Arena Mode

The Arena Mode Saga #1

by Blake Northcott

In his twenty-nine years, Matthew Moxon had done virtually nothing with his record-breaking IQ and unparalleled problem solving abilities. Until one morning, after a dangerous fall lands him in the emergency room, he discovers that a tumor is pressing against his brain.

Unable to afford experimental but potentially life-saving surgery, Moxon takes drastic action; he volunteers for Arena Mode: 2041's most vicious sporting event, where thirteen superhumans fight in an urban combat zone for a multi-billion dollar prize.

Moxon is forced to battle opponents possessing ungodly speed, strength, and abilities once thought to exist only across the pages of superhero comics - and he's armed with nothing more than his rapidly-diminishing brain cells.

With the odds stacked impossibly against him, Moxon fights to not only survive the wrath of the other competitors, but to unlock the mysteries buried within the Arena itself.

Discover the series that has been nominated for the prestigious BSFA Award (Arena Mode, Best Novel of 2013), has been ranked #1 on Amazon in the US and the UK (Arena Mode, Superhero and Dystopian categories, May 2015) and is currently part of the high school curriculum in the state of Florida.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Superheroes, Dystopia, Fiction, Young Adult, Amazon

354 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Blake Northcott is a Canadian author and comic book writer.

Northcott's 'Arena Mode Saga' is Kickstarter's most-funded science-fiction series of all time, and the first book in the series was nominated for Britain's prestigious BSFA (Best Novel of 2013).

The series went on to sell over 250,000 copies worldwide and has received over a thousand five-star reviews across multiple platforms.

Blake was a semi-finalist in James Patterson's 2017 Masterclass contest.

In 2018 Northcott's magical spy thriller 'The North Valley Grimoire' was the most-funded and most-backed original fiction novel on Kickstarter; in the first week of pre-orders, it was funding at the pace of a New York Times bestseller.

In addition to writing novels, Northcott has written 'Michael Turner's All new Fathom' and 'Executive Assistant Iris' for Aspen Comics, as well as 'Vampirella' for Dynamite Comics.

She was also an editorial writer for Millarworld, where her columns appeared in a number of comics; Millarworld is the company responsible for 'Kick-Ass', 'Wanted', 'The Magic Order', and 'Kingsman: The Secret Service'.

Her columns have appeared in Comic Book Resources (CBR), Geeks of Doom, CBS Man Cave Daily, and Verily Magazine.


http://www.BlakeNorthcott.com

Reviews

[Mpauli · Rating 4 out of 5]

As "X meets Y" marketing phrases are quite popular these days, Arena Modes sells under Superheroes meet The Hunger Games.

In a world where superhumans came out of the closet, billionaire Cameron Frost organizes the Arena Mode, a tournament where 13 superhumans face off against each other and the winner takes away the prize money of 10 billion dollars.

For comic enthusiast Matthew Moxon winning is not the goal. He only wants to make it into the final four to earn 5 million dollars to treat the giant tumor inside his brain. His only problem is that he is not a superhuman, so he and his friends need to come up with a plan to get him into the tournament and make him survive for as long as possible.

As one would expect of a novel about superhumans, Arena Mode is a very fast-paced read with some awesome display of superpowers. I personally found main protagonist Matthew relateable and very likeable and his sense of humor had me smile quite often.

The writing in Arena Mode is straight forward and fits the theme, so if your personal superpower is to spot every little meaning in every aliteration, that might not be your kind of book. This book wants to entertain and it does that very well. Of course, with plots surrounding superhumans there are always one or two things that challenge your sense of disbelief, but that didn't take away much from my enjoyment of the novel.

There is also a bit of social commentary in this book about our modern way of living and -again- it is presented in a very straight forward style that fits the rest of the novel.

This is the first novel of a trilogy and the release of the final book is just a few days away, so the two sequels will definitely be part of my Post-Christmas shopping.
If the theme seems interesting to you, I'd encourage you to pick up this young indie author's work who finances her books via Kickstarter and has a clear love for comic books.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if superhumans were real? What if they came out of the closet to reveal themselves to the world? And what if, some of them were the 1% and accepted billionaire Cameron Frost’s opportunity to pit their superhuman powers against each other in the ring for a chance at ten billion dollars?

