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Meta #1
Meta
It’s been ten years since Connor Connolly lost his parents in ‘The Battle’; a fight between The Governor and Jones, two of the world’s strongest metas. Before ‘The Battle’ the world had been full of metas, super-powered humans whose amazing abilities came from mysterious wristbands. Since that day one has never been seen again.
Now 16 years old, Connor lives in Bay View City with his older brother Derrick, a meta-obsessed blogger, where he’s just trying to keep his head down long enough to survive high school. All of that changes the night he attempts to save a girl's life and wakes up to find the first new pair of metabands anyone has seen wrapped around his wrists.
Connor soon finds an unlikely ally in Midnight, a masked vigilante who helps him learn how to harness his new abilities, while also trying to balance his summer job at the lake. As a meta, Connor becomes known as Omni, potentially the most powerful meta the world has ever seen, but it isn’t long before he finds out he's no longer alone...
Now 16 years old, Connor lives in Bay View City with his older brother Derrick, a meta-obsessed blogger, where he’s just trying to keep his head down long enough to survive high school. All of that changes the night he attempts to save a girl's life and wakes up to find the first new pair of metabands anyone has seen wrapped around his wrists.
Connor soon finds an unlikely ally in Midnight, a masked vigilante who helps him learn how to harness his new abilities, while also trying to balance his summer job at the lake. As a meta, Connor becomes known as Omni, potentially the most powerful meta the world has ever seen, but it isn’t long before he finds out he's no longer alone...
229 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
October 22, 2014
Meta is a story about a teenager who suddenly finds himself with superpowers in a world where others are also suddenly gaining them. 10 years ago, "metas" were everywhere, and since disappeared. Now they're back.
There are several reasons for the 2 stars, both a poor match up with me and what I assume is the target audience, but also there are some issues with the writing and story itself.
1) I think this book is best suited to a 12 or 13-year-old audience. It's very straight forward and pretty two dimensional
2) The entire book talks down to you. There's way too much play by play of non-important things. A made up example to illustrate: "so I'm not going to go into the alley because there could be a mugger. But if I don't go in, I'll be late for dinner. And it's meatloaf tonight so maybe it's better to face a mugger. Unless my mom finds out..." and on and on. It happens very consistently to the point of being annoying.
3) As far as the superhero track goes, the ideas are so cardboard cutout that it gets stale quick. There's no originality at all. The main character is very generic and basically has the power to do anything. In my mind one single power used creatively is much more interesting than all powers used in an unimaginative way.
4) Too much detail on unimportant things (as above), and too little on things like wrapping up plot that could be interesting I.e. where the meta bands (powers) come from, resolution of what happens to the bully who gets himself in trouble, etc
Despite these issues, it's still pretty solid, and it should be enjoyable as long as you're wanting to stay in the shallow end of the pool.
There are several reasons for the 2 stars, both a poor match up with me and what I assume is the target audience, but also there are some issues with the writing and story itself.
1) I think this book is best suited to a 12 or 13-year-old audience. It's very straight forward and pretty two dimensional
2) The entire book talks down to you. There's way too much play by play of non-important things. A made up example to illustrate: "so I'm not going to go into the alley because there could be a mugger. But if I don't go in, I'll be late for dinner. And it's meatloaf tonight so maybe it's better to face a mugger. Unless my mom finds out..." and on and on. It happens very consistently to the point of being annoying.
3) As far as the superhero track goes, the ideas are so cardboard cutout that it gets stale quick. There's no originality at all. The main character is very generic and basically has the power to do anything. In my mind one single power used creatively is much more interesting than all powers used in an unimaginative way.
4) Too much detail on unimportant things (as above), and too little on things like wrapping up plot that could be interesting I.e. where the meta bands (powers) come from, resolution of what happens to the bully who gets himself in trouble, etc
Despite these issues, it's still pretty solid, and it should be enjoyable as long as you're wanting to stay in the shallow end of the pool.
November 3, 2013
My first review on GoodReads for two reasons: a) an up and coming author needs all the support he can get, and more importantly b) finally an original book worth reviewing.
What I thought about when reading Meta?
Very simply, Meta takes me back to when I was about 13 and lapping up young adult fiction. The likes of Ender's Game, NetForce, Harry Potter, Famous Five, His Dark Materials, etc weighing down my shelf. Meta is a very simply book and for that reason I polished it off in 24 hours and enjoyed every minute of it.
What Meta's about?
If you have seen the film "Chronicle", Meta's story will seem familiar.
What I thought about the book?
Despite the ease in which you are sucked into the story and its (relatively) childlike themes, make no mistake, this book is not G-rated. There are scenes which are particularly brutal. Unusual for young adult fiction, but then again I haven't read young adult fiction for a very long time.
