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Force of Chaos (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Book 1): A Novel
From the world of Hasbro’s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers entertainment franchise comes an action-packed, original YA novel from the point of view of Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger
Trini Kwan is trying to get through high school unnoticed. Nobody knows that she has trained for years in martial arts, and she prefers to let her classmates think she’s just the shy Asian girl.
But Trini’s world turns upside down when the homecoming game is attacked by an otherworldly winged beast with an army of clay soldiers. Unable to sit by while innocent people get hurt, Trini springs into action—alongside science genius Billy, her childhood best friend Zack, popular jock Jason, and new girl Kimberly.
In the aftermath, the five teenagers are recruited by an alien warrior named Zordon to become the new Power Rangers, charged with protecting the planet from an evil sorceress who recently escaped imprisonment. Suddenly thrust in the middle of a millenniums-long intergalactic war is hard enough, but getting her new teammates to work together proves to be a difficult task.
Can Trini help the others move past their rocky first impressions—and her own complicated history with Zack—to protect their home from destruction? And will she be able to finally accept her full self—and this new role?
Trini Kwan is trying to get through high school unnoticed. Nobody knows that she has trained for years in martial arts, and she prefers to let her classmates think she’s just the shy Asian girl.
But Trini’s world turns upside down when the homecoming game is attacked by an otherworldly winged beast with an army of clay soldiers. Unable to sit by while innocent people get hurt, Trini springs into action—alongside science genius Billy, her childhood best friend Zack, popular jock Jason, and new girl Kimberly.
In the aftermath, the five teenagers are recruited by an alien warrior named Zordon to become the new Power Rangers, charged with protecting the planet from an evil sorceress who recently escaped imprisonment. Suddenly thrust in the middle of a millenniums-long intergalactic war is hard enough, but getting her new teammates to work together proves to be a difficult task.
Can Trini help the others move past their rocky first impressions—and her own complicated history with Zack—to protect their home from destruction? And will she be able to finally accept her full self—and this new role?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2025
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May 8, 2025One thing I've noticed with YA IP books: lots of times, elements of the IP are lost in favor of YA elements. In MMPR, Zordon's three major rules for Rangers aren't mentioned at all, and two are broken pretty easily in the course of the story. Other elements of MMPR disappear for either story convenience or just...because (one element seems especially pointless to remove?).
In terms of bringing the series to today, I mostly thought it worked. One major area that the original series never touched on was gender and race, so this novel investigates those in the context of MMPR. Most of the questions are interesting and well-handled, and some become even more interesting in the context of the real-life context of Dark Side of Hollywood. Sometimes they feel a bit ham-fisted until you remember these are teenagers, which makes it feel more realistic and actually made them feel more real. One conversation, which I can't imagine is a huge spoiler, is Trini thinking about being a Chinese-American woman assigned the yellow Power Coin. This opens interesting questions about identity, race, and community which drive Trini's character forward through the novel.
Reading this book made me laugh in realizing that rebooting Power Rangers, or giving it the life it needed before it's pretty much permanent cancellation (unless it does magically raise from Limbo, Sentinel-Knight reviving spent Ranger powers-style), was just real life characters. We didn't need American-exclusive suits or a better Sentai season, we just needed real people beneath the suits. There's a reason series like Lightspeed Rescue, Dino Thunder, and RPM worked: we got to know the people beneath the suits.
I feel like I'm harping on this a little, but don't expect this to be MMPR as you knew it. The book definitely takes place somewhere else in the Grid than the TV series. It blends a lot of the comic timeline with elements of the 2017 movie timeline, but then adds a lot of its own lore. I think it works the sooner you realize that it's not the TV show.
In terms of bringing the series to today, I mostly thought it worked. One major area that the original series never touched on was gender and race, so this novel investigates those in the context of MMPR. Most of the questions are interesting and well-handled, and some become even more interesting in the context of the real-life context of Dark Side of Hollywood. Sometimes they feel a bit ham-fisted until you remember these are teenagers, which makes it feel more realistic and actually made them feel more real. One conversation, which I can't imagine is a huge spoiler, is Trini thinking about being a Chinese-American woman assigned the yellow Power Coin. This opens interesting questions about identity, race, and community which drive Trini's character forward through the novel.
Reading this book made me laugh in realizing that rebooting Power Rangers, or giving it the life it needed before it's pretty much permanent cancellation (unless it does magically raise from Limbo, Sentinel-Knight reviving spent Ranger powers-style), was just real life characters. We didn't need American-exclusive suits or a better Sentai season, we just needed real people beneath the suits. There's a reason series like Lightspeed Rescue, Dino Thunder, and RPM worked: we got to know the people beneath the suits.
I feel like I'm harping on this a little, but don't expect this to be MMPR as you knew it. The book definitely takes place somewhere else in the Grid than the TV series. It blends a lot of the comic timeline with elements of the 2017 movie timeline, but then adds a lot of its own lore. I think it works the sooner you realize that it's not the TV show.
June 10, 2025
I’m sorry but this book was not it. I have no problems with Power Rangers being written for young adults. I believe it’s a franchise that can handle those elements while still being true to its essence. However, Force of Chaos felt like a 300 page fanfic with MMPR characters.
Keep in mind this is coming from a huge fan of Power Rangers so that’s the frame of mind I’m working with.
The squad lacked any of the likability from the show. Jason was a demanding prick, Zack constantly made jokes to the point it was grating, Billy had this weird hero worship of Jason, Kim was more of a diva, and Trini had ZERO confidence in herself (more on that in a bit). Sure, the rangers from the show were kind to a fault, almost unrealistically so for teenagers, but that was part of the reason they were chosen to be rangers. I’m not opposed to adding depth to character traits, but don’t take away what made them who they are.
Now to the main character of the novel, Trini. At first, I didn’t mind her wanting to be “out of sight, out of mind”. But turning her into a purposeful doormat? Absolutely not. Trauma or not, that’s so against what Trini Kwan should be. Almost ALL the problems the rangers were having in the field could’ve easily been avoided had she actually showed what she’s capable of. And then she just quits??? When did ANY of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers just give up??
I know it’s not completely fair to compare it to the source material but that’s where these characters are coming from. Trini was the heart of her team, giving up on no one, including herself. Force of Chaos did her and the rest of the rangers very little justice. I gave it 2 stars because there were some things I liked but overall, I was very disappointed. Maybe I’m judging it too hard. Maybe I just got tired of the sexual tension between her and Zack.
Keep in mind this is coming from a huge fan of Power Rangers so that’s the frame of mind I’m working with.
The squad lacked any of the likability from the show. Jason was a demanding prick, Zack constantly made jokes to the point it was grating, Billy had this weird hero worship of Jason, Kim was more of a diva, and Trini had ZERO confidence in herself (more on that in a bit). Sure, the rangers from the show were kind to a fault, almost unrealistically so for teenagers, but that was part of the reason they were chosen to be rangers. I’m not opposed to adding depth to character traits, but don’t take away what made them who they are.
