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Vanguard Prime #1
Goldrush
Elite superhero team Vanguard Prime has a new recruit . . .Sam Lee was just a normal teenager . . . until the disastrous emergence of his superpowers. Now he has the chance to join his childhood heroes and become the youngest-ever member of Vanguard Prime. But when the time comes, will Sam have what is takes to save the world?
216 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2012
4 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Steven Lochran
9 books21 followersSteven Lochran spent his childhood writing stories and now he does it for a living. He graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing, and has worked as a film critic, projectionist and DJ. He's spent the last decade in the publishing industry surrounded by books, as well as writing the VANGUARD PRIME and PALADERO series. He lives in Melbourne with his wife and two spoilt cats.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 11, 2016
CAUTION: Long Review
The book was unexpectedly campy. There were parts that I liked and parts I didn't like.
Parts I Liked
+ good writing
The writing was in present tense so the action felt closer to me as if I sat in the front seat of a movie theater. As a matter of fact, the plot read like a typical action movie which I liked.
I quickly got comfortable with the writing after a few pages. I liked how straightforward the writing was; I tend to glaze over imagery but I didn't in this book. It was easy to imagine what the book wanted me to imagine.
The writing felt clean.
+ strong female characters
Gaia is one of the senior superheroes. I liked that the book didn't diminish her role in the deference to other male senior superheroes who had a more drama-filled backstory, that given a different circumstance she could have been the leader of the superhero team instead of Agent Alpha. I got the impression that she could match Agent Alpha power for power. The thing I liked most about her was her strange sense of humor. I wished she had more scenes in the book.
Machina is the other female superhero. She was the youngest superhero before Sam came along. In a different book, she would be your typical YA heroine: she got a family who is largely absent from her life, she's sort of an outcast but she desire to belong, and she's rebellious at times. However, unlike a typical YA heroine she doesn't let her life issues get to her. Machine was, dare I say it, a well-adjusted teenage girl. How utterly refreshing! I love how assertive she was. Her goal to prove herself sometime gets her in troubles but she always seem to prevail. For these reasons, Machina became my favorite character in the book.
Major Blackthorne is the military liaison to the superhero team. Despite having no power, she was still a force on her own. In the battle scenes at the end, she took care of herself and didn't hesitate to fight the supervillains. And I didn't doubt she could actually win either.
Parts I Didn't Like
+ mopey protagonist
The book was mostly in 1st POV from Sam's side. His origin story was ludicrous. He was running a race when his power spontaneously activated for the first time in his life and he accidentally hurt people, particularly his father, in the process. I pitied him and the people he injured but he really needed to get over himself. I didn't like how the story revealed Sam's origin story as if it was some sort of hidden tragic past because it wasn't.
Because of his past, Sam was too mopey for my liking. I didn't start liking him till 2/3 into the book when Machina's constant pep talks finally put a stop to his pity party. However, the change was so sudden that it was ridiculous because after Machina's last pep talk a few pages later Sam gave a pep talk to someone else.
Machina was more patient and nice to Sam than I could have been because I itched to smack him out of annoyance. I mostly put up with Sam because the book designated him as the chosen one and I have a soft spot for that trope no matter how ridiculous the trope is.
+ cardboard male superheroes
They were cliché and a little bit annoying. You got your Captain America/Superman hybrid in Alpha Agent and the Batman/Spiderman hybrid in The Knight of Wands. I eyerolled at Agent Alpha with his pristine good guy persona and The Knight of Wands with his mysterious stoic loner persona.
I didn't really care for these superheroes.
+ lame bad guys
The bad guys were lame. The split-personality guy was all "save me from myself" because one of his two personalities was a supervillain while the other personality was a superhero. The other bad guy, the one who was the main supervillain for book 1, was all "I am the strongest and therefore everyone should bow down to me because I say so."
All the supervillains in book 1 were simply crazy and maniacal; there was no depth in their characterization.
+ plot-holes
The biggest part of the story I didn't like was why didn't the good guys didn't just kill the bad guys outright from the start. Why defeat them only to imprison them? Moreover, why imprison them at the superhero team's headquarter where they could use the place to nuke the entire world?
I realize the book didn't take itself seriously, that it was campy, but I don't believe that excuses the plot-holes. I would have been mollified with a flimsy explanation of a few sentences.
