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Striker V: Elements of Change - The Director's Cut
Heroes have long been the protectors of humanity When you’re a Superhero, people expect great things. You’ll be the first one they call when monsters attack downtown Orlando, or someone tries to destroy the moon again, or ancient fungal spores zombify another shopping center. And then you have to file an incident report within 24 hours or your manager gets mad. Just ignore that you almost died.
The burnout is real.
Neil Harris—the Fifth Hero to bear the name Striker—is beyond burned out. He knows the previous four Strikers never got to peacefully retire. All he wants is to make it home to his boyfriend, then curl up with a jar of peanut butter and catch up on his TV backlog.
Everything changes when Neil’s best friend comes to town…and throws him off Orlando’s tallest building. Suddenly, he finds himself wrapped up in a legendary threat, one not seen in centuries.
Now, the fate of the world may lie with an unremarkable Superhero from central Florida.
The burnout is real.
Neil Harris—the Fifth Hero to bear the name Striker—is beyond burned out. He knows the previous four Strikers never got to peacefully retire. All he wants is to make it home to his boyfriend, then curl up with a jar of peanut butter and catch up on his TV backlog.
Everything changes when Neil’s best friend comes to town…and throws him off Orlando’s tallest building. Suddenly, he finds himself wrapped up in a legendary threat, one not seen in centuries.
Now, the fate of the world may lie with an unremarkable Superhero from central Florida.
316 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 27, 2026
I came across Josh's booth at The Big Ohio Book Con this year and bought the first book in the series (director's cut) on a whim - and I'm really glad I did!
Not all indie authors have the introspection to go back and rewrite their previous work to improve it, nor do all realize how much hiring an editor and an artist really makes a difference in the end product. This book really highlighted the quality and care that went into the story, and it felt like reading anything that came out of a major publishing house - I was really impressed and could not put this book down!
As for the story itself, I felt it was a refreshing take on the superhero story. This book dove deep into burnout, living for the job instead of yourself, and the severe negative effects that can have (nihilism, anger, lashing out). I liked Neil's voice and journey in the story, and him learning to look to his own future.
What will be interesting to see in future books is if there will be any reflections on the "sift" - sometimes Neil almost loses himself in others, and I can see that turning too much into interdependency or another form of burnout if he isn't careful.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
Not all indie authors have the introspection to go back and rewrite their previous work to improve it, nor do all realize how much hiring an editor and an artist really makes a difference in the end product. This book really highlighted the quality and care that went into the story, and it felt like reading anything that came out of a major publishing house - I was really impressed and could not put this book down!
As for the story itself, I felt it was a refreshing take on the superhero story. This book dove deep into burnout, living for the job instead of yourself, and the severe negative effects that can have (nihilism, anger, lashing out). I liked Neil's voice and journey in the story, and him learning to look to his own future.
What will be interesting to see in future books is if there will be any reflections on the "sift" - sometimes Neil almost loses himself in others, and I can see that turning too much into interdependency or another form of burnout if he isn't careful.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
October 25, 2026
One of my favorites of the year so far. It hit so many notes that resonate with me personally in life. The story is of Neil aka Striker. He is the fifth of his name, hence the V. He is a burnt out depressed millennial superhero ready to give up when he is attacked by one of his best friends and gets pulled into a conspiracy all the while battling a new Elemental villain hell bent on destroying the world and trying to find time to spend with his boyfriend, Evan. Oh and he was just assigned a 16 year old super-powered sidekick.
The story was fast paced and engaging the whole time. There was plenty of character development and backstory so you got a sense of who all the players are. The dialog was sharp and witty and the banter was top-notch.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. If you've ever felt a little lost in life and desperately just want to find where you belong this book is perfection.
The story was fast paced and engaging the whole time. There was plenty of character development and backstory so you got a sense of who all the players are. The dialog was sharp and witty and the banter was top-notch.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. If you've ever felt a little lost in life and desperately just want to find where you belong this book is perfection.
October 11, 2026
Great book!! I was hooked from the first chapter!! I love the superhero action. But I also really loved the attention to detail on the mental health struggles our main character was facing and the way he connected to the villain using those struggles!! I’m so glad I bought all the books together because I was ready for the next book immediately
August 14, 2026
I came across Josh Vidmar on Threads and based on one of his posts responded, “I’m reading your book. I don’t care what it’s about.”
Fortunately I loved it!
I’m by no means a superhero fan, but everyone was relatable and approachable and the theme of acceptance fixed everything.
I did have a slight issue feeling dropped into the world, but that could be I literally jumped into a world different from my comfort zone.
On to book 2!
Fortunately I loved it!
I’m by no means a superhero fan, but everyone was relatable and approachable and the theme of acceptance fixed everything.
I did have a slight issue feeling dropped into the world, but that could be I literally jumped into a world different from my comfort zone.
On to book 2!
October 24, 2026
A fun romp! Millennial superheroes experience burnout and save the day with the power of friendship!
I probably won’t prioritize the rest of the series, but I’m glad I read this one.
I probably won’t prioritize the rest of the series, but I’m glad I read this one.
July 5, 2026
An excellent dive into a world with superheroes, and the gritty reality that they're human like everyone else, that they feel pain even if they can survive it. I found Elements of Change a very unique take on the genre, mixing compassion, humanity, mental health, and a healthy dose of morals vs laws all into one story.