Conclusion
Meta has a simple story line, but Reynolds creates a compelling (and very adult) world to explore. This book is definitely worth a read if you are having a lazy Sunday afternoon. Meta is a great first book from Reynolds and I can't wait to read more.
What I thought about when reading Meta?
Very simply, Meta takes me back to when I was about 13 and lapping up young adult fiction. The likes of Ender's Game, NetForce, Harry Potter, Famous Five, His Dark Materials, etc weighing down my shelf. Meta is a very simply book and for that reason I polished it off in 24 hours and enjoyed every minute of it.
What Meta's about?
If you have seen the film "Chronicle", Meta's story will seem familiar.
What I thought about the book?
Despite the ease in which you are sucked into the story and its (relatively) childlike themes, make no mistake, this book is not G-rated. There are scenes which are particularly brutal. Unusual for young adult fiction, but then again I haven't read young adult fiction for a very long time.
Conclusion
Meta has a simple story line, but Reynolds creates a compelling (and very adult) world to explore. This book is definitely worth a read if you are having a lazy Sunday afternoon. Meta is a great first book from Reynolds and I can't wait to read more.
June 1, 2014
I originally found this book on Wattpad, after passing it by for weeks slowly making its way into the #1 spot for Sci-fi/fantasy I finally gave in and started to read it. by the time I got caught up to chapter 30 I knew I couldn't keep waiting for a new chapter to be posted so I took advantage of the .99 deal in amazon and bought it. Even if it was only to read the last 7 chapters, it was definitely the best dollar spent.
I am (with many others I'm sure) waiting (not) so patiently for the next book in the series. Especially with the huge cliffhanger and the end of Meta.
As far as the book is concerned. I felt it had just the right amount of action/mystery/excitement/fighting. It did seem a little all over the place but nothing you couldn't keep up with and figure out.
There is a bunch questions still left unanswered which hopefully with be answered in the sequal.
I am (with many others I'm sure) waiting (not) so patiently for the next book in the series. Especially with the huge cliffhanger and the end of Meta.
As far as the book is concerned. I felt it had just the right amount of action/mystery/excitement/fighting. It did seem a little all over the place but nothing you couldn't keep up with and figure out.
There is a bunch questions still left unanswered which hopefully with be answered in the sequal.
January 27, 2020
This book is for middle-grade children who think they can sit at the adults' table. Don't get me wrong. Middle-grade and YA books are perfectly fine, but authors should be consistent with the audience they want. If this book is meant for children (which I thoroughly believe will enjoy it the most: pre-teens), then it shouldn't have so many deaths. Especially not gruesome ones that involve piles of bricks. If it is meant for adults, then treat us like adults. Connor literally kills a guy within minutes of getting his powers. A couple days later, his boss gets killed in front of him. Did I mention his parents were killed by a super-villain ten years earlier? My point is this kid is either a sociopath for not letting ANY of it impact him beyond a sniffle every once in a while or he should be a catatonic mess. The way Brad is handled just reinforces this opinion. You want death and destruction, then you owe me PTSD. You want happy-go-lucky and light, then reel back the violence.
Beyond making this a CW show versus a Netflix show, the author doesn't really do anything unique with superheroes. Pretty much an cliché you can think of is used. Yep, that one. Oh yeah, that one too. You know the author used that one. Essentially the author decided having Batman . . . er . . . I mean Midnight train Superboy . . . I mean OMNI. His name is Omni. He decided that was all the uniqueness required.
I wanted to like this series. I planned on reading all the books on my vacation, but I barely got through this first entry. It's well written from a grammar standpoint. It has a lot of tropes that many people actively search out in their superhero stories. Clearly, Mr. Reynolds has copious fans. I'm just not one of them. I wanted a more adult tale OR one firmly meant for children. I didn't enjoy the straddling I was given.
Beyond making this a CW show versus a Netflix show, the author doesn't really do anything unique with superheroes. Pretty much an cliché you can think of is used. Yep, that one. Oh yeah, that one too. You know the author used that one. Essentially the author decided having Batman . . . er . . . I mean Midnight train Superboy . . . I mean OMNI. His name is Omni. He decided that was all the uniqueness required.
I wanted to like this series. I planned on reading all the books on my vacation, but I barely got through this first entry. It's well written from a grammar standpoint. It has a lot of tropes that many people actively search out in their superhero stories. Clearly, Mr. Reynolds has copious fans. I'm just not one of them. I wanted a more adult tale OR one firmly meant for children. I didn't enjoy the straddling I was given.
July 30, 2015
I'm going to start out by saying that I cannot wait for the 2nd one...