In Conclusion
I rate Goldrush 3-stars for I like it. In spite of the parts I didn't like, the book was entertaining. There were humorous scenes sprinkled in. The last 1/3 of the book with its heavy action scenes was what firmly pushed the book into 3-stars land.
It should be noted that ebook version has bonus content. It's the profile of all five superheroes — Goldrush (Sam), Machina, Gaia, Agent Alpha, The Knight of Wands — and Major Blackthorne. There was nothing new in their stats that readers didn't know from reading the book. You can see the characters' illustration presented in the cover-art here.
The book was unexpectedly campy. There were parts that I liked and parts I didn't like.
Parts I Liked
+ good writing
The writing was in present tense so the action felt closer to me as if I sat in the front seat of a movie theater. As a matter of fact, the plot read like a typical action movie which I liked.
I quickly got comfortable with the writing after a few pages. I liked how straightforward the writing was; I tend to glaze over imagery but I didn't in this book. It was easy to imagine what the book wanted me to imagine.
The writing felt clean.
+ strong female characters
Gaia is one of the senior superheroes. I liked that the book didn't diminish her role in the deference to other male senior superheroes who had a more drama-filled backstory, that given a different circumstance she could have been the leader of the superhero team instead of Agent Alpha. I got the impression that she could match Agent Alpha power for power. The thing I liked most about her was her strange sense of humor. I wished she had more scenes in the book.
Machina is the other female superhero. She was the youngest superhero before Sam came along. In a different book, she would be your typical YA heroine: she got a family who is largely absent from her life, she's sort of an outcast but she desire to belong, and she's rebellious at times. However, unlike a typical YA heroine she doesn't let her life issues get to her. Machine was, dare I say it, a well-adjusted teenage girl. How utterly refreshing! I love how assertive she was. Her goal to prove herself sometime gets her in troubles but she always seem to prevail. For these reasons, Machina became my favorite character in the book.
Major Blackthorne is the military liaison to the superhero team. Despite having no power, she was still a force on her own. In the battle scenes at the end, she took care of herself and didn't hesitate to fight the supervillains. And I didn't doubt she could actually win either.
Parts I Didn't Like
+ mopey protagonist
The book was mostly in 1st POV from Sam's side. His origin story was ludicrous. He was running a race when his power spontaneously activated for the first time in his life and he accidentally hurt people, particularly his father, in the process. I pitied him and the people he injured but he really needed to get over himself. I didn't like how the story revealed Sam's origin story as if it was some sort of hidden tragic past because it wasn't.
Because of his past, Sam was too mopey for my liking. I didn't start liking him till 2/3 into the book when Machina's constant pep talks finally put a stop to his pity party. However, the change was so sudden that it was ridiculous because after Machina's last pep talk a few pages later Sam gave a pep talk to someone else.
Machina was more patient and nice to Sam than I could have been because I itched to smack him out of annoyance. I mostly put up with Sam because the book designated him as the chosen one and I have a soft spot for that trope no matter how ridiculous the trope is.
+ cardboard male superheroes
They were cliché and a little bit annoying. You got your Captain America/Superman hybrid in Alpha Agent and the Batman/Spiderman hybrid in The Knight of Wands. I eyerolled at Agent Alpha with his pristine good guy persona and The Knight of Wands with his mysterious stoic loner persona.
I didn't really care for these superheroes.
+ lame bad guys
The bad guys were lame. The split-personality guy was all "save me from myself" because one of his two personalities was a supervillain while the other personality was a superhero. The other bad guy, the one who was the main supervillain for book 1, was all "I am the strongest and therefore everyone should bow down to me because I say so."
All the supervillains in book 1 were simply crazy and maniacal; there was no depth in their characterization.
+ plot-holes
The biggest part of the story I didn't like was why didn't the good guys didn't just kill the bad guys outright from the start. Why defeat them only to imprison them? Moreover, why imprison them at the superhero team's headquarter where they could use the place to nuke the entire world?
I realize the book didn't take itself seriously, that it was campy, but I don't believe that excuses the plot-holes. I would have been mollified with a flimsy explanation of a few sentences.
