Briggs, Andy Bd. 1., Stoppt Doc Tempest Hero.com ] Superhelden, Superschurken. - Wuerzburg : Aren

Hero.Com #1

by Andy Briggs

Surfing the Internet during a storm leads to a group of teenagers downloading superhero powers. Soon, they realise that they've been given these powers for a reason. There are fiends and villains to hunt down and overcome, and one of the worst, Doc Tempest - is in town right now.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Superheroes, Fiction, Action, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Andy is a screenwriter, graphic novelist, author and conservationist – writing on movie projects such as “JUDGE DREDD” and “FREDDY VS JASON” and “FOREVERMAN” for Paramount Pictures, Spiderman creator Stan Lee and legendary producer Robert Evans. He has worked on TV projects for Syfy, Netflix, ITV and Amazon and is working extensively between the UK, US and China.

Andy went on to work on Warner Bros.’ animated “AQUAMAN” – while at the same time landing an eight-book deal with Oxford University Press for “HERO.COM” and “VILLAIN.NET”. His comics and graphic novels include MADISON DARK, RITUAL and DINOCORPS.

He wrote and Executively Produced the UK/Chinese movie – LEGENDARY – starring Scott Adkins and Dolph Lungdren. In 2018 his latest movie, CROWHURST (directed by Simon Rumley, Dist. Studio Canal),was released this year to critical acclaim. SUPERVIZED (directed by Steve Barron, starring Tom Berenger, Beau Bridges )was released in 2019. In 2020 his latest theatric drama-documentary, THE BASTARD KING was release in France to huge critical acclaim.

He has rebooted the classic character TARZAN, with a series of contemporary books TARZAN: THE GREYSTOKE LEGACY, TARZAN: THE JUNGLE WARRIOR and TARZAN: THE SAVAGE LANDS. His latest series of middle grade novels – THE INVENTORY – and DRONE RACER – are published by Scholastic. 2019 saw his debut novel for adults, CTRL+S, published by Orion.

His latest venture, The Shingle Media, is a new production company that will make theatre, TV and film, and it already has an exciting slate of projects…

Reviews

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Link to blog: https://thatreadhead1.wordpress.com/2...

Owned this book for a few years, finally got around to reading it as I'm trying to focus on my TBR! I enjoyed this one quite a lot, apart from the silly aspects of it due to it being a middle-grade, particularly the speech and the language that Briggs uses when Doc Tempest speaks XD So melodramatic, but I excused it due to middle-grade. I loved the concept of downloading powers from a website for a 1-hr trial run, being able to choose missions, and if you complete the mission you get points to choose more powers XD So awesome! And if you fail, you have to pay for them next time. Super sneaky how they got the money from their paper-run guy. I was just a little bit confused how it said they had 2 days with the website for trial runs, and then it also gave them more time later on (I think)? Interested to see where the story will go from here. I also love the idea that there's a parallel series based on the villain side of things. Think I'll continue with these ones.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Four friends become involved in a fight against an evil villain, Doc Tempest, when Toby and Lorna's computer is affected by a lightning strike and displays a web site, hero.com, where they download superhero powers and choose "jobs." This seems like fun until Doc Tempest creates a storm that destroys Toby and Lorna's house and he kidnaps their mother Sarah without her insulin. Toby, Lorna, Pete and Emily salvage the hard drive from the destroyed computer, and try to figure out how to rescue Sarah. Kids looking for modern, high-tech, action-adventures like the Anthony Horowitz and Charlie Higson series will like the Hero.com books. The several mini-lectures about Internet safety and web site security as well as several instances where the action is paused while Pete contemplates the temptation of the stolen money or gold as a fix for his family problems interrupt the flow of the story in an annoying way, and the situations and superpowers are all familiar from some other superhero story or comic or another.

[Mohammadesmaeil Nazari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this novel when I was 14, it was and still is the best novel I've ever read ;
If you are into being a superhero with it you can imagine what it's like to be one!
But be careful not to lose! 😉👈
PS. Choose your powers wisely. 💪💥💫🕷️🕸️🔥🌊⚡🌬️❄️

[Trip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish i had read this book when i first got it in my teens! While i still enjoyed the book, i think younger me would have appreciated it a lot more.

