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V is for Villain
Brad Baron is used to looking lame compared to his older brother, Blake. Though Brad's basically a genius, Blake is a superhero in the elite Justice Force. And Brad doesn't measure up at his high school, either, where powers like super-strength and flying are the norm. So when Brad makes friends who are more into political action than weight lifting, he's happy to join a new crew-especially since it means spending more time with Layla, a girl who may or may not have a totally illegal, totally secret super-power. And with her help, Brad begins to hone a dangerous new power of his own.
But when they're pulled into a web of nefarious criminals, high-stakes battles, and startling family secrets, Brad must choose which side he's on. And once he does, there's no turning back.
Perfect for fans of The Avengers, Ironman, and classic comic books, V is for Villain reveals that it's good to be bad.
But when they're pulled into a web of nefarious criminals, high-stakes battles, and startling family secrets, Brad must choose which side he's on. And once he does, there's no turning back.
Perfect for fans of The Avengers, Ironman, and classic comic books, V is for Villain reveals that it's good to be bad.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published May 20, 2014
38 people are currently reading
2132 people want to read
About the author
Peter Moore
12 books10 followersPeter Moore has been writing fiction since he was eleven years old, and became an amateur lycanthropologist even earlier. Because he studied hard in high school and ate all his vegetables, he was able to attend Vassar College and Columbia University. Though he briefly considered a career in the FBI, America can rest easy: it didn’t work out. Instead, he has worked as a screenwriter, college professor, English teacher, and guidance counselor. He lives with his wife and two kids in Westchester, New York. This is his third book for young adults. He strongly denies all rumors that he is a werewolf. Still, he won’t say where he goes every month during the full moon.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
August 9, 2014
In 2013, I was able to read two awesome superhero books. One of them was Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson, and the other was Vicious by V. Schwab. They were absolutely amazing reads, and it opened to me a door of possibilities about humans who achieved damning powers (okay, probably Marvel and DC did that for you, but I don't follow those except the movies, so cut me some slack here, okay? Haha!). That's why when I chanced upon V is for Villain by Peter Moore, I knew I just had to read it. I wanted more stories about superpowers gone good and superpowers gone bad. I wanted to explore the concept of how a taste of absolute power can absolutely corrupt a person.
Did V is for Villain give me that?
Hell, yes .
Obviously, the blurb itself would give you the gist of the book, so I'm not going to repeat it here. However, I can say with absolute certainty that I enjoyed this really neat novel, mainly because of the voice of our hero, Brad, who is (unfortunately, according to him) the brother of thedumb famous superhero, Blake. His voice was absolutely refreshing, and it was so much fun to read his thoughts! He doesn't try to come across as funny, but his personality and dry humor, and his blunt way of describing things will make you smile nonetheless. I'm not going to say that the writing was deep and profound... the author was able to make it sound like it was coming from a young man finding his place in a world crazy about superheroes... but despite the rather young voice, it was highly engaging and it never made me feel like putting the book down. If I did put the book down, it was mainly because of those blasted chores. *makes a fist*
In any case, it wasn't hard to emotionally connect to Brad. He's seen as an underdog by many, greatly overshadowed by his famous superhero of a brother. He is always frustrated by how there is so much emphasis on the superheroes, when he is fairly certain there is more to the situation than what it presents itself to be. He is tired of the obvious discrimination towards those who are not as gifted, and of the government and scientists who are obviously trying to cover something up. You end up rooting for him all the way, through thick and thin, come low or high water, even if he eventually finds himself going against the world. He's such a brilliant character, that Brad.
On the other hand, though, I thought the secondary characters were quite... lacking. Oftentimes, it would feel like here's the hero, here's the love interest, and here are the others. They weren't really given any depth, and they mostly stayed in the background, which I find is such a damn shame because I thought if given more polishing, they would have contributed more to the storyline. They were just there, and would pop out occasionally. Hopefully in the sequel we would see more of them- not just for decoration but having actual roles.
As for Blake, even though he's the dumb brother who has this very black-and-white view of justice, I found him oddly endearing in a twisted way. You can really see how he is so passionate about what he believes in, even if they're kinda... misinformed. As Cait said in her review, just think of him as Metroman and you're good to go.
Overall, I totally recommend this book. Please don't put it aside thinking it's simply a boring love letter to comic book fans. Even though it's not highly original, Brad's character and brilliant narration makes up for it. Plus, there are footnotes! The footnotes are insanely funny! Trust me, you'd want to read this over and over again just for those.
Did V is for Villain give me that?
Hell, yes .
Obviously, the blurb itself would give you the gist of the book, so I'm not going to repeat it here. However, I can say with absolute certainty that I enjoyed this really neat novel, mainly because of the voice of our hero, Brad, who is (unfortunately, according to him) the brother of the
In any case, it wasn't hard to emotionally connect to Brad. He's seen as an underdog by many, greatly overshadowed by his famous superhero of a brother. He is always frustrated by how there is so much emphasis on the superheroes, when he is fairly certain there is more to the situation than what it presents itself to be. He is tired of the obvious discrimination towards those who are not as gifted, and of the government and scientists who are obviously trying to cover something up. You end up rooting for him all the way, through thick and thin, come low or high water, even if he eventually finds himself going against the world. He's such a brilliant character, that Brad.
On the other hand, though, I thought the secondary characters were quite... lacking. Oftentimes, it would feel like here's the hero, here's the love interest, and here are the others. They weren't really given any depth, and they mostly stayed in the background, which I find is such a damn shame because I thought if given more polishing, they would have contributed more to the storyline. They were just there, and would pop out occasionally. Hopefully in the sequel we would see more of them- not just for decoration but having actual roles.
As for Blake, even though he's the dumb brother who has this very black-and-white view of justice, I found him oddly endearing in a twisted way. You can really see how he is so passionate about what he believes in, even if they're kinda... misinformed. As Cait said in her review, just think of him as Metroman and you're good to go.
Overall, I totally recommend this book. Please don't put it aside thinking it's simply a boring love letter to comic book fans. Even though it's not highly original, Brad's character and brilliant narration makes up for it. Plus, there are footnotes! The footnotes are insanely funny! Trust me, you'd want to read this over and over again just for those.
August 19, 2018
Ahh... My favorite genre of super hero books.
The ones where the superhero becomes a villain
Brad, kinda sucks at a lot of things. He mostly just gets beat up at school under what is called curriculum. But, he is really smart.
And of course, Brad has a brother, an older brother whom everyone compares him to.
Makes you wonder why Brad doesn't care to become a hero.
I really enjoyed this read. The banter was funny. Brad was a fun character. And the superhero terminology, that I will totally use in the future.
But Brad, is a very morally troubled character. Some of his actions I can get by. But others, not so much. Especially with the use of his powers with Layla. And not to mention, I don't know Brad ever grew into a better person
If he ever looked past his inabilities and differences from his brother.
But...
I definitely would enjoy reading a sequel.
The ones where the superhero becomes a villain
Brad, kinda sucks at a lot of things. He mostly just gets beat up at school under what is called curriculum. But, he is really smart.
And of course, Brad has a brother, an older brother whom everyone compares him to.
Makes you wonder why Brad doesn't care to become a hero.
I really enjoyed this read. The banter was funny. Brad was a fun character. And the superhero terminology, that I will totally use in the future.
But Brad, is a very morally troubled character. Some of his actions I can get by. But others, not so much. Especially with the use of his powers with Layla. And not to mention, I don't know Brad ever grew into a better person
If he ever looked past his inabilities and differences from his brother.
But...
I definitely would enjoy reading a sequel.
March 26, 2016
I'd really love a sequel to this novel. It's incredible. Loved every page and left me wanting for more.
August 3, 2016
This is almost a good book. One thing straight, I love books that deal with superhuman powers. All because powers mean more action, more drama but sadly, I don’t think V is for Villain made the cut for my criteria. Saying that, it doesn’t actually mean this totally fell flat. I just don’t think that this book had enough credibility to stand up for me and outshine other books. I couldn’t see the strength for this and it pains me to say that. There are some inconsistencies I’ve seen with the plot, as well as various hallow points to the characters’ backgrounds that I couldn’t quite comprehend. Another one of those mediocre cracks, I guess. I wasn’t feeling up for it.
