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No More Heroes
The peaceful nights are kept under the clandestine and watchful eye of young, gifted vigilantes the world over. But a sudden rash of vigilante deaths heralds the arrival of a new and unfamiliar enemy - one whose motive is as unclear as their identity. Someone or something seems determined to disturb the peace, and they're going straight for the watchmen to do it. In a city where those who are gifted make up their own rules, who will step forward when the threat of a swift end is real and there stands so little to gain?
No More Heroes is an urban fantasy action/adventure novel about young would-be heroes who get more than they bargained for when they delve deeper into a world they never knew they were a part of. Featuring a diverse cast of players, discord, a mystery to be solved, plenty of literary action and high-stakes battles, No More Heroes is a story about self-belief and camaraderie, persistence in the face of trials, and what it means to be the best version of yourself.
No More Heroes is an urban fantasy action/adventure novel about young would-be heroes who get more than they bargained for when they delve deeper into a world they never knew they were a part of. Featuring a diverse cast of players, discord, a mystery to be solved, plenty of literary action and high-stakes battles, No More Heroes is a story about self-belief and camaraderie, persistence in the face of trials, and what it means to be the best version of yourself.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2015
8 people are currently reading
569 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Kan
5 books25 followersMichelle Kan is an independent creative based in Wellington, New Zealand. A filmmaker/videographer by daylight and author of speculative fiction by moonlight, they love writing dynamic urban fantasy and gentle Chinese fairytales through an aromantic lens.
Michelle is passionate about the arts, exploring their cultural heritage through their creative output, and is a lover of graphic novels, video games, action/martial arts films and parkour – all profound influences which helped them shape the content that they like to produce.
Michelle is passionate about the arts, exploring their cultural heritage through their creative output, and is a lover of graphic novels, video games, action/martial arts films and parkour – all profound influences which helped them shape the content that they like to produce.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 26, 2017
Check out my book blog for more book reviews and other bookish posts!
No More Heroes is a book that I only found due to Twitter. As you know, I’m co-hosting Asian Lit Bingo this month, and Michelle Kan – the author – mentioned that her book fits some of the squares. I checked it out on Amazon and realised it was just my thing!
Vigilantes are being killed all over the city and nobody know why. A group of three young Vigilantes start to learn more about the community and come closer to finding out about the truth, and in doing so start to think more about what to do with their abilities. But what is good? What is evil? Is working alone better than working in a group? What does it mean to do the right thing, and how should you use your abilities?
It’s an #ownvoices book.
__
Most superhero stories start with the main characters not knowing/having superhero abilities. This one is not like that. The three Vigilantes that we meet at the beginning of the book have already had their superhero abilities for several months. I liked this a lot as it was quite different to what I usually read. I also really loved the different abilities and how they resonated with the character’s personalities.
I seriously loved the writing style. It was funny and down-to-earth. I really liked the team name: “you call it luck, I call it skill” , but sadly it was only suggested as a joke by one of the characters. There was one scene in which I found the writing particularly amazing, and that was the scene in which two of the characters were discussing whether they should continue trying to solve the problem or ignore it. The descriptions of how uncertain the two characters were was conveyed brilliantly and I found myself sympathising with both of the characters and their situation.
The characters are fascinating, they are so different from each other and yet so unique. Each has a different voice and personality. However, I would have liked to learn more about the characters and their motivations.
Fang is the first genderfluid character that I’ve read about in a book (this is #ownvoices). Her friendship with Rehua and Shockwave was great, it was interesting to see how they live and work together. Rehua and Shockwave are so different, the one balancing out the other. Rehua’s abilitiy is very interesting, especially considering that it is similar to what Shaan’s (one of the villians) ability is. Faye is awesome, she’s got a sharp tongue and she’s quite a good fighter. I really want to know more about her!
There was a huge focus on the friendships between the different characters, which I thought was great to read about. I love reading about platonic friendships in books.
Another part I enjoyed were the action scenes and how the different abilities of the fighters were brought together. I don’t usually read action novels, so this was something quite new for me.
The word “crazy” is used once by one of the characters. Michelle Kan told me that the character is referencing a video game. Just wanted to mention it though.
One of the last scenes refers to one of the first meetings that the young Vigilantes had when they met the more experienced Vigilantes. I was not expecting this, as I had forgotten about the first meeting due to all of the action in the middle, but I thought this scene was great as it made the book feel complete.
__
No More Heroes was a fun, action-packed read and a great start to the series. I will certainly read the next book as soon as it comes out (2018). I want to know more about the different abilities and I’ve also got a feeling that it’s not as simple as good vs. bad but that the characters have more nuanced reasons for their actions.
No More Heroes is a book that I only found due to Twitter. As you know, I’m co-hosting Asian Lit Bingo this month, and Michelle Kan – the author – mentioned that her book fits some of the squares. I checked it out on Amazon and realised it was just my thing!
Vigilantes are being killed all over the city and nobody know why. A group of three young Vigilantes start to learn more about the community and come closer to finding out about the truth, and in doing so start to think more about what to do with their abilities. But what is good? What is evil? Is working alone better than working in a group? What does it mean to do the right thing, and how should you use your abilities?
It’s an #ownvoices book.
__
Most superhero stories start with the main characters not knowing/having superhero abilities. This one is not like that. The three Vigilantes that we meet at the beginning of the book have already had their superhero abilities for several months. I liked this a lot as it was quite different to what I usually read. I also really loved the different abilities and how they resonated with the character’s personalities.
I seriously loved the writing style. It was funny and down-to-earth. I really liked the team name: “you call it luck, I call it skill” , but sadly it was only suggested as a joke by one of the characters. There was one scene in which I found the writing particularly amazing, and that was the scene in which two of the characters were discussing whether they should continue trying to solve the problem or ignore it. The descriptions of how uncertain the two characters were was conveyed brilliantly and I found myself sympathising with both of the characters and their situation.
The characters are fascinating, they are so different from each other and yet so unique. Each has a different voice and personality. However, I would have liked to learn more about the characters and their motivations.
Fang is the first genderfluid character that I’ve read about in a book (this is #ownvoices). Her friendship with Rehua and Shockwave was great, it was interesting to see how they live and work together. Rehua and Shockwave are so different, the one balancing out the other. Rehua’s abilitiy is very interesting, especially considering that it is similar to what Shaan’s (one of the villians) ability is. Faye is awesome, she’s got a sharp tongue and she’s quite a good fighter. I really want to know more about her!
There was a huge focus on the friendships between the different characters, which I thought was great to read about. I love reading about platonic friendships in books.
Another part I enjoyed were the action scenes and how the different abilities of the fighters were brought together. I don’t usually read action novels, so this was something quite new for me.
The word “crazy” is used once by one of the characters. Michelle Kan told me that the character is referencing a video game. Just wanted to mention it though.
One of the last scenes refers to one of the first meetings that the young Vigilantes had when they met the more experienced Vigilantes. I was not expecting this, as I had forgotten about the first meeting due to all of the action in the middle, but I thought this scene was great as it made the book feel complete.
__
No More Heroes was a fun, action-packed read and a great start to the series. I will certainly read the next book as soon as it comes out (2018). I want to know more about the different abilities and I’ve also got a feeling that it’s not as simple as good vs. bad but that the characters have more nuanced reasons for their actions.
April 3, 2018
3.5 stars - Though I enjoyed this book, it really didn’t live up to my expectations. I had really high expectations of this book, because I was told it had a lot of aro-ace representation, but it just… wasn’t there? Not a single time was anything mentioned even related to being aro-ace and that just felt like a disappointment to me. However, I did really like the story and everything else!
January 6, 2019
This was good and I'm really glad I finally got around to reading it! I have to admit that I skimmed over the fighting scenes because I personally don't like reading them and just tend to get confused about what's going on, but I really enjoyed the plot and the characters!
May 31, 2017
Originally reviewed on my blog WOCreads
https://wocreads.wordpress.com/2017/0...
Michelle Kan’s debut novel, No More Heroes, is a fast-paced and exciting superhero tale with a diverse cast of characters. As readers, we follow a young trio of new vigilantes – Clare, Mallory and Linus – who patrol the streets at night on the lookout for criminals and trouble-makers. Interestingly, we learn that what drives them out at night is not simply wanting to do good but that their Abilities come with an extra shot of energy that wants to be used. I’d love to get some of that energy, as well as their gifts such as using reflective surfaces as portals. I mean the possibilities …!
Anyway, one of their earliest outings puts them right into the middle of a mystery (you know I love mysteries) about who is killing off Vigilantes. This also means they run into more experienced Vigilantes and it was great to see how differently the characters were as Vigilantes and also as teams and as loners. Which brings me to one of my favorite aspects, Kan really focuses on friendships and teamwork and I’m always on the look-out for stories that are not all about romance. Fellow aro-spec folx, you’ll enjoy this one.
I also enjoyed the diversity of the characters with Samoan representation and a genderfluid Vigilante. My favorite character was probably Fang, who we learn a bit more about than many others but I do wish that the characters had been more fleshed out and had more backstory on the whole. But other than that, No More Heroes is wonderfully fast-paced and the dialogue is excellent as well. Reading this book really feels like watching a superhero show and I think it would translate well to a visual format.
Going by the way the book ends, it sounds like a sequel might be in the works or at least possible. I really hope so! The vigilante verse has a lot more stories to offer and I’d love to learn more about the characters in a future adventure.
https://wocreads.wordpress.com/2017/0...
Michelle Kan’s debut novel, No More Heroes, is a fast-paced and exciting superhero tale with a diverse cast of characters. As readers, we follow a young trio of new vigilantes – Clare, Mallory and Linus – who patrol the streets at night on the lookout for criminals and trouble-makers. Interestingly, we learn that what drives them out at night is not simply wanting to do good but that their Abilities come with an extra shot of energy that wants to be used. I’d love to get some of that energy, as well as their gifts such as using reflective surfaces as portals. I mean the possibilities …!
Anyway, one of their earliest outings puts them right into the middle of a mystery (you know I love mysteries) about who is killing off Vigilantes. This also means they run into more experienced Vigilantes and it was great to see how differently the characters were as Vigilantes and also as teams and as loners. Which brings me to one of my favorite aspects, Kan really focuses on friendships and teamwork and I’m always on the look-out for stories that are not all about romance. Fellow aro-spec folx, you’ll enjoy this one.
I also enjoyed the diversity of the characters with Samoan representation and a genderfluid Vigilante. My favorite character was probably Fang, who we learn a bit more about than many others but I do wish that the characters had been more fleshed out and had more backstory on the whole. But other than that, No More Heroes is wonderfully fast-paced and the dialogue is excellent as well. Reading this book really feels like watching a superhero show and I think it would translate well to a visual format.
Going by the way the book ends, it sounds like a sequel might be in the works or at least possible. I really hope so! The vigilante verse has a lot more stories to offer and I’d love to learn more about the characters in a future adventure.
Read
September 28, 2017Urban fantasy is where it is at for me! I bought No More Heroes ages ago, so last week I decided to finally tackle it in the Reading Quest. (I’m doing really well, by the way – nearly finished the Mage path!) I originally was interested in it because of the diverse range of characters – Rehua is Samoan, whilst Fang is genderfluid and aroace. (This aspect of the novel is ownvoices). I kind-of wish that Fang was the clear main character of the novel, because she was given much more of a backstory than any of the others, and honestly interested me a lot more than all of the others combined.