Now to the main character of the novel, Trini. At first, I didn’t mind her wanting to be “out of sight, out of mind”. But turning her into a purposeful doormat? Absolutely not. Trauma or not, that’s so against what Trini Kwan should be. Almost ALL the problems the rangers were having in the field could’ve easily been avoided had she actually showed what she’s capable of. And then she just quits??? When did ANY of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers just give up??
I know it’s not completely fair to compare it to the source material but that’s where these characters are coming from. Trini was the heart of her team, giving up on no one, including herself. Force of Chaos did her and the rest of the rangers very little justice. I gave it 2 stars because there were some things I liked but overall, I was very disappointed. Maybe I’m judging it too hard. Maybe I just got tired of the sexual tension between her and Zack.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2025
I can’t believe we got a Power Rangers YA book and that it’s so good!! Ma does such a great job with Trini, I could feel the love and connection she has with her. And the tie in with Chinese mythology made all the connections really grounded. I can’t wait to see what character pov we get next and what PR era it will be about!
July 20, 2025
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Force of Chaos is a 2025 Young Adult novel written by Diana Ma and published by Amulet Books.
This reimagined retelling of the early days of being a Power Ranger blends elements from the original TV show, the comics, and the 1995 and 2017 movies, along with the author's personal experiences. The story offers a unique first-person perspective on what it’s like to be a Power Ranger, this time through the eyes of Trini, the Yellow Ranger.
The novel explores the team dynamics, the friendships (or lack thereof) among the Rangers, and how they ultimately come together to save the day.
The book is clearly written for a Young Adult audience. While reading, there were moments that caught me off guard, and I had to remind myself that I’m not the target demographic. Those choices will probably resonate well with younger readers, even if they weren’t quite for me.
There were also a few decisions made by Trini that left me puzzled, until I reminded myself that she’s a 16-year-old girl without the benefit of hindsight or the life experience that someone like me, a grown adult, has.
Overall, this was a fun and engaging story. It was refreshing to see the Rangers from a different point of view, and since this is book one, I’m hopeful it will lead to a full series.
If this is how a young reader discovers and falls in love with Power Rangers, then I fully support it. I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
This book also made me curious about future installments from the perspectives of other Rangers. That said, Trini often feels like the emotional core of the team, so it makes sense for the series to begin with her story.
Diana Ma did a great job writing characters I’ve loved for over 30 years, and I look forward to seeing more from her in the future.
This reimagined retelling of the early days of being a Power Ranger blends elements from the original TV show, the comics, and the 1995 and 2017 movies, along with the author's personal experiences. The story offers a unique first-person perspective on what it’s like to be a Power Ranger, this time through the eyes of Trini, the Yellow Ranger.
The novel explores the team dynamics, the friendships (or lack thereof) among the Rangers, and how they ultimately come together to save the day.
The book is clearly written for a Young Adult audience. While reading, there were moments that caught me off guard, and I had to remind myself that I’m not the target demographic. Those choices will probably resonate well with younger readers, even if they weren’t quite for me.
There were also a few decisions made by Trini that left me puzzled, until I reminded myself that she’s a 16-year-old girl without the benefit of hindsight or the life experience that someone like me, a grown adult, has.
Overall, this was a fun and engaging story. It was refreshing to see the Rangers from a different point of view, and since this is book one, I’m hopeful it will lead to a full series.
If this is how a young reader discovers and falls in love with Power Rangers, then I fully support it. I’m excited to see where it goes from here.
This book also made me curious about future installments from the perspectives of other Rangers. That said, Trini often feels like the emotional core of the team, so it makes sense for the series to begin with her story.
Diana Ma did a great job writing characters I’ve loved for over 30 years, and I look forward to seeing more from her in the future.
May 16, 2025
A more condensed version of this starred review appeared in the article "The Plot Thickens in These 23 YA Fiction Series" for School Library Journal:
Trini Kwan doesn’t want to have a reputation for fighting. She's still mortified that she was suspended after punching another kid in kindergarten. She also doesn't want to be an Asian stereotype for practicing martial arts with her grandmother even if she loves wushu and knows that the meditation exercises have helped with her anger management. As one of the only non-white students in the town of Angel Grove, California it's easier to blend into the background and save her true self for when she's home. Except on group projects when everyone assumes that Trini will do all of the work for them. Because Trini does usually do all of the work for them.
Her reputation as a quiet, shy girl is blown apart when a winged monster shows up in the middle of a homecoming game and Trini rushes to help other students escape. She knows she could have done more. But she's not ready to share her martial arts prowess with the whole school when there were other people ready to step in.
After the attack Trini is recruited to join an intergalactic war against space witch Rita Repulsa. Trini's ambivalence about becoming a superhero only grows when she considers the other recruits: her estranged best friend Zack who was all too ready to drop her for the popular crowd in middle school, her one close friend Billy--the resident school genius, popular football player Jason, and new girl gymnast Kimberly.
With little in common but a desire to save their town from invasion, Trini has to help make this unlikely group a real team before it's too late in Force of Chaos (2025) by Diana Ma.
Find it on Bookshop.
Force of Chaos is the first book in the new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series inspired by the entertainment franchise of the same name. While the story closely follows early episodes of the Power Rangers TV series from the 1990s, readers can come into this novel without any previous knowledge of the franchise or these specific characters. Dedicated to Thuy Trang, the actress who originated the role of Trini Kwan in the American television show, this book brings care and nuance to the classic series with an enthusiasm fans will appreciate.
The story is narrated by Trini who is deeply aware of the specific challenges she faces as an Asian American teen in a predominantly white community. Challenges that are compounded when she finds out she is supposed to be the Yellow Ranger--with yellow traditionally being used in racial slurs and insults directed toward Asian American communities. (This issue was also raised in the fandom when the series first aired and forms a core piece of the plot here as Trini struggles with this new identity.) She tries to embrace it the way Zack decides to lean in to being the only Black member of the team and the Black Ranger. But it's hard to do that when she is so worried about how others will see her.
Ma brings complexity and depth to all of the Power Rangers but especially to Trini, who struggles with how to be true to her values while embracing her new role as the Yellow Ranger and her identity in the Asian American diaspora. Added nuance for Rita Repulsa and Zordon's back stories as well as light hints of romance between Trini and Zack further elevate this action-packed story.