The concept involving the superpowers is fascinating, i loved how they had to pick from symbols and were not always sure what they would get. Had to learn as they go and figure out how the power could be useful.

Oh and the timelimits, along with being able to earn more for completing heroic acts and saving people was perfect. Its fitting platform too involving the internet since many use and great way for the characters to discover everything.

I enjoyed the mcs and feel all of them got the chance to develop, get to learn about all of their views and values in life.

My favourite was Pete the conflict of his character, how he values his friends but the struggles with his home life it was done really well.

Lorna, Toby and Emily are all wonderful too! Toby is definitely a leader type, Emily seemed quiet but she managed her powers the best and Lorna had lots of great ideas. They all work rather well as a team by the end and learn so much.

The only letdown was the villain, just rather boring and typical - silly lines and over the top actions. But for a childrens book i guess that suits the vibe.

I did like seeing a few of the other heroes though, like the Chameleon that was fun.

Overall this was a fun read with an interesting take on powers and what makes a hero. It has a fitting ending to the story, while leaving open towards their next adventures 😊

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've thought alot about this, if I had any super powers it would be to stop time, then I wouldn't feel guilty about leaving households jobs so that I could read.
This was a good book, if I had any grumbles it would be that it was a little slow in places.
I'm interested in what your super powers would be?

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this one years ago and remember really liking it - who doesn't immediately love a book about kids with superpowers when you're a kid without superpowers?!

It came to mind after I read Marissa Meyers Renegades.

[Lee Willie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice take on superhero lore

Nice little adventure story with plenty of scope to move on to bigger things. A few spelling /punctuation mistakes but didn't ruin this highly enjoyable novel

[Bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

At 10 I’d have loved this, as an adult I found it a bit contrived with one dimensional characters.

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was nice, and there were some deep underlying issues in some of the characters that I wish were explored more, but overall it was a fun fast paced novel

[Magnus · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not a book for me, oh no, not at all, maybe small kids would like it thou.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rise of the Heroes (2009) is the first book in Andy Briggs' intriguing new series Hero.com. Part of the interest arises from the fact that there is a companion series (Villain.net) which begins with Council of Evil.

While I did not quite know what to expect from the book, I was excited when I got my hands on a copy of Rise of the Heroes. The book begins with four children. Toby and his older sister Lorna are trapped inside their house during a torrential downpour with their two best friends (Pete and Emily respectively). While fighting over the computer, the children happen upon a most unusual website.

Unlike anything they have seen before, Hero.com promises the chance to download superpowers and fight crime as, you guessed it, a hero. The site's disclaimer advises users:

Hero.com is not liable for any damage, destruction, lost of equipment, premises, or life; including lost of limb, brain function, or other biological necessities. Loss of personal possessions, sanity, or loved ones is the sold responsibility of the End User (He, She, It, who chooses to use such powers). We do not condone the use of powers for monetary gain, selfish or evil pursuit, and absolve ourselves from any such claim, misuse, or misunderstanding.

If you think any of that quote sounds like Curses, Inc. by Vivian Vande Velde, you'd be right. Sadly, there are a few fundamental differences between the two books. I feel terrible saying this because Briggs' preface/note makes it really clear that he was pumped about his new series. But I just was not.

While I can see the appeal for younger readers, Rise of the Heroes didn't do much for me. Briggs sets up the novel as a "how did we get here?" story (characters working to the point shown at the beginning, like when a movie shows something then says "four days earlier"). Sometimes that works, but often it doesn't. In this particular case there was so much action that, while suspensful, there was no time to develop any involvement with the characters.

This lack of involvement is a problem that recurs in the novel. Briggs offers no basic description, which made it difficult for me to tell Toby and Pete apart in the first chapters. Then we have Emily who was so passive and excessively feminine that, although nothing was said, I felt like she would be fighting crime in a pink pinafore--ridiculous.

Even with the really cool premise, the characters were just not that cool. On top of that I'm sorry to say that the writing seemed rather stiff to me. The dialogue often seemed posed and stilted. Briggs also brings in some description of how the computer connects to a web site which was largely irrelevant and sounded vaguely wrong. (I'm almost positive that electrons play no role whatsoever in a dial-up Internet connection.) Accuracy aside, the descriptions might have been cool in 1999 but in 2009 when most people are using DSL connection the information just felt dated.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surfing the net during a storm, a group of friends end up downloading superpowers and then set off on incredible adventures.

Bought this for my daughter ages ago, but she never read it. I pulled it off the TBR pile and read it through, and I don't think she missed anything.

Published in 2008, the book tries to inject bits of computer knowledge, but it already seemed dated by 2008 standards, and now feels positively archaic.

Still that is not the real problem with this book. Kids with special powers is usually a winning formula in children and young adult books, but this one just felt like it was a bit... silly. I mean, basically the kids just choose the powers they want and download them. If they need more they get an adult to pay for them with visa. And as soon as they have them, they discover the evil villain, Doctor Tempest.

Characterisation was very flat, willing suspension of disbelief a necessity, and ultimately you just know the superheros are going to save the world and stop Fort Knox from being robbed.

A somewhat readable adventure for children, I would hesitate to suggest it for anyone over the age of about 10 or 12.

I think I have the sequel for this, but I doubt I will read it.

[Aelvana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Four ordinary kids, one freak thunderstorm---and one mysterious website? When Toby, Lorna, Emily, and Pete find hero.com, they think it's a joke. But they do take it just seriously enough to find out that the website can grant them superpowers. They have no idea the first time they try to use those powers they'll create an arch-nemesis in Doc Tempest, a madman who plans to use his control over weather to rule the world.

Lots of superpowers? Check. Cheesy villain? Check. Lots of explosions? Property damage? Exotic locales? Check, check, check. The author bio mentions Briggs was a screenwriter, and it shows. He writes very flashy action sequences that are easy to visualize, with a good sense for dramatic tension and all the quirks that make the superhero genre what it is. And at the end there's a real sense that the adventure is just beginning (with some very solid hints as to whom the next villain is likely to be).

But for all the cheese inherent in the genre, there's usually a serious side as well, and here's where the story started to falter. The characterization was pretty shallow, particularly with Toby. One minute he's gung-ho about powers and the next he's being a wimp about not wanting to take chances with them. I particularly disliked what was done with Pete: any skill or talent he had, Emily went one better, and he gets as much grief from his "friends" as from the enemies. A story about undying friendship and unyielding loyalty this is definitely not.

There were a few minor things, particularly at the beginning, that also made the story break suspension of disbelief for me. The various jabs at how adults are ruining the environment (but the kids, of course, know better), the surprising depth of technical detail when explaining how a computer connects to the internet, or even why Doc Tempest has to rob banks via hurricane when he could just hire himself out to a few nefarious governments to help along a war or two and save himself the expense of lost and damaged equipment.

It is what it is---a light read with plenty of action and plenty of cheese. For myself, my dislike of the characters is enough reason not to pursue reading any of the sequels (for the hero or villain side). I rate this book Not Recommended.

[James Hargest Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the middle of a thunder storm Toby, Pete, Emily and Lorn log on to the internet. Until lighting hits the local phone line resulting in the computer moniter flashing wildly. Once the computer become functional again they find themselves on a different page then before. ###%%%@@#$%Hero.com What kind of site is this, Where is the HTTP:\\? Impatient to find out Toby clicks on a strange icon. Suddenly his hands are stuck to the desk. It doesn't take Pete - comic fan long to work out what has happened. But the others don't believe him . . . until he persuades Toby to climb up the wall, and then scuttles across the ceiling . . . just like a spider! Soon the kids are downloading all sorts of superhero powers - flying, telepathy, who knows what each one will be. But the fun ends when they find the Job Board. There are fiends and villains to hunt down and overcome, and one of the worst - Doc Tempest - is in town right now, developing a heinous plan to conquer the world. What the superheroes don't realise till they are in the eye of Doc Tempest's storm is that their powers are temporary and temperamental. So when the superhero powers run out, who will save the earth from domination?
Rise of the Heroes is a great start to the HERO.COM series. Rise of the Heroes has always been a book I have recommended to others, and those people have also enjoyed the series and sister series VILLIAN.NET. Although the books sound childish, they’re perfect for us teenagers and will take care of a few hours of your day. – Ben K

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun bit of school library nostalgia, indulged in my never-ending superhero-loving phase.

Four kids receive random superpowers from a website, Hero.com. As it turns out, supervillains and superheroes exist in secret, and they live and die fighting each other. In the mission of 'Rise of the Heroes' - the kids' first foray as heroes - the fighting is over a weather-controlling machine, a kidnapped mum, and a silly world-domination plot.