In Conclusion
I rate Goldrush 3-stars for I like it. In spite of the parts I didn't like, the book was entertaining. There were humorous scenes sprinkled in. The last 1/3 of the book with its heavy action scenes was what firmly pushed the book into 3-stars land.
It should be noted that ebook version has bonus content. It's the profile of all five superheroes — Goldrush (Sam), Machina, Gaia, Agent Alpha, The Knight of Wands — and Major Blackthorne. There was nothing new in their stats that readers didn't know from reading the book. You can see the characters' illustration presented in the cover-art here.
November 18, 2012
‘Vanguard Prime: Goldrush’, Steven Lochran
They used to say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I think that saying has long since disappeared. In the world of selling books if you’re not a JK Rowling or other house-name author, the cover of your book is what gets the readers’ attention.
Steven Lochran has worked as a publishing rep so you can tell he knows what it takes to get a book onto the booksellers’ shelves. Chad McCown and Lochran have come up with a tremendous superhero cover which evokes the gatefold covers of 1990s comics as well as giving the reader an immediate idea of the main heroes.
Major Blackthorne is the shadowy central figure. Her platinum blonde hair and slick professionalism holds the Vanguard Prime team together. Blackthorne is tough but caring, able to shift between telling off a room of commanders in one second and then being aware enough of Sam Lee’s nervousness the next.
On the left are the founding members of the team, subtly cast in shadows as their motivations and origins are less revelaed in this book than the main two heroes. There is the Knight of Wands to the left, Gaia and Agent Alpha. All three serve as the backbone and major powerhouses of the superhero team, although I had the distinct impression that they were not revealing everything – something Lochran has probably left hanging for future books.
On the right of Blackthorne are the two main characters: Sam Lee (aka Goldrush) and Machina. For a YA cover, these two appeal to both boys and girls – readers of Alex Rider, Percy Jackson and maybe the young James Bond. Sam is Asian, although not overtly mentioned in the book. His father is Park Lee, the Korean name a nice touch to make the book feel more inetrnational. It’s not everyday that the main protagonist of a kids’ book is Asian (or even non-Anglo).
As for the story, Vanguard Prime: Goldrush is a classic origin story. It introduces Sam who then has to cope with his new powers as well as membership in the world’s premier superhero team. Lochran has described the book as Alex Rider meets the X-Men, and that analogy fits. Like Alex Rider (and Percy Jackson), Sam is an ordinary kid (with extraordinary powers) thrust into a world that has been going along nicely for a long time, although it’s not a world that normal readers know anything about. Therefore, Sam and the readers are introduced to the world slowly, soaking up the history, the current situation and the impending threat. This requires a bit of exposition, but instead of an infodump, Lochrane uses dialogue to shed light on his world. Sam asks questions (on behalf of himself and the reader) and is told about how things work and who people are.
The story is straightforward and concise. As a first novel this works well because it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed with subplots and overarching world-shattering events. Basically, the story is confined to a couple of locations: the state of the art air carrier which serves as the base for Vanguard Prime and then an island. This allows the reader to focus on the characters and the interactions between them.
While it is a straightforward story, it isn’t a dull one. Lochran has planted a number of seeds which can grow in later books, most notable for me is the possibility posed by the Major Arcana (a shadowy organisation) and the insane (but endearing!) Spring Heeled Jack.
I would recommend this book for all superhero comic book readers as well as young readers 10 and up. Like I mentioned earlier, fans of Percy Jackson and Alex Rider would also find a familiar set up but with a new bunch of interesting characters to experience. On this front, I’d suggest the readers of Percy Jackson would find more excitement here than Alex Rider. The mythology and events of the past are more evident in Percy Jackson and Sam Lee’s adventures than in Rider’s.
On a final note, I was really fan-boy-thrilled to spot references to comic book creators throughout the book. I don’t know how many were deliberate, but I enjoyed them all the same.
From the main character, Sam Lee (Marvel legend, Stan Lee) to Kirby, Gage, Ditko… Nice Steven!
Vanguard Prime: Goldrush is published by Puffin books.
They used to say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I think that saying has long since disappeared. In the world of selling books if you’re not a JK Rowling or other house-name author, the cover of your book is what gets the readers’ attention.
