Boyd has mixed views on luck. Sure, Earth died more than a thousand years ago. Luckily, humanity found and was able to reach a new habitable planet. Sure, the new planet was filled with hostile and super-powered flora and fauna that tried to wipe the new settlers out. Luckily the first generation born on the new planet developed Powers of their own. Sure, the first hundred or so years on their new planet were a constant struggle for survival. Luckily humanity was able to band together and form cities to survive.
Now, a thousand years later, his own luck is as much of a mixed bag as the rest of humanity. He was lucky enough to be one of the few born Powered. Luckier still his Powers made him stronger than most.
Unluckily, he is also a Changed, those unfortunate enough to mutate during puberty into something like the creatures that appeared in Old Earth's myths and legends. Unluckier still, he didn't become an angel or fairy. Not even a satyr or something else moderately acceptable. Boyd looks like a demon and the unfortunate fact of the matter is that Changed have a tendency to behave how they look.
With his Change, he was forced to reevaluate his life goals. Gone were any plans to become one of The Authority's Heroes, those that kept humanity safe from Powered Criminals and the creatures that threaten their cities from the Wild Lands. No one wants a Hero that looks like a demon for fear that they'll start acting like one at an inconvenient time.
Who would want him around their children, even if he means only to save them? If not for the fortunate, if poorly timed, discovery of his most useful and rare Power, The Authority would have likely dismissed him. He represents a PR nightmare after all.
Boyd is an Enhancer, A Powered capable of improving the Powers of others. Each one has had their own rules on who they can Enhance and how they do it. Each also has a cost to the Enhanced associated with it. Again, this is a mixed bag on the luck front as far as Boyd is concerned. The rules associated with his Enhancements aren't so bad, it’s the cost he takes issue with.
Unfortunately for Boyd, The Authority that raised and trained him in one of their Powered Adolescent Centers as well as the love of his life are both dead set on him using his Power as freely as possible. The adored and lovable Silver, or Silvie to Boyd, is more than willing to manipulate him into getting it done when The Authority's orders fail.
Join Boyd as he takes the first steps down the road of building the strongest Hero Team humanity has ever known. Whether he wants to or not.
**Content Warning** This story is a work of fiction and does not represent the author's views of reality. Book includes descriptive and extreme violence, adult language, and non-traditional relationships. The main character is at a low point and will grow more personally than in power, although there will be power progression elements in future releases.
***Now with more grammar!*** Freshly edited and released on 12/08/2022. Minor text, mostly grammar. No plot or character change.
I really wanted to like this. Superhero books aren’t that common. The world itself is decent and that’s the 3 stars. And the main problems are the mc and the girl on the cover.
The mc has no spine. Every single time he has a thought or desire someone else tells him he’s being dumb and he immediately “within a page” agrees with them. Silver manipulates him CONSTANTLY. The other women to be introduced aren’t even vetted or discussed by the mc. Silver decides she likes them and says that one way or another she will join or she is gonna cut him off until he folds.
He was LITERALLY SA’D for 6 months in a drug induced haze to study him. And not only does he not hold the company accountable or report them or retaliate. He without any fuss WORKS FOR THEM and allows them to tell him when he’s allowed to go into public and where he can live. Not a single character in this book gave a single solitary crap about the mc and it drove me nuts. It is not even a harem either. It’s girls silver wants to hook up with too.
The mc has all the cards. He’s powerful, can mentally understand people, has dirt on a major corporation. Yet never once uses that. Instead he sits at home like a good little soldier cooking and whining while the woman who claims to love him grooms and manipulates him into doing whatever she wants because she claims “to know what’s best for him.”
The only positives are that the world and setting are cool, and the mc has a cool power set. I am not exaggerating my comment so honestly if you feel any kind of way about what I wrote that isn’t positive save yourself the frustration. Hopefully the author does not make the same blunders in later books or another series. Or maybe he’s just got a submissive fetish. Who knows
Liked it until I realized the Mc is still being pimped out by the government after being fake broken out of his drug induced SA period. Fake being that he is still imprisoned but now it’s in a comfy penthouse with his girlfriend warden and the government letting him know he can’t leave.