I really like the way the author ended the book, perfect set up for the next one. He did a real good job by focusing the story on the main character Connor, and basically introduced the supporting cast of characters such as Sarah and Jeff. I truly believe that was smart on the author's part because it was a short book and we got to know the main character very well and learn small bits and pieces of the rest. I think it will make the second book in the series much better. very impressed for the being the authors first book. I recommend this book for anyone that likes a short easy read that is entertaining .
I really like the way the author ended the book, perfect set up for the next one. He did a real good job by focusing the story on the main character Connor, and basically introduced the supporting cast of characters such as Sarah and Jeff. I truly believe that was smart on the author's part because it was a short book and we got to know the main character very well and learn small bits and pieces of the rest. I think it will make the second book in the series much better. very impressed for the being the authors first book. I recommend this book for anyone that likes a short easy read that is entertaining .
March 20, 2015
The story was okay; there were some general flaws with the pacing and what not, but it was still a fine diversion. The author should not have tried to narrate it himself, however. Every character had the same voice, and there were many times when I couldn't tell if another character had started speaking or it was still the original one, nor could I tell when the hero was thinking to himself or speaking out loud. There was also a lack of gravity during the action scenes, it was just being read out of the book flat. I might consider reading the second book, but unless there's a new narrator I wouldn't get the audible version.
February 17, 2023
So. It's actually a pretty great book. What's shocking is there's a light narrative then out of no where something shocking happens. So it's unsettling at first because it gives Flash/Arrow vibes when they wasn't what I was expecting. But I like the main character and the look at a world where there are actually superheroes. I always thought that would be horrible.
March 7, 2020
The story is very generic, the MC is unlikable, and Midnight is deus ex machina personified. Maybe I'm just not the target audience for this book.
November 8, 2023
DNF'ed at 43%.
This was a kinda good story. It was just too basic for me.
This was a kinda good story. It was just too basic for me.
January 18, 2023
Interesting concept, but left wanting more!!!
I love Young Adult fiction... They can be very childish, but some of the best young adult novels have had me hooked with some deep conversations.
Unfortunately this novel is not able to do that. It has a very interesting concept, but it ends up being a very shallow/surface level realisation of that concept.
Still, the idea is promising, and the cliffhanger is strong enough for it to make me wanna read the 2nd novel. So here goes nothing.
I love Young Adult fiction... They can be very childish, but some of the best young adult novels have had me hooked with some deep conversations.
Unfortunately this novel is not able to do that. It has a very interesting concept, but it ends up being a very shallow/surface level realisation of that concept.
Still, the idea is promising, and the cliffhanger is strong enough for it to make me wanna read the 2nd novel. So here goes nothing.
January 19, 2016
Meta is the debut novel of Tom Reynolds. Keeping in the comic book tradition of alliterative names, it follows Connor Connelly, an orphan who gains a device that grants him superpowers. He’s the first person to have superpowers in years. But while trying to gain control of his powers, a new supervillain, the Controller, has been wreaking havoc. Inevitably, Connor has to stop him.
It is a quick, fun read. It is very much a young adult book, but that isn’t a bad thing. Some of my favorite books are YA. Like most YA (thank you, Harry Potter), the main character is an average Joe who discovers that he’s ‘the superspecial person’ for an unexplained reason, but that’s nearly every superhero story. Heck, that’s Superman. The point of the story is how one deals with it (in addition to overcoming other challenges). There’s some great world building here, and you can tell the author is a big DC Comics fan, as there are numerous elements sprinkled throughout that comic book fans will recognize, but they’re thankfully not such blatant references that would leave those unfamiliar with them scratching their head. Speaking of DC Comic references, Midnight, a supporting character, is essentially an ersatz Batman, but it should be noted that he’s written like a good ersatz Batman. The main character comes across as a very green Robin, but that helps make him relatable. The main character here seems overpowered, but it is due to the strength of the writing that he is still challenged. It comes across, at times, like a story about what if Robin had superman’s powers (which interestingly was an actual story arc published by DC Comics last year). There’s some great wish-fulfillment stuff in there, and not since Robert Luis Stevenson’s Bottle Imp had I read about a fictional object that I wished I could have. I found my mind wandering, thinking about how I would handle it. Another fantastic aspect to the book, is that it doesn’t answer all the questions. It knows just which ones to answer to give you a satisfying ending, but leaves open just enough to make you want to come back for more. As for the writing, while not the best, it was clear and concise. It wasn’t a masterpiece, but it wasn’t trying to be. It got the point, story, and emotion across, and that’s what’s important.