Half the time, I was reeling with excitement as soon as I got to the first page. And okay, I have to admit that the concept and the careful thinking of putting up with heroes versus mutated villains having a heads-on battle is pretty cool of a job. I especially like the twist with the dystopian secrecy in this world. It adds to an original context of the book. In this world, we are introduced to a whole new era of humane existence wherein superheroes live among us, fighting off the world’s evil creatures such as these so-called Phaetons.
As much as I was awed by this, the one thing that I have to say is that once the engaging part happened (a.k.a the opening chapters), it kind of wore off as the story continues. It became boring, honestly. I kind of wished there’d be more originality to this but as soon as it had started, it was like one of the usual superhero-villain-power tropes. It wasn’t entertaining enough for me. And trust me, I had watched a fair share of these kinds of things. While I know the big screen is a lot more beautiful to look than imagining what’s in the book, being a book-person made me think that maybe I could somehow make an exception for this. I guess I spoke too soon.
There were a lot of undeveloped parts that I could mention. I felt like this needed more substance and fundamentality to the plot, the characters and the romance because I couldn’t get the gist of any of it. With the characters, they lack a certain sense of deep emotions. They were all pure bland all throughout and I did wait to see the big reveal of who and what they really are but it didn’t happen. Sometimes when I tried to finish a chapter, I kind of space out with what I’m reading and suddenly I forget what happened or how did that certain character end up here. And so, I had to repeat the last slur of paragraphs again. It’s irritating.
Speaking of irritating, did I mention the love interest? She goes by the name of Layla, ultimate bad-ass chick that Brad’s family disapproves off. If what I think is true, the author tries to make Layla a likeable character for Brad but at the same time make her this hardcore bitch that everyone is afraid off. I’m quite conflicted with her character because for starters, I can’t relate to her. Hell, I couldn’t relate to anyone in this book. As what I’ve said, they lack feelings. I don’t think the love was developed enough to make it worthwhile and actually ship-able. Ugh. This is by far the most boring love affairs I’ve ever encountered. But then again, this is one of those books where the romance is just a subplot. I don’t think that’s bad but knowing that I’m one of those people who wants to have a balance of romance and the big plot, it’s probably best for me to leave it just as it is.
Another irritating thing is these footnotes. So what if they add more spunk and uniqueness to the book? What if these footnotes are excuses to make info-dumps less boring? It didn’t work for me. It was disturbing. I have to stop reading the bigger picture to look at these footnotes at the bottom which, at least in my opinion, distracts me so much. It became tiresome at some point that I didn’t bother to read this footnotes anymore, with exceptions to those terms I’m curious about. Although I was impressed that the author came up with this idea, it didn’t really serve its purpose to the story.
Standing: I can’t say that I really enjoy this book. BUT I can’t say I hate this either. Some of it was a mess of all sorts but I think the end gave a bit of hope for this. Overall, I think it would be much better if you borrow this from the library first before buying. It’s not exactly meant for every reader so it’s better to be safe.
Half the time, I was reeling with excitement as soon as I got to the first page. And okay, I have to admit that the concept and the careful thinking of putting up with heroes versus mutated villains having a heads-on battle is pretty cool of a job. I especially like the twist with the dystopian secrecy in this world. It adds to an original context of the book. In this world, we are introduced to a whole new era of humane existence wherein superheroes live among us, fighting off the world’s evil creatures such as these so-called Phaetons.
In case you never bothered to learn about Phaetons, I’ll give you the so-called official explanation about these public enemies. Pronounced as “FITE-onz,” they’re the wretches who tried to enhance themselves through second-rate mutation splicing or bionics jobs that were botched up. They ended up as walking mutations gone wrong. And given their history of vicious attacks, they’ve come to be considered the lowest, most savage tier of villains.And then we have our very own, Brad Baron. Now, Brad is an outcast of his own family. The catch? He doesn’t have any powers. All his life he thinks that there might be a part in his DNA that seemed to differ with the people in his world. In school, he doesn’t fit in, considering almost everyone had their own special abilities—flying, super-strength, telekinetic, telepathy, you name it. He tried to dig deeper and make a name for himself but he’s always overshadowed by his brother. Because, well, everybody looks up Blake Baron like he’s some godly presence. Blake is one of the superheroes consisting of Justice Force, an elite group that fights crimes together (kind of like The Avengers sort of thing). So, Brad joins with these ‘evil’ kids and became villains, but this sort of getup is done for a heroic purpose as they believe that their government isn’t as perfect and safe as they may seem.
As much as I was awed by this, the one thing that I have to say is that once the engaging part happened (a.k.a the opening chapters), it kind of wore off as the story continues. It became boring, honestly. I kind of wished there’d be more originality to this but as soon as it had started, it was like one of the usual superhero-villain-power tropes. It wasn’t entertaining enough for me. And trust me, I had watched a fair share of these kinds of things. While I know the big screen is a lot more beautiful to look than imagining what’s in the book, being a book-person made me think that maybe I could somehow make an exception for this. I guess I spoke too soon.
There were a lot of undeveloped parts that I could mention. I felt like this needed more substance and fundamentality to the plot, the characters and the romance because I couldn’t get the gist of any of it. With the characters, they lack a certain sense of deep emotions. They were all pure bland all throughout and I did wait to see the big reveal of who and what they really are but it didn’t happen. Sometimes when I tried to finish a chapter, I kind of space out with what I’m reading and suddenly I forget what happened or how did that certain character end up here. And so, I had to repeat the last slur of paragraphs again. It’s irritating.
Speaking of irritating, did I mention the love interest? She goes by the name of Layla, ultimate bad-ass chick that Brad’s family disapproves off. If what I think is true, the author tries to make Layla a likeable character for Brad but at the same time make her this hardcore bitch that everyone is afraid off. I’m quite conflicted with her character because for starters, I can’t relate to her. Hell, I couldn’t relate to anyone in this book. As what I’ve said, they lack feelings. I don’t think the love was developed enough to make it worthwhile and actually ship-able. Ugh. This is by far the most boring love affairs I’ve ever encountered. But then again, this is one of those books where the romance is just a subplot. I don’t think that’s bad but knowing that I’m one of those people who wants to have a balance of romance and the big plot, it’s probably best for me to leave it just as it is.
Another irritating thing is these footnotes. So what if they add more spunk and uniqueness to the book? What if these footnotes are excuses to make info-dumps less boring? It didn’t work for me. It was disturbing. I have to stop reading the bigger picture to look at these footnotes at the bottom which, at least in my opinion, distracts me so much. It became tiresome at some point that I didn’t bother to read this footnotes anymore, with exceptions to those terms I’m curious about. Although I was impressed that the author came up with this idea, it didn’t really serve its purpose to the story.
Standing: I can’t say that I really enjoy this book. BUT I can’t say I hate this either. Some of it was a mess of all sorts but I think the end gave a bit of hope for this. Overall, I think it would be much better if you borrow this from the library first before buying. It’s not exactly meant for every reader so it’s better to be safe.
May 22, 2014
I am a huge sucker for superhero books. When I heard about V IS FOR VILLAIN, I knew that I had to read it. And it definitely scratched some of my superhero itches, like a complicated relationship between the protagonist and his arch-nemesis. At the same time, I was never quite convinced of the world.
Brad Baron lives in a world shaped by superheroes and their battles with Phaetons. The superheroes were all created decades ago, and the newest ones are generally legacies. Both Brad's father and brother are famous heroes. Phaetons are created when people try to mutate their genes themselves -- it often goes wrong. Brad has super genes, but only for intelligence. That means he can't keep up in the Academy, which focuses on physical powers. He gets shunted off to the A-track. (A is for alternative.)