Steven Lochran has worked as a publishing rep so you can tell he knows what it takes to get a book onto the booksellers’ shelves. Chad McCown and Lochran have come up with a tremendous superhero cover which evokes the gatefold covers of 1990s comics as well as giving the reader an immediate idea of the main heroes.
Major Blackthorne is the shadowy central figure. Her platinum blonde hair and slick professionalism holds the Vanguard Prime team together. Blackthorne is tough but caring, able to shift between telling off a room of commanders in one second and then being aware enough of Sam Lee’s nervousness the next.
On the left are the founding members of the team, subtly cast in shadows as their motivations and origins are less revelaed in this book than the main two heroes. There is the Knight of Wands to the left, Gaia and Agent Alpha. All three serve as the backbone and major powerhouses of the superhero team, although I had the distinct impression that they were not revealing everything – something Lochran has probably left hanging for future books.
On the right of Blackthorne are the two main characters: Sam Lee (aka Goldrush) and Machina. For a YA cover, these two appeal to both boys and girls – readers of Alex Rider, Percy Jackson and maybe the young James Bond. Sam is Asian, although not overtly mentioned in the book. His father is Park Lee, the Korean name a nice touch to make the book feel more inetrnational. It’s not everyday that the main protagonist of a kids’ book is Asian (or even non-Anglo).
As for the story, Vanguard Prime: Goldrush is a classic origin story. It introduces Sam who then has to cope with his new powers as well as membership in the world’s premier superhero team. Lochran has described the book as Alex Rider meets the X-Men, and that analogy fits. Like Alex Rider (and Percy Jackson), Sam is an ordinary kid (with extraordinary powers) thrust into a world that has been going along nicely for a long time, although it’s not a world that normal readers know anything about. Therefore, Sam and the readers are introduced to the world slowly, soaking up the history, the current situation and the impending threat. This requires a bit of exposition, but instead of an infodump, Lochrane uses dialogue to shed light on his world. Sam asks questions (on behalf of himself and the reader) and is told about how things work and who people are.
The story is straightforward and concise. As a first novel this works well because it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed with subplots and overarching world-shattering events. Basically, the story is confined to a couple of locations: the state of the art air carrier which serves as the base for Vanguard Prime and then an island. This allows the reader to focus on the characters and the interactions between them.
While it is a straightforward story, it isn’t a dull one. Lochran has planted a number of seeds which can grow in later books, most notable for me is the possibility posed by the Major Arcana (a shadowy organisation) and the insane (but endearing!) Spring Heeled Jack.
I would recommend this book for all superhero comic book readers as well as young readers 10 and up. Like I mentioned earlier, fans of Percy Jackson and Alex Rider would also find a familiar set up but with a new bunch of interesting characters to experience. On this front, I’d suggest the readers of Percy Jackson would find more excitement here than Alex Rider. The mythology and events of the past are more evident in Percy Jackson and Sam Lee’s adventures than in Rider’s.
On a final note, I was really fan-boy-thrilled to spot references to comic book creators throughout the book. I don’t know how many were deliberate, but I enjoyed them all the same.
From the main character, Sam Lee (Marvel legend, Stan Lee) to Kirby, Gage, Ditko… Nice Steven!
Vanguard Prime: Goldrush is published by Puffin books.
July 27, 2012
This review is made possible through NetGalley ARC from Penguin Books Australia, (Imprint: Puffin). Thanks NetGalley!
Publication Date: July 25, 2012
Vanguard Prime is Steven Lochran’s comic book imagination brought to life in novel form. A feast of superheroes with superpowers, powered up villains and high stakes burst from the action-packed pages.
An ordinary teenager turned reluctant superhero is a device which works well in Rick Riordan’s bestselling Percy Jackson series, and is used to good effect again here. In Vanguard Prime, we may be slower to engage with the protagonist. The book starts a little slowly, but it is worth persisting. The explosive action and strongly drawn characters of the final quarter are well worth the purchase price.
This reviewer, at first uncertain, was thoroughly captured by this description on page 16: ‘She looks less like a military officer and more like the person who just took out the military officer with a single punch’.