The book is not without its flaws. Conner seems a little underdeveloped, but that seems to be done with the intention of allowing the audience to see themselves as the main character. Being a story about a high school aged superhero, it seems like a missed opportunity not to have the story actually take place in high school. Rather than on summer vacation. The average teenager’s life revolves around high school, and it just seems strange not to have it take place there. As a result, the best friend and love interest seems to come and go, not seeming as constant as they would be in a teenager’s life. It seems the only reason for not taking place during the school year was to set up action pieces, some of which don’t make sense, particularly a scene at the beach that just feels so small time, it feels unbelievable that it would be a target, or that anyone else would consider it to be a target. The thing that annoyed me most of all, however, was the ending, which seems as though it is trying to come across as a clever twist, but due to the readers not having the information prior to that, or even a hint to it, the ending comes across as a deus ex machina type ending.
Ultimately, despite the books flaws, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable read. It isn’t the greatest novel, but it is a fun one. It took me back to when I was a kid, and it is exactly the kind of book I’d have eaten up then. I can see some adults not enjoying it, but if you’re a kid (or teen) at heart, it might pay to give it a shot. There are apparently two sequels, and I plan on picking them up sometime. I’m curious to see where it goes.
It is a quick, fun read. It is very much a young adult book, but that isn’t a bad thing. Some of my favorite books are YA. Like most YA (thank you, Harry Potter), the main character is an average Joe who discovers that he’s ‘the superspecial person’ for an unexplained reason, but that’s nearly every superhero story. Heck, that’s Superman. The point of the story is how one deals with it (in addition to overcoming other challenges). There’s some great world building here, and you can tell the author is a big DC Comics fan, as there are numerous elements sprinkled throughout that comic book fans will recognize, but they’re thankfully not such blatant references that would leave those unfamiliar with them scratching their head. Speaking of DC Comic references, Midnight, a supporting character, is essentially an ersatz Batman, but it should be noted that he’s written like a good ersatz Batman. The main character comes across as a very green Robin, but that helps make him relatable. The main character here seems overpowered, but it is due to the strength of the writing that he is still challenged. It comes across, at times, like a story about what if Robin had superman’s powers (which interestingly was an actual story arc published by DC Comics last year). There’s some great wish-fulfillment stuff in there, and not since Robert Luis Stevenson’s Bottle Imp had I read about a fictional object that I wished I could have. I found my mind wandering, thinking about how I would handle it. Another fantastic aspect to the book, is that it doesn’t answer all the questions. It knows just which ones to answer to give you a satisfying ending, but leaves open just enough to make you want to come back for more. As for the writing, while not the best, it was clear and concise. It wasn’t a masterpiece, but it wasn’t trying to be. It got the point, story, and emotion across, and that’s what’s important.
The book is not without its flaws. Conner seems a little underdeveloped, but that seems to be done with the intention of allowing the audience to see themselves as the main character. Being a story about a high school aged superhero, it seems like a missed opportunity not to have the story actually take place in high school. Rather than on summer vacation. The average teenager’s life revolves around high school, and it just seems strange not to have it take place there. As a result, the best friend and love interest seems to come and go, not seeming as constant as they would be in a teenager’s life. It seems the only reason for not taking place during the school year was to set up action pieces, some of which don’t make sense, particularly a scene at the beach that just feels so small time, it feels unbelievable that it would be a target, or that anyone else would consider it to be a target. The thing that annoyed me most of all, however, was the ending, which seems as though it is trying to come across as a clever twist, but due to the readers not having the information prior to that, or even a hint to it, the ending comes across as a deus ex machina type ending.
Ultimately, despite the books flaws, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable read. It isn’t the greatest novel, but it is a fun one. It took me back to when I was a kid, and it is exactly the kind of book I’d have eaten up then. I can see some adults not enjoying it, but if you’re a kid (or teen) at heart, it might pay to give it a shot. There are apparently two sequels, and I plan on picking them up sometime. I’m curious to see where it goes.
February 7, 2015
Tom you lucky dog, you have the pleasure of reading my first goodreads review, as I had the pleasure of reading your first book.
I'm actually giving this a 3.75/5, but it seems like fractions are discriminated against here.
I've only recently re-learned how to read and have been in the midst of a mass book binge-athon the past 2 months. I definitely enjoyed reading Meta and was equally more impressed considering this was Tom's first non-smut book.
My main criteria for determining how much I enjoyed a book is by looking back and seeing how quickly I read it and how many times I kept saying, "one more chapter," before putting it down and finally going to sleep. For Meta, I really got into that zone for the first third of the book. I felt like the middle dragged a little bit, mainly due to a lot of repetitive conversation / thoughts. The last third of the book picked things back up again, but didn't quite live up to the beginning.
I realize this book is meant for people half my age, so I can probably forgive some of the repetition as a means to help point readers in the the proper direction. Without getting too much into any spoilers, I also agree with some of the previous reviewers that the main character appears to be a bit too all-encompassingly powerful and another character is a little too Batman-y. With that said, I think it's probably pretty impossible to come up with a completely original super-hero at this point, so why deviate from stuff that already works. Finally, I would have loved to see a little bit more suspense and adversity.
