zach and his father. Is the old man truly a friend or a wolf in sheep's clothing, and exactly why is there so much animosity between the old man and the family friend that Zach knows as Uncle John? The puzzle of this relationship keeps you guessing until the very end, and I think my jaw actually dropped when certain revelations were made.

Hero is a very entertaining way to spend an afternoon, providing a story that makes superheros believable. show less

This was an enjoyable adventure, though I could have done without the "bads" and some of the slang - it felt awkward. Billy's transformation from regular kid to hero follows the progress of his journey to understanding his father and the heritage he shares with his father.

Bourne movie-like action kept me reading this thoughtful and thrilling adventure. Lupica puts us inside the head of his hero, Zach Harriman, as he struggles with who to trust, including himself. We feels Zach's feelings of both devastation as he loses his beloved father and excitement as he comes into his powers. The twists and turns were many: I wanted to know as much as Zach who Mr. Herbert really was. I loved his relationship with best friend, daughter of the live-in help, Kate. She always gives Zach the truth and is there for him, even when he thinks he doesn't need her. I look forward to further adventures of Zach Harriman and hope Kate continues to be his "right-hand woman."

Fourteen-year-old Billy Harriman knew his life would be turned upside down when his father died, but what Billy didn't know was that there was more to his dad's life than anyone really knew. everyone called his father a hero for working as a presidential adviser, but soon Billy finds out just how appropriate the moniker is - and that superhero is an even more accurate description. Eventually Billy discovers that he's inherited his dad's special talents but alongside that birthright comes a host of enemies too.

Hero was a fantastic book. Mike Lupica does a great job of creating believable young adult characters - filling their vocabulary with sports analogies and pop culture references and populating their lives with schoolwork, bullies, show more concerned parents, and caring friends. Though Billy turns out to be far from ordinary, he and his friend Kate are everyday teenagers and young readers will instantly connect with and invest in them.

Filled with excitement, action, and suspense Hero is a novel that is as much about growing up as it is about saving the world. Lupica invaluably fills a niche market in literature writing books geared towards young boys. Though adolescent males interested in sports will happily devour his earlier works (such as Heat and Travel Team) Hero will likely draw new fans to Lupica, perhaps from fantasy or graphic novel markets. Yet, regardless of age, gender, and typical genre preference, Hero is an enjoyable work. The book tells a complete story but readers may be left with crossed fingers - or gripping a lucky coin - in hopes that Lupica has more adventures in store for Billy Harriman, the new fourteen-year-old superhero. show less

I read this book aloud to my 5th grade class, and they loved it. Mike Lupica is already a favorite, and this book also engages those readers who are not interested in his sports themed novels.

I think this is going to be a the next big series in young adult writing, and I think it might even capture that elusive teenage boy market...

It is a quick read, but includes well written characters that act their age. Billy, the hero, is a fairly typical kid. Has a couple of good friends, has extra-curricular activities, a loving family. The twist is that Billy's Dad is a hero - he can do things no other person can. When Billy's Dad dies in a plane crash, Its up to Billy to find out exactly how special his Dad was, along with deal with his newly found powers.

What I like about this book is just how ordinary Billy is. He struggles with his powers, trying to figure out just how they work, but also, how to use them ethically. I also liked show more how the book ended - Billy doesn't save the world, but does take his first step into becoming a true super hero.

This is a very good book into what I hope becomes a very good series. show less