Matthew Moxon lives in this dystopian future and is thrilled to see his love of comic books turned into fantasy. Unfortunately, a brain tumour puts a downer on his life, leaving the Arena Mode tournament as his only option for a treatment that costs millions. The problem? Mox, as his friends call him, isn’t a superhuman. But he does have a valuable comic collection, as well as a best friend with questionable connections and that’s enough for Mox to buy his way into deceiving Cameron Frost into believing that he really is a superhuman.

Arena Mode is basically a comic book written in novel format and it’s a fun read for any comic book fan. Northcott is a card-carrying geek and obviously a huge fan of the comic industry herself. Her opinions on important topics like the prequels that shall not be named or Marvel’s misunderstanding of how death works sneak into the story in the form of Matthew’s own thoughts. (I’m perfectly fine with these opinionated moments since I share the same opinion).

I’m a very visual reader, easily able to picture just about anything in my head. Arena Mode’s unique style lends itself perfectly to my creative mind. But Northcott also has connections within the comic industry, giving the book its added punch in the form of full character illustrations and bios at the back of the book. Lucky Kickstarter supporters also received full colour character cards and other goodies to accompany their reading.

Each of the superhumans Matthew meets has a unique power set, though their abilities will be recognizable to comic fans. The key to making these characters unique is the way Northcott makes them more than just their abilities.

The Arena Mode battle itself was very interesting and tense, especially with Matthew having no powers, however I felt some of the battles, particularly the ones meant to be truly epic, were brushed over a bit too liberally. Again, I could picture these battles in my head, but in novel form, the details fell short.

The big reveal became evident about half way through the book, but it didn’t deter my enjoyment. Everything still flowed smoothly and interestingly, culminating in an ending that opens the door for some very intriguing events in the future.

See more reviews at The BiblioSanctum

[Keidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased and pledged both the digital ebook and the hard copy through Kickstarter.

As a female reader, I had my doubts about this book. It's not a secret to know and understand that the comics genre is not very kind to female readers or characters (in some ways it's getting better, in others not so much). I usually wait for a book to come out and get a decent amount of reviews before making my purchase so getting this book through Kickstarter was a new experience for me. Since I was going to purchase this book "blind" (yes there were some chapters available but it wasn't enough for me to gauge if I would enjoy this book), I had a nice chat with the author, Ms. Blake Northcott. Not only did she make things clear that this was not just going to be one huge male testosterone brawler, but hearing about the story from her point of view made me honestly excited for the novel and has quickly gathered my support in rooting for her newest book!

I am happy to say that the support was not unfounded and I ADORED reading "Arena Mode" in all it's glory. The combination of an excellent mashup of the best super hero characteristics I adore combined with clever geeky references and witty dialogue all mixed up in a blender along with the backdrop of a dystopian world combined with a "Hunger Games" kind of elimination mode makes the story NUTS (in a good way ^_^). All of the characters were likable, the plot was fast-paced and exciting and the world itself was so interesting, well, it's nothing like I've ever read before. The ideas of super heroes vs super humans and how they are portrayed was a WONDERFUL breath of fresh air and well... for a story that should not work (seriously, did I mention it's NUTS?! XD) it honestly worked for me!

I had a BLAST reading it and I can't wait for the sequel! Yes Blake, you can say "I told you so" now. Manticore Madness 4 Eva!!! XD

[Brian Newland · Rating 1 out of 5]

What do you get when you combine the hunger games and ready player one? An amateurish mess that is not the sum of its parts. I have no idea how this book got rated so high.

[Josh Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought into Arena Mode from the moment that I read the premise on Kickstarter. A superhuman story with wit, a world that while having some dire problems is not above having moments of joy, and what turns out to be an incredibly fleshed out universe in which this crazed tournament plays out.

That, my friends, is right up my alley.

I pledged so fast my fingers bled, and I made sure to do it at a level at which I could get my hands on a limited paperback copy, as an e-reader still cannot hold my attention for as long as bound paper can. The question is, did my faith and investment in an author that I hadn't read from before live up to what I ended up receiving in the mail a couple weeks back?

The answer is a resounding yes. The book was exactly what I needed. I can say that I can see the world from the eyes of Mox. I felt like I could relate to him pretty consistently. I'm not a math wiz, though. I nearly failed Algebra II multiple times in high school. That is beside the point, though. Matthew Moxon is nothing short of a genius, able to make incredibly complex calculations in the blink of an eye, tied with a photographic memory, makes him near superhuman. This, though, doesn't mean that he's safe from the horrible things that can happen to a normal human.

What's causing this extra brain power is a brain tumor, which if left unchecked, is nothing more than a ticking time bomb towards his death. His one chance to come out of it alive is a multi-million dollar surgery, which he has no chance of affording. His only option seems to be entering a tournament called Arena Mode: a smack down drag out brawl with 10 billion dollars on the line for the person who survives the longest. Though he isn't superhuman with powers like the others that will be entering the tournament, this doesn't mean that he won't try to get in. When he does though, the tournament isn't anything like he expected, even knowing that death would be common inside the arena that Manhattan becomes.

The story is fantastic, and moves briskly over the course of a few months of time. We still get a fantastic feel for Mox and those around him; his best friend Gavin and Peyton, who Mox is quite interested in even though she's Gavin's sister. We see his preparation, and we get a feel for what he thinks about the world around him. This all moves into the background once he enters the Arena, and this gives us a much closer look at the characters from around the world that enter this tournament. What follows I won't say, you deserve the chance to experience it for yourself. If I can tell you anything from the later parts of the book, there is a character who enters that may be one of my favorite characters I've read in a long time. They'll enter and they're just a force of nature that pushes the book ever on. Missing out on them is something you absolutely cannot do.

If you're a fan of superheroes, supervillains, superpeople or just a great near future story with tinges of sci-fi and even some thoughts on politics and the worldd if it moves like it currently is,; you absolutely must give this a read. You'll kick yourself if you don't.

[Stephen Brophy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I enjoyed Blake Northcott's "vs. Reality" books for what they are, I found "Arena Mode" to be leaps and bounds beyond in terms of characterization, storytelling and the presentation of a professional published package (apologies for the incidental alliteration). Though it could offhandedly be labeled "Hunger Games w/ Superfolks" it's actually a terrific premise that nods to the many comics tales from Marvel's "Secret Wars" onward in which a group of powered people are thrown together in a closed-circuit deathmatch and must use their powers, wits or both to survive. There are contrivances and coincidences and deus ex machinas to be sure, but no more than your average graphic novel on a similar subject might contain.

The central protagonist--a genius-level agoraphobic nerd with a talent for reading people and situations to find the advantage--is likable, relatable and potentially tragic (he fakes his way into the contest with no powers, just a brain tumor that may be the source of his smarts, and is also likely to kill him if the real supers don't). In an oligarchic society not too far removed from our own, all he wants is a chance to buy his way out of his dire circumstances, and the ten billion dollar top prize, or even the 10 million dollar reward for placing in the top four, is enough incentive to get him in the ring. And even if he should fail, there's at least the promise of a memorably thrilling--though probably terrible--death.

Inside the arena--which happens to be the temporarily evacuated and cordoned off isle of Manhattan--he encounters savage brutality, unexpected compassion, fleeting moments of good sportsmanship, and a lot of physical and emotional pain. Even with his rented armor, he's no match for the genuine articles in hand to hand combat, though his brain--and a few kind allies--come through for him time and again.

It's a quick read, and one of my few criticisms is that the combat and location aren't explored as thoroughly as they could be. Though I can picture Manhattan well enough in my head, I didn't get a strong sense of place from Northcott's descriptions of the cityscape. And once the action starts, the fairly sparse number of competitors begin dying off so rapidly, you don't get much chance to see or know them as anything but fleeting archetypes (then again, you could easily say the same thing about Hunger Games).

While it plays better as a standalone read than either of the "vs. Reality" volumes so far, Northcott definitely leaves enough questions open-ended and fates unsealed to justify a sequel. If that's the case, and I suspect it is, I'm in.

[Emmet · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book as part of a free promotion, and I'm glad that's where it came from.

I really wanted to like this book as it was by someone who posts to the imgur site and seemed like it had a good premise. Sadly, the book itself was a collection of cliched ideas and comic book fan-service. I can't criticize the style much further without professing some great knowledge I don't possess. Overall, I can just say some of the editorial and stylistic choices were not those I would have made.

The plotline, however, I'll have to comment on. Having read almost any teen/YA adventure story that fell into my hands over the years, I guess you could say the plots have become trite for me. The plot of Arena Mode though was spread thin enough to become wholly transparent almost from the time I cracked the cover. The main character is faced with an insurmountable obstacle, cancer in this case, but luckily is presented immediately with a solution: entering a competition for "superhumans" to fight to the death. As the only human entrant he's nervous... I bet you can see where this is going. If you can't, read the novel, it's right up your street. I was left wondering how only the convenient technologies were the ones developed, such as a chip that allowed a human to pass as superhuman but no device to detect such chips?