The Academy, and by extension the world's, focus on certain powers just never quite worked for me. What can I say, some of my favorite superheroes are the ones without powers. And Brad, in his rise to villainy, shows pretty thoroughly just how dangerous someone can be without physical powers. Surely there were others before him? Decades of people with powers, why no supervillains that aren't Phaetons? Plus, quite a bit of worldbuilding is done through expository footnotes that quickly get boring.
At the same time, I found the characters very believable. Brad and his friends have pretty radical ideas about what it means to be a hero -- albeit radical for their society. They're in favor of things like bringing people to trial instead of killing them on the spot. But Brad also has a nasty streak of entitlement. Layla, the head of the alternative kids, may or may not be interested in Brad. Either way, she definitely has her own agenda, which I appreciated. I also liked Brad's meat-head hero brother, Blake. Brad and Blake care about each other, because they're brothers, yet they deeply irritate each other as well.
I thought the characters' feelings, motivations, and relationships were terrific and wish the world had worked as well for me. Although, since I'm talking about character, Brad came off as very average in intelligence to me. I might have bought him as a little smarter than the other characters, but not as a super genius. Luckily, he had other qualities to make up for it.
This tale of a boy's rise to villainy has some moments that shine, but it's a bit too didactic to give the through-the-eyes-of-the-villain premise much weight. Superhero and dystopian fans might find things to enjoy about this novel, but I'd just check this one out from the library instead of buying it.
Brad Baron lives in a world shaped by superheroes and their battles with Phaetons. The superheroes were all created decades ago, and the newest ones are generally legacies. Both Brad's father and brother are famous heroes. Phaetons are created when people try to mutate their genes themselves -- it often goes wrong. Brad has super genes, but only for intelligence. That means he can't keep up in the Academy, which focuses on physical powers. He gets shunted off to the A-track. (A is for alternative.)
The Academy, and by extension the world's, focus on certain powers just never quite worked for me. What can I say, some of my favorite superheroes are the ones without powers. And Brad, in his rise to villainy, shows pretty thoroughly just how dangerous someone can be without physical powers. Surely there were others before him? Decades of people with powers, why no supervillains that aren't Phaetons? Plus, quite a bit of worldbuilding is done through expository footnotes that quickly get boring.
At the same time, I found the characters very believable. Brad and his friends have pretty radical ideas about what it means to be a hero -- albeit radical for their society. They're in favor of things like bringing people to trial instead of killing them on the spot. But Brad also has a nasty streak of entitlement. Layla, the head of the alternative kids, may or may not be interested in Brad. Either way, she definitely has her own agenda, which I appreciated. I also liked Brad's meat-head hero brother, Blake. Brad and Blake care about each other, because they're brothers, yet they deeply irritate each other as well.
I thought the characters' feelings, motivations, and relationships were terrific and wish the world had worked as well for me. Although, since I'm talking about character, Brad came off as very average in intelligence to me. I might have bought him as a little smarter than the other characters, but not as a super genius. Luckily, he had other qualities to make up for it.
This tale of a boy's rise to villainy has some moments that shine, but it's a bit too didactic to give the through-the-eyes-of-the-villain premise much weight. Superhero and dystopian fans might find things to enjoy about this novel, but I'd just check this one out from the library instead of buying it.
May 13, 2014
Actual rating 3.5
This and other reviews are on my site, My Friends Are Fiction
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts:
I’ve got to admit, I didn’t grow up loving super-heroes but since I’ve had my son I’ve learned to appreciate this genre a lot more. I’ve not delved much into the super-hero lore but I could see that V is for Villain played with the classic depictions of good and evil. Regardless of the somewhat predictable outcome I found this book to be a blast to read and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Recently there seem to be an influx of villain themed media. More authors are looking into what it means to be on the other side of heroism and what aspects go into making a villain. V is for Villain looks into this as well but, to me, stayed within the grey between true right and wrong. Moore’s depiction of hero and villain was hazy; there was never clear cut right or wrong side. Where many of the explorations into the evil side are truly dark and twisted, V is for Villain never ventured there and always stayed appropriate for middle grade (though I believe this book is considered young adult?).
My favorite aspect of this book was Brad Baron, our less than super main character. I loved his voice start to finish because of his witty and sarcastic tone, and the added footnotes explaining phrases or what not was an excellent touch. He was instantly likeable to me. Though Brad’s character developed the secondary cast was much less looked into. There was a romance but it was such a small role in the story it was really an afterthought.
Moore was able to ask some big questions as well as create some really fun and fast paced action scenes. Though the entertainment was there the book suffered only in the plot predictability. It was crystal clear what was going on before the book’s climax. Brad’s ‘perfect’ older brother Blake was a character I wished could have been developed a bit more and been a tad less cliché. I understood the point in having Blake this way but I’d have enjoyed it had he broken from the mold just a bit more.
Final Thoughts:
V is for Villain was a fast paced and funny glimpse into the struggles of determining what was right and wrong. Moore created a comical yet poignant look into family relationships and accepting yourself wrapped up in the sarcastic voice of Brad.
This and other reviews are on my site, My Friends Are Fiction
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts:
I’ve got to admit, I didn’t grow up loving super-heroes but since I’ve had my son I’ve learned to appreciate this genre a lot more. I’ve not delved much into the super-hero lore but I could see that V is for Villain played with the classic depictions of good and evil. Regardless of the somewhat predictable outcome I found this book to be a blast to read and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Recently there seem to be an influx of villain themed media. More authors are looking into what it means to be on the other side of heroism and what aspects go into making a villain. V is for Villain looks into this as well but, to me, stayed within the grey between true right and wrong. Moore’s depiction of hero and villain was hazy; there was never clear cut right or wrong side. Where many of the explorations into the evil side are truly dark and twisted, V is for Villain never ventured there and always stayed appropriate for middle grade (though I believe this book is considered young adult?).
My favorite aspect of this book was Brad Baron, our less than super main character. I loved his voice start to finish because of his witty and sarcastic tone, and the added footnotes explaining phrases or what not was an excellent touch. He was instantly likeable to me. Though Brad’s character developed the secondary cast was much less looked into. There was a romance but it was such a small role in the story it was really an afterthought.
Moore was able to ask some big questions as well as create some really fun and fast paced action scenes. Though the entertainment was there the book suffered only in the plot predictability. It was crystal clear what was going on before the book’s climax. Brad’s ‘perfect’ older brother Blake was a character I wished could have been developed a bit more and been a tad less cliché. I understood the point in having Blake this way but I’d have enjoyed it had he broken from the mold just a bit more.
Final Thoughts:
V is for Villain was a fast paced and funny glimpse into the struggles of determining what was right and wrong. Moore created a comical yet poignant look into family relationships and accepting yourself wrapped up in the sarcastic voice of Brad.
February 20, 2014
*Review of ARC*
Buzzwords: Superheroes, Brain vs. Brawn, What makes a hero, conspiracies & corruption (a variant on secrets&lies), genetic manipulation, sibling rivalry, power
Brad is only a genius, not a physically perfect, kill-the-villain-and-save-the-day superhero like his brother, Blake. And no one will let him forget it. But when Brad is injured by a bullying superhero-in-training and transferred to the "Alternative" program in his school, he meets others who have been burned by the system that prizes physical strength over everything - and together, they determine to do something about it. Being a villain, after all, isn't evil if heroism is a lie...
A fascinating look at what makes someone a hero or villain, at cultural values - are brains as important as brawn, for instance; are mutated people NECESSARILY evil? When is fighting in self-defense vs. aggression - is there such a thing as a preemptive defense? - and more. Could easily be used to discuss bullying (the heroes, essentially jocks, belittle and dismiss anyone who doesn't have their physical power) and privilege, as well. I was impressed by the way these issues and others were discussed - I very much sided with Brad and the other "villains," despite not agreeing with all of their tactics. I liked Brad's voice, and the conceit of the book being evidence in a court case. The ending was open enough to allow for a sequel - I hope there is one.
Recommended for fans of Dull Boy,Steelheart, and/or perhaps The Rise of Renegade X.
Cleanreaders: Battles, murder, bullying/physical harm
Buzzwords: Superheroes, Brain vs. Brawn, What makes a hero, conspiracies & corruption (a variant on secrets&lies), genetic manipulation, sibling rivalry, power
Brad is only a genius, not a physically perfect, kill-the-villain-and-save-the-day superhero like his brother, Blake. And no one will let him forget it. But when Brad is injured by a bullying superhero-in-training and transferred to the "Alternative" program in his school, he meets others who have been burned by the system that prizes physical strength over everything - and together, they determine to do something about it. Being a villain, after all, isn't evil if heroism is a lie...
A fascinating look at what makes someone a hero or villain, at cultural values - are brains as important as brawn, for instance; are mutated people NECESSARILY evil? When is fighting in self-defense vs. aggression - is there such a thing as a preemptive defense? - and more. Could easily be used to discuss bullying (the heroes, essentially jocks, belittle and dismiss anyone who doesn't have their physical power) and privilege, as well. I was impressed by the way these issues and others were discussed - I very much sided with Brad and the other "villains," despite not agreeing with all of their tactics. I liked Brad's voice, and the conceit of the book being evidence in a court case. The ending was open enough to allow for a sequel - I hope there is one.
Recommended for fans of Dull Boy,Steelheart, and/or perhaps The Rise of Renegade X.
Cleanreaders: Battles, murder, bullying/physical harm
July 9, 2014
This book had a lot of potential. Sadly I found the characters to be weak and full of stereotypes, the main character is a self congratulatory jerk in a lot of his internal monologue and footnotes, and the dialogue made me cringe more than once. I was really interested in seeing a book about a villain while he's on the road to villainy. But Brad really isn't a bad guy. He's morally questionable at best. His biggest flaw is his sense of superiority because of his supposed intelligence (which sadly doesn't seem to show much). Perhaps he would have seemed more villainous if his brother Blake was truly a good guy instead of being such a pompous cardboard cut out jerk. The book is about Brad the villain but the author clearly tries to steer the book towards "he's not bad, he's just misunderstood." For that to work, Brad needs to be likable. He's not. He doesn't really have much of a personality aside from acting superior.
I have to say I was also sad that the side characters (and the subplots they could have been involved in) are largely neglected. Brad's original group of friends fall to the wayside when he switches classes and are hardly heard from again. The hero in training who injures Brad at the beginning of the book makes one more appearance but is also mostly ignored in favor of "the big conspiracy plot." A big plot which comes through during weakly written info dump dialogue. There were some huge revelations near the end of the book but they're handled without any emotion at all. Hell, they're basically just tossed off as asides in between "big conspiracy plot" explanations.
This book could have been great if it had settled down and actually focused on the characters, maybe treated them like the real people they're supposed to be. Instead it reads like an extended summary complete with paraphrased dialogue.
I have to say I was also sad that the side characters (and the subplots they could have been involved in) are largely neglected. Brad's original group of friends fall to the wayside when he switches classes and are hardly heard from again. The hero in training who injures Brad at the beginning of the book makes one more appearance but is also mostly ignored in favor of "the big conspiracy plot." A big plot which comes through during weakly written info dump dialogue. There were some huge revelations near the end of the book but they're handled without any emotion at all. Hell, they're basically just tossed off as asides in between "big conspiracy plot" explanations.
This book could have been great if it had settled down and actually focused on the characters, maybe treated them like the real people they're supposed to be. Instead it reads like an extended summary complete with paraphrased dialogue.
October 30, 2015
I really liked the ending of the book. As you could guess by the title, the main character becomes a villain. He writes his story, or this book, while in prison. He tells you that if you're reading this, he's made it out. The author makes you want a sequel, but he doesn't make any hints at one. He leaves it up to you to decide what happens next.
June 6, 2017
One of those rare books that pulls you in and won't let go. It makes you think in creative ways with a smile. This book has some serious flow and is engaging from start to finish with a completely real and lovable protagonist. The biggest question to be asked is: who is good and who is bad?
recommended for those into superheroes, thinking books, and action against injustice.
recommended for those into superheroes, thinking books, and action against injustice.
October 25, 2022
I'm disappointed...I enjoyed it but I still expected a lot more
Edit #1: That was a lie, I did not enjoy it.
Edit #2: Upon further consideration, I have concluded that this book was even worse that I thought...they weren't even villains, just assholes
Edit #1: That was a lie, I did not enjoy it.
Edit #2: Upon further consideration, I have concluded that this book was even worse that I thought...they weren't even villains, just assholes
July 10, 2019
I enjoyed the book. It was an interesting experience. Books that are about rising to villainy always interest me. Somrhow I always feel it kinda relates to all of us. May be not out right villains but we can still turn to be the unsavory person as well. So I suggest it to anyone who is into this kind of thing.
Brad in my opinion has a very grayish character. Not exactly good or bad and that's what makes him realistic.
But I also feel the story needed more worldbuilding. The comlexities of a real society were not captured in very good detail.
But all in all I enjoyed my time reading it.
And I really want to know this: What happened after that? Any chances for a sequal?
Brad in my opinion has a very grayish character. Not exactly good or bad and that's what makes him realistic.
But I also feel the story needed more worldbuilding. The comlexities of a real society were not captured in very good detail.
But all in all I enjoyed my time reading it.
And I really want to know this: What happened after that? Any chances for a sequal?
November 10, 2017
A great story and an amusing one on top of that. I encourage you to read it, it is a memorable story. I for one loved it.
February 21, 2014
This book reminded me of a cross between the Disney film, Sky High, and a recent superhero read called Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. It has elements of YA angst, with the majority of the novel being set in a superhero school and the classes being split into those with powers and those without them (or with entirely useless or barely there ones). The Disney edge about it is that the novel centers around the Baron family, is which Blake has all the powers and works on a team, as a real-life superhero. His younger brother Brad is ordinary and viewed as an embarrassment to the family, a freak accident of nature. The Steelheart thing about this book, is that the entire world knows about the superheroes. They are the celebrities of this world and are followed constantly for coverage of their heroic exploits.
Brad is the protagonist of this novel and we spend the whole thing in his head, trying right along with him to decide if the superheroes really are the good guys and if he should become a villain instead. We definitely get Brad's end of the spectrum quite a bit more, with him almost being paralyzed at the start of the book after being tackled by one of the powered kids too hard. After mouthing off to his teachers one too many times, Brad is switched over to the A Program, and falls in with a group of kids who call themselves A-Holes. The real reason Brad is interested in becoming villain though, is to hack into his geneticist mother's computers, and look at his gene mapping. He wants to know why Brad has powers and he doesn't, when genetically speaking he should. But digging deeper into his own past brings to the forefront a horrifying secret about the involvement of the government in the existence of super powers in the world - and just who the real heroes and villains are after all.
I really enjoyed reading this one. I felt that the characters were well developed, especially Brad and Layla, who were both really trying to think things through and have a sound reasoning for going to "the dark side." Also, the whole superpower thing with Brad made for an interesting ride. I wasn't expecting Moore to give him a secret one that he never knew he had. It did make for a connection with Layla on a completely different level and still allowed Brad to be a societal outcast, albeit in a different way. I liked the rest of the crew too, but felt like they were little kids playing dress up and sure enough, as soon as shit got real they all bailed out. Blake was a superb caricature of the smug, self-involved, dumb brute hero character that's common in comics - that is, until he wasn't. I loved the way Moore lulls you into thinking everyone is something different than really are and rips you apart with revelations. My only complaint is that while the big reveal about Brad and Blake's respective powers at the end made sense, it was pretty cliched and really damn "muhahaha" in tone. Other than that, I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to fans of comics and superheroes. It struck the right balance most of the time between humor, action and philosophical musings.
VERDICT: 4/5 Stars
*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 20th, 2014.*
Brad is the protagonist of this novel and we spend the whole thing in his head, trying right along with him to decide if the superheroes really are the good guys and if he should become a villain instead. We definitely get Brad's end of the spectrum quite a bit more, with him almost being paralyzed at the start of the book after being tackled by one of the powered kids too hard. After mouthing off to his teachers one too many times, Brad is switched over to the A Program, and falls in with a group of kids who call themselves A-Holes. The real reason Brad is interested in becoming villain though, is to hack into his geneticist mother's computers, and look at his gene mapping. He wants to know why Brad has powers and he doesn't, when genetically speaking he should. But digging deeper into his own past brings to the forefront a horrifying secret about the involvement of the government in the existence of super powers in the world - and just who the real heroes and villains are after all.
I really enjoyed reading this one. I felt that the characters were well developed, especially Brad and Layla, who were both really trying to think things through and have a sound reasoning for going to "the dark side." Also, the whole superpower thing with Brad made for an interesting ride. I wasn't expecting Moore to give him a secret one that he never knew he had. It did make for a connection with Layla on a completely different level and still allowed Brad to be a societal outcast, albeit in a different way. I liked the rest of the crew too, but felt like they were little kids playing dress up and sure enough, as soon as shit got real they all bailed out. Blake was a superb caricature of the smug, self-involved, dumb brute hero character that's common in comics - that is, until he wasn't. I loved the way Moore lulls you into thinking everyone is something different than really are and rips you apart with revelations. My only complaint is that while the big reveal about Brad and Blake's respective powers at the end made sense, it was pretty cliched and really damn "muhahaha" in tone. Other than that, I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to fans of comics and superheroes. It struck the right balance most of the time between humor, action and philosophical musings.
VERDICT: 4/5 Stars
*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 20th, 2014.*
April 3, 2014
Sick of Superheros and their too tight costumes and perfect smiles? Done with the constant media about foes vanquished and helpless damsels saved? Wanting more than latex and brawn? Then you should try "V is for Villain" by Peter Moore.
Brad is a junior at the prestigious superhero school where physical superpower is valued above everything else. His problem? He has no powers whatsoever other than super intelligence. Not only that his older brother is none other than Blake the most famous super hero there is (and don't you ever forget it). After a nasty accident and some family interference, Brad is transferred to the alternative program. There he meets a group of anti-superhero misfits who want to change societies perception of all things hero, even if it means becoming villains themselves.
Brad is caught in a high stakes game of what is right and what wrong as he decides which side is really on, what it means to be a hero, and if being a villain is truly as evil as everyone says.
If you have ever watched a superhero movie and felt sorry for the villains demise then this is the book for you. This is a fascinating glimpse into the life of hero's vs. villains that explores what we really value as human beings. I loved that topics like excessive force and self defense verses aggression are explored. This is a great book that can open a discussion about bullying and privilege.
Brad is a great character and has a strong voice throughout the book. The main characters are well developed with Blake being the perfect self absorbed, smug, superhero and Layla taking the role as the dark philosophical love interest. The rest of the team is a mix of outcasts that were likable but not as much as the main characters. I loved that he made them all seem like kids playing dress up who bailed when things actually start getting rough.
The revelations totally took me by surprise and blew my mind! The only slightly predictable part was with the brothers and their respective superpowers. While I saw it coming, it wasn't a complete let down for me. I had pretty high expectations reading this title and I felt that author met most of them which is a huge bonus in my book. This book will fit well with readers who love comics and are fans of the major hero movies. It's fast paced, philosophical, action filled and funny. A logical purchase for our library!
Brad is a junior at the prestigious superhero school where physical superpower is valued above everything else. His problem? He has no powers whatsoever other than super intelligence. Not only that his older brother is none other than Blake the most famous super hero there is (and don't you ever forget it). After a nasty accident and some family interference, Brad is transferred to the alternative program. There he meets a group of anti-superhero misfits who want to change societies perception of all things hero, even if it means becoming villains themselves.
Brad is caught in a high stakes game of what is right and what wrong as he decides which side is really on, what it means to be a hero, and if being a villain is truly as evil as everyone says.
If you have ever watched a superhero movie and felt sorry for the villains demise then this is the book for you. This is a fascinating glimpse into the life of hero's vs. villains that explores what we really value as human beings. I loved that topics like excessive force and self defense verses aggression are explored. This is a great book that can open a discussion about bullying and privilege.
Brad is a great character and has a strong voice throughout the book. The main characters are well developed with Blake being the perfect self absorbed, smug, superhero and Layla taking the role as the dark philosophical love interest. The rest of the team is a mix of outcasts that were likable but not as much as the main characters. I loved that he made them all seem like kids playing dress up who bailed when things actually start getting rough.
The revelations totally took me by surprise and blew my mind! The only slightly predictable part was with the brothers and their respective superpowers. While I saw it coming, it wasn't a complete let down for me. I had pretty high expectations reading this title and I felt that author met most of them which is a huge bonus in my book. This book will fit well with readers who love comics and are fans of the major hero movies. It's fast paced, philosophical, action filled and funny. A logical purchase for our library!
February 11, 2016
I've been really looking forward to doing this.
There are many kinds of smarts, like: smart aleck, smart-ass, smart nerdy wise, street smart, work smart, and there is fake smart.
Peter Moore was either stupid or lazy. In this case I would presume he was stupid. Or maybe he had a bad day. Several times in V is for Villain, Brad claimed he was smart. In fact he called it "high intelligence" or the sought. However, he never showed any of that. He used brute force against brute force, even though he said several times that he was brainy and not strong. So, if the author describes his character smart and he isn't, it's simply because of several reasons: the author has a low grasp of vocabulary, the author is an imbecile, or the author meant a different kind of smart that us, the said readers don't understand.
Anyway, to make matters worse with this book, he, Brad Baron, believes that he is actually smarter then Blake, when he can't beat him mentally or physically. Honestly, it seems ridiculously that he judges his brother, when he is not any better. For instance, he complains that his brother is controlling, but he himself controls others for his own nefarious deeds.(His own Mother!) Also, he never uses his strengths at all, even though he is supposed to be brilliant. Brad Baron is not smarter then his brother, he is mentally inferior. To prove it again, when he had a power, he fights stupid, he is stupid.( He actually tried to punch his brother, who basically described as Superman, instead he used brawn over brain) To sum it up with this book, he never uses his powers properly, or his so called " high intelligence".
This book is a bit like Knightfall by R. Jackson-Lawrence, the main character claims to be a genius, but he's a idiot at best. Though, he actually is a genius, but to the readers sorrow, he still is an idiot.
Really, if your dumb, don't try to write books with smart characters. If you must write with smart characters, try harder, do some research, and don't just believe that good books are written in a day.
There are many kinds of smarts, like: smart aleck, smart-ass, smart nerdy wise, street smart, work smart, and there is fake smart.
Peter Moore was either stupid or lazy. In this case I would presume he was stupid. Or maybe he had a bad day. Several times in V is for Villain, Brad claimed he was smart. In fact he called it "high intelligence" or the sought. However, he never showed any of that. He used brute force against brute force, even though he said several times that he was brainy and not strong. So, if the author describes his character smart and he isn't, it's simply because of several reasons: the author has a low grasp of vocabulary, the author is an imbecile, or the author meant a different kind of smart that us, the said readers don't understand.
Anyway, to make matters worse with this book, he, Brad Baron, believes that he is actually smarter then Blake, when he can't beat him mentally or physically. Honestly, it seems ridiculously that he judges his brother, when he is not any better. For instance, he complains that his brother is controlling, but he himself controls others for his own nefarious deeds.(His own Mother!) Also, he never uses his strengths at all, even though he is supposed to be brilliant. Brad Baron is not smarter then his brother, he is mentally inferior. To prove it again, when he had a power, he fights stupid, he is stupid.( He actually tried to punch his brother, who basically described as Superman, instead he used brawn over brain) To sum it up with this book, he never uses his powers properly, or his so called " high intelligence".
This book is a bit like Knightfall by R. Jackson-Lawrence, the main character claims to be a genius, but he's a idiot at best. Though, he actually is a genius, but to the readers sorrow, he still is an idiot.
Really, if your dumb, don't try to write books with smart characters. If you must write with smart characters, try harder, do some research, and don't just believe that good books are written in a day.
March 17, 2016
"There is nothing neither good or bad, but thinking makes it so."
"V is for Villain" takes the reader directly into the life of Brad Baron. Brad is a high school student who attends a program for future heroes-in-training. However, unlike the rest of the students, Brad does not possess any notable and astounding superpowers. His increased intelligence barely even puts him on the radar. As the story progresses, it is revealed that Brad is considered to be the black sheep of the family, while his elder brother, Blake, is a famous hero that possesses the ability to fly, has super strength, and an array of other powers. Brad is evenutally removed from this program and placed with the "A-holes" or students of famous superhero families with absolutely useless superpowers.
In this new program, Brad meets fellow students who believe that heroes may not be the people that they allow others to believe they are. They are also against many of these heroes' actions of murder in the name of justice. Soon this group of misfits bans together to form a team of villains that will expose the true nature of heroes.
I previously read Peter Moore's novel "Red Moon Rising" and loved it. With this new novel, he has definitely progressed as an author. The book dealt with the constant clash of what we as humans consider to be good and evil. I especially loved the fact that the heroes were the corrupt individuals in society and that the villains were those trying to set things right. I would recommend this book to all who love a good superhero novel with a few twists and turns.
"V is for Villain" takes the reader directly into the life of Brad Baron. Brad is a high school student who attends a program for future heroes-in-training. However, unlike the rest of the students, Brad does not possess any notable and astounding superpowers. His increased intelligence barely even puts him on the radar. As the story progresses, it is revealed that Brad is considered to be the black sheep of the family, while his elder brother, Blake, is a famous hero that possesses the ability to fly, has super strength, and an array of other powers. Brad is evenutally removed from this program and placed with the "A-holes" or students of famous superhero families with absolutely useless superpowers.
In this new program, Brad meets fellow students who believe that heroes may not be the people that they allow others to believe they are. They are also against many of these heroes' actions of murder in the name of justice. Soon this group of misfits bans together to form a team of villains that will expose the true nature of heroes.
I previously read Peter Moore's novel "Red Moon Rising" and loved it. With this new novel, he has definitely progressed as an author. The book dealt with the constant clash of what we as humans consider to be good and evil. I especially loved the fact that the heroes were the corrupt individuals in society and that the villains were those trying to set things right. I would recommend this book to all who love a good superhero novel with a few twists and turns.
May 20, 2014
V is for Villain is a quick read, mirrored to the movie Sky High. The children of superheroes all go to the same academy; however, if your powers are not super and you are not an excellent fit (basically a conformist and one who worships heroes) than you are sent to the alternative school… and known as an A-hole. This is what has happened to our main character Brad. Being the younger brother of one of the well-known and worshiped heroes out there, life has never been great for him, especially since he doesn’t have any superpowers of his own. Being dumped into the alternative program only proves that he is a disappointment to his family, but then he begins to hang out with a group of other A-holes and starts questioning the system of justice vs what the heroes call justice. Slowly but surely, the questioning beings to form into action.
There is a lot going on in this short read, but not so much that you cannot follow what is going on. Between genetics, heroes vs villains, and sibling rivalry there are a lot of aspects for every audience to enjoy. I am curious to see if this is a standalone, because the book lends perfectly into creating a platform for a long series of villains vs heroes. If you like action and sarcastic wit, you will definitely be pleased with this selection.
Thanks NetGalley
There is a lot going on in this short read, but not so much that you cannot follow what is going on. Between genetics, heroes vs villains, and sibling rivalry there are a lot of aspects for every audience to enjoy. I am curious to see if this is a standalone, because the book lends perfectly into creating a platform for a long series of villains vs heroes. If you like action and sarcastic wit, you will definitely be pleased with this selection.
Thanks NetGalley
June 30, 2014
"Evil Genius" meets "Ordinary Boy". Brad Baron attends a school for superheroes, although he is neither a super--nor a hero. He is there because his father and his brother are both heroes, so he is a legacy. It is doing him no favors to be there. In fact it just might get him killed. So when one "accident" nearly leaves him paralyzed--which would be tragic for the superhero who injures him, of course--(What a stain on his reputation!)Brad is moved to the alternate program at the school. And there, he finds his people. These people are neither as powerless or as reverential of the supers as the school would like, and have an agenda of their own. Brad discovers that good and evil are not such a black and white choice as he has always thought and begins the slow slide down a dark path.
May 27, 2014
Good solid, quick read. I liked the story coming from the side of the villain instead of the side of the hero. I think the use of footnotes was a little too much, but they didn't need to be read to understand the story. In general, it was a well thought out character study into the mind of a villain, and I think it is meant to be the first in a series of novels, but I am not positive.
November 10, 2016
This was a fun, light read. Moore took a unique approach to the superhero genre and managed to keep the book from feeling like one giant cliche. In particular, he does a great job at showing the darker side of superheroes. This would be a great book to recommend to reluctant YA readers that are looking to branch out from comic books.
September 15, 2015
Decent. Just not dazzling or outstanding.
Full review to come <3
Full review to come <3
November 6, 2014
Hope there is a part 2
December 2, 2017
Well structured, well thought out, plus a bit unpredictable. I recommend this one!
This book isn't very heavy on dialogue which is a pity as more dialogue and banter would have given this book a lighter feel. So keep that in mind, it's a heavy read sometimes. Not necessarily draggy, but not a light-hearted easy read either. Also, the amount of acronyms, unique words and worldbuilding would have easily set this one up for a series, just saying. (which I would absolutely read, would love to hear more about Brad!)
The characters were interesting (if they came up again after the first third of the book, that is) and I really liked how easy they all were to visualise. From the easy-going yet wary teacher to the jealous leader-wannabe to the nice muscle-head, they all had character. You knew what made them tick and I really like that. It gives the book more depth. Some characters like the mother or also Layla could have been fleshed out more, but the quintessence was always there, as long as the character was there to stay.
The main character, Brad, is a harder to grasp character. He should still be at high school when this story is told (second year or so?), and sometimes he still acted like a teenager a bit, but then he seemed to be a lot older than he actually should be. For being just a teenager he should have reacted more frantic at times. But the way the book is written sort of enables this after-editing of frantic moments. It also totally messes with my perception of him as a character. Agewise, I'm not sure how old he is when this story is told and when it is written down in the story. On a positive note, I've been glad to see that our very-intelligent main character truly is very-intelligent. He thinks, he plans, he acts. He just doesn't act like this age would suggest. Frankly, if this were set in college, it would make more sense.
The plot itself is solid, but in the end nothing to write home about. There's a nice twist near the end. The main revelations just weren't that surprising. The less relevant relevation was very obvious from the start: Seriously, if the school director mentions that the death of one character could never possible be anything but what it was, nevermind the conspirations - then it hasn't been that clean. Also, if there is critique about how the heroes handle the enemies, well, yes, then I'm not surprised either if it turns out that some injustice was going on. The end notes I could have seriously done without, they were distracting. The information that was conveyed in those notes could have been easily left out or included in the main text and after a certain point reading the end notes could have been skipped altogether. Reading them, especially when they were about his brother, actually made me like the main character less, as they made him seem very arrogant. And I actually like the main character. What should I say, I love my fictional boys (slightly) twisted!
So yes, recommended! Especially if you like superhero stories where it's very clear the heroes aren't necessarily the good ones.
This book isn't very heavy on dialogue which is a pity as more dialogue and banter would have given this book a lighter feel. So keep that in mind, it's a heavy read sometimes. Not necessarily draggy, but not a light-hearted easy read either. Also, the amount of acronyms, unique words and worldbuilding would have easily set this one up for a series, just saying. (which I would absolutely read, would love to hear more about Brad!)
The characters were interesting (if they came up again after the first third of the book, that is) and I really liked how easy they all were to visualise. From the easy-going yet wary teacher to the jealous leader-wannabe to the nice muscle-head, they all had character. You knew what made them tick and I really like that. It gives the book more depth. Some characters like the mother or also Layla could have been fleshed out more, but the quintessence was always there, as long as the character was there to stay.
The main character, Brad, is a harder to grasp character. He should still be at high school when this story is told (second year or so?), and sometimes he still acted like a teenager a bit, but then he seemed to be a lot older than he actually should be. For being just a teenager he should have reacted more frantic at times. But the way the book is written sort of enables this after-editing of frantic moments. It also totally messes with my perception of him as a character. Agewise, I'm not sure how old he is when this story is told and when it is written down in the story. On a positive note, I've been glad to see that our very-intelligent main character truly is very-intelligent. He thinks, he plans, he acts. He just doesn't act like this age would suggest. Frankly, if this were set in college, it would make more sense.
The plot itself is solid, but in the end nothing to write home about. There's a nice twist near the end. The main revelations just weren't that surprising. The less relevant relevation was very obvious from the start: Seriously, if the school director mentions that the death of one character could never possible be anything but what it was, nevermind the conspirations - then it hasn't been that clean. Also, if there is critique about how the heroes handle the enemies, well, yes, then I'm not surprised either if it turns out that some injustice was going on. The end notes I could have seriously done without, they were distracting. The information that was conveyed in those notes could have been easily left out or included in the main text and after a certain point reading the end notes could have been skipped altogether. Reading them, especially when they were about his brother, actually made me like the main character less, as they made him seem very arrogant. And I actually like the main character. What should I say, I love my fictional boys (slightly) twisted!
So yes, recommended! Especially if you like superhero stories where it's very clear the heroes aren't necessarily the good ones.
May 15, 2022
Honestly, the main reason this book is getting three stars is because when I saw a book called “V is for Villain” I expect the book to be about a villain.
I believe that, at his core, Brad Barron is what his society would describe as a villain. He likes to control people and hates his society and heroes in general. The reason why Brad and the Hellions don’t strike me as villains is because they have a goal, they talk bad about their society, but although they say they want to do something about it, they really just don’t. Where are the devious, sassy, underestimated teenage supervillains that I was expecting? (#Sassy Villains Rule)
I agreed with the characters goals and they got me on their side. The problem was that siding with them was waaay to easy. Their society (or at least their school) was obviously corrupted and only butt head jerks wouldn’t realize that. Guess that means every hero in existence was a butt headed jerk because they are all described as having a nasty sense of superiority due to their physical prowess.
Anyway, if you can get past that, when I heard that Brad and the Hellions were going to try and change the status quo, I said “alright let’s do this!” and they said, “do what?” and I said “show the world that hero’s are corrupted and expose their connection to the Phaetons!” That’s when I realized they had no idea how to achieve any of their goals. Sure they uncovered some huge secrets and came up with a cool team name, but they didn’t do anything about the knowledge they acquired. Seriously, man up and do stuff guys!
Well, I’ll quit ranting at fictional characters (which I consistently find myself doing) and sum up my thoughts here: I wish Brad would figure himself out and show the butt headed heroes whats what.
There, I will forever hold my peace.
The parts of the book I did like were the Hellions ideals and the idea of brains over brawn. The plot was a little predictable but the characters and story overall were fun. Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
I believe that, at his core, Brad Barron is what his society would describe as a villain. He likes to control people and hates his society and heroes in general. The reason why Brad and the Hellions don’t strike me as villains is because they have a goal, they talk bad about their society, but although they say they want to do something about it, they really just don’t. Where are the devious, sassy, underestimated teenage supervillains that I was expecting? (#Sassy Villains Rule)
I agreed with the characters goals and they got me on their side. The problem was that siding with them was waaay to easy. Their society (or at least their school) was obviously corrupted and only butt head jerks wouldn’t realize that. Guess that means every hero in existence was a butt headed jerk because they are all described as having a nasty sense of superiority due to their physical prowess.
Anyway, if you can get past that, when I heard that Brad and the Hellions were going to try and change the status quo, I said “alright let’s do this!” and they said, “do what?” and I said “show the world that hero’s are corrupted and expose their connection to the Phaetons!” That’s when I realized they had no idea how to achieve any of their goals. Sure they uncovered some huge secrets and came up with a cool team name, but they didn’t do anything about the knowledge they acquired. Seriously, man up and do stuff guys!
Well, I’ll quit ranting at fictional characters (which I consistently find myself doing) and sum up my thoughts here: I wish Brad would figure himself out and show the butt headed heroes whats what.
There, I will forever hold my peace.
The parts of the book I did like were the Hellions ideals and the idea of brains over brawn. The plot was a little predictable but the characters and story overall were fun. Thanks for taking the time to read my review!
March 18, 2024
I can’t even explain how much I enjoyed this story. Like DUDE. I loved seeing the change in Brad so subtle but also very clear at the same time and it was paced perfectly in my opinion. I literally love this book so much I was so into the story. Brad is such a complex but also completely awesome character. There were definitely things that he did that were morally gray… for sure… but I resignated with him. The reason he had for every thing he did had a explanation and I could feel how much he cared.
The lines in this book? Fucking awesome. Brad was seriously really fucking cool and he didnt even realize it. I genuinely loved him. His brother was idk (I just finished reading and I alr forgot his name) honestly the dynamic was interesting. I felt like it wouldve been better if brothers character had been more complex too. The same with the other characters too. However, it didnt really bother me because I loved the main character so much.
This book is not perfect by any means. It has it flaws of course but I genuinely had the time of my life reading the story and thats enough for me to give it five stars. I seriously recommend especially if you enjoy cool ass main charaters, superheros, villians, villians, and smart ass villians.
Okay ima drop a few of the quotes that blew my mind.
“Sure, he could kill me with one punch.
But I could destroy him with one sentence.”
OH MY GODD. Like I said Brads cool as fuck.
“There’s a reason we call them powers rather than abilities. It’s because
that’s how they make you feel.”
“And how is that?”
“Powerful.”
I removed the like who said tags aboce because I don’t want to spoil anything. But again, whatta line.
Also I’m not gonna quote it but the line this book left off on??? CRAZY. I loved it. Perfect way to end it.
Okay so I know my grammar has been slightly terrible but I’m quite literally still processing everything. I finsihed this book like less than five minutes ago and I need to blab everything out of my brain. V Is For Villian is seriously going to give me a book hangover.
The lines in this book? Fucking awesome. Brad was seriously really fucking cool and he didnt even realize it. I genuinely loved him. His brother was idk (I just finished reading and I alr forgot his name) honestly the dynamic was interesting. I felt like it wouldve been better if brothers character had been more complex too. The same with the other characters too. However, it didnt really bother me because I loved the main character so much.
This book is not perfect by any means. It has it flaws of course but I genuinely had the time of my life reading the story and thats enough for me to give it five stars. I seriously recommend especially if you enjoy cool ass main charaters, superheros, villians, villians, and smart ass villians.
Okay ima drop a few of the quotes that blew my mind.
“Sure, he could kill me with one punch.
But I could destroy him with one sentence.”
OH MY GODD. Like I said Brads cool as fuck.
“There’s a reason we call them powers rather than abilities. It’s because
that’s how they make you feel.”
“And how is that?”
“Powerful.”
I removed the like who said tags aboce because I don’t want to spoil anything. But again, whatta line.
Also I’m not gonna quote it but the line this book left off on??? CRAZY. I loved it. Perfect way to end it.
Okay so I know my grammar has been slightly terrible but I’m quite literally still processing everything. I finsihed this book like less than five minutes ago and I need to blab everything out of my brain. V Is For Villian is seriously going to give me a book hangover.
September 29, 2019
"By now, I'm out there. Among you. I can't tell you exactly what I'm doing, but whatever it is, you can bet on one thing: I'm up to no good..."
the ending was beautiful. my inner anti-hero self was vibrating the entire time--whether it be because of anger or excitement. you could say those two were the two main things i was feeling in the entirety of reading this book.
first of all, i hated blake. he was the kind of stupid that made me want to tear my hair out of my scalp. all he cared about was being that kind of hero that everyone worshiped--and so, he blindly believed everything that was fed to him. plus, he's stubborn as an ox. even when brad had already told him to go to the hospital to get his injuries checked out, he refused??? and at what cost???? almost dying if not for his brother? the one who cared (even if just a little bit)? the one he threw into jail? he was so annoying to read because at every single second, he'd make a subtle (not really) jab at brad's lack of powers. he felt so entitled because he had almost everything, i almost wished he had met his end so that he could get it into his head that he wasn't indestructible.
the "heroes" in this book are the real bad guys here, if i'm going to be honest. experimenting on regulars and if they made a mistake in their genetic pool, throw them into the wild, erase their memories, and call them the villains to escape the accountability they should be owning up for??? honestly, that was so frustrating to read because i knew that there are people like this in real life. it sucks.
i'm rating this a four stars. overall, the book was pretty good, but i'm pretty sure i've read better anti-hero books before. it was so-so--i'll probably forget about it in a few months.
the ending was beautiful. my inner anti-hero self was vibrating the entire time--whether it be because of anger or excitement. you could say those two were the two main things i was feeling in the entirety of reading this book.
first of all, i hated blake. he was the kind of stupid that made me want to tear my hair out of my scalp. all he cared about was being that kind of hero that everyone worshiped--and so, he blindly believed everything that was fed to him. plus, he's stubborn as an ox. even when brad had already told him to go to the hospital to get his injuries checked out, he refused??? and at what cost???? almost dying if not for his brother? the one who cared (even if just a little bit)? the one he threw into jail? he was so annoying to read because at every single second, he'd make a subtle (not really) jab at brad's lack of powers. he felt so entitled because he had almost everything, i almost wished he had met his end so that he could get it into his head that he wasn't indestructible.
the "heroes" in this book are the real bad guys here, if i'm going to be honest. experimenting on regulars and if they made a mistake in their genetic pool, throw them into the wild, erase their memories, and call them the villains to escape the accountability they should be owning up for??? honestly, that was so frustrating to read because i knew that there are people like this in real life. it sucks.
i'm rating this a four stars. overall, the book was pretty good, but i'm pretty sure i've read better anti-hero books before. it was so-so--i'll probably forget about it in a few months.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2025
This book.....at first I thought it was super good and engaging( which it was- I flew through this book) but... that's kind of where the good things end.
The Characters-flatter than a board. They had like no deep emotions. Now, I think this is more a flaw of the writing style than the actual characters. Cause I knew they were feeling those emotions, I just wasn't told that they were feeling those emotions.
The romance-barely there. I don't mind books with light romance. But there has to be at least some development and it felt like there wasn't any. Just vague sentences alluding to it.
The plot- all over the place. What was the over arching goal here? To take down the heroes? Cause that sure as hell isn't happening. Like I said before, it felt like they were being villains for the sake of being villains. They didn't seem to want any actual justice, just a power trip. They kept telling us that they wanted justice( and the main character had maybe two thoughts about justice) but their actions didn't reflect that.
Continuity errors- definitely there. There are five characters in this group he's in and at some point, they say that there are four of them...........yeah.
The ending- rushed through hell. One minute, we're getting details about the whole thing and the next, there are some vague sentences apparently covering an entire year after the final fight.....what the heck. It felt as if the author was too lazy to think of an actual cohesive ending and just threw something out there. The world was also incredibly underdeveloped.
I didn't realise I had this many strong feelings towards this book, but apparently I did
The Characters-flatter than a board. They had like no deep emotions. Now, I think this is more a flaw of the writing style than the actual characters. Cause I knew they were feeling those emotions, I just wasn't told that they were feeling those emotions.
The romance-barely there. I don't mind books with light romance. But there has to be at least some development and it felt like there wasn't any. Just vague sentences alluding to it.
The plot- all over the place. What was the over arching goal here? To take down the heroes? Cause that sure as hell isn't happening. Like I said before, it felt like they were being villains for the sake of being villains. They didn't seem to want any actual justice, just a power trip. They kept telling us that they wanted justice( and the main character had maybe two thoughts about justice) but their actions didn't reflect that.
Continuity errors- definitely there. There are five characters in this group he's in and at some point, they say that there are four of them...........yeah.
The ending- rushed through hell. One minute, we're getting details about the whole thing and the next, there are some vague sentences apparently covering an entire year after the final fight.....what the heck. It felt as if the author was too lazy to think of an actual cohesive ending and just threw something out there. The world was also incredibly underdeveloped.
I didn't realise I had this many strong feelings towards this book, but apparently I did
May 18, 2021
4/5
I love superheroes. I will never get bored of the trope. While reading the book I enjoyed that it showed that yes, the futuristic world can be cool but it is also flawed in many ways. with almost all books focusing on people with powers there is always other people who get left out, Regulars, Citizens, people whether they like it or not are forced to sit around because the problems that come to their city or town is most of the time, out of their hands. Aliens, superpowered individuals, etc.. They are forced to sit and wait for the heroes who can help and are the only ones who really can help, until the aftermath shows up and the people who lived in the area suffer badly. They're called Superheroes, given that name they feel better then a regular human, putting them up n a pedestal that can only allow other people who have the guts to fight, try to take them down. From what I have learned reading themes with superheroes, there is always someone who see they as bad. At first I didn't like the trope with the main character not having powers, but now I can't wait for more stories like that.
I love superheroes. I will never get bored of the trope. While reading the book I enjoyed that it showed that yes, the futuristic world can be cool but it is also flawed in many ways. with almost all books focusing on people with powers there is always other people who get left out, Regulars, Citizens, people whether they like it or not are forced to sit around because the problems that come to their city or town is most of the time, out of their hands. Aliens, superpowered individuals, etc.. They are forced to sit and wait for the heroes who can help and are the only ones who really can help, until the aftermath shows up and the people who lived in the area suffer badly. They're called Superheroes, given that name they feel better then a regular human, putting them up n a pedestal that can only allow other people who have the guts to fight, try to take them down. From what I have learned reading themes with superheroes, there is always someone who see they as bad. At first I didn't like the trope with the main character not having powers, but now I can't wait for more stories like that.
September 20, 2022
2.5
No empezó mal pero se empieza a caer de la mitad hacia el final. La historia es decente pero siento que faltaron momentos claves para completar la trama y el climax es tan débil que te deja pensando "ah, eso fue todo?".
Los personajes son otra historia diferente, la mayoría (por no decir todos) se sienten planos y como si no tuvieran una verdadera motivación para nada de lo que hacen.
Por otro lado, la historia de amor es sin duda lo que mas me decepcionó, sabía que no iba a ser lo central cuando empecé este libro y estaba preparada para un pequeño desarrollo secundario, lo que no esperé es que directamente no hubiera desarrollo. Comienza medio insta love y como si quisiera contarnos un poco de la evolución de esos sentimientos pero en un momento todo eso se frena de golpe, son novios de la nada misma y termina el libro, ni siquiera tenemos un pov del primer beso ni se deja en claro nunca lo que ella siente por él y si las inseguridades que el tenía eran fundadas o no. Nada tiene sentido.
No empezó mal pero se empieza a caer de la mitad hacia el final. La historia es decente pero siento que faltaron momentos claves para completar la trama y el climax es tan débil que te deja pensando "ah, eso fue todo?".
Los personajes son otra historia diferente, la mayoría (por no decir todos) se sienten planos y como si no tuvieran una verdadera motivación para nada de lo que hacen.
Por otro lado, la historia de amor es sin duda lo que mas me decepcionó, sabía que no iba a ser lo central cuando empecé este libro y estaba preparada para un pequeño desarrollo secundario, lo que no esperé es que directamente no hubiera desarrollo. Comienza medio insta love y como si quisiera contarnos un poco de la evolución de esos sentimientos pero en un momento todo eso se frena de golpe, son novios de la nada misma y termina el libro, ni siquiera tenemos un pov del primer beso ni se deja en claro nunca lo que ella siente por él y si las inseguridades que el tenía eran fundadas o no. Nada tiene sentido.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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