Force of Chaos is a dynamic series starter that perfectly translates the iconic action of the long-running television series into an engrossing novel. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen, The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas, Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari, The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune, Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu, Renegades by Marissa Meyer, Faith by Julie Murphy, Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley, Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson, Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti
Trini Kwan doesn’t want to have a reputation for fighting. She's still mortified that she was suspended after punching another kid in kindergarten. She also doesn't want to be an Asian stereotype for practicing martial arts with her grandmother even if she loves wushu and knows that the meditation exercises have helped with her anger management. As one of the only non-white students in the town of Angel Grove, California it's easier to blend into the background and save her true self for when she's home. Except on group projects when everyone assumes that Trini will do all of the work for them. Because Trini does usually do all of the work for them.
Her reputation as a quiet, shy girl is blown apart when a winged monster shows up in the middle of a homecoming game and Trini rushes to help other students escape. She knows she could have done more. But she's not ready to share her martial arts prowess with the whole school when there were other people ready to step in.
After the attack Trini is recruited to join an intergalactic war against space witch Rita Repulsa. Trini's ambivalence about becoming a superhero only grows when she considers the other recruits: her estranged best friend Zack who was all too ready to drop her for the popular crowd in middle school, her one close friend Billy--the resident school genius, popular football player Jason, and new girl gymnast Kimberly.
With little in common but a desire to save their town from invasion, Trini has to help make this unlikely group a real team before it's too late in Force of Chaos (2025) by Diana Ma.
Find it on Bookshop.
Force of Chaos is the first book in the new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series inspired by the entertainment franchise of the same name. While the story closely follows early episodes of the Power Rangers TV series from the 1990s, readers can come into this novel without any previous knowledge of the franchise or these specific characters. Dedicated to Thuy Trang, the actress who originated the role of Trini Kwan in the American television show, this book brings care and nuance to the classic series with an enthusiasm fans will appreciate.
The story is narrated by Trini who is deeply aware of the specific challenges she faces as an Asian American teen in a predominantly white community. Challenges that are compounded when she finds out she is supposed to be the Yellow Ranger--with yellow traditionally being used in racial slurs and insults directed toward Asian American communities. (This issue was also raised in the fandom when the series first aired and forms a core piece of the plot here as Trini struggles with this new identity.) She tries to embrace it the way Zack decides to lean in to being the only Black member of the team and the Black Ranger. But it's hard to do that when she is so worried about how others will see her.
Ma brings complexity and depth to all of the Power Rangers but especially to Trini, who struggles with how to be true to her values while embracing her new role as the Yellow Ranger and her identity in the Asian American diaspora. Added nuance for Rita Repulsa and Zordon's back stories as well as light hints of romance between Trini and Zack further elevate this action-packed story.
Force of Chaos is a dynamic series starter that perfectly translates the iconic action of the long-running television series into an engrossing novel. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen, The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas, Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari, The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune, Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu, Renegades by Marissa Meyer, Faith by Julie Murphy, Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley, Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson, Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti
June 11, 2025
I want to preface this review by acknowledging that I'm far from the target audience. However, I am an avid YA reader (and writer) and big Power Rangers fan-- with Trini being my favorite Ranger ever since I first got her action figure in the 2nd grade.
I liked a lot of things about this book, namely the weaving of Chinese mythology and culture into a plot that has been well-tread over the years. And it does succeed in making Trini a badass. It also makes her boy-crazy and waffling--but not in the good way. All that drama, confusion, and tension around the teenage experience didn't really seem to land, especially when it could've been played against the backdrop of a city under attack. Things barely change in the hallways of Angel Grove High, despite a pending alien invasion. Additionally, a lot of the conflict seemed forced ("We stopped being friends one day") and the resolutions very easy ("I guess we're friends again"). Seemed like every time a secret or mystery began forming, another character blurted out the answer or reveal a sentence later. Some of this would be forgivable in a book for much younger readers...but then it's paired with very adult themes and language. Left me wondering who this book was for.
I liked this book. I think it's important, and I want the series to continue. There were moments where I could tell the author tapped into her own experiences, and those wrenched my heart. As a Power Rangers story, it certainly checked the boxes (and created a couple of its own) but overall, I expected more from the first opportunity to explore the Ranger POV in prose.
I liked a lot of things about this book, namely the weaving of Chinese mythology and culture into a plot that has been well-tread over the years. And it does succeed in making Trini a badass. It also makes her boy-crazy and waffling--but not in the good way. All that drama, confusion, and tension around the teenage experience didn't really seem to land, especially when it could've been played against the backdrop of a city under attack. Things barely change in the hallways of Angel Grove High, despite a pending alien invasion. Additionally, a lot of the conflict seemed forced ("We stopped being friends one day") and the resolutions very easy ("I guess we're friends again"). Seemed like every time a secret or mystery began forming, another character blurted out the answer or reveal a sentence later. Some of this would be forgivable in a book for much younger readers...but then it's paired with very adult themes and language. Left me wondering who this book was for.
I liked this book. I think it's important, and I want the series to continue. There were moments where I could tell the author tapped into her own experiences, and those wrenched my heart. As a Power Rangers story, it certainly checked the boxes (and created a couple of its own) but overall, I expected more from the first opportunity to explore the Ranger POV in prose.
April 22, 2026
A nice update to the original MMPR through a more modern-day lens.
I think we skipped over some descriptions here and there, assuming that the readers will already know what things and monsters look like, but I guess I'm one of them, so it's not really a big deal. Other than that, the teen drama was well done without being overwrought, and the weaving of Trini's heritage into the story made for an interesting twist to things too.
I've always enjoyed these Amulet Books tie-in stories, the CW-verse ones were always top notch, and it seems the Power Rangers will go the same way.
I think we skipped over some descriptions here and there, assuming that the readers will already know what things and monsters look like, but I guess I'm one of them, so it's not really a big deal. Other than that, the teen drama was well done without being overwrought, and the weaving of Trini's heritage into the story made for an interesting twist to things too.
I've always enjoyed these Amulet Books tie-in stories, the CW-verse ones were always top notch, and it seems the Power Rangers will go the same way.
January 16, 2026
What an nostalgia trip!
May 30, 2025
Reading this felt just like childhood again, would gladly read many more books in this vein.
June 10, 2026
I think, on the whole, Power Rangers fans generally aren’t allowed to complain if an adaptation is bad. Power Rangers itself own a bad adaptation, reutilizing the hard work Super Sentai put in to do whatever else it wanted to do. But it’s precisely because Power Rangers (usually) ends up being something completely different from the show it’s adapting that it becomes a show worth talking about in its own right. For non toku fans: Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is far different than the Steven King book it adapts, but both are worth discussing in their own right. With that said, I do really like what Ma is trying to do. I’ve thought a lot about what a toku show could do outside of the confines of the monster of the day format, and I really like Ma’s approach in having the monster conflicts be kind of ancillary towards the larger conflicts of getting the team together. And I really like that she chose to tell this story through Trini. Trini has always been one of my favorite Rangers even outside of the Zordon era, but she is also historically one of the Rangers that got the least to do. I like the conflation of the sabertooth tiger to the modern tiger and how important it is in Chinese folklore. For the most part, I like her developing relationship with Zack; Zack was typically left off the table for shipping since he’s the only one with an actual girlfriend, but it makes sense for both their characters in the show and how their relationship is changed for the book. Power Rangers is also long overdue for a discussion on its depiction of race. We all make fun of the Asian actress being cast as the Yellow Ranger, but I would be willing to accept it was an honest mistake and move on…if Power Rangers didn’t keep doing stuff like that. I still don’t quite get why Power Rangers bends over backwards to depict Trini as every other type of Southeast Asian other than Vietnamese (which Thuy Trang actually was), but I don’t blame Ma specifically for writing what she knew (that explanation of Trini’s heritage can only come from someone who’s thought about this for more than 5 minutes.)
That said, did any of this need to have the Power Rangers IP slapped on it? Unfortunately, I don’t think so. At times, it feels like it is embarrassed to call itself Power Rangers. Ernie’s Juice Bar, pretty much the main set of the show, doesn’t appear until halfway through the book (though Ernie is mentioned a few times prior) and disappears shortly after. The real stars of the show, Bulk and Skull, only appear a handful of times and have none of their charm, easily replaceable with any other stock bully character (and kind of are if you count Aimee.) Finster, Squatt, and Baboo aren’t even mentioned, which isn’t a huge loss I guess, but it does border on plot hole towards the end of the book. Considering that there are two football-themed monsters in MMPR alone, I think Goldar knows what football is and didn’t need to go “looking for warriors” during the homecoming game. Trini’s fear of heights, one of her only hooks in canon, is brought up, but is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it and resolved the exact opposite way of the show. Did Alpha even say “Ay-yi-yi!” once? There’s a joke made about the suits looking like spandex, which, of course they do, that’s the lowest hanging fruit joke imaginable. But when RPM made the same joke 17 years prior, they used it as an opportunity not just to inform character (when Dr. K flies off the handle to anyone and everyone about it) but to flesh out the world (every time she does it, she always launches into the same spiel about it being “self-assembling nanofiber”, whatever that means.) It’s a good thing that Jason, the drill sergeant of the team, is the one that makes the joke to show that he’s going places as a character, but it still feels like it is too afraid to commit to the silliness of its world and instead has to hide under a veneer of snark. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many times you make fun of the phrase “Go Go Power Rangers!” or “It’s Morphin’ time!”, you’re still the one writing about candy-colored costumed characters, so if the characters don’t take their world seriously, why should I?
Some of the new things, like Zordon and Rita’s expanded backstory, are actually really good in a vacuum. If these were new Power Ranger characters, I would really like it! But when you’re working with source material that’s already as bare-bones as MMPR, any changes to existing canon feel like you’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Likewise, Ma’s Trini feels far from her canon counterpart. I can accept Trini being embarrassed to admit that she’s the Asian kid who practices martial arts because that’s more dramatically interesting (although I don’t know why she was changed to practice wushu instead of tai chi. Maybe I just don’t know enough about martial arts?) and the added complication that she’s afraid of hurting people is a good hook for someone who would later attend a Teen *Peace* Conference for 20-odd years. But after a certain point, her indecision to act even as others are getting hurt around her gets really old. Zordon gives her a talking-to, Zack gives her multiple…at a certain point, it just seems like she doesn’t want to be a Power Ranger, and at that point, why should we be invested in her story? I might be overstepping my bounds, but it also feels like the commentary Ma wanted to add is a bit…off-target. Zack and Trini are kind of put out by the fact that Jason, the white guy, is the one assigned team leader. But, barring Tommy (who has a whole arc about discovering his Native roots but is played by a white guy; again, a discussion on race is long overdue) and Zayto (who is played by a Black/Japanese /white actor, but is also an alien so I don’t think it counts), pretty much half of the Red Rangers have not been white. Few of them have been women, and they have always been the ones who receive the least amount of time to lead their teams (Lauren and Amelia you’ll always be iconic to me), so that’s a discussion worth having! But Ma doesn’t, and barely goes anywhere with the idea that Jason is the leader because he’s the white guy. She barely goes anywhere with the fact that Trini is the Asian Yellow Ranger and that’s weird! I’m not sure if this is 100% Ma’s fault and not just the fault of it being a corporate product that can’t afford to be too critical of itself, but the problem remains.
Overall, unless you really love the Power Rangers franchise and were okay with Power Rangers (2017), I don’t see anyone getting much out of this. There are better toku stories out there from both Power Rangers and Super Sentai (RPM, Time Force, Wild Force, Jungle Fury, Kyuranger), and I’m sure there are better urban fantasy stories with female Asian protagonists (Tess Miyata is No Hero by Julie Abe springs to mind, but I haven’t read it so I can’t say for certain.) Some of the concepts were compelling, but this was the wrong canvas to paint on.
That said, did any of this need to have the Power Rangers IP slapped on it? Unfortunately, I don’t think so. At times, it feels like it is embarrassed to call itself Power Rangers. Ernie’s Juice Bar, pretty much the main set of the show, doesn’t appear until halfway through the book (though Ernie is mentioned a few times prior) and disappears shortly after. The real stars of the show, Bulk and Skull, only appear a handful of times and have none of their charm, easily replaceable with any other stock bully character (and kind of are if you count Aimee.) Finster, Squatt, and Baboo aren’t even mentioned, which isn’t a huge loss I guess, but it does border on plot hole towards the end of the book. Considering that there are two football-themed monsters in MMPR alone, I think Goldar knows what football is and didn’t need to go “looking for warriors” during the homecoming game. Trini’s fear of heights, one of her only hooks in canon, is brought up, but is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it and resolved the exact opposite way of the show. Did Alpha even say “Ay-yi-yi!” once? There’s a joke made about the suits looking like spandex, which, of course they do, that’s the lowest hanging fruit joke imaginable. But when RPM made the same joke 17 years prior, they used it as an opportunity not just to inform character (when Dr. K flies off the handle to anyone and everyone about it) but to flesh out the world (every time she does it, she always launches into the same spiel about it being “self-assembling nanofiber”, whatever that means.) It’s a good thing that Jason, the drill sergeant of the team, is the one that makes the joke to show that he’s going places as a character, but it still feels like it is too afraid to commit to the silliness of its world and instead has to hide under a veneer of snark. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many times you make fun of the phrase “Go Go Power Rangers!” or “It’s Morphin’ time!”, you’re still the one writing about candy-colored costumed characters, so if the characters don’t take their world seriously, why should I?
Some of the new things, like Zordon and Rita’s expanded backstory, are actually really good in a vacuum. If these were new Power Ranger characters, I would really like it! But when you’re working with source material that’s already as bare-bones as MMPR, any changes to existing canon feel like you’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Likewise, Ma’s Trini feels far from her canon counterpart. I can accept Trini being embarrassed to admit that she’s the Asian kid who practices martial arts because that’s more dramatically interesting (although I don’t know why she was changed to practice wushu instead of tai chi. Maybe I just don’t know enough about martial arts?) and the added complication that she’s afraid of hurting people is a good hook for someone who would later attend a Teen *Peace* Conference for 20-odd years. But after a certain point, her indecision to act even as others are getting hurt around her gets really old. Zordon gives her a talking-to, Zack gives her multiple…at a certain point, it just seems like she doesn’t want to be a Power Ranger, and at that point, why should we be invested in her story? I might be overstepping my bounds, but it also feels like the commentary Ma wanted to add is a bit…off-target. Zack and Trini are kind of put out by the fact that Jason, the white guy, is the one assigned team leader. But, barring Tommy (who has a whole arc about discovering his Native roots but is played by a white guy; again, a discussion on race is long overdue) and Zayto (who is played by a Black/Japanese /white actor, but is also an alien so I don’t think it counts), pretty much half of the Red Rangers have not been white. Few of them have been women, and they have always been the ones who receive the least amount of time to lead their teams (Lauren and Amelia you’ll always be iconic to me), so that’s a discussion worth having! But Ma doesn’t, and barely goes anywhere with the idea that Jason is the leader because he’s the white guy. She barely goes anywhere with the fact that Trini is the Asian Yellow Ranger and that’s weird! I’m not sure if this is 100% Ma’s fault and not just the fault of it being a corporate product that can’t afford to be too critical of itself, but the problem remains.
Overall, unless you really love the Power Rangers franchise and were okay with Power Rangers (2017), I don’t see anyone getting much out of this. There are better toku stories out there from both Power Rangers and Super Sentai (RPM, Time Force, Wild Force, Jungle Fury, Kyuranger), and I’m sure there are better urban fantasy stories with female Asian protagonists (Tess Miyata is No Hero by Julie Abe springs to mind, but I haven’t read it so I can’t say for certain.) Some of the concepts were compelling, but this was the wrong canvas to paint on.
August 9, 2025
Morphenomenal!
I’ve been waiting for a novel about the Power Rangers for so long, and this one delivers on so many levels.
My review is mixed, but I must give credit to the author, Diana Ma, for attempting to transform the concept of spandex-clad superheroes who take orders from a giant floating head to defeat an intergalactic sorceress with enormous, pointy nippled breastplates. While the source material isn’t particularly grounded in reality, Ma’s creative retelling succeeds in humanizing the characters we’ve grown to love - even if at times, the characters aren’t fleshed out quite enough.
Initially, I was curious why the story focused on Trini Kwan, but I eventually came to appreciate the buildup of her finding her confidence in embracing her heritage and self-acceptance, even if it sometimes felt clichéd.
Setting the rangers in today’s day and age was also a smart move, with thoughtful nods back to the 90s, such as the Homecoming Dance theme. I particularly enjoyed the created lore behind the origin of the catchphrases “Go go Power Rangers” and “It’s Morphin Time!”.
For the most part, the rangers are written exactly like their tropes, for better and worse. I appreciated the callouts to how the black and yellow rangers were stereotyped, and there’s nuance given to the conversation on leadership. Very self-aware and smart to acknowledge.
I thoroughly enjoyed how Rita Repulsa was humanized and given a backstory to her evil. This makes the entire premise of good versus evil more nuanced and elevates the story for a more mature and contemporary audience.
However, my biggest gripe is that the story isn’t quite modern enough. It’s clear that this novel was written specifically for Power Rangers fans who are now in their 30s and 40s, as the author states in her acknowledgments, but the reading level remains at a young adolescent or teen level.
There are amateur or weak moments in the book, such as Zack and Jason’s reconciling, which ends as soon as it begins. They literally have a chat, and all is well as if it’s just a tableau. There are also flagrant grammar or spelling mistakes, like a page with Jason’s name spelled “Jasno” and another with Kimberly written as “Zimberly.” These mistakes really ruin the story and take you out of it and should have been caught.
Also, some parts of Power Rangers that are staples are simply omitted. For example, “make my monster grow!” or “we need dinozord power now!” are never uttered, and strangely, Jason morphs by saying “Tyrannosaurus Rex” rather than just “Tyrannosaurus!” This is a flagrant miss from the source material, along with the order in which the rangers morph for the first time, which would have been a thoughtful nod to the series.
On the other hand, there was at least some research done, such as Trini’s fear of heights and Kimberly’s bickering parents before their divorce. It’s odd as there are nods to deeper cuts, but Ma misses some of the marks on the basics fans expect.
As a lifelong fan of the Power Rangers, I only wish the author had leaned more into knowing the reader base. We are adults and are not looking for scholastic-level content. I loved all the layers and character developmental effort put into the book, and this novel shines the most on the theme of finding the bonds between the Power Rangers themselves as the source of their power. The whole arc of forming the megazord was well-thought out, coinciding with the metaphorical link of the rangers learning to come together as well.
I hope this series continues and the writing matures, but again, for a novel on the Power Rangers, this is morphenomanal!
I’ve been waiting for a novel about the Power Rangers for so long, and this one delivers on so many levels.
My review is mixed, but I must give credit to the author, Diana Ma, for attempting to transform the concept of spandex-clad superheroes who take orders from a giant floating head to defeat an intergalactic sorceress with enormous, pointy nippled breastplates. While the source material isn’t particularly grounded in reality, Ma’s creative retelling succeeds in humanizing the characters we’ve grown to love - even if at times, the characters aren’t fleshed out quite enough.
Initially, I was curious why the story focused on Trini Kwan, but I eventually came to appreciate the buildup of her finding her confidence in embracing her heritage and self-acceptance, even if it sometimes felt clichéd.
Setting the rangers in today’s day and age was also a smart move, with thoughtful nods back to the 90s, such as the Homecoming Dance theme. I particularly enjoyed the created lore behind the origin of the catchphrases “Go go Power Rangers” and “It’s Morphin Time!”.
For the most part, the rangers are written exactly like their tropes, for better and worse. I appreciated the callouts to how the black and yellow rangers were stereotyped, and there’s nuance given to the conversation on leadership. Very self-aware and smart to acknowledge.
I thoroughly enjoyed how Rita Repulsa was humanized and given a backstory to her evil. This makes the entire premise of good versus evil more nuanced and elevates the story for a more mature and contemporary audience.
However, my biggest gripe is that the story isn’t quite modern enough. It’s clear that this novel was written specifically for Power Rangers fans who are now in their 30s and 40s, as the author states in her acknowledgments, but the reading level remains at a young adolescent or teen level.
There are amateur or weak moments in the book, such as Zack and Jason’s reconciling, which ends as soon as it begins. They literally have a chat, and all is well as if it’s just a tableau. There are also flagrant grammar or spelling mistakes, like a page with Jason’s name spelled “Jasno” and another with Kimberly written as “Zimberly.” These mistakes really ruin the story and take you out of it and should have been caught.
Also, some parts of Power Rangers that are staples are simply omitted. For example, “make my monster grow!” or “we need dinozord power now!” are never uttered, and strangely, Jason morphs by saying “Tyrannosaurus Rex” rather than just “Tyrannosaurus!” This is a flagrant miss from the source material, along with the order in which the rangers morph for the first time, which would have been a thoughtful nod to the series.
On the other hand, there was at least some research done, such as Trini’s fear of heights and Kimberly’s bickering parents before their divorce. It’s odd as there are nods to deeper cuts, but Ma misses some of the marks on the basics fans expect.
As a lifelong fan of the Power Rangers, I only wish the author had leaned more into knowing the reader base. We are adults and are not looking for scholastic-level content. I loved all the layers and character developmental effort put into the book, and this novel shines the most on the theme of finding the bonds between the Power Rangers themselves as the source of their power. The whole arc of forming the megazord was well-thought out, coinciding with the metaphorical link of the rangers learning to come together as well.
I hope this series continues and the writing matures, but again, for a novel on the Power Rangers, this is morphenomanal!
July 8, 2026
As a lifelong Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fan, I went into Force of Chaos excited to see a new story featuring the original team. Unfortunately, I came away feeling like I had read fan fiction rather than an official Power Rangers novel.
My biggest issue is how much of the established lore is rewritten. Creative liberties are one thing, but many of the changes feel so drastic that the story no longer resembles the universe longtime fans know.
The portrayal of Trini stood out immediately. She’s written as an extremely shy and socially awkward girl who intentionally hides her martial arts abilities after beating up a bully in kindergarten. While giving characters more depth is a good idea in theory, this interpretation didn’t feel like the confident, disciplined Trini from the television series. The novel also places significant emphasis on the racism she experiences growing up. While prejudice is a legitimate subject to explore, I felt these scenes often overshadowed the adventure and superhero aspects that define Power Rangers.
The action and Ranger elements were equally disappointing. One of my biggest frustrations was how the novel handled the franchise’s most iconic catchphrases. Lines like “It’s Morphin Time!” and “Go Go Power Rangers!” aren’t treated as exciting, triumphant moments. Instead, they’re mostly used as throwaway jokes or tongue-in-cheek references. As a fan, those phrases are part of the identity of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. They should inspire excitement, not feel like the story is poking fun at itself. To me, that came across as disrespectful to the source material.
The Putties are also portrayed in a way that reminded me far more of the 2017 movie than the classic television series, which wasn’t the direction I was hoping for.
The morphing mechanics are another strange departure from the source material. The Rangers only use their Morphers twice before simply morphing with their Power Coins for the rest of the story, removing one of the franchise’s most recognizable rituals. The explanation for the Zords and how they combine also felt confusing and unnecessarily altered.
The original story additions were where the novel completely lost me. Rita Repulsa is given a previously unknown daughter with a human, and the story eventually reveals that Trini is descended from Rita’s bloodline. That twist fundamentally changes one of the core Rangers in a way that feels disconnected from everything established in the franchise. By the end of the novel, Trini and Zack also become a couple, another creative decision that didn’t feel earned to me.
I understand that adaptations and tie-in novels sometimes reinterpret characters or expand the mythology. However, the cumulative effect of all these changes made this feel less like an authentic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers story and more like an alternate-universe fan fiction using familiar names.
Not every reader will have the same reaction, especially if they’re new to Power Rangers or don’t mind significant departures from the source material. But as someone who has loved this franchise for years, I found the novel frustrating more often than enjoyable.
Rating: 1.5/5 stars.
I wanted to love this book, but between the extensive lore changes, questionable character interpretations, and controversial story twists, it simply didn’t capture what makes Mighty Morphin Power Rangers special.
My biggest issue is how much of the established lore is rewritten. Creative liberties are one thing, but many of the changes feel so drastic that the story no longer resembles the universe longtime fans know.
The portrayal of Trini stood out immediately. She’s written as an extremely shy and socially awkward girl who intentionally hides her martial arts abilities after beating up a bully in kindergarten. While giving characters more depth is a good idea in theory, this interpretation didn’t feel like the confident, disciplined Trini from the television series. The novel also places significant emphasis on the racism she experiences growing up. While prejudice is a legitimate subject to explore, I felt these scenes often overshadowed the adventure and superhero aspects that define Power Rangers.
The action and Ranger elements were equally disappointing. One of my biggest frustrations was how the novel handled the franchise’s most iconic catchphrases. Lines like “It’s Morphin Time!” and “Go Go Power Rangers!” aren’t treated as exciting, triumphant moments. Instead, they’re mostly used as throwaway jokes or tongue-in-cheek references. As a fan, those phrases are part of the identity of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. They should inspire excitement, not feel like the story is poking fun at itself. To me, that came across as disrespectful to the source material.
The Putties are also portrayed in a way that reminded me far more of the 2017 movie than the classic television series, which wasn’t the direction I was hoping for.
The morphing mechanics are another strange departure from the source material. The Rangers only use their Morphers twice before simply morphing with their Power Coins for the rest of the story, removing one of the franchise’s most recognizable rituals. The explanation for the Zords and how they combine also felt confusing and unnecessarily altered.
The original story additions were where the novel completely lost me. Rita Repulsa is given a previously unknown daughter with a human, and the story eventually reveals that Trini is descended from Rita’s bloodline. That twist fundamentally changes one of the core Rangers in a way that feels disconnected from everything established in the franchise. By the end of the novel, Trini and Zack also become a couple, another creative decision that didn’t feel earned to me.
I understand that adaptations and tie-in novels sometimes reinterpret characters or expand the mythology. However, the cumulative effect of all these changes made this feel less like an authentic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers story and more like an alternate-universe fan fiction using familiar names.
Not every reader will have the same reaction, especially if they’re new to Power Rangers or don’t mind significant departures from the source material. But as someone who has loved this franchise for years, I found the novel frustrating more often than enjoyable.
Rating: 1.5/5 stars.
I wanted to love this book, but between the extensive lore changes, questionable character interpretations, and controversial story twists, it simply didn’t capture what makes Mighty Morphin Power Rangers special.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2026
"I know an intergalactic disembodied head like Zordon can't be expected to be clued into the racial politics of earth--but seriously?"
This is a hard book for me to rate, because I have such a background with Super Sentai as a whole, with MMPR being my gateway, and with Trini being my favorite ranger. With all that background, compounded with me decidedly not being a teenager in the 2020s and being outside of teenage culture today, makes me afraid I'm not giving this the fair shake it maybe deserves. There's some good things being done here, but I had such a hard time trying to layer this book's story with the franchise as a whole that I just couldn't get into it as much as I'd like.
Trini is just trying to get through high school under the radar. She doesn't want to make waves, wants everyone to forget about her martial arts skills, and just wants to be a normal teenager (without attitude). Unfortunately she gets scooped up along with her once-best-friend Zack, her sorta friend Billy, the jock and kinda an anxious asshole Jason, and the preppy transfer girl Kimberly following an attack at a sports game, and suddenly she's having to somehow work in being a superhero while also being normal and hiding what she can do from her new team.
And that's...basically it. There's decidedly more inter-team and school drama than I was expecting in a Power Rangers book, and that sort of took me out of the whole thing. The team as a whole is kind of vaguely unlikeable too, even as they try to come together. Maybe Jason being this indecisive overcorrecting asshole is more realistic in a teen forced into a leader role, but in a MMPR book where the focus is on being a ranger and not team dynamics, I was disappointed. I also absolutely hated what the author did to my girl Trini, where suddenly she's this meek, self-conscious, lying girl who lies trying to keep up her kind of lame house of cards the entire book. I didn't understand or agree with basically anything Trini decided to do regarding her giant secretive martial arts skills, and missed the badass, confident Trini from the TV show. I did like the inclusion of her Asian-American heritage as an actual plot point though, aside from her martial arts hangups, and her having problems with (late story plot spoilers) , as some positives about her character.
Speaking of the TV show, don't go into this expecting a love letter to the show you remember. This is marketed as a rebooted MMPR universe story, but you can't throw Power Rangers onto a book and not expect comparisons to the source material. Aside from the names, this could have been literally any other YA book with 5 color-coded super heroes and you'd never guess. There's no references, no "make my monster grow!", barely a Ai-yi-yi-yi out of Alpha 5, and only a short shoehorned in passage very late in the book about catch phrases. So if you picked up the book wanting to take a short trip down a franchise you remember fondly, you kind of have to mentally add all the embellishments that make it officially MMPR as you read.
So....I guess I sort of enjoyed this as its own thing, but as an official entry into the MMPR universe, I think it's lacking. If more books come out in this series I'll probably give them a go, but I just wish this had even just a little bit of what I remember from the show.
This is a hard book for me to rate, because I have such a background with Super Sentai as a whole, with MMPR being my gateway, and with Trini being my favorite ranger. With all that background, compounded with me decidedly not being a teenager in the 2020s and being outside of teenage culture today, makes me afraid I'm not giving this the fair shake it maybe deserves. There's some good things being done here, but I had such a hard time trying to layer this book's story with the franchise as a whole that I just couldn't get into it as much as I'd like.
Trini is just trying to get through high school under the radar. She doesn't want to make waves, wants everyone to forget about her martial arts skills, and just wants to be a normal teenager (without attitude). Unfortunately she gets scooped up along with her once-best-friend Zack, her sorta friend Billy, the jock and kinda an anxious asshole Jason, and the preppy transfer girl Kimberly following an attack at a sports game, and suddenly she's having to somehow work in being a superhero while also being normal and hiding what she can do from her new team.
And that's...basically it. There's decidedly more inter-team and school drama than I was expecting in a Power Rangers book, and that sort of took me out of the whole thing. The team as a whole is kind of vaguely unlikeable too, even as they try to come together. Maybe Jason being this indecisive overcorrecting asshole is more realistic in a teen forced into a leader role, but in a MMPR book where the focus is on being a ranger and not team dynamics, I was disappointed. I also absolutely hated what the author did to my girl Trini, where suddenly she's this meek, self-conscious, lying girl who lies trying to keep up her kind of lame house of cards the entire book. I didn't understand or agree with basically anything Trini decided to do regarding her giant secretive martial arts skills, and missed the badass, confident Trini from the TV show. I did like the inclusion of her Asian-American heritage as an actual plot point though, aside from her martial arts hangups, and her having problems with (late story plot spoilers) , as some positives about her character.
Speaking of the TV show, don't go into this expecting a love letter to the show you remember. This is marketed as a rebooted MMPR universe story, but you can't throw Power Rangers onto a book and not expect comparisons to the source material. Aside from the names, this could have been literally any other YA book with 5 color-coded super heroes and you'd never guess. There's no references, no "make my monster grow!", barely a Ai-yi-yi-yi out of Alpha 5, and only a short shoehorned in passage very late in the book about catch phrases. So if you picked up the book wanting to take a short trip down a franchise you remember fondly, you kind of have to mentally add all the embellishments that make it officially MMPR as you read.
So....I guess I sort of enjoyed this as its own thing, but as an official entry into the MMPR universe, I think it's lacking. If more books come out in this series I'll probably give them a go, but I just wish this had even just a little bit of what I remember from the show.
June 23, 2026
Let me start by saying I am a HUGE Power Rangers fan, especially the Yellow Ranger. So when I saw this book at my local library, I ripped it off the shelf. Trini Kwan is and will always be one of my absolute fave Yellow Rangers. I also want to say that I did like this book, but I did not like the depiction of Trini for half the book. This isn't the funny, bold, strong, and confident Trini of the series. I, as a black person, understand the damage that stereotypes can have at that age. I understand how racist bullying is super hurtful and impactful. What I do not understand is how Trini cared more about white validation than helping her team, and more importantly, being an ally to Zack. The only other person who could understand her hesitation to show her culture. To be loud and proud about her Chinese heritage and wushu training. Take the race part aside, she literally put her fellow Rangers in mortal danger because she cared so much about what people think. That was disappointing and made being Team Trini unbearable at times. She got it together in the end, but it took too long!
Pros: lead character is a woman of color, love insterest is Zack (a black character)
Rita Repulsa was a very fleshed out and nuanced character, I loved how Trini foud representation in her.
Funny lines here and there
Iconic characters are mentioned, or actually in the book (Bulk and Skull, Goldar, etc.)
Nai Nai is an icon and the moment and I love her.
Liked the friendship between Trini and Kimberly.
Zack was hands down one of the best parts of the book.
Liked the short chapters
Cons:
Not my Trini
The writer felt the need to overexplain every thought that Trini had. A narrator doesn't have to map things out for people all the time.
The writing at times was juvenile, but it is a YA book, so there's that.
Could have been 50 pages shorter.
Nevertheless, I as a Power Rangers nerd, I am glad that Trini got her own story.
Pros: lead character is a woman of color, love insterest is Zack (a black character)
Rita Repulsa was a very fleshed out and nuanced character, I loved how Trini foud representation in her.
Funny lines here and there
Iconic characters are mentioned, or actually in the book (Bulk and Skull, Goldar, etc.)
Nai Nai is an icon and the moment and I love her.
Liked the friendship between Trini and Kimberly.
Zack was hands down one of the best parts of the book.
Liked the short chapters
Cons:
Not my Trini
The writer felt the need to overexplain every thought that Trini had. A narrator doesn't have to map things out for people all the time.
The writing at times was juvenile, but it is a YA book, so there's that.
Could have been 50 pages shorter.
Nevertheless, I as a Power Rangers nerd, I am glad that Trini got her own story.
February 20, 2026
Let me start this by saying that I started watching Power Rangers the DAY it first aired in 1993, and I have loved it every day since. I draw heavily from the franchise when it comes to my own identity, and it has been probably the most beloved piece of pop culture to ever exist in my life.
And because of that, I wanted to believe this book would continue to push that legacy to new heights.
Boy was I disappointed. What the actual HELL was this book? This might be some of the worst writing I have ever seen in the YA space. Like, it’s embarrassing how bad parts of this were. I found myself continuously wondering who this book was actually for. Because it wasn’t for me or my fellow older fans, and the writing was so insulting to today’s youth that it can’t be for them either. So what was the point of this?
Laughably terrible plot construction, super transparent structure that read like the author opened up a Jessica Brody craft book and just wrote out a random conflagration of scenes that happened to confirm to the beats without ever actually making sense in sequence. And character development? We don’t know her. What the HELL has this author done to Trini Kwan?
No. Just no. I can’t even go on with it. The opening chapters had some promise. But once the teens were given their powers, the book dove headlong into the absurd and it kept digging into it, never recovering.
This was categorically awful.
RATING RUNDOWN:
Character (1/5)
Plot & Pacing (1/5)
Setting & Surroundings (1/5)
Dialogue & Diction (2/5)
Craft & Voice (1/5)
Reading Experience (1/5)
Final Rating:
1.12/5
And because of that, I wanted to believe this book would continue to push that legacy to new heights.
Boy was I disappointed. What the actual HELL was this book? This might be some of the worst writing I have ever seen in the YA space. Like, it’s embarrassing how bad parts of this were. I found myself continuously wondering who this book was actually for. Because it wasn’t for me or my fellow older fans, and the writing was so insulting to today’s youth that it can’t be for them either. So what was the point of this?
Laughably terrible plot construction, super transparent structure that read like the author opened up a Jessica Brody craft book and just wrote out a random conflagration of scenes that happened to confirm to the beats without ever actually making sense in sequence. And character development? We don’t know her. What the HELL has this author done to Trini Kwan?
No. Just no. I can’t even go on with it. The opening chapters had some promise. But once the teens were given their powers, the book dove headlong into the absurd and it kept digging into it, never recovering.
This was categorically awful.
RATING RUNDOWN:
Character (1/5)
Plot & Pacing (1/5)
Setting & Surroundings (1/5)
Dialogue & Diction (2/5)
Craft & Voice (1/5)
Reading Experience (1/5)
Final Rating:
1.12/5
January 3, 2026
I needed this so much. Trini was always my favorite ranger for so many reasons, and Diana Ma captured everything I always felt and connected with as a child. Importantly, she also had me making realizations and connections I wasn't aware of while growing up to the point that I'm not sure another character has ever made me feel as "seen" as this version of Trini does. I can't wait until the next book to see where Ms. Ma goes with this.
*edit* I want to add that I feel seen regarding the emotional transformation Trini deals with connected to her mental health and how she views herself. Obviously I cannot speak to the racial components on a personal level, but I am happy they're finally being acknowledged and am hopeful this will encourage white women (and men) to check their own privilege and take it upon themselves to learn as much as they can regarding other races/cultures/etc.
*edit* I want to add that I feel seen regarding the emotional transformation Trini deals with connected to her mental health and how she views herself. Obviously I cannot speak to the racial components on a personal level, but I am happy they're finally being acknowledged and am hopeful this will encourage white women (and men) to check their own privilege and take it upon themselves to learn as much as they can regarding other races/cultures/etc.
August 5, 2026
Positives
The second half of the book was much more exciting and it felt more succinct. The romance was cute. I love every interaction she has with her Nai Nai. They made me tear up a few times. I love that it's her family and her culture that make up a big part of who she is. Go, go Xiah Laohu!
Negatives
The first half of the book felt repetitive. The protagonist repeats the insecurities she has and why she has them so many times, it feels like the first half of the book could've been reduced by 30% easily. I also wish the other Rangers had more character depth.
Overall, it was a fun read.
The second half of the book was much more exciting and it felt more succinct. The romance was cute. I love every interaction she has with her Nai Nai. They made me tear up a few times. I love that it's her family and her culture that make up a big part of who she is. Go, go Xiah Laohu!
Negatives
The first half of the book felt repetitive. The protagonist repeats the insecurities she has and why she has them so many times, it feels like the first half of the book could've been reduced by 30% easily. I also wish the other Rangers had more character depth.
Overall, it was a fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2025
84/100
Y’all, this is the sapphic Power Rangers reboot I didn’t know my queer little heart needed. Diana Ma brings fresh life to Trini—awkward, tough, proud, and more than the “quiet Asian girl” label she’s been boxed into. The action zips, the team drama feels real, and those crushy, complicated vibes with Zack? Chef’s kiss. Is it campy? Of course. But the joy is real, the girl power is loud, and the representation hits where it counts. If you grew up on morphers, get in here—your inner child deserves it.
Y’all, this is the sapphic Power Rangers reboot I didn’t know my queer little heart needed. Diana Ma brings fresh life to Trini—awkward, tough, proud, and more than the “quiet Asian girl” label she’s been boxed into. The action zips, the team drama feels real, and those crushy, complicated vibes with Zack? Chef’s kiss. Is it campy? Of course. But the joy is real, the girl power is loud, and the representation hits where it counts. If you grew up on morphers, get in here—your inner child deserves it.
Did Not Finish
January 11, 2026DNF.
I tried so hard but I just couldn't get through it. Making a YA "gritty" version of the Power Rangers just doesn't work. Also I had recently rewatched MMPR so I had those versions of the characters fresh in my mind and seeing what they were here was ridiculous. It almost felt like they were different characters in a sense.
I tried so hard but I just couldn't get through it. Making a YA "gritty" version of the Power Rangers just doesn't work. Also I had recently rewatched MMPR so I had those versions of the characters fresh in my mind and seeing what they were here was ridiculous. It almost felt like they were different characters in a sense.
August 21, 2025
THIS IS THE POWER RANGER MOVIE WE DESERVED instead of that 2017 garbage. Hollywood needs to be making this book into a movie pronto! The plot was amazing and really good at interpreting the power rangers story into modern day
July 5, 2025
Would lvoe to see more of this...
March 14, 2026
I can’t believe I basically read a glorified power rangers fanfiction and I also can’t believe it was kinda good.
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