Meanwhile, there's a borderline unbelievable romantic subplot lifted right out of the comments section of a Hunger Games/other post-apocalyptic society novel. This is what drives the character and he realises he was a good guy all along.

So although I won't toss Blake Northcott out as an author based on this book, I won't deny I sighed in exasperation when I finished the novel and realised it was part of a trilogy.

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arena Mode is really a classic story about growing up and finding your way in the world .told in a way feels very familiar, but has enough interesting twists to keep your attention. I liked the characters and could relate to the Matthew as the hero fighting against all odds, meeting girls, finding friends and fighting foes along the way.
There is the terrifying father figure (think a more evil Donald Trump) and the girl next door who Matthew wants to be with but has a hard time committing to be with The superhero characters are interesting with compelling stories behind them. This is what sets this book apart from many other books like it. I do like the idea of the superheroes being labelled as "freaks" and trying to fit in the "normal" world. .

There are many books and ideas where Arena Mode borrows from including Watchmen, and The Hunger Games. This is not a criticism because the way the elements come together make the book interesting and feel fresh.

The setting is a not so distant future where only the rich can afford the best things in life like health care and the vast majority of the population live in a crime infested wasteland. It reminded me of a future like Blade Runner. There is lots of action, lots of energy and some great fight scenes where the outcome, although predictable, doesn't feel so obvious when you are caught up reading it. The ending has an interesting twist, with Matthew fighting not only for his life but for his identity and for the lives of his friends.


Highly recommended

[Lady Entropy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cyberpunk and superheroes, this should be the perfect combination for me. Unfortunately, it was overwhelmingly.... meh.

Oh, the main character was sympathetic and he had a strong plight, the right motivation and the desperate odds. The final twist was solid if somewhat puzzling (especially how the villain went from "I don't care if someone else pretty much disables my prey as long as I get the kill" to "I will give you a sporting chance because I totally want this to be fair").

However, the setting exposition was dropped clunkily, the referrals to our period's pop culture were jarring and immersion breaking, and some moments it felt as if the setting was being twisted into making sense. The other fighters in the arena ranged from being almost interesting to being a name and a power. I suppose that to do them justice, the book would have to be a LOT longer.

I admit, I shouldn't have gotten greedy and go for the hardcover edition that was a bit too expensive for a book I'm not planning on rereading.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will premise this by stating I supported it on Kickstarter as the concept seemed very interesting.

As soon as the e-book came out I downloaded it and often heard from my significant other over the next couple of days, what is that you are reading because you never put it down. I really liked the style, concept and setting. The main character was someone you could root for also.

It was nice to see the a bit of a different take on superheroes it reminded me of the tv show heroes mixed with battle royale. It even did well creating some empathy for the "bad guys" well most of them anyways. When it ended I found myself pondering how it could have a follow up as I would like to see the characters who made it through the book appear in print in front of me again one day in the future.

If you like hunger games esque novels, super heroes, wanted to know if the flash would be worthwhile in a fight then its definitely worth a read.

[Pedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being blown up by Vs. Reality, I had quite some expectations about this new trilogy. Arena Mode did not disappoint, a outstanding easy reading, it flows like water. Supes, what are supes? well She will tell you what superhumans are, and how they cease to be. fast paced action, itty bits of romance and nice fight, struggle descriptions will give you an overview of New York year 2041. A must read for fans of comics, sci-fi, adventure books.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I backed the Kickstarter for this project so got a couple of different formats, goodies, extras and whatnot, including the recently released audio-book version. So...y'know...WOOHOO!

Anyway, I can tell you that I enjoyed this book immensely. And I think I can say what I want without any real spoilers, so bear with me.

The story moves along at a more or less comic-book pace, easily read within a day or two. Partly due to it's ability to hold the/my attention and partly because it's not especially long. The idea is straight forward with less reliance on convoluted plot and more on violence, mayhem, superpowers, mythical beasts (well, a couple...only small ones), terrible social skills, gangsters and robots.

No. Really.

