Hidden Heroes: Initiation

by Luke Girardi

So, completely hypothetically, how do you think you would react if you went skydiving with your father and he died tragically. Then six months later, after living with a crazy phobia of heights for most of your junior year, you found out you could fly. And I mean, fly. Like a superhero. Not only that, but then you're kidnapped by the government and taken to the Academy, where you find others like you. All with powers directly tied to a traumatic event in their lives. Just ripped from everything you've ever known and being forced to utilize the very thing that serves as a constant reminder to the most horrific moment of your life. Then, just to make life a bit more fun, you fall into a whole conspiracy about your captors, their true identity, how you got your powers, and how to escape.




How would you react?




You don't know? Yeah, makes sense. That's what I would have said six months ago.




But, and you'll find this surprising, that's exactly what happened to me.

Genres: Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2020

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from the first to the last page!
I honestly have no critics for this book, except that Luke had NO RIGHT to make them suffer so much! I got attached to most of the characters very quickly and it hurt to see them hurt, y’know?

Anyway, the pacing was immaculate, and I particularly loved how it was written. I don’t usually read books in first person, but seeing the world directly through Jess’ eyes was very pleasing- and funny! Loved his sense of humour, and every character’s, to be honest haha

Speaking about the plot itself, it was interesting from the beginning to the end, I was immediately taken into the story and couldn’t put the book down! Even the little events of life that are told are interesting to read, so I won’t even talk about how addictive it is to read the action-packed chapters!
Also, I loved how the bad sides of having powers is shown, and how the characters aren’t all happy to have their power. It changes from the all perfect superhero cliché and I’m living for it.

Overall, Hidden Heroes: Initiation fully deserves a five-stars rating, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good superheroes story! It’s a perfect first book, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

[Arden · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hidden Heroes: Initiation and being transported back to my own childhood discovery of superheroes. As a comic book fan, I was thrilled to see superhero fiction well-adapted for readers of all ages; this book spins classic features of YA fiction into a unique concept outside of the typical fantasy/dystopian.

Stylistically, Girardi is clearly and tangibly influenced by Rick Riordan; Hidden Heroes has the same sardonic young protagonist and culturally relevant humor as any Percy Jackson novel. In the same vein, Hidden Heroes also deals with a community of young heroes, unexpectedly empowered, undergoing various “quests” as a team.

The first person point of view stood out for me in this book. Jess’s POV truly captured the voice and emotions of a sixteen-year-old dealing with, yes, superpowers, but also real issues like anxiety, personal loss, and (cue Careless Whisper) teen romance. Jess grew on me to become a relatable protagonist with a believable and loveable personality.

A great element of comic books is how easily digestible they are, and Hidden Heroes upholds that with its clear-cut style and constant humor, even when dealing with topics like loss, grief, and violence. While the heroes’ powers stick to the basics (flight, strength, speed, etc.), their origins being tied to the kids’ trauma and greatest fears gave them/their backstories some much appreciated complexity. I hope to see that trauma further built upon in the future, as it made the characters more compelling.

I have nowhere better to put this, but I loved the silly chapter titles. Highlights include “I Become A Lightning Rod,” “My First Jackass Convention,” and “Terrorists in Greenland.” The Table of Contents alone was a fun read.

Particularly towards the end, it became evident that this story was building towards a sequel/series, which left some character development/relationships feeling unresolved to me. With such a large cast of supporting characters, I felt like some of them could have done with more unique or diverse development. With Jess, Alex, Jack, and Sam breaking off from the larger group at the end of this novel, I hope for a more focused in-depth look at each of them in subsequent books.

From the outset, some of its extremely similar elements had me worried I’d be reading a clone of Percy Jackson, such as the description of Jess’s mother or the scene of him discovering his powers. However, as the novel moved more into the more unique elements of its plot and premise, Girardi’s individual style became more evident, and I truly did enjoy it! I’d like to see how that develops throughout the rest of the Hidden Heroes series with a more experienced author.

Anyone who likes the modern takes on young hero groups like the Teen Titans or Percy Jackson will love the dynamic between the teams in this book. And, for anyone looking to get into superhero fiction or expand their repertoire, Hidden Heroes is a great, lighthearted introduction to the genre.

A big thank you to Luke Girardi for the complementary e-book copy of this novel!

[Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down the best book I’ve read in a long time. I was semi hooked in the beginning only because of the way it was written I was kinda confused (BUT it definitely improved throughout the book).

Plus I found out the author started writing this when he was 16 which is absolutely impressive. Pacing was wonderful, It definitely didn’t take much longer for me to get fully hooked on this book. As the story continued I was literally unable to put it down(I finished it in under 48 hours 😅). Might I add I’m a marvel fanatic so this reminded me so much of the mcu, not even just that but the fantastic four and x-men.

Also the humor is so good, at times you feel like you’re there with them. Plus I haven’t had a book make me panic like this, stuff would happen and I’d be so relieved after everything would settle down😭(Connor couldn’t sit still plus Jess would be right with him IFYKYK🥲). SOOOO to sum it up you should definitely check this book out even if you aren’t a marvel fanatic like me, the characters are very unique and the story is AMAZING!

And in true marvel fashion, always stay until the very very end 😉…

[Jessica Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, how do I even start, hidden heroes is easily one of the best books I have ever read, I finished it a couple days ago and it’s all I’ve thought about. I don’t usually read action books but this one was AMAZING I loved the characters the concept. It was so funny and I could feel like I was there with them, I’m not even kidding I’ve thought about what super power mine and all my friends/family would have 😭
100% recommend for everyone. I can’t tell you how good this is, I just wanna open it and re-read it already my TBR be damned.
I’m screaming for the next book, this series/author deserves more attention (:

[Faith Boyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. Book one is great but the series just gets better as it goes on! I love the mix of intensity and action with lighthearted humour. A good Percy Jackson vibe but superpowers instead of demigods.

[Adja · Rating 5 out of 5]

i LOVED it if you're someone that likes percy jackson you should definitely read it, the characters and the concept were amazing and captivating, every time i finished a page or a chapter it left me wanting more

[Dylan Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a solid debut and introduction to the series! Would recommend!