I absolutely loved how different the superpowers were. Some characters can travel through reflective surfaces and fog, whilst other characters can create shockwaves and electricity. The way their powers are described is also really interesting – they don’t go with the obvious ways to use their powers, but use them really cleverly. The ways that some of the teams of vigilantes used their powers to work together also made the fight scenes really interesting to read!
However, while I enjoyed No More Heroes, it didn’t grip me like some of the other diverse urban fantasy that I’ve read recently. For me, there were just too many characters, many of whom weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been. The world also felt like it could have also been explained more. If there is a sequel (as the ending hinted) then I might read it, if these issues were tackled.
I absolutely loved how different the superpowers were. Some characters can travel through reflective surfaces and fog, whilst other characters can create shockwaves and electricity. The way their powers are described is also really interesting – they don’t go with the obvious ways to use their powers, but use them really cleverly. The ways that some of the teams of vigilantes used their powers to work together also made the fight scenes really interesting to read!
However, while I enjoyed No More Heroes, it didn’t grip me like some of the other diverse urban fantasy that I’ve read recently. For me, there were just too many characters, many of whom weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been. The world also felt like it could have also been explained more. If there is a sequel (as the ending hinted) then I might read it, if these issues were tackled.
July 18, 2017
First published at: http://theshrinkette.com
There are Vigilantes with special Abilities all over the world who patrol the streets at night to keep the peace. However, a series of Vigilante deaths ensue- the identity and the motive of the person responsible for these deaths are unknown. Three young Vigilantes have no idea what they’re getting into when they get involved, and team up with a bunch of older Vigilantes to solve the mystery.
This is a fast-paced urban fantasy that features a diverse cast of characters and high stakes adventure time. I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing, the mystery, the action sequences and the Abilities were really cool. I could almost visualize it all. I loved that the author focused on friendships and fostering teamwork among these characters, a lot of whom were essentially just introduced and getting to know one another. It also features Fang, a genderfluid aroace character, which is a huge bonus. The only thing I’d have liked more was character development. There were a lot of characters and we really didn’t get any background on anyone but Fang. However, the author has been mentioning a sequel, and the book seems to be set up that way, so I’m hoping we get to know them more then.
There are Vigilantes with special Abilities all over the world who patrol the streets at night to keep the peace. However, a series of Vigilante deaths ensue- the identity and the motive of the person responsible for these deaths are unknown. Three young Vigilantes have no idea what they’re getting into when they get involved, and team up with a bunch of older Vigilantes to solve the mystery.
This is a fast-paced urban fantasy that features a diverse cast of characters and high stakes adventure time. I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing, the mystery, the action sequences and the Abilities were really cool. I could almost visualize it all. I loved that the author focused on friendships and fostering teamwork among these characters, a lot of whom were essentially just introduced and getting to know one another. It also features Fang, a genderfluid aroace character, which is a huge bonus. The only thing I’d have liked more was character development. There were a lot of characters and we really didn’t get any background on anyone but Fang. However, the author has been mentioning a sequel, and the book seems to be set up that way, so I’m hoping we get to know them more then.
April 30, 2017
Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this in exchange for a honest review.
I finished NO MORE HEROES a few days ago and have been considering what I wanted to say about it for a while. I think your enjoyment of the story will depend heavily on expectations. NO MORE HEROES is amazing when you think of it as an action flick: it has great pacing, the actions scenes are stellar and easy to follow, and the superhero powers are *cool*. I WANT CLARE'S OKAY. I want it a lot.
I often wished we'd spent more time... getting to know everyone? It feels like I'm told of how they are, yet with the exception of Fang, I would be hard-pressed to describe it in depth with supportive evidence. And I like them all! It's kind of like receiving really tasty morcels and not the entire meal.
In many ways this my main opinion of NO MORE HEROES. It's super fun, it has a lot of qualities, and it's worth your time. Yet I cannot help but feel it could have been *so much more*. And I mean this in the most passionate way--I loved what this book offered, but you cannot take the dev editor entirely out of me, and I know there is untapped potential there, just within reach.
Which is also to say, I will for sure be eagerly awaiting for more books by Michelle Kan. :)
I finished NO MORE HEROES a few days ago and have been considering what I wanted to say about it for a while. I think your enjoyment of the story will depend heavily on expectations. NO MORE HEROES is amazing when you think of it as an action flick: it has great pacing, the actions scenes are stellar and easy to follow, and the superhero powers are *cool*. I WANT CLARE'S OKAY. I want it a lot.
I often wished we'd spent more time... getting to know everyone? It feels like I'm told of how they are, yet with the exception of Fang, I would be hard-pressed to describe it in depth with supportive evidence. And I like them all! It's kind of like receiving really tasty morcels and not the entire meal.
In many ways this my main opinion of NO MORE HEROES. It's super fun, it has a lot of qualities, and it's worth your time. Yet I cannot help but feel it could have been *so much more*. And I mean this in the most passionate way--I loved what this book offered, but you cannot take the dev editor entirely out of me, and I know there is untapped potential there, just within reach.
Which is also to say, I will for sure be eagerly awaiting for more books by Michelle Kan. :)
December 7, 2017
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did.
No More Heroes has a lot of potential and a great premise, but the execution didn’t quite do it for me.
The writing style was good in itself, easy to read and understandable, but it dragged at times and felt repetetive in some places. What bothered me the most was the way it kept the characters very distant – they all seemed amazing and I wanted to know more about them, but they felt like strangers until the very end, as if I just got brief glimpses into their lives. Maybe that was intentional, but I simply prefer to feel a lot closer to a book’s protagonists.
It also felt like as soon as one character aquired some information, suddenly it was universally known, or I couldn’t trace back the source of the information in the first place, which left me a bit confused.
The motive and actions of the villains were rather weak in my opinion. What was very cool though was the different superpowers the characters had – they were refreshing and not the same 10 typical things that most superhero stories use again and again.
The plot was focused on a very small scale of one City (or rather THE City, there was never a name, as well as the few cities around it) – it made sense since the main characters are all rather locally focused on their own problems, but I would have liked to see more of the grand scheme of things in this world. There were hints to more grand scale happenings at the end of the book.
Overall very action-packed and fast-paced with a diverse cast and lots of potential, but also a lot of room for improvement.
No More Heroes has a lot of potential and a great premise, but the execution didn’t quite do it for me.
The writing style was good in itself, easy to read and understandable, but it dragged at times and felt repetetive in some places. What bothered me the most was the way it kept the characters very distant – they all seemed amazing and I wanted to know more about them, but they felt like strangers until the very end, as if I just got brief glimpses into their lives. Maybe that was intentional, but I simply prefer to feel a lot closer to a book’s protagonists.
It also felt like as soon as one character aquired some information, suddenly it was universally known, or I couldn’t trace back the source of the information in the first place, which left me a bit confused.
The motive and actions of the villains were rather weak in my opinion. What was very cool though was the different superpowers the characters had – they were refreshing and not the same 10 typical things that most superhero stories use again and again.
The plot was focused on a very small scale of one City (or rather THE City, there was never a name, as well as the few cities around it) – it made sense since the main characters are all rather locally focused on their own problems, but I would have liked to see more of the grand scheme of things in this world. There were hints to more grand scale happenings at the end of the book.
Overall very action-packed and fast-paced with a diverse cast and lots of potential, but also a lot of room for improvement.
July 31, 2017
My Rating:4.5 Stars: ★★★★ 1/2
This action-packed and character-driven urban fantasy, follows a diverse cast of characters who have superpowers! No More Heroes is a tale about friendship and what it means to be a hero!
No More Heroes had me hooked from page 1! Vigilantes (or those who use their Abilites to protect the City) mysteriously seem to be getting killed off 1 by 1!
A group of teen Vigilantes: Clare, Linus, and Mallory (who are fairly new to it), become involved when they rescue Vigilantes (Shockwave +Resonance) from a burning building!
Resonance tells them more about what Vigilantes do, but to stay safe!
Over the course of the novel, Linus, Clare, and Mallory become more involved in this mystery of Vigilantes being killed off. They soon join Shockwave, Resonance (much to her dismay), and a few other Vigilantes as they uncover more behind who could be behind these attacks.
This novel really put a focus on character development and I loved that so much! There is also so much representation, which is amazing!
There's Samon representation (Linus), Chinese (Resonance aka Fang), Indian, Maori+ Cambodian rep.! Also characters who have ADHD (Clare). There was also characters who identify as gay and genderfluid!
I also really felt connected to Resonance as it gets mentioned that she has anxiety! As the novel progressed, I picked up on certain actions/moments that showed Resonance's anxiety, but no matter what she pushed on and continued to be a strong leader, despite it!
With the mystery that surrounds who's been killing off the Vigilantes, I was surprised when it gets revealed! Kan did a great job at keeping the element of mystery present throughout the story!
As for world building I found it to be so unique. The novel takes place in the City, a fictional city that has numerous skyscrapers, buildings, and has a mainly cool/foggy weather. Continuing with the world building, I also loved the explanation for why Vigilantes mainly work at night-time/evening (b/c the night enhances their abilities). It was an additional little tidbit of info, but for me it added much more to the story!
Also if your looking for a novel with no romance, this is the book for you! No More Heroes really focused on its characters + story and friendship was a theme present throughout the whole novel.
I loved the dynamic between Clare, Linus & Mal/ Shockwave + Resonance! Its clear from the very beginning that they are all looking out for one another and have each other's backs! While I really loved Clare + Linus's dynamic, it would have been great to get more between Mal + Clare too, but I loved their dynamic all the same!
As the story progressed, there was also expansion on some of the older/ more experienced Vigilante's motives which touched upon some characters being like antiheroes and that really added another layer to these characters who had so many sides to them.
While I am usually pretty hesitant with 3rd person narration, Kan did a fantastic job! It really helped to expand on the large cast of characters and overall went perfectly with the story! However I do hope if there are future novels, there is more development + expansion on the characters! I really loved each of them, but felt I wanted to learn so much more about them~
As to why I took off 1/2 a star: I wish there was more description/expansion on the City! Its such a fascinating setting and it would have been great to get more development + same goes for the characters! I adored them and felt they were all so unique & amazing, I just wanted to learn more about them~ <3
With the way the novel wraps up, it sets up for a great sequel! I've read online that there is another novel in the works & I'm so happy about that! I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet! :')
No More Heroes is a perfect read if your looking to get into urban fantasy or really love stories about superheroes! This novel is filled with diverse characters, action, perfectly planned mysteries, fantastic character dynamics, emphasis on friendships and above all a fun and fascinating plot that will keep you turning the page!
This action-packed and character-driven urban fantasy, follows a diverse cast of characters who have superpowers! No More Heroes is a tale about friendship and what it means to be a hero!
No More Heroes had me hooked from page 1! Vigilantes (or those who use their Abilites to protect the City) mysteriously seem to be getting killed off 1 by 1!
A group of teen Vigilantes: Clare, Linus, and Mallory (who are fairly new to it), become involved when they rescue Vigilantes (Shockwave +Resonance) from a burning building!
Resonance tells them more about what Vigilantes do, but to stay safe!
Over the course of the novel, Linus, Clare, and Mallory become more involved in this mystery of Vigilantes being killed off. They soon join Shockwave, Resonance (much to her dismay), and a few other Vigilantes as they uncover more behind who could be behind these attacks.
This novel really put a focus on character development and I loved that so much! There is also so much representation, which is amazing!
There's Samon representation (Linus), Chinese (Resonance aka Fang), Indian, Maori+ Cambodian rep.! Also characters who have ADHD (Clare). There was also characters who identify as gay and genderfluid!
I also really felt connected to Resonance as it gets mentioned that she has anxiety! As the novel progressed, I picked up on certain actions/moments that showed Resonance's anxiety, but no matter what she pushed on and continued to be a strong leader, despite it!
With the mystery that surrounds who's been killing off the Vigilantes, I was surprised when it gets revealed! Kan did a great job at keeping the element of mystery present throughout the story!
As for world building I found it to be so unique. The novel takes place in the City, a fictional city that has numerous skyscrapers, buildings, and has a mainly cool/foggy weather. Continuing with the world building, I also loved the explanation for why Vigilantes mainly work at night-time/evening (b/c the night enhances their abilities). It was an additional little tidbit of info, but for me it added much more to the story!
Also if your looking for a novel with no romance, this is the book for you! No More Heroes really focused on its characters + story and friendship was a theme present throughout the whole novel.
I loved the dynamic between Clare, Linus & Mal/ Shockwave + Resonance! Its clear from the very beginning that they are all looking out for one another and have each other's backs! While I really loved Clare + Linus's dynamic, it would have been great to get more between Mal + Clare too, but I loved their dynamic all the same!
As the story progressed, there was also expansion on some of the older/ more experienced Vigilante's motives which touched upon some characters being like antiheroes and that really added another layer to these characters who had so many sides to them.
While I am usually pretty hesitant with 3rd person narration, Kan did a fantastic job! It really helped to expand on the large cast of characters and overall went perfectly with the story! However I do hope if there are future novels, there is more development + expansion on the characters! I really loved each of them, but felt I wanted to learn so much more about them~
As to why I took off 1/2 a star: I wish there was more description/expansion on the City! Its such a fascinating setting and it would have been great to get more development + same goes for the characters! I adored them and felt they were all so unique & amazing, I just wanted to learn more about them~ <3
With the way the novel wraps up, it sets up for a great sequel! I've read online that there is another novel in the works & I'm so happy about that! I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet! :')
No More Heroes is a perfect read if your looking to get into urban fantasy or really love stories about superheroes! This novel is filled with diverse characters, action, perfectly planned mysteries, fantastic character dynamics, emphasis on friendships and above all a fun and fascinating plot that will keep you turning the page!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2017
I started this looking for some action-packed story about morally grey and diverse superheroes and I was not disappointed!
This book is about a group of people who have Abilities, which are a kind of superpowers that give them extra energy. Most of them use their Abilities to become Vigilantes and fight against criminals, but lately someone has been killing Vigilantes and no one knows who or why. We follow three friends who have recently found out about their Abilities and suddenly discover this whole world of Vigilantes and crimes.
What I liked:
- The diversity: I had never read about a genderfluid character before, so this was completely new for me and actually taught me some things I didn't know about genderfluid people, which I really appreciate. Also, most of the characters are PoC and, based on what I read on the author's Twitter account, ace (she explains most of the character's sexualities here: https://twitter.com/i/moments/9249267...). As far as I know, it's an ownvoices novel in all of these aspects.
- No romance: I'm tired of romance books disguised as fantasies, and this one had NO ROMANCE AT ALL. And lots of friendships.
- The originality of the superpowers: being able to teleport through the mist or reflective surfaces, changing the density of your body... It was so refreshing to read about powers that were not all superspeed, invisibility, flying abilities, etc.
- Morally grey characters: As the title says, they are not superheroes who want to save the world and impose justice. Instead, they all have their own personal and selfish reasons to do what they do, which I always love. It kind of gave me some Heroes (the TV show) vibes (at least, from season 1, which is the only one I watched back in the day and I was obsessed with it).
- Mystery, plot twists and tension
- Epic battles
- The ending: While it isn't an open ending, it does suggest that there is much more to tell about these characters and world, so I hope there's a second book!
Even though I really enjoyed the novel, there were a few aspects I had problems with:
- Too many characters: I liked pretty much all of the characters - the problem is that there were too many of them to get to know them properly. Fang was most likely my favourite because she had the most character development, and was intriguing and badass. I just wish there was more insight in the characters' lives, thoughts, past...
- The villain's motives: Maybe it was just me, but I didn't fully understand the reasons behind their crimes. I mean, they did explain them, but still - they didn't seem that convincing for me.
- Lack of world-building: Since it was not crucial for the story, it didn't bother me that much, but if there's a second book, I would like for it to explain more about this world. Is it the same world we live in, just with people with powers? Is it a different society? What are normal people's opinions about Vigilantes?
All in all, this was a fast-paced, entertaining and original debut novel, and I'll be sure to keep an eye on the author for next books.
This book is about a group of people who have Abilities, which are a kind of superpowers that give them extra energy. Most of them use their Abilities to become Vigilantes and fight against criminals, but lately someone has been killing Vigilantes and no one knows who or why. We follow three friends who have recently found out about their Abilities and suddenly discover this whole world of Vigilantes and crimes.
What I liked:
- The diversity: I had never read about a genderfluid character before, so this was completely new for me and actually taught me some things I didn't know about genderfluid people, which I really appreciate. Also, most of the characters are PoC and, based on what I read on the author's Twitter account, ace (she explains most of the character's sexualities here: https://twitter.com/i/moments/9249267...). As far as I know, it's an ownvoices novel in all of these aspects.
- No romance: I'm tired of romance books disguised as fantasies, and this one had NO ROMANCE AT ALL. And lots of friendships.
- The originality of the superpowers: being able to teleport through the mist or reflective surfaces, changing the density of your body... It was so refreshing to read about powers that were not all superspeed, invisibility, flying abilities, etc.
- Morally grey characters: As the title says, they are not superheroes who want to save the world and impose justice. Instead, they all have their own personal and selfish reasons to do what they do, which I always love. It kind of gave me some Heroes (the TV show) vibes (at least, from season 1, which is the only one I watched back in the day and I was obsessed with it).
- Mystery, plot twists and tension
- Epic battles
- The ending: While it isn't an open ending, it does suggest that there is much more to tell about these characters and world, so I hope there's a second book!
Even though I really enjoyed the novel, there were a few aspects I had problems with:
- Too many characters: I liked pretty much all of the characters - the problem is that there were too many of them to get to know them properly. Fang was most likely my favourite because she had the most character development, and was intriguing and badass. I just wish there was more insight in the characters' lives, thoughts, past...
- The villain's motives: Maybe it was just me, but I didn't fully understand the reasons behind their crimes. I mean, they did explain them, but still - they didn't seem that convincing for me.
- Lack of world-building: Since it was not crucial for the story, it didn't bother me that much, but if there's a second book, I would like for it to explain more about this world. Is it the same world we live in, just with people with powers? Is it a different society? What are normal people's opinions about Vigilantes?
All in all, this was a fast-paced, entertaining and original debut novel, and I'll be sure to keep an eye on the author for next books.
April 27, 2024
I'm /this/ close to giving one star tbh, this just really wasn't for me.
Over half the book consists of fight scenes, which I'm sure would have looked really cool in a visual medium, but reading them was kind of repetitive and boring. The cities have such imaginative names such as the City, the Other City, the City Over, etc. (This makes me wonder - do the people living in the Other City call it that, or is it that for them that is the City, and the original city is the Other City...?) But at the same time, one of the guys is Maori (with that word used), so clearly it takes place in our world somewhere.
One of the characters is genderfluid, which is cool, but I feel like it was more "told" than "shown". It's described in a few sentences, but we don't really learn much about what this identity means to her. This same character is also allegedly aromantic asexual (and the book is #ownvoices for that) but this... doesn't come up at all. The book doesn't have romance and focuses on platonic relationships, which is something that resonates with a lot of aromantic readers - but no discussion of romance or sex also means that somebody being aromantic asexual isn't mentioned. I mean, for all I know all of them could be aroace because nobody is shown to be in a romantic or sexual relationship.
Overall I was just really bored, not really connected to any of the characters, and frankly let down since I was expecting the queerness to be more explicit or, you know, discussed.
Over half the book consists of fight scenes, which I'm sure would have looked really cool in a visual medium, but reading them was kind of repetitive and boring. The cities have such imaginative names such as the City, the Other City, the City Over, etc. (This makes me wonder - do the people living in the Other City call it that, or is it that for them that is the City, and the original city is the Other City...?) But at the same time, one of the guys is Maori (with that word used), so clearly it takes place in our world somewhere.
One of the characters is genderfluid, which is cool, but I feel like it was more "told" than "shown". It's described in a few sentences, but we don't really learn much about what this identity means to her. This same character is also allegedly aromantic asexual (and the book is #ownvoices for that) but this... doesn't come up at all. The book doesn't have romance and focuses on platonic relationships, which is something that resonates with a lot of aromantic readers - but no discussion of romance or sex also means that somebody being aromantic asexual isn't mentioned. I mean, for all I know all of them could be aroace because nobody is shown to be in a romantic or sexual relationship.
Overall I was just really bored, not really connected to any of the characters, and frankly let down since I was expecting the queerness to be more explicit or, you know, discussed.
August 17, 2018
This is a fun superhero story with a really unique set of abilities. (Teleportation via fog!)
It was interesting to read the friendship and team dynamics here. You have Linus, Clare, and Mallory, who are all really close, and then Fisticuffs works on her own, and Resonance, Shockwave, and Rehua all work together with varying degrees of tightness (Shockwave and Rehua working together more closely than Resonance is with them, except Rehua is away for a lot of this book).
The fight scenes were really well-written. Other than the abilities and vigilantes themselves, the worldbuilding felt weak; it wasn't the focus.
There's word-of-God aro and ace rep (acespec: Clare, Linus, Fang, Joshua, Shaan, Faye. arospec: Clare, Fang, Joshua, Shaan.), but it doesn't show up much on page. I'd actually forgotten that there was aspec rep here when I read it, so I wasn't looking for any of the more subtle signals, and I didn't pick up on any other than the lack of romantic or sexual relationships. But that was pretty refreshing in and of itself, especially paired with focus on other kinds of relationships!
CW: violence and lots of injury, knife fight, dog attack, arson, caught in a burning building.
It was interesting to read the friendship and team dynamics here. You have Linus, Clare, and Mallory, who are all really close, and then Fisticuffs works on her own, and Resonance, Shockwave, and Rehua all work together with varying degrees of tightness (Shockwave and Rehua working together more closely than Resonance is with them, except Rehua is away for a lot of this book).
The fight scenes were really well-written. Other than the abilities and vigilantes themselves, the worldbuilding felt weak; it wasn't the focus.
There's word-of-God aro and ace rep (acespec: Clare, Linus, Fang, Joshua, Shaan, Faye. arospec: Clare, Fang, Joshua, Shaan.), but it doesn't show up much on page. I'd actually forgotten that there was aspec rep here when I read it, so I wasn't looking for any of the more subtle signals, and I didn't pick up on any other than the lack of romantic or sexual relationships. But that was pretty refreshing in and of itself, especially paired with focus on other kinds of relationships!
CW: violence and lots of injury, knife fight, dog attack, arson, caught in a burning building.
November 11, 2017
I really wanted to like this book. And it was not bad in general, there were just a few issues that made it uncomfortable to read.
First off with something positive: I liked most of the characters. Linus was a cutie (even though his story line still hat a lot of room for improvement) and the group of Shockwave, Resonance, and Rehua was probably the best developed set of characters.
But even with these likable Vigilantes, there was no way to connect to them. The POV changed often without warning and the different voices weren`t distinct enough.
The writing in general wasn`t great. Often parts of the story would be reused, the only difference being the character. It may have been a metaphor for something, but it totally missed its purpose for me.
The idea behind the story was great: That superheros are people, who thought they could use their energy for something useful. They`re not heroes, really, just people who like a good fight.
Sadly the story has lots of room for improvement, so I have to rate this so low. I do not however regret reading it.
PS.: The motivation of the "bad guys" was weak at its best.
First off with something positive: I liked most of the characters. Linus was a cutie (even though his story line still hat a lot of room for improvement) and the group of Shockwave, Resonance, and Rehua was probably the best developed set of characters.
But even with these likable Vigilantes, there was no way to connect to them. The POV changed often without warning and the different voices weren`t distinct enough.
The writing in general wasn`t great. Often parts of the story would be reused, the only difference being the character. It may have been a metaphor for something, but it totally missed its purpose for me.
The idea behind the story was great: That superheros are people, who thought they could use their energy for something useful. They`re not heroes, really, just people who like a good fight.
Sadly the story has lots of room for improvement, so I have to rate this so low. I do not however regret reading it.
PS.: The motivation of the "bad guys" was weak at its best.
July 27, 2018
Slow start, amazing story
The first bit of the story was pretty slow, and I considered abandoning it. I am /so glad/ I didn't. This is a freaking wonderful book. The writing is fantastic, and the story line... mwah! Perfect.
I never knew where this story was going to take me, even in the last few pages. It's as much of a mystery novel as it is sff, honestly.
There was a lot of good rep in this. One of the secondary characters is Maori, for example.
And there was no romance to detract from the storyline.
Everything flowed so smoothly, and it was such a page-turner (I read it in three sessions). I highly, highly recommend this book. [Heart]
The first bit of the story was pretty slow, and I considered abandoning it. I am /so glad/ I didn't. This is a freaking wonderful book. The writing is fantastic, and the story line... mwah! Perfect.
I never knew where this story was going to take me, even in the last few pages. It's as much of a mystery novel as it is sff, honestly.
There was a lot of good rep in this. One of the secondary characters is Maori, for example.
And there was no romance to detract from the storyline.
Everything flowed so smoothly, and it was such a page-turner (I read it in three sessions). I highly, highly recommend this book. [Heart]
May 12, 2022
Overall I enjoyed this. The story and characters are likable and it keeps you engaged. The execution in my opinion fell a bit flat for me though. Some of the POV shifts were jarring and some of the dialogue was awkward and not always in a good way. It is a fairly quick read and I did see that it was written during Nanowrimo! Which is an achievement in and of itself. If you like urban fantasy and are looking for something quick then I definitely recommend this.
May 24, 2018
There is so much to love about this book. The amazing characters, the fantastic fight scenes, and the focus on friendship rather than romance. It is fast-paced, and a quick read that is near impossible to put down. The ending is extremely well done, and I just noticed that this book is going to be part of a series, so I am super excited because I cannot wait to continue living in this world.
October 10, 2017
this was so good holy shit. I need more.
January 20, 2019
RTC on my blog
lamafiamorada.wordpress.com
lamafiamorada.wordpress.com
May 22, 2025
Needs a professional editor.
July 27, 2017
THIS WAS SO GOOD. Vigilantes with powers! Morally grey characters who are self aware of their greyness! Great fight scenes that were chaotic and messy but written in a way that I could follow and imagine them! POC everywhere! A genderfluid character! Dark but not too dark atmosphere!
*happy burbling*
*happy burbling*
April 2, 2016
Full disclosure, I am a friend of the author, but also a jaded English major. I wouldn't say something, particularly in the context of a review, that I couldn't stand by.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this fun, fast paced novel to both the young reader, who would enjoy it for its page turning comic style, and the more seasoned reader who would enjoy this as well as it's deep thematic life. The refreshingly diverse cast of youth, living to their own tune is the perfect backdrop for themes including striving for personal growth, understanding, and overcoming dis-empowerment. This novel is a call to the reader to "fight the good fight". While I would like more ongoing description of the physical features of the protagonists (cause I'm a sucker for that stuff) the unique movements, dialogue and personality traits assigned to each character placated my insatiable desire for description. Resonance is the coolest character, in my opinion. I particularly admire her strength and her ability to compartmentalize. The character I most strongly identified with is, the slightly airy-fairy and haphazard, ideas woman Clare. Clare is an abstract thinker with big plans and no idea how to execute them (until Linus and Mallory get involved). I adored Mallory's answer to the meta-ethical question posed to the newbie Vigilantes about the what motivates a seemingly altruistic action. Ultimately all of them concluding that what motivates is not as important as the outcome. Clare, Mallory and Linus speak to the, perhaps naive optimist in me. The way the newbie vigilante team gels to organically while maintaining their own unique personalities shows the care with which the author crafted these characters. I loved the simultaneous rejection and affirmation of healer troupes in the characters of Rehua and Artifice. Rehua being the classically kind, wise and good natured healer while conflictingly asserting that healers must in fact be the most proficient at fighting on their "own merit".