The illustrations for the book are provided by a variety of well known artists, and whilst there is a familiarity in some of the characters' powers that are reminiscent of other comic archetypes, these are not the Godlike characters of the Marvel/DC universes. You can picture them as you would any character and some are pretty special, but not as far removed from mainstream humanity. They are vulnerable, flawed, surprising, self-serving, self-sacrificing and in some cases utterly delusional. All in all, quite fun.

At the time of writing this review, I understand the Kickstarter for the sequel is about to get underway, and I think I will be showing my support there as well. I'm very interested to see where the story goes from here.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining page turner that chronicles one normal man's life and death struggle against superhumans. It read rather like a comic book with a typical evil final boss, lucky events that save the day for the hero, and of course a romantic subplot. There wasn't a whole lot of depth either in characters or in the plot, though. Nor was there any real explanation for the super abilities and their ramifications on the world. I'm interested in seeing what Blake comes out with in the next few years, but I can only recommend Arena Mode if you're really looking for a superhero novel.

[Adam Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun "comic made real" romp with a dash of cyberpunk, Arena Mode riffs off our love for reality television & over the top comic book action blockbusters and mixes that on top of an undercurrent of the dissatisfaction with the growing inequality gap in the west.

The resulting jam is a slightly nerdy delight and a perfect choice for a quick, fun, read. Especially for comic book readers or the YA crowd.

[Lel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun short read that I just couldn't take seriously. Super-humans exist, some can fly, others shot lasers out of their eyes and some can channel electricity. Sound familiar? So what does the world decide to do? Let one billionaire clear out Manhattan and stage a 'Battle Royale' with a 10 billion dollar price tag, while the world watches.
Hardly an original concept. But still fun and action packed. Not sure if I will read the rest but i'm not adverse to it.

[Charlie Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I would give 3.5. The book was good and I was glad to have supported the kickstart. But there are many times in the story that I relate this to other books. That is the main reason I didn't give a 4 or 4.5.

The way of speech also gives away bits of suspense as it is clear as day what happens overall. But there is a good surprise at the end if a connection was not made early on

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book! The writing was fantastic and the main character was well developed and felt like a real person. I think Blake Northcott is a great writer and she is now on my list of favorite modern day authors. I would recommend this book to everyone who loves the super hero genre. Disclosure: I was a Kickstarter backer and I received a copy of the book for my contribution.

[Dusty Craine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arena Mode was great. In a very brief description: It's The Avengers meets Hunger Games.

Longer review coming soon.

[Dave Lefevre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and not what I expected (in a good way). I am happy to have contributed to this Kickstarter project.

MOAr!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like superheroes, or even if you don't ( it isn't your typical hero novel ), read this book. Now.

[Jacob Feldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Occasionally relies too much on cliche, but overall a fun read. Great ending!

[Fortunesfool · Rating 4 out of 5]

a cracking blend of super hero/battle royale/reality tv. Not gonna win the Booker prize but it's a rollicking good read.

[Don Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed every page, was a fun read.

[HcSic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, not an original plot, but a fun read

[Brian Ashenfelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Kick-Ass had a baby and it was a novel, it's name would be Arena Mode.

[Chad Manske · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mix of Hunger Games, Heroes and Ender's Game, the first book of this trilogy is fantastic!

[Marco · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book always gets hyped as Hunger Games meets superheroes.
Probably because that's basically what it is.
But where I like the Hunger Games and I LOVE superheroes, I cannot say the same about this book.
Yes, while the tournament and the fights hold some suspense (absolutely necessary with a plot as thin as this book's), but the setting and the premise of the Arena Mode death match make little to no sense, the existence of supers is an unexplained given in the setting and I found out the novel is just the first in a trilogy.
Maybe more will be explained in the coming books but I just don't care enough to want to read on.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, but simple

The plot wasn’t unique (Battle Royale/Hunger Games) and the writing was a little too “on the nose” (characters said what they really thought/want they really wanted while most humans don’t even know their deepest self let alone say it out loud to strangers). But it was superheroes and conspiracies and action. So I did enjoy it.

[Maurice Y Khang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique and mostly enjoyable

Almost an amazing book that seemed a little too over the top to be realistic, but not fictitious enough to be fun. Lots of violence. Needed more humanity. You had to wonder why a city would allow buildings to be toppled and why a tournament of death would be tolerated.

[Dave Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Was expecting the normal ex-military type of hero fighting for justice, not what was delivered at all, and it worked out great. Great character development and plot twists. Excellent writing.