The distinctive, diverse characters are realistic, but the concept and situations are not. That's where the fun and engagement lies. Even the main villain, who is the textbook definition of mad scientist, has his backstory explained and explored; similiar to Captain Hook's arc in 'Peter Pan'.

'Rise of the Heroes' also features an aspect of sibling rivalry which is truthful and touching, as part of the round circle in a complex family dynamic. In addition there is a diabetic character, whose condition helps to create tension and urgency in the plot.

Overall, this is a light, cool children's superhero book. Not quite up there with Mark Walden's 'H.I.V.E.' series, or indeed all the major blockbuster superhero films, but it's action-packed, funny and wholly accessible for everyone. A CBBC after-school television programme with much higher stakes.

Final Score: 3/5

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Bored in the house one afternoon, Toby and Lorna and their friends stumble upon an interesting website that grants them superpowers for an hour. They try out the powers, not believing their eyes.

After a parent interrupts them, they're desperate to try again. They reconvene at the next possible opportunity to each sign up for powers and test them out. With their new powers comes responsibility - they now must stop a robbery in progress.

However, the foursome hasn't thought this plan all the way through. Weapons may trump superpowers. Luckily, with their new powers, they come out on top this time, but they make a new enemy: Doc Tempest.

He's got major supervillain powers and he's targeting Toby and Lorna's mother. He kidnaps her and holds her as a hostage. Can the group use their superpowers to locate his hideout and rescue her before things get much worse?

RISE OF THE HEROES has a companion book, COUNCIL OF EVIL, plus an interactive website where readers can take a test to see what side they would play for, create their own characters, and battle their friends.

It's a good read for middle school students who like comic book superheroes or for someone looking for a fast-paced adventure.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books starts off with a group of friends named Lorna, Emily, Toby and Pete who lived pretty normal lives. But one day, during a storm lightning hit their computer and the website turns to a website named Hero.com with a weird irl...The group presses a button on that website with a picture of a stick figure on it and suddenly, they have super powers! As they look on, they see a job board and they go off to stop a robbery and this person named Doc Tempest is acting all superior and creepy...Until they steal Emily and Toby's mother. Can the supers save her and find out what the heck is going on?

I chose this book because I was almost finished reading the Villian.Net series (missing book 4) and I wanted to check out the Hero side of things.

I finished this book because I thought it was pretty interesting and it kept hooking me back.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes stories that bring a lot of action into it.

[Carolina Colleene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Language – PG (3 swears, 0 “f”), Mature Content – G; Violence – PG; As much as people imagine having superpowers, no one actually believes that they can receive them. Until it happens. At first, Toby and his friends like the adventure and excitement of doing the impossible, but then they realize that having these powers isn’t just a game. Now they’re off to defeat a real supervillain, but what can a bunch of inexperienced kids do?
Of course the premise is exciting to think about, because we ponder superpowers and love the impossible, but I also liked the idea of anyone becoming a hero. Becoming a hero is what we do, not necessarily the powers behind what we do. However, I did not like the opening scene of the book; not that it’s a bad scene, but that Toby flashes back to the real beginning of their story. I didn’t like it because it felt like a trick and I became annoyed after just starting the book.
Reviewed for http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/

[Sarah-Jayne Briggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This review may contain spoilers).

I liked the look of these books when I saw them on Amazon, so I asked for this and Villain.net books and got the first of each for Christmas. I just finished reading Rise of the Heroes and although I found it a little difficult to get into at first, it did get better as the book went on.

I do have one nitpick, though, which I've noticed a lot with these types of books - the bad guys have no depth to them. There's the whole Council of Evil thing and they describe themselves as villains. I always think that the best villains are the ones who believe they're doing the right thing.

Other than that, I felt that the issues were handled particularly well. Pete especially showed something of temptation and getting over it. I will be reading the next book soon...ish.

[Samar A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiction:
hero.com

It all started when a couple of kids where messing around on their computer and stumbled across a website called hero.com. Naturally out of curiosity they clicked on the link and found themselves getting scanned the next thing you know they change.