The characters were engaging and captivating, even if they were only on page for a short time, or mentioned in passing, I wanted to know more about every one. They're complex and multifaceted, but the story never got so gritty as to make it feel absurd. Instead it was carefully balanced with humor and jokes that had me genuinely laughing on several occasions, injecting a real sense of humanity into the story overall, the good and the bad of what it is to be human.
The book doesn't shy away from nuanced discussions, while maintaining its tone and focus as a super hero novel. It was the balance of humor and reality, of complex issues and a super hero mission that kept me eager to turn the next page the entire way through the novel.
The characters were engaging and captivating, even if they were only on page for a short time, or mentioned in passing, I wanted to know more about every one. They're complex and multifaceted, but the story never got so gritty as to make it feel absurd. Instead it was carefully balanced with humor and jokes that had me genuinely laughing on several occasions, injecting a real sense of humanity into the story overall, the good and the bad of what it is to be human.
The book doesn't shy away from nuanced discussions, while maintaining its tone and focus as a super hero novel. It was the balance of humor and reality, of complex issues and a super hero mission that kept me eager to turn the next page the entire way through the novel.
May 28, 2026
I was fortunate enough to do an ARC read of this book.
A genre-busting treat of a book.
Although there are people with superpowers in this book, and many of them are extremely heroic, this book is about so much more than just superheroes. If I had to place it in a genre, I would say that it's closest to urban fantasy or science fiction and reads like a cross between The Dresden Files and The Incredibles, with a dash of Tom Clancy.
The main character is Neil Harris, not that one, a veteran superhero who works for a shadowy, quasi-governmental organization out of its Orlando office. This organization employs multiple superheroes who work around the clock protecting the country from threats like giant sharks, fire snakes, and monsters made of mud, sacrificing normal human things like family, friends, and work-life balance. Neil has been working for this organization for two decades and is assigned the call name Striker V. Exactly what happened to Strikers 1-4 is an important plot point in the story.
When what is supposed to be just another mission results in him having to fight someone who he believed was an ally, Neil soon finds himself on the trail of an enemy that, in addition to being significantly more powerful than anything he has ever faced before also forces him to think about whether he wants there to be anything more to his life than preparing for the next mission and what he is prepared to sacrifice to get it.
This is a genre-busting treat of a book that has wonderful queer representation, well rounded characters, excellent scenery descriptions, and yes, superheroes. I highly recommend it.
A genre-busting treat of a book.
Although there are people with superpowers in this book, and many of them are extremely heroic, this book is about so much more than just superheroes. If I had to place it in a genre, I would say that it's closest to urban fantasy or science fiction and reads like a cross between The Dresden Files and The Incredibles, with a dash of Tom Clancy.
The main character is Neil Harris, not that one, a veteran superhero who works for a shadowy, quasi-governmental organization out of its Orlando office. This organization employs multiple superheroes who work around the clock protecting the country from threats like giant sharks, fire snakes, and monsters made of mud, sacrificing normal human things like family, friends, and work-life balance. Neil has been working for this organization for two decades and is assigned the call name Striker V. Exactly what happened to Strikers 1-4 is an important plot point in the story.
When what is supposed to be just another mission results in him having to fight someone who he believed was an ally, Neil soon finds himself on the trail of an enemy that, in addition to being significantly more powerful than anything he has ever faced before also forces him to think about whether he wants there to be anything more to his life than preparing for the next mission and what he is prepared to sacrifice to get it.
This is a genre-busting treat of a book that has wonderful queer representation, well rounded characters, excellent scenery descriptions, and yes, superheroes. I highly recommend it.
May 14, 2026
Full disclosure: I got an ARC from the Author early in the process
This Director’s Cut is a deft recrafting of the first book of five in the Striker V series, essentially revisiting the story and connecting it more elegantly to the rest of the series with deeper insights into the backgrounds of the characters. Some sharp edges from the first telling have been sanded down, and new views of important events bring the story to clearer, more vibrant moments.
It had been most of a year since I’d read the first book, so much of it was fresh in my mind, and this Director’s Cut felt true and strong in its changes from the original. Those who know the main characters will find themselves re-meeting familiar faces from a different camera angle, with sharper focus.
Josh Vidmar’s storytelling has matured over the course of this epic series, and it’s only fitting he would revisit where it began to make it feel like part of the whole. Enjoy this introduction to Striker V’s world and then keep going into the next few books and you’ll be hooked!!
This Director’s Cut is a deft recrafting of the first book of five in the Striker V series, essentially revisiting the story and connecting it more elegantly to the rest of the series with deeper insights into the backgrounds of the characters. Some sharp edges from the first telling have been sanded down, and new views of important events bring the story to clearer, more vibrant moments.
It had been most of a year since I’d read the first book, so much of it was fresh in my mind, and this Director’s Cut felt true and strong in its changes from the original. Those who know the main characters will find themselves re-meeting familiar faces from a different camera angle, with sharper focus.
Josh Vidmar’s storytelling has matured over the course of this epic series, and it’s only fitting he would revisit where it began to make it feel like part of the whole. Enjoy this introduction to Striker V’s world and then keep going into the next few books and you’ll be hooked!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews