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Realignment
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 23, 2025
You might like this book if you:
-Have read Induction by Syntax Takes and are eager to see Volta and Carmen again
-Are looking for a funny book with a whole lot of puns
-Like seeing representation of neurodivergent characters (autism)
-Can relate to sisterhood dynamics, especially one being protective of another
-Enjoy puns. No really, like… a whole lot of puns
Realignment is the fifth published book in The Korps Universe. Just like the other books in this shared universe, it brings new perspectives and subgenre elements to the table. In this case, neurodivergence is featured prominently, and there's a big focus on humor. While other Korps books have some hilarious moments (see that powdered sugar scene in Dissolution that still makes me giggle), this story is packed full of laughs that make it one of the most enjoyable Korps Universe books yet.
Realignment starts off with Lawful Neutral--a superhero who (I kid you not) activates her powers by making puns. The specific power she gets depends on the pun, setting up so much potential for hilarious and creative powersets that the possibilities immediately drew me in. Indeed, the author takes full advantage of those possibilities and creates powers for Lawful Neutral to use with wild abandon. Does this result in broken powersets that often don't make sense? Yes. Do I care in a story that's meant to be funny and in a series that's profoundly unapologetic? No. I recommend reader's similarly suspend their disbelief going into this one. It's far more fun that way.
Lawful Neutral's civilian identity is a demimorph named Ellen Foxpaw (In this universe, demimorph is the term used for people who have animal traits, like ears and tails, but are otherwise human). Ellen works as a hero, a surprisingly low-paying job, to support herself and her twin sister Vixie, who the world has heartlessly ostracized for being autistic. As in the other Korps books, the oppression of hero groups and the ostracizing of a bigoted society starts pushing Ellen and Vixie toward the Korps, but this time there are some familiar faces there to also pull them in.
This book sees the return of Volta and Carmen in a main role. They first appeared in the book Induction by Syntax Takes, and I'd been anticipating their return, so it was great to see them again. Lawful Neutral encounters Volta, now known as the villainous Redline, repeatedly in the course of her hero work, and the two have formed a charming villain-hero dynamic that of course comes into play as Ellen and Vixie start to see hero society for what it truly is. So fans of that first book will have a lot of fun with this one, since they're already familiar with some of the characters.
Regardless of if they've read about Volta and Carmen before, I think all readers will enjoy the newcomers Ellen and Vixie. The funniest people are often the most complicated behind the scenes, and Ellen certain fits that bill. Meanwhile, Vixie struggles against a world that sees her as nothing but a nuisance, and her story thus has a lot to say about respecting autistic people's agency. The sisters' personal struggles forge a deep bond between them, which was refreshing to see in a series that so far has mostly focused on romantic relationships. Family can be a tough topic in queer narratives, and I was happy to see it being tackled in a Korps entry.
I will say the book doesn't focus on their sisterhood as much as I would have liked. The dynamic between Carmen, Volta, and Ellen is given a lot more attention than the dynamic between Ellen and Vixie, especially in the second half. Vixie even sort of fades into the background throughout much of the story. While I think this was at times important for Ellen's character arc, it felt inconsistent with Vixie's character and with the story's focus on sisterhood. For that reason, I wish we could have seen Vixie in a more significant and active role.
And speaking of the second half, this book suffers a bit from feeling like a two-part story. The first half of the book is action-packed, with interesting powers, character dynamics, and story beats. But most of that is replaced in the second half by what feels like a romantic comedy, with Ellen agonizing over a crush. Plenty of readers might enjoy that, but for me it was a bit of a bore by comparison to the first half, and the sudden shift made for an inconsistent tale. So readers should keep that in mind going into the story, as perhaps it will work better if the story shift is expected.