The Second Wave actually does a great job of addressing most of my concerns. So if anyone else is wavering on reading the next book due to similar thoughts, go ahead and buy it now!
I'm actually giving this a 3.75/5, but it seems like fractions are discriminated against here.
I've only recently re-learned how to read and have been in the midst of a mass book binge-athon the past 2 months. I definitely enjoyed reading Meta and was equally more impressed considering this was Tom's first non-smut book.
My main criteria for determining how much I enjoyed a book is by looking back and seeing how quickly I read it and how many times I kept saying, "one more chapter," before putting it down and finally going to sleep. For Meta, I really got into that zone for the first third of the book. I felt like the middle dragged a little bit, mainly due to a lot of repetitive conversation / thoughts. The last third of the book picked things back up again, but didn't quite live up to the beginning.
I realize this book is meant for people half my age, so I can probably forgive some of the repetition as a means to help point readers in the the proper direction. Without getting too much into any spoilers, I also agree with some of the previous reviewers that the main character appears to be a bit too all-encompassingly powerful and another character is a little too Batman-y. With that said, I think it's probably pretty impossible to come up with a completely original super-hero at this point, so why deviate from stuff that already works. Finally, I would have loved to see a little bit more suspense and adversity.
The Second Wave actually does a great job of addressing most of my concerns. So if anyone else is wavering on reading the next book due to similar thoughts, go ahead and buy it now!
September 30, 2015
This book was an easy and exciting to read with short chapters that lead into each other well building suspense and gripping drawing the reader in and giving them an enjoyable read. The storyline was not unlike the villan.net and its spin off series however it was also hugely different and original.
The main character is Connor a normal guy who lost his parents in a fight between two Meta’s, now has uncovered that he too has super powers that he wants to use to help others. With the help of an older meta he learns how to use his power and for what reasons however there are more new meta’s rising and he is no longer alone.
There are secondary characters in this book however I don’t think there is enough written about them as the book very much centres on Connor.
The storyline and pacing are very original and make it very easy to read; the short chapters mean that the book moves very quickly.
A good read 3 stars
The main character is Connor a normal guy who lost his parents in a fight between two Meta’s, now has uncovered that he too has super powers that he wants to use to help others. With the help of an older meta he learns how to use his power and for what reasons however there are more new meta’s rising and he is no longer alone.
There are secondary characters in this book however I don’t think there is enough written about them as the book very much centres on Connor.
The storyline and pacing are very original and make it very easy to read; the short chapters mean that the book moves very quickly.
A good read 3 stars
October 8, 2017
A brilliant example the super hero genre
Most YA authors have a difficult time balancing the story and immersing the reader. Not this book though. This is the 2nd time I have read it and I have to say it is even better the 2nd time around.
The teen angst that is typical in these sorts of books is there but it does not overwhelm. That would have made me put down the book instantly as most writers seem to either overdo it or not include it at all.
I find myself wanting to read more on this character and felt it was too fast paced even though it was the best speed for this kind of book/story.
If you are looking for a superhero book that's easy to get into enjoy and fully immerse oneself this is a perfect example.
Most YA authors have a difficult time balancing the story and immersing the reader. Not this book though. This is the 2nd time I have read it and I have to say it is even better the 2nd time around.
The teen angst that is typical in these sorts of books is there but it does not overwhelm. That would have made me put down the book instantly as most writers seem to either overdo it or not include it at all.
I find myself wanting to read more on this character and felt it was too fast paced even though it was the best speed for this kind of book/story.
If you are looking for a superhero book that's easy to get into enjoy and fully immerse oneself this is a perfect example.
February 16, 2014
In a world where bookshelves are currently filled with dark distopias and post-apocalyptic wastelands Meta is a welcome change. Quite simply, it's just a fun book. Tom Reynolds has captured a fantastic, snarky self-deprecating voice that made his main character one I really wanted to keep reading and that's not something that happens often. The plot is a creative tweak on your average superhero origin story. All in all, it's a great read and one that leaves you looking forward to more adventures with the hero no matter where they go, rather than leaving you only concerned with how the overall plot is going to end.
March 3, 2014
This book was a fun read. It had a good plot as well as good characters, but it wasn't very suspenseful. It seemed to have great potential, but fell short at times. It was sometimes obvious what was about to happen. It was almost too easy when Connor found someone to help him with his powers right away and how easy it was for him to learn how to use his powers. Despite its faults, I did enjoy this book, because of how relatable Connor was and the awesome powers that he and the other Metas' possessed. When it comes down to it, yes, I would recommend this book to a friend, but it is still not one of the greatest books ever.
December 17, 2017
I found the book enjoyable. The main character was believable. Unfortunately it’s hard for me to say it’s great because in the audible narration the author chose to read himself. Not sure if that was for money or what but very poor choice. He just reads the book, no inflictions or changing in tonality. It really took from the overall enjoyment of the novel. As a result I won’t be buying the next. :-/ I feel a little bad for putting this in a review but I wish I’d paid attention to others warnings.
May 7, 2017
Got the book for free thanks to Amazon prime. I started out not liking it very much and was very bored with the infinitely powerful main character. Although I loved the villain. The writing was straight forward, but was a short enough read that it wasn't too big of a problem. Overall I enjoyed it. Not sure whether or not I'll commit to the rest of the series.
December 21, 2013
Congratz on Best Seller for Fantasy/Super Hero. I finished the read earlier today. Very entertaining and the fight scenes were well written. Looking forward to the next part to this series. Connor Connelly, Omni, is a very relatable protagonist. Thumbs up!
November 15, 2013
Nothing bad to say about this book (well it's short) but it's a good read, I'm amazed at the depht the characters have.
March 7, 2014
This book was a little rough around the edges, but the story was entertaining.
October 29, 2016
Meh. Was ok. Read a very similar book before (First Super) that was done better. This one was fine, just flat characters. Will probably read more since they are on the short side.
November 18, 2017
Meta is a superhero story, but one that stands out for its clever writing and exceptionally well written characters.
The story follow’s humans with superhuman abilities, known as Meta’s because they wear ‘Meta Bands’ that allows them to gain these abilities, which differ depending on the person wearing them.
As with all of these stories, there are those that are good, and those from the dark side of the dark side of the fence. At the end of the day, powers are just powers, it is how the person uses them that makes them good or evil.
However over a decade ago, when there was the first lot of Meta’s, after they had been around for a while, they all just disappeared – not long after an epic battle to get rid of one of the worst of the ‘Evil’ Meta’s.
Enter our main character, Conner Connelly (Obviously Tom is a fan of Stan Lee and dual letter names!), a somewhat uninteresting 16yr old kid with not much going for him, who lives with his older brother who runs a blog on Meta’s as their parents were murdered by the aforementioned Evil one.
After a particular incident, Conner finds himself in possession of a set of Meta bands.
Through a series of events, he runs into this mysterious figure Midnight, who is a quasi-super hero, but not a Meta, who makes Batman look like a happy go lucky kind of dude. Midnight was around with the 1st lot of Metas and survived the confrontations, and kind of tries to train him.
What follows is what you would expect, a 16yr old with amazing abilities and powers trying to help in situations, but not necessarily always doing the right thing.
Whilst it might seem that this is something that has been done before, I mean let’s be honest, there are plenty of OMG, I have superpowers!! books around, this is done really well, giving it almost a new spin.
For starters, the way that the powers have been gained is kind of unusual, and it is never really uncovered, allowing for a bunch of different conspiracy theories. Secondly, the fact that there was a 1st wave, that died off, and now, a decade later some people have taken on some amazing powers again makes for an interesting story.
But the thing that stands out most of all for Reynolds work is his characters. When you read one of these stories, you absolutely want some decent action sequences, with all the battles and powers etc, but you also want to have some really decent characters, and unfortunately, that is what is lacking in a large majority of the books. Not so in Meta. Tom Reynolds Characters are exceptional, well thought out, with each of them having a well-defined role within the story, some great dialogue, but also his characters are so realistic and believable. They have proper emotional responses to things that happen. The suffer shock rather than just laughing things off, they have the thousand yard stare, the main hero can’t do everything like his school work, keep the girl and be the super hero.
Even the older brother, who is totally obsessed by his job, still actually takes the time to stop and nag his little brother about things, and knows things about him.
The Midnight character is brilliant, moody, obsessed, totally driven, but we know pretty much nothing about him, other than his work, because he doesn’t want us to know, and that is the character. He doesn’t have multiple lives because he is this super-obsessed almost psychopath, totally given to his work and forsaking all else.
This is one of very few books I have come across that really looks at the emotional feelings and impacts of being a nobody who suddenly develops superpowers and how that affects those around them really has. Reynolds has also managed to pull this off in a way that is not corny or makes you roll your eyes every 3 seconds.
This is one of the best ‘I’ve just become a Superhero’ stories I have read due to the quality of the characters and the great story, and I am definitely looking forward to the next parts.
The story follow’s humans with superhuman abilities, known as Meta’s because they wear ‘Meta Bands’ that allows them to gain these abilities, which differ depending on the person wearing them.
As with all of these stories, there are those that are good, and those from the dark side of the dark side of the fence. At the end of the day, powers are just powers, it is how the person uses them that makes them good or evil.
However over a decade ago, when there was the first lot of Meta’s, after they had been around for a while, they all just disappeared – not long after an epic battle to get rid of one of the worst of the ‘Evil’ Meta’s.
Enter our main character, Conner Connelly (Obviously Tom is a fan of Stan Lee and dual letter names!), a somewhat uninteresting 16yr old kid with not much going for him, who lives with his older brother who runs a blog on Meta’s as their parents were murdered by the aforementioned Evil one.
After a particular incident, Conner finds himself in possession of a set of Meta bands.
Through a series of events, he runs into this mysterious figure Midnight, who is a quasi-super hero, but not a Meta, who makes Batman look like a happy go lucky kind of dude. Midnight was around with the 1st lot of Metas and survived the confrontations, and kind of tries to train him.
What follows is what you would expect, a 16yr old with amazing abilities and powers trying to help in situations, but not necessarily always doing the right thing.
Whilst it might seem that this is something that has been done before, I mean let’s be honest, there are plenty of OMG, I have superpowers!! books around, this is done really well, giving it almost a new spin.
For starters, the way that the powers have been gained is kind of unusual, and it is never really uncovered, allowing for a bunch of different conspiracy theories. Secondly, the fact that there was a 1st wave, that died off, and now, a decade later some people have taken on some amazing powers again makes for an interesting story.
But the thing that stands out most of all for Reynolds work is his characters. When you read one of these stories, you absolutely want some decent action sequences, with all the battles and powers etc, but you also want to have some really decent characters, and unfortunately, that is what is lacking in a large majority of the books. Not so in Meta. Tom Reynolds Characters are exceptional, well thought out, with each of them having a well-defined role within the story, some great dialogue, but also his characters are so realistic and believable. They have proper emotional responses to things that happen. The suffer shock rather than just laughing things off, they have the thousand yard stare, the main hero can’t do everything like his school work, keep the girl and be the super hero.
Even the older brother, who is totally obsessed by his job, still actually takes the time to stop and nag his little brother about things, and knows things about him.
The Midnight character is brilliant, moody, obsessed, totally driven, but we know pretty much nothing about him, other than his work, because he doesn’t want us to know, and that is the character. He doesn’t have multiple lives because he is this super-obsessed almost psychopath, totally given to his work and forsaking all else.
This is one of very few books I have come across that really looks at the emotional feelings and impacts of being a nobody who suddenly develops superpowers and how that affects those around them really has. Reynolds has also managed to pull this off in a way that is not corny or makes you roll your eyes every 3 seconds.
This is one of the best ‘I’ve just become a Superhero’ stories I have read due to the quality of the characters and the great story, and I am definitely looking forward to the next parts.
May 25, 2022
I apologies to the author on this one, because this novel had a nice voice, the characters were interesting enough to get you from beginning to end, but there was just too much "been there, done that" for my tastes. I mean, when you read Playing for Keeps by Mur Lafferty, or the Andrea Vernon or the Dade County series by Alexander C. Kane, you see new things can be done with super-heroes. The power origin was interesting, and the ending is absolutely making me ready to purchase the second volume. And while i tried to think of any reason to push the stars up to 4, there was just too much stuff I've read and watched a billion times by now. I would say it's the first book of the series, and even Jim Butcher's first book of his series was okay, at best. Many multi-part books get way better as new parts of the series come out. And the writing is crisp, sharp and there aren't any slow points in the story. So it's not about the author, they did a great job. I think being a comic reader since 1969 just have jaded me to certain tropes at this point. It's a great effort, a fun read and it might some something enjoyable by fans of the super hero genre. (Super heroes are a whole genre by now, right?)
March 17, 2017
In the last five years or so superhero stories have become legion. This one has a slightly better than average set up for addressing the concerns about average people gaining super powers. I think I would have greatly enjoyed it when I was 14. Now, however, I found portions strangely wordy- like reading in detail about just how far into the woods a party is and why. Then other items I expected to be covered weren't, like what exactly caused the main character's brother to decide the main character is the hero Omni. All that is said is "did you really think I could sleep 30 feet from a hero and not know it?" Well, yes, I did since the book doesn't tell us otherwise and it really doesn't tell us how he knew his brother was specifically Omni and not another hero.
Bottom line, a fun little story that I'm probably too old to fully enjoy.
Bottom line, a fun little story that I'm probably too old to fully enjoy.
April 20, 2022
Bracelets (called Meta Bands) that give people superhuman abilities have been found around the world. This kills many, brings out the hero in some and the villain in others.
10 yrs after they've all been defeated, a boy, Connor hears screaming in the woods. Our protagonist tries to save a little girl from a pedophile but gets knocked out. When he wakes, he finds himself wearing a pair of these Meta Bands and beats the mans ass!
Where did the bands come from? How can he hide them? And what if his Meta-Obsessed big bro finds out? Or worse, the government that has taken the old Bands out?