The few weaknesses occur in the beginning of the novel. The first chapter is filled with American phraseology, a little off-putting for Australian readers: ‘pops the boot’ ‘stooge with a two-dollar haircut’ and a father using phrases such as ‘well, okay, son.’ The present tense voice and short sentences seem intrusive in the initial chapters, as though they are not the author’s natural style, but have been edited to convey immediacy and to suit the perceived market – which of course is a terrific approach when done well. Something is missing in character portrayal, too: the reluctant hero is just a loser with no particular attributes to engage our interest.
However, keep reading! Both the story and the characters dramatically improve after we relive the incident where Sam becomes aware of his superpowers. The action explodes, we are committed to Sam and his journey, and suspense heightens through poor decisions of the ‘good’ team, which compound our hero’s problems.
The story is alive with terrific superheroes: Agent Alpha, Gaia, Knight of Wands and Machina – the tough, sassy, straight talking girl colleague, a staple of YA fiction. The villains are larger than life with their own superpowers: Metatron is a wonderfully extreme bad guy, as is Overman. We are hoping to hear more of the villainous Major Arcana in subsequent books.
The final solution is youth-led, an important idea in YA. Another delight is Lochran’s comic book landscape: ‘The sky is a vivid blue, a superhero comic book blue, with clouds looking like thought bubbles.’
With lines like that, and the author’s flashes of humour: (when fitting Sam’s new suit) - ‘that’s how all the superheroes are wearing them this season’, the series promises to be a winner.
Recommended for everyone who enjoys comics, superheroes and action, and is clearly destined to be a perfect present for reluctant readers and middle grade boys.
This review is also published on my blog http://misspossumbooklove.blogspot.co...
NOTE: Steven Lochran will be a panelist at the Ballarat Writers and Illustrators Festival, September 1, 2012. Please see http://www.ballaratwriters.com for details.
Publication Date: July 25, 2012
Vanguard Prime is Steven Lochran’s comic book imagination brought to life in novel form. A feast of superheroes with superpowers, powered up villains and high stakes burst from the action-packed pages.
An ordinary teenager turned reluctant superhero is a device which works well in Rick Riordan’s bestselling Percy Jackson series, and is used to good effect again here. In Vanguard Prime, we may be slower to engage with the protagonist. The book starts a little slowly, but it is worth persisting. The explosive action and strongly drawn characters of the final quarter are well worth the purchase price.
This reviewer, at first uncertain, was thoroughly captured by this description on page 16: ‘She looks less like a military officer and more like the person who just took out the military officer with a single punch’.
The few weaknesses occur in the beginning of the novel. The first chapter is filled with American phraseology, a little off-putting for Australian readers: ‘pops the boot’ ‘stooge with a two-dollar haircut’ and a father using phrases such as ‘well, okay, son.’ The present tense voice and short sentences seem intrusive in the initial chapters, as though they are not the author’s natural style, but have been edited to convey immediacy and to suit the perceived market – which of course is a terrific approach when done well. Something is missing in character portrayal, too: the reluctant hero is just a loser with no particular attributes to engage our interest.
However, keep reading! Both the story and the characters dramatically improve after we relive the incident where Sam becomes aware of his superpowers. The action explodes, we are committed to Sam and his journey, and suspense heightens through poor decisions of the ‘good’ team, which compound our hero’s problems.
The story is alive with terrific superheroes: Agent Alpha, Gaia, Knight of Wands and Machina – the tough, sassy, straight talking girl colleague, a staple of YA fiction. The villains are larger than life with their own superpowers: Metatron is a wonderfully extreme bad guy, as is Overman. We are hoping to hear more of the villainous Major Arcana in subsequent books.
The final solution is youth-led, an important idea in YA. Another delight is Lochran’s comic book landscape: ‘The sky is a vivid blue, a superhero comic book blue, with clouds looking like thought bubbles.’
With lines like that, and the author’s flashes of humour: (when fitting Sam’s new suit) - ‘that’s how all the superheroes are wearing them this season’, the series promises to be a winner.
Recommended for everyone who enjoys comics, superheroes and action, and is clearly destined to be a perfect present for reluctant readers and middle grade boys.
This review is also published on my blog http://misspossumbooklove.blogspot.co...
NOTE: Steven Lochran will be a panelist at the Ballarat Writers and Illustrators Festival, September 1, 2012. Please see http://www.ballaratwriters.com for details.
May 6, 2013
There is never a dull moment in this first book of Steven Lochran's Vanguard Prime series. From the outset, as Sam Lee is dropped off by his parents to join the ranks of Vanguard Prime as its youngest-ever member, we know we are in for a ride and a half. We get to know Sam, piece by piece, and little by little we understand he is a reluctant recruit, totally overwhelmed by the prospect of being "Goldrush" and in the company of his childhood idols, Agent Alpha and Gaia. Sam's superpower is supersonic speed, but he tries very hard to avoid using it because of a horrific event in his recent past.
We follow Sam as he becomes Goldrush and learns what is expected of him as a member of Vanguard Prime. Lochran gives us great details here, and the sequence where Sam learns what NOT to do with his uniform brought a smile and a chuckle to my face.
The book switches between following Sam, and following those around him. This takes a little getting used to, but by chapter four I had my had around it.
There are villains too (of course) and Cronus and The Overman are formidable ones. When they escape from "The Gallery" all hell breaks loose and Goldrush and the rest of the Vanguard Prime team are in a fight to the death for control of the planet.
Along the way we discover some really cool superpowers. Machina, shaping up to be a close mate to Goldrush, can manipulate electronic devices; Gaia, who can control the elements; Agent Alpha, who can channel energy and is able to fly and heal himself quickly. These are some awesome superheroes, up against some truly scary villains. I will not post spoilers, except to say that there is an epic conflict in the closing stages of this book and there IS a second (and I believe a third) book in the series. You can take what you will from that. A terrific SciFi/Fantasy series from an Aussie author who clearly has many more stories to bring us. Can't wait to read Book #2, Wild Card. Review to be posted soon.
We follow Sam as he becomes Goldrush and learns what is expected of him as a member of Vanguard Prime. Lochran gives us great details here, and the sequence where Sam learns what NOT to do with his uniform brought a smile and a chuckle to my face.
The book switches between following Sam, and following those around him. This takes a little getting used to, but by chapter four I had my had around it.
There are villains too (of course) and Cronus and The Overman are formidable ones. When they escape from "The Gallery" all hell breaks loose and Goldrush and the rest of the Vanguard Prime team are in a fight to the death for control of the planet.
Along the way we discover some really cool superpowers. Machina, shaping up to be a close mate to Goldrush, can manipulate electronic devices; Gaia, who can control the elements; Agent Alpha, who can channel energy and is able to fly and heal himself quickly. These are some awesome superheroes, up against some truly scary villains. I will not post spoilers, except to say that there is an epic conflict in the closing stages of this book and there IS a second (and I believe a third) book in the series. You can take what you will from that. A terrific SciFi/Fantasy series from an Aussie author who clearly has many more stories to bring us. Can't wait to read Book #2, Wild Card. Review to be posted soon.
May 13, 2020
If you are a fan of superhero comics, you'll enjoy this. However, if you want to read something that is totally different from most other superhero stories, then you might be a little disheartened, as Vanguard Prime: Goldrush pretty much follows the cliche of most superhero stories; young hero comes into powers, young hero is seen as too young to be able to handle powers, young hero fails to impress other heroes, young hero proves himself by saving the world. The original members of Vanguard Prime have a uncanny resemblance to DC Comics Trinity (in behaviours, not powers), in that Agent Alpha stands for truth and justice, with a stand up attitude that Superman and Captain America deliver. Gaia loves a battle, like the Amazon Princess Wonder Woman and Knight of Wands acts not unlike the mysterious Dark Knight himself, Batman.
That said, the book moved at a steady pace and I was drawn into the book virtually from the beginning. I look forward to reading the next book, as the character of The Knight of Wands is quite intriguing, especially with the mention of the enigmatic Major Arcana as the looming villains. I am hoping that they will not follow the likes of the little known 2011 superhero TV drama series 'The Cape', which had one season and introduced the audience to an organisation called Tarot, and was slowly unfolding its villains like The Tower and The Chariot (in Tarot Cards, these are part of the Major Arcana). So, how the author, Steven Lochran, will unfold the mysteries to come makes me want to continue reading this series, as this first book left me with a lot of questions that I would like answered.
That said, the book moved at a steady pace and I was drawn into the book virtually from the beginning. I look forward to reading the next book, as the character of The Knight of Wands is quite intriguing, especially with the mention of the enigmatic Major Arcana as the looming villains. I am hoping that they will not follow the likes of the little known 2011 superhero TV drama series 'The Cape', which had one season and introduced the audience to an organisation called Tarot, and was slowly unfolding its villains like The Tower and The Chariot (in Tarot Cards, these are part of the Major Arcana). So, how the author, Steven Lochran, will unfold the mysteries to come makes me want to continue reading this series, as this first book left me with a lot of questions that I would like answered.
December 4, 2012
You'll enjoy this book if you like the superhero genre. It's a pretty standard superhero story, with Sam Lee (alias Goldrush) trying to come to terms with his powers. I don't mind the way the book is written, but there are many loopholes in the story that have you wondering "Why would they do that?" or "How could that happen?"
I guess the biggest question I had was, how could a kid who is still trying to figure out his powers going to be able to defeat one of the most dangerous supervillains in that world, when even the veteran superheroes of Vanguard Prime couldn't defeat him?
Overall, I liked the book because of the 'superhero' theme, but it's not one of the best superhero novels that I've read.
I guess the biggest question I had was, how could a kid who is still trying to figure out his powers going to be able to defeat one of the most dangerous supervillains in that world, when even the veteran superheroes of Vanguard Prime couldn't defeat him?
Overall, I liked the book because of the 'superhero' theme, but it's not one of the best superhero novels that I've read.
October 9, 2012
This is an action-packed adventure for those who enjoy superhero stories like the Avengers and X-Men. A quick read, but a real rush which barely slowed down from beginning to end. Set in a world where some people have developed superpowers for no understandable reason, the main character is a teenage boy whose life has been turned upside down because of his unexpected power.
A great read and highly recommended - particularly for boys aged 10+ depending on reading ability.
A great read and highly recommended - particularly for boys aged 10+ depending on reading ability.
March 12, 2018
Different
Enjoyed a varied take of sorts on this genre. Yes there were some staples of hero works, the flying, all powerful hero and archenemy..but Goldrush as a character is nice and realistic, as much as he can be. He shows a part of heroism most don't. He does have fear. Which helps his character development greatly. Overall the book is a good read.
Enjoyed a varied take of sorts on this genre. Yes there were some staples of hero works, the flying, all powerful hero and archenemy..but Goldrush as a character is nice and realistic, as much as he can be. He shows a part of heroism most don't. He does have fear. Which helps his character development greatly. Overall the book is a good read.
April 23, 2013
Super heroes, super action, but with an attempt to deal with growing-up issues as well.
Very popular in the library.
Very popular in the library.
December 17, 2015
Good book, easy to follow story with heroes who are set as role models of humanity or rather the monopolization of them. Everyone may understand it differently
December 28, 2017
3.5 stars
While Goldrush didn't bring any new concepts to the superhero genre, it was a solid read. It was fast-paced and story was fairly interesting. Interesting enough to want to know what Lee and the gang gets up to next!
While Goldrush didn't bring any new concepts to the superhero genre, it was a solid read. It was fast-paced and story was fairly interesting. Interesting enough to want to know what Lee and the gang gets up to next!
February 7, 2015
I gave this book a three, because it's a superhero book by an Australian author. However, I found the story quite predictable and the heroes were not too original, also it seemed overly Americanised. I would have liked to have seen Goldrush muck up a few more times, rather than in just a few insignificant places.
That said, I love comics and will probably read the rest of the series to support our Aussie authors. I just wish Lochran could give the books a bit more of an Aussie flavour and throw a bit of reality into this fictional world; i.e. if a character is in training, he needs to be learning, not defeating The Worlds Most Wanted and then the reader is meant to go back to believing that he's still a novice.
That said, I love comics and will probably read the rest of the series to support our Aussie authors. I just wish Lochran could give the books a bit more of an Aussie flavour and throw a bit of reality into this fictional world; i.e. if a character is in training, he needs to be learning, not defeating The Worlds Most Wanted and then the reader is meant to go back to believing that he's still a novice.
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September 8, 2014Fun read! Lots of adventure.
July 26, 2016
Reading Aussie authors. This reads well for a young audience. Lots of energy and visual storytelling.
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