Criticism aside, I must give props to the comedy in this book. It's definitely the funniest Korps book so far, and my copy is annotated with many an "LOL" (literally parts where I laughed out loud). Much of the humor is pun-centric, since that's how Lawful Neutral activates her powers. I think that focus on puns might make some pun-averse readers think they won't enjoy the story, but I personally found this to be a sort of elevated punnyness. The puns aren't often used in a vacuum. They function as part of larger jokes, and that keeps the story from becoming an eye roll fest. So those who don't usually like puns can rest easy if they're considering reading this book.
I'm happy to see The Korps Universe continuing to branch out. As more authors are brought to the table, the universe becomes rich with different perspectives, allowing it to amass a vast collection of subgenres, themes, and adversities. I estimate that The Korps Universe will one day have a book for everyone, and I look forward to being able to make those recommendations. I can't wait to see what's next.
-Have read Induction by Syntax Takes and are eager to see Volta and Carmen again
-Are looking for a funny book with a whole lot of puns
-Like seeing representation of neurodivergent characters (autism)
-Can relate to sisterhood dynamics, especially one being protective of another
-Enjoy puns. No really, like… a whole lot of puns
Realignment is the fifth published book in The Korps Universe. Just like the other books in this shared universe, it brings new perspectives and subgenre elements to the table. In this case, neurodivergence is featured prominently, and there's a big focus on humor. While other Korps books have some hilarious moments (see that powdered sugar scene in Dissolution that still makes me giggle), this story is packed full of laughs that make it one of the most enjoyable Korps Universe books yet.
Realignment starts off with Lawful Neutral--a superhero who (I kid you not) activates her powers by making puns. The specific power she gets depends on the pun, setting up so much potential for hilarious and creative powersets that the possibilities immediately drew me in. Indeed, the author takes full advantage of those possibilities and creates powers for Lawful Neutral to use with wild abandon. Does this result in broken powersets that often don't make sense? Yes. Do I care in a story that's meant to be funny and in a series that's profoundly unapologetic? No. I recommend reader's similarly suspend their disbelief going into this one. It's far more fun that way.
Lawful Neutral's civilian identity is a demimorph named Ellen Foxpaw (In this universe, demimorph is the term used for people who have animal traits, like ears and tails, but are otherwise human). Ellen works as a hero, a surprisingly low-paying job, to support herself and her twin sister Vixie, who the world has heartlessly ostracized for being autistic. As in the other Korps books, the oppression of hero groups and the ostracizing of a bigoted society starts pushing Ellen and Vixie toward the Korps, but this time there are some familiar faces there to also pull them in.
This book sees the return of Volta and Carmen in a main role. They first appeared in the book Induction by Syntax Takes, and I'd been anticipating their return, so it was great to see them again. Lawful Neutral encounters Volta, now known as the villainous Redline, repeatedly in the course of her hero work, and the two have formed a charming villain-hero dynamic that of course comes into play as Ellen and Vixie start to see hero society for what it truly is. So fans of that first book will have a lot of fun with this one, since they're already familiar with some of the characters.
Regardless of if they've read about Volta and Carmen before, I think all readers will enjoy the newcomers Ellen and Vixie. The funniest people are often the most complicated behind the scenes, and Ellen certain fits that bill. Meanwhile, Vixie struggles against a world that sees her as nothing but a nuisance, and her story thus has a lot to say about respecting autistic people's agency. The sisters' personal struggles forge a deep bond between them, which was refreshing to see in a series that so far has mostly focused on romantic relationships. Family can be a tough topic in queer narratives, and I was happy to see it being tackled in a Korps entry.
I will say the book doesn't focus on their sisterhood as much as I would have liked. The dynamic between Carmen, Volta, and Ellen is given a lot more attention than the dynamic between Ellen and Vixie, especially in the second half. Vixie even sort of fades into the background throughout much of the story. While I think this was at times important for Ellen's character arc, it felt inconsistent with Vixie's character and with the story's focus on sisterhood. For that reason, I wish we could have seen Vixie in a more significant and active role.