I like this book because it is very imaginative and it feels like you are there with them helping them all because the writer described his book well which I think is a key point in stories and writing. I also liked this book because it keeps on going until the third book, when you have to read hero.com's opposite villain.net i thought it was clever that the author wrote two different types of series to compare both of them.

[Kirito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Briggs's Hero.com Rise of the Heroes by Andy Briggs is a book for kids. This book talks about 4 teens who're Lorna, Emily, Toby and Pete who are unexpectingly superheroes after going to a website called Hero.com. They soon went to stop a criminal named Doc Tempest but since they stopped his plan, he decided to go and takes their mom. Will they be able to save their mom and save the world at the same time?

I picked up this book because it looked interesting.

I finished this book because I can't let go of the book.

I think I would recommend this to Thadchkan because he likes science fiction books.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This slotted in nicely with plot points (such as the kidnapping of the Ukrainian) and characters from the Villain.net series, although Toby and Emily had only been mentioned in passing.  As there were 4 main characters opposed to 1 in Villain.net this felt like it had more of a human element, especially the lengths that Toby and Lorna were prepared to go to to get their Mum back.  Also Pete's parents arguing is something that many young readers might be able to relate to.

 The cliffhanger at the end didn't really fit as it felt just thrown in, but am excited to see what happens when the new heroes attempt to save their Father.

[Sue Murdoch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy Heroes, but having since read the first Villain.net, enjoyed that more. There's something about a complex villain! The four children in Heroes share comfortable, easy going lives...until they discover super powers, whereas Jake Hunter was, in spite of his privileges, a more disturbed and interesting character to get to know. However, the description of Tempest, the action and tension, particularly to save their mum, kept the pages turning! So a great adventure story for young teens.
(One little point... being the daughter of a diabetic, I think some fictional license has been used.)

[Evan King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book was very interesting of how it hooks the reader and starts out with a group of teenagers surfing the web during a lightning storm and suddenly come across a website called Hero.com which gives them special powers with the click of a button so they look at it even more and they then try to stop a bank robbery and end up having to save their mom as they also try to stop the villain. This story take place all over the world and I would recommend it to people who like mystery and action. The characters in this book also learn what it takes to stop a villain and how to work together as a team.

[J.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this on MySpace and thought it looked interesting. I liked the premise of downloading superpowers, and the story definitely snagged my attention from the beginning. My only quibble is that I don't know if the opening chapter was really necessary ~ the author starts in the middle of a breathtaking scene, then backtracks to bring the reader up to speed. While the conceit works well enough, I found that I had completely forgotten about the opening scene and was surprised when the story finally got back there near the end of the book.

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read this book, but from what I can remember the author used way too many exclamation marks. I almost didn't finish the book, but I had a book report of sorts to write for my job in the library at school, and I had picked this book. It's got a lot of action, and the premise is really unique, but the amount of exclamation marks was so annoying to me. If I could find the rest of the books in the library, I'd probably attempt to finish the series, but I wouldn't pay money for them.

[Arlene]

I have read an excerpt of this book on Lovereading4kids.co.uk and it looks like this book is going to be awesome. I cant wait to sink my teeth into the rest of the chapters. Lovereading4kids.co.uk allows kids to read a one chapter of the book so they get an idea of what they are getting their selfs into. The only problem is you have to order the books from the uk because they do not release them to publish in the US at the same time.

[Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like Marmite; you love it, or you hate it. I love it :) But what I don't love is all these bad reviews. Come on people, if you know your not going to like a superhero fantasy book, don't bother reading it! It gives the book a lower rating that it doesn't deserve. This book was really good, but I felt it was a bit rushed in some places though. Well done to the author for his first book!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the interaction of the characters. The very realistic reaction to finding super powers on the internet was amusing; rather than investigate or try to find instructions, they simply begin downloading powers. The action is fast-paced and makes it a quick read. I think boys and girls would both enjoy it, because the male and female characters are believable - and the girls have just as much intelligence and use their powers just as well as (or more than and better than) the boys.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was written with creativity.
The idea of hero.com was amazing and the fact that you could download superpowers directly off the website was superb.
The fact that I rate this as 5 stars is with no doubt and it is one of the best books that I have read these days.
I recommend this book/series to anyone who likes science fiction or is just in for an non-exsisting world to brighten their day.
(How do you spell non-exsisting correctly? Someone please tell me!!!)