It’s very clear that his ability messing with his own mind as he has no problem being pumped out by his “love”. And he “loves” a new girl in under 24 hours without having any meaningful conversation but can read her emotions on a deep level.
The main female character is just gaslighting and manipulating him into relationships her the government and her own pleasure, blatantly going behind his back and making him wildly uncomfortable. Then proceeds to use mind altering substances to make him agreeable (just like he was drugged and SAed for months by the government body he still works for).
This man needs to psychologist and to get away from such a toxic environment.
Also slow down the book, this entire book happens in under 48 hours where the main characters have many near death experiences and go on medical leave like 3 times each but are right back in the field in a couple hours.
Last issue is that they have the same argument like 6 times to explain why he doesn’t want to use his ability for it to mean nothing and him be ignored. If you are just going to throw the conversations purpose in the toilet you don’t need to reiterate 6 fking times. One will do.
Additionally, it sets up a mystery that they don’t even attempt to solve or investigate. Like what organization is attacking. Who’s “she”? Like they have captured people no alive but have never questioned them. Like in an organization that drugged the MC, I doubt they are adverse to using kind reading/ control in criminals/terrorists.
I get there are more books to come for the story but at least indicate that it will be investigated or attempted to stop. Like the story mimics the Mc on just sitting back and letting everything happen to it with no attempt to prevent.
After writing all of this I can only conclude that the main female character is the main villain and for some reason is running a terrorist organization, maybe to get back at the government for some reason or some thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
For one thing this is not in any way a harem. If it is then the MC is not the one with said harem its the manipulative girlfriend.
Do you want to experience world where no means yes? Do you want to read about a MC that was raped by women and men alike? Do you want to read about a MC who is effectively a doormat? If so then this is your polyamorous fantasy. Absolutely unequivocally garbage. Don’t waste your time.
MC is whipped and grossly manipulated by the people he swears by and the cover girl into being almost a soy boy sub. This is not for those looking for the buzz words the title is attracting.
I did not finish this, quit a little less than a third of the way through.
I will only speak on the part I read. This has a well built setting. The characters, the social structure, the pre-existing relationship, it is all balanced together into a very believable setting. That puts it at four stars. I quit because I became disgusted with the female protagonist. Her handling of the main characters trauma, and it is trauma regardless of what she says, is triggering for me. Her dismissive nature combined with her "I know better" attitude was when I quit. A lot of people will be fine with it, hence the rating, but for some it is a deal breaker.
I like the premise of the story. I made it through the book and was not bored. However, the mc does tend to get lost in his issues. I mean, yes, making someone have feelings for you can have ramifications, especially if you are an empath like the MC. But then to churn it just seemed a little much. He spent so much time vacillating. It seemed he made up his mind, and then off we go again, churn, churn, churn. I liked the action, even the romance, just please, the mc just needs to get over themselves already.
1. You give no clear reference to when they got to the planet and how system(s) of government work on the planet. You tell use they left earth a thousand years ago but don’t explain what happen the other ships, or if ther survived are they in contact accoss the stars.
- The timeframe is wacky where the colonists in cryo-sleep, where just embryos grown and thought by machines, or where they a generationly crew. Also explain how long it toke to leave earth and reach the new planet.
Writings fine, if disjointed and prone to lurching time periods and perspectives often with zero indication.
World might be interesting, can't tell because it's never explored.
MC is spineless, the people he works for are awful his "love" is monstrously awful and his reticence in doing disturbing things is portrayed as pathetic or unwilling to do what's needed.
I really wish I never read this book. I feel dirty
Story was interesting but so many grammar errors detracted from understanding even simple sentences. Those who enjoy Superhero stories will likely enjoy this.
Kinda disappointed as I can see there’s a decent, if not original idea here. I wish the author tried to write some other things before taking on something this ambitious. If you’ve read immortal supers or Saving supervillains, this if very reminiscent of that, just nowhere near the quality. Those series were written by very experienced authors. The first dozen or so chapters are a real slog to get through, the entire series has pacing issues, but the first dozen are the worst, and cringe in other ways. Something happens to mc and is glossed over, not talked about/processed like real people. Spoilers, but we aren't told/isn’t made clear that the MC is addled for most of the series. The author kinda expects you to read between the lines about the mc’s specific inebriation. The characters all use and abuse each other, withhold sex for behavior, just lots of red flags in a normal relationship. The MC doesn’t want to open their relationship but the fmc does, may turn off some people. Maybe it's a result of living in a society with mind control powers, but they are all super casual about having their memories and behaviors manipulated. You will have to suspend your disbelief reading this a lot. It picks up a lot after book three, not really any issues with it after that, so your persistence is rewarded. Books 3+ are close to five stars as a haremlit can get, but the first three are much more questionable.
As the title says, I really wanted to like this book. I saw great reviews. The synopsis was there. I enjoy the genre more than I should.
My problem is societal as it pertains to this book.
How many times can you hear rape is rape and just not get that that goes both ways for men and women? Just because society doesn't like to admit that men can be the victim of rape does not mean that it is not happening, and this book is absolutely full of rape. Not by the main character, but by the woman/women who claim to love him. They have the EXACT SAME EXCUSE as any closet rapist; as long as the victim agrees to it sometime after they clearly said "NO" it is excusable/wanted. Just like any date rapist.
It is difficult to write this review. This is the first time I have given a bad review to a book because I usually will just put one down if I don't like it. I have suffered this indignity. I have been made to feel just like Boyd, that I should love and submit myself to my rapist because "a man can not be raped" and is not a man if he was. But Boyd is raped in this series by both women who claim to love him. His agency is stolen, and then they say 'see how much better you are now that you have been made to do what I want.'
I really wanted to like this series.
But I can not agree with rape masquerading as love even for a story.
the idea behind the superheroes not being on this world or a summer world but on an actual different planet cuz mankind had to leave wasn't interesting premise. I like the characters they're interesting the women are strong and the main character is sure about some things but not too sure about others so he's not perfect which in my book makes a good main character. it's got good Companions of World building and I am looking forward to learning a little bit more about the world in which the story occupies. I can already guess who a particular person is that's mentioned towards the end of the book but I will not say it this time and wait to find out if it comes to pass. I am looking forward to more of the continuation of the story and I will read the next book.
This was a fantastic book that came out of nowhere. It’s a slightly unique take on the superhero theme in a new world. The story Was great with a lot of background leaving room for quite a bit of expansion. The writing was well done and the best thing of all were the characters. The MC was likeable and smart and you can really empathize with him and his feelings. The romance wasn’t thrown in your face but really well done and the female characters were just fantastic. Unique and stood on their own feet, they didn’t feel like fillers. This book might be my favourite of the year so far. I look forward to the next!
I DNF this book. I got through the prologue and first chapter, and the author made the beginning so generically vague I had no idea what was going on except the MC was in some sort of hero training academy. And that the MC was 15yrs old.
I'm not a big fan of academy style books, as there is too much petty High School B.S. characters have to deal with. And at 15yrs of age, the MC was too young for me in a haremlit setting. Having the MC having previously (out of book) hurt a girl, and promising to never let himself be around anyone else alone again, was silly. He's 15, too young to make that kind of declaration and stick to it.
As a book this is not...good. It reads a lot like what it is, which is (as I understand it), a very, very novice author's first attempt at writing, published in a serialized form as a web novel, repackaged poorly and with minimal editing as an actual book, then finally lightly edited and re-published in a slightly improved form. As such, it feels like two different books shoved into a blender. There are tone shifts, weird chronological issues, and it's clear much of what you're reading is just setup for an eventual story to be told later.
It's not particularly unpleasant, but it's not notably enjoyable either.
And yet, all the awkward setup is worth it because later books in the series are really, really good.
I've tentatively rated this as 5 stars not because it deserves it (it's more like 1-2 stars at most), but because books 3 and 4 absolutely are good enough to make reading this worth it.
So enough said about the book, what about the series?
This series hits a few of the tropes I really love. Specifically the protagonist, although quite powerful on any absolute scale, is much less powerful than the threats he is facing, but makes up for it not because he's the chosen one or just randomly has been granted absurd powers, but because he's extremely disciplined, clever, loyal to his friends, but resolute against his enemies. Much of his effective power is due to his rigorous training and study. And while a pet peeve of mine is protagonists who make bone-headed mistakes just to drive the plot forward and create conflict, the protagonist here is always careful. Other big focuses of the series is love, trust, romance, personal development, character growth, and overcoming past trauma, all things I love.
The setting, for me, is a bit of a whatever. It's a pretty generic superhero setting, almost identical to the one used by Bruce Sentar in Saving Supervillains (not that I think either author copied the other; as I said it's generic), but it doesn't get in the way either, and gives a nice backdrop for all the lovely characters.
Much like one of my other favourite series, Rise of the Weakest Summoner: Volume I, this is a good series if you like seeing good things happen to good people. But also like that series, expect some awkwardness, especially in the first book or two as the author finds their feet and establishes the setting.
Enjoyable premise, a little rough in the beginning
I really like this book and where it's going. The characters seem alive with emotional complexity and there's a strong basis for good plot development. I know this is supposed to be a rewritten beginning but the first 3-4 chapters are still really rough and confusing. With each time jump, there needed to be a bit more information given so the jumps don't feel so disjointed.
Waiting for the next release of the current series I'm reading and started this one on a whim. I'll enjoyed this book quite a lot. seriously a petty part of me almost gave it only 4 stars simply because I have wait for next book of this series. I hope the author continues to find success in his future endeavor.
Very well written usual good and bad super powered individuals. The twist is some of them are changed at puberty to take on the aspects mythical creatures. The MC looks like a demon and has some demon desires that he he's to suppress to be the Hero he wants to be.
I'm trying 😪 to keep reading this hot mess 😫 I loved other books 📚 by this author. So thought this would be good but the mc and his girlfriend are terrible he sounds like a whining old man she's trifling the xxx scenes are CRINGE.. uggg I have just wasted 2 hours of my life. Nope skipped around a bit DNF.. not a fan 😕
I’m married to a graphic designer/publisher/ writer with a masters degree. You keep switching between first, second, and third person, and tense! Almost gave up on reading the whole book because it was driving me nuts. After the first book I’m already doubting being able to read the series.
I want more loved this book and how everything is. Please do not make MC make the terrible decision that will ruin 1/3 of the book while it is being resolved. I feel it is coming in the next one it leaves a bitter feeling.
A good first book from a newish author. Looking forward to more. The only real issue is that the book could have used an editor to fix some typos. Also the MC tends to ramble in his thoughts.... but overall a fun time.
The problem with reading a book, and liking it, is the crash when you realise that the next one isn't available yet. So... Mr. Author....when's the next one? Cause I enjoyed the heck outta this one. Keep em coming (please).
A really excellent mix of science fiction and fantasy!! World building is a little lacking but the character development is perfect!!! I for one can't wait to see what comes next for the MC and his growing family!!!
Saw the title, found it interesting, but didn't think I'd get into it like I did. Great story, enjoyable premise, nice writing, and I found myself engaged with the hero
Perhaps the best, most intelligently written superhero characters that have the emotional band width to be truly polyamorous. I write, teach and lecture about polyamory and I love these characters. Also, excellent use of third person writing style.
I was pleasantly surprised at this story. I pocked it up based on the number of reviews bit had some doubts. Yes there are some grammatical errors, but they are very easy to overlook.
I really enjoyed this book. One of the best haremlit's I've read, to be honest. Good plot, pacing, and characters. I appreciated the author's insight into the characters thoughts and feelings. Action scenes was well writen too.
For a new author Mr. Brooks are doing well. thank you.
If being constantly manipulated by the woman you love, confronting her, and then being told she's not going to stop because she knows better is your type of thing this book is for you. The part where he decides he can't live without her so it's okay is wild.