And speaking of the second half, this book suffers a bit from feeling like a two-part story. The first half of the book is action-packed, with interesting powers, character dynamics, and story beats. But most of that is replaced in the second half by what feels like a romantic comedy, with Ellen agonizing over a crush. Plenty of readers might enjoy that, but for me it was a bit of a bore by comparison to the first half, and the sudden shift made for an inconsistent tale. So readers should keep that in mind going into the story, as perhaps it will work better if the story shift is expected.
Criticism aside, I must give props to the comedy in this book. It's definitely the funniest Korps book so far, and my copy is annotated with many an "LOL" (literally parts where I laughed out loud). Much of the humor is pun-centric, since that's how Lawful Neutral activates her powers. I think that focus on puns might make some pun-averse readers think they won't enjoy the story, but I personally found this to be a sort of elevated punnyness. The puns aren't often used in a vacuum. They function as part of larger jokes, and that keeps the story from becoming an eye roll fest. So those who don't usually like puns can rest easy if they're considering reading this book.
I'm happy to see The Korps Universe continuing to branch out. As more authors are brought to the table, the universe becomes rich with different perspectives, allowing it to amass a vast collection of subgenres, themes, and adversities. I estimate that The Korps Universe will one day have a book for everyone, and I look forward to being able to make those recommendations. I can't wait to see what's next.
August 11, 2025
I picked up this book on recommendation after reading Induction, which is probably my favorite book in a VERY long time. Realignment has a heavy connection with that book, so naturally that piqued my interest. I was VERY eager to read about Volta and Carmen again!
This is a very different type of story from Induction. The humor in the writing certainly stands out--I found myself bursting out laughing at one particular joke made at Waffle House's expense. In addition to many slice of life scenes for the main character Ellen and her sister Vixie, there is more of a focus on coping with everyday life, especially when that life is spent living for others and not yourself, and what happens when that all changes. The tone of the book can change pretty drastically, depending on the chapter/situation. One chapter you'll be laughing at Ellen's puns--or at least, the incredulous reactions to how bad they are--and then two chapters down, suddenly you're in GREAT fear for Ellen's life, among others. No joke: The chapter that introduces the character Strong? I was genuinely terrified. I haven't felt my pulse rise like that while reading in a long time!
This drastic change in tone does NOT mean the book is disjointed. The writing can be frantic at times, but given what Ellen's like, and how she copes with what she faces, it seems to fit her journey best. On the other hand, the emotional chapters in this book? When they hit, they REALLY hit. One particular chapter near the end makes all of Ellen's behaviors, actions, and reasons come together in a way that makes it all make sense. And... once again, I found myself crying. The way this book deals with the sense of not belonging and lacking self-care, it helped me to deal with a similar problem I've been facing/been needing to face. So Bibi's work will always have a special place in my heart alongside Syntax's.
If you need a book that deals with coping with the cards you've been given, adjustment to major upending of life, and one that shows WONDERFUL characters and their relationships, and makes them grow into something even more special, all while having one of the best rivalry arcs (at least that I've ever seen)? Then PLEASE check this book out. Support these wonderful authors and their beautiful Korps stories. ...Korps-ies?
This is a very different type of story from Induction. The humor in the writing certainly stands out--I found myself bursting out laughing at one particular joke made at Waffle House's expense. In addition to many slice of life scenes for the main character Ellen and her sister Vixie, there is more of a focus on coping with everyday life, especially when that life is spent living for others and not yourself, and what happens when that all changes. The tone of the book can change pretty drastically, depending on the chapter/situation. One chapter you'll be laughing at Ellen's puns--or at least, the incredulous reactions to how bad they are--and then two chapters down, suddenly you're in GREAT fear for Ellen's life, among others. No joke: The chapter that introduces the character Strong? I was genuinely terrified. I haven't felt my pulse rise like that while reading in a long time!
This drastic change in tone does NOT mean the book is disjointed. The writing can be frantic at times, but given what Ellen's like, and how she copes with what she faces, it seems to fit her journey best. On the other hand, the emotional chapters in this book? When they hit, they REALLY hit. One particular chapter near the end makes all of Ellen's behaviors, actions, and reasons come together in a way that makes it all make sense. And... once again, I found myself crying. The way this book deals with the sense of not belonging and lacking self-care, it helped me to deal with a similar problem I've been facing/been needing to face. So Bibi's work will always have a special place in my heart alongside Syntax's.