Now Connor must survive these threats and more as other Metas begin to reveal themselves. With the help of some secretive spy man with no bands, he takes on this new life.
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy read that was filled with excitement and mystery.
10 yrs after they've all been defeated, a boy, Connor hears screaming in the woods. Our protagonist tries to save a little girl from a pedophile but gets knocked out. When he wakes, he finds himself wearing a pair of these Meta Bands and beats the mans ass!
Where did the bands come from? How can he hide them? And what if his Meta-Obsessed big bro finds out? Or worse, the government that has taken the old Bands out?
Now Connor must survive these threats and more as other Metas begin to reveal themselves. With the help of some secretive spy man with no bands, he takes on this new life.
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick, easy read that was filled with excitement and mystery.
November 10, 2022
Let's get some nitpicks out of the way. It seems convenient that he got the meta bands when he was basically dead. Also, even though he is discovering the powers, it feels like every power he has is a Deus ex machina. Also, I think that the batteries are a bit inconsistent. It feels like they are limitless until it is, and now, all of a sudden, he has less power than usual. I feel like the MidNight should have to say that too. Also, expedition dumbs were everywhere.
Now, after all that I had a blast with this book. Its characters are charming, and the world is fun. I like how bands work and some of the unique powers that come with them. This honestly feels like My Hero Academia before it came out. I remember seeing this book on Wattpad, and the fact that it has an audio and physical book is excellent. I am excited to see what happens next in Meta.
Now, after all that I had a blast with this book. Its characters are charming, and the world is fun. I like how bands work and some of the unique powers that come with them. This honestly feels like My Hero Academia before it came out. I remember seeing this book on Wattpad, and the fact that it has an audio and physical book is excellent. I am excited to see what happens next in Meta.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2023
Full disclaimer, the author Tom Reynolds hosts a podcast that I've listened to for over 10 years, which I think might have been why I stuck with this book til the end.
I think this would have benefited from another round of editing, but the concept was a pretty compelling superhero origin story. The dialogue felt a bit clunky at times and there are some really slow sections where nothing much happens, but there were also some comedic scenes that made me laugh out loud and the action picks up in the last 20% of the book.
I started off reading the ebook, but switched to audio after finding out that Reynolds uploaded his own version to his youtube channel.
I'll probably check out the next two books, since my library has the audiobooks, and I've enjoyed other books done by the narrator Kirby Heyborne.
2.5 stars rounded up
I think this would have benefited from another round of editing, but the concept was a pretty compelling superhero origin story. The dialogue felt a bit clunky at times and there are some really slow sections where nothing much happens, but there were also some comedic scenes that made me laugh out loud and the action picks up in the last 20% of the book.
I started off reading the ebook, but switched to audio after finding out that Reynolds uploaded his own version to his youtube channel.
I'll probably check out the next two books, since my library has the audiobooks, and I've enjoyed other books done by the narrator Kirby Heyborne.
2.5 stars rounded up
March 8, 2018
Will Connor and Sarah start dating? Who is Midnight, really? What truly happened to Jones and the Governor? And what's Iris' deal?
These questions and more linger at the conclusion of the story, but for good reason. Their answers are not necessary for the tale that unfolded, not really. They are the same questions the protagonist had. The story's narration was very mice, and felt kindred to a teen POV, a teen that suddenly has superpowers and is now being mentored by an aggressive vigilante. Even if there are no more novels, making it a series, I feel good with finishing the story. The untold future can unfold in my imaginings - ooo, fan-fiction material this book is
These questions and more linger at the conclusion of the story, but for good reason. Their answers are not necessary for the tale that unfolded, not really. They are the same questions the protagonist had. The story's narration was very mice, and felt kindred to a teen POV, a teen that suddenly has superpowers and is now being mentored by an aggressive vigilante. Even if there are no more novels, making it a series, I feel good with finishing the story. The untold future can unfold in my imaginings - ooo, fan-fiction material this book is
May 7, 2020
A shy young man unexpectedly becomes a superhero!
Connor Connolly risks his life to save a little girl who has been kidnapped by a very bad man. During his rescue attempt he is severely wounded and passes out. When he wakes up he finds that he has mysterious metal bands on his wrists that give him numerous super powers.
But how does he figure out his new powers without killing himself, while starting a new job and while trying to become friends with a beautiful smart girl he likes?!
I really enjoyed this book and I'm very much looking forward to reading book 2 in this series.
Connor Connolly risks his life to save a little girl who has been kidnapped by a very bad man. During his rescue attempt he is severely wounded and passes out. When he wakes up he finds that he has mysterious metal bands on his wrists that give him numerous super powers.
But how does he figure out his new powers without killing himself, while starting a new job and while trying to become friends with a beautiful smart girl he likes?!
I really enjoyed this book and I'm very much looking forward to reading book 2 in this series.
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