The tactile choreography of the fight scenes and the parkour along with the twists and reveals of the plot, that I for one did not see coming, make this novel, who's heart I believe is in overcoming obstacles (literally, ethically, meta-ethically, personally, inter-personally and in many other ways), with a cast of relatable super-human but Oh-So-Human characters, an uplifting and enjoyable read that I would recommend to a vast array of readers.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this fun, fast paced novel to both the young reader, who would enjoy it for its page turning comic style, and the more seasoned reader who would enjoy this as well as it's deep thematic life. The refreshingly diverse cast of youth, living to their own tune is the perfect backdrop for themes including striving for personal growth, understanding, and overcoming dis-empowerment. This novel is a call to the reader to "fight the good fight". While I would like more ongoing description of the physical features of the protagonists (cause I'm a sucker for that stuff) the unique movements, dialogue and personality traits assigned to each character placated my insatiable desire for description. Resonance is the coolest character, in my opinion. I particularly admire her strength and her ability to compartmentalize. The character I most strongly identified with is, the slightly airy-fairy and haphazard, ideas woman Clare. Clare is an abstract thinker with big plans and no idea how to execute them (until Linus and Mallory get involved). I adored Mallory's answer to the meta-ethical question posed to the newbie Vigilantes about the what motivates a seemingly altruistic action. Ultimately all of them concluding that what motivates is not as important as the outcome. Clare, Mallory and Linus speak to the, perhaps naive optimist in me. The way the newbie vigilante team gels to organically while maintaining their own unique personalities shows the care with which the author crafted these characters. I loved the simultaneous rejection and affirmation of healer troupes in the characters of Rehua and Artifice. Rehua being the classically kind, wise and good natured healer while conflictingly asserting that healers must in fact be the most proficient at fighting on their "own merit".
The tactile choreography of the fight scenes and the parkour along with the twists and reveals of the plot, that I for one did not see coming, make this novel, who's heart I believe is in overcoming obstacles (literally, ethically, meta-ethically, personally, inter-personally and in many other ways), with a cast of relatable super-human but Oh-So-Human characters, an uplifting and enjoyable read that I would recommend to a vast array of readers.
June 14, 2018
“Somewhere out there, there was somebody else just like them, a Vigilante using their Ability to own the night – and even if for a moment, it meant that they felt a little bit less alone.”
* * *
I’ve been sitting on this review for a long time, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get to it! This is a unique and memorable take on the superhero genre that... is hard to explain in some ways, the way it makes me feel, at least.
It kind of both follows and deconstructs the superhero literary convention in fascinating ways - secret identities, but often the Vigilante personas become every bit as real as the civilian. And sometimes they’re not constructs at all - Fang is fang. (God, I loved Fang. So much. Give me all the genderfluid characters exploring this through superhero-dom, give them to me now.) And all the compartmentalization, and what happens when those carefully separated worlds intersect.
It also plays with the idea of found family vs. solitude - a “vigilante” by definition is a lone, rogue hero, but here we find a loose-knit (but growing closer) group coming together to face a bigger threat - who are in themselves very much another found-family unit, or struck me as so. Neither side (of independence vs. cooperation) really seems to be the Ideal, and the story makes room for different character types working within that frame.
I enjoyed seeing the ensemble cast and reading from different perspectives, although I would have liked to have seen more of some of the new characters who come in around 2/3rds through; I didn’t feel like we quite got to know them as well as those we started with, and I wanted to, because the world is a pretty fascinating one, as is everyone in it.
In all, NO MORE HEROES is an intriguing debut that introduces a diverse set of characters navigating a fascinating and perilous world, and I think it has the potential to be something amazing. I really hope there will be more.
* * *
I’ve been sitting on this review for a long time, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get to it! This is a unique and memorable take on the superhero genre that... is hard to explain in some ways, the way it makes me feel, at least.
It kind of both follows and deconstructs the superhero literary convention in fascinating ways - secret identities, but often the Vigilante personas become every bit as real as the civilian. And sometimes they’re not constructs at all - Fang is fang. (God, I loved Fang. So much. Give me all the genderfluid characters exploring this through superhero-dom, give them to me now.) And all the compartmentalization, and what happens when those carefully separated worlds intersect.
It also plays with the idea of found family vs. solitude - a “vigilante” by definition is a lone, rogue hero, but here we find a loose-knit (but growing closer) group coming together to face a bigger threat - who are in themselves very much another found-family unit, or struck me as so. Neither side (of independence vs. cooperation) really seems to be the Ideal, and the story makes room for different character types working within that frame.
I enjoyed seeing the ensemble cast and reading from different perspectives, although I would have liked to have seen more of some of the new characters who come in around 2/3rds through; I didn’t feel like we quite got to know them as well as those we started with, and I wanted to, because the world is a pretty fascinating one, as is everyone in it.
In all, NO MORE HEROES is an intriguing debut that introduces a diverse set of characters navigating a fascinating and perilous world, and I think it has the potential to be something amazing. I really hope there will be more.
June 17, 2016
No More Heroes follows a group of young people with special abilities, trying to solve the mystery of who is killing off their peers. It's action-packed, very visual, and easy to read; a great book for YA readers in particular who are interested in the makings of a hero, and an anti-hero for that matter.
An impressive first book from Michelle. Look forward to the next one! The ending of No More Heroes suggests a sequel... :)
An impressive first book from Michelle. Look forward to the next one! The ending of No More Heroes suggests a sequel... :)
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