If you need a book that deals with coping with the cards you've been given, adjustment to major upending of life, and one that shows WONDERFUL characters and their relationships, and makes them grow into something even more special, all while having one of the best rivalry arcs (at least that I've ever seen)? Then PLEASE check this book out. Support these wonderful authors and their beautiful Korps stories. ...Korps-ies?
August 6, 2025
This was a very sweet and wonderful addition to the Korps universe. I liked that this story was more of a slice of life and that I got to see a glimpse into how members spend their time when they aren't fighting Heroes and other awful people. It helps show how the Korps may be fighting a system that seeks to erase and reject them; they're still people at the end of the day who enjoy eating good food and hanging out with friends.
Ellen and Vixie are both interesting characters. I especially loved reading about Ellen's journey throughout the book, how she struggled to find a role other than her sister's protector, and how her insecurities manifested both in her unwillingness to fully be a part of the Korps and her relationship with Carmen. Speaking of which, I thought the story of their relationship was really well done, and I was so happy when Ellen got over her fears and anxieties to actually start dating Carmen. Even though this book was mainly about Ellen, I love Vixie too. She's such a kind individual who you feel bad for because the world can't see the kindness and effort she gives, and seeing just the bits of how the Korps were able to help her and give her a place where she could feel accepted was so sweet to see. The bond between these two is so strong, and you can see it in how they interact.
I also enjoyed the characters of Volta and Carmen. Volta in this was a very complex character because you can see how the Korps has helped her grow, but those insecurities are still there, and just seeing it makes her even more of an amazing character than she already was. Carmen is still Carmen, and she once again stole the show with her sassy, suave nature, and I love how the relationships between the characters grew and formed as the book progressed.
Overall, this book was such a fun read, and I highly recommend giving it a read, whether you're a die hard Korps fan or just dipping into it.
Ellen and Vixie are both interesting characters. I especially loved reading about Ellen's journey throughout the book, how she struggled to find a role other than her sister's protector, and how her insecurities manifested both in her unwillingness to fully be a part of the Korps and her relationship with Carmen. Speaking of which, I thought the story of their relationship was really well done, and I was so happy when Ellen got over her fears and anxieties to actually start dating Carmen. Even though this book was mainly about Ellen, I love Vixie too. She's such a kind individual who you feel bad for because the world can't see the kindness and effort she gives, and seeing just the bits of how the Korps were able to help her and give her a place where she could feel accepted was so sweet to see. The bond between these two is so strong, and you can see it in how they interact.
I also enjoyed the characters of Volta and Carmen. Volta in this was a very complex character because you can see how the Korps has helped her grow, but those insecurities are still there, and just seeing it makes her even more of an amazing character than she already was. Carmen is still Carmen, and she once again stole the show with her sassy, suave nature, and I love how the relationships between the characters grew and formed as the book progressed.
Overall, this book was such a fun read, and I highly recommend giving it a read, whether you're a die hard Korps fan or just dipping into it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2025
If you don't like puns, this may not be the book for you. The main character has a really interesting pun-based power set that results in some bizarre situations. This could have been explored a bit more by the narrative, but it does result in a fascinating main character and how she interacts with her main enemies.
The book feels like it was split in two, starting as a comedic action, and then becoming a romance later on. I think I'd have personally preferred it staying as one or the other, but both aspects were really interesting and engaging. Some very familiar characters returning from earlier Korps novels, and a fresh cast of new characters to enjoy as well.
The book feels like it was split in two, starting as a comedic action, and then becoming a romance later on. I think I'd have personally preferred it staying as one or the other, but both aspects were really interesting and engaging. Some very familiar characters returning from earlier Korps novels, and a fresh cast of new characters to enjoy as well.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews