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Archvillain #1
Archvillain
Critically acclaimed YA author Barry Lyga makes his Scholastic middle-grade debut with a superhero story turned on its head.
Kyle Camden knows exactly where he was the night Mighty Mike sneaking around the fallow field behind Bouring Middle School, preparing one of his most ingenious pranks yet.
Which is why he couldn't tell anyone where he was. Or what he saw.
Those lights everyone saw in the sky weren't tiny meteors burning up in the atmosphere. They were some kind of strange, supercooled plasma that bathed the entire field - including Kyle - in alien energies.
Kyle Camden knows exactly where he was the night Mighty Mike sneaking around the fallow field behind Bouring Middle School, preparing one of his most ingenious pranks yet.
Which is why he couldn't tell anyone where he was. Or what he saw.
Those lights everyone saw in the sky weren't tiny meteors burning up in the atmosphere. They were some kind of strange, supercooled plasma that bathed the entire field - including Kyle - in alien energies.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2010
19 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
About the author
Barry Lyga
71 books2,194 followersBarry Lyga is a recovering comic book geek. According to Kirkus, he's also a "YA rebel-author." Somehow, the two just don't seem to go together to him.
When he was a kid, everyone told him that comic books were garbage and would rot his brain, but he had the last laugh. Raised on a steady diet of comics, he worked in the comic book industry for ten years, but now writes full-time because, well, wouldn't you?
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl is his first novel. Unsoul'd is his latest. There are a whole bunch in between, featuring everything from the aftermath of child abuse to pre-teens with superpowers to serial killers. He clearly does not know how to stick to one subject.
When he was a kid, everyone told him that comic books were garbage and would rot his brain, but he had the last laugh. Raised on a steady diet of comics, he worked in the comic book industry for ten years, but now writes full-time because, well, wouldn't you?
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl is his first novel. Unsoul'd is his latest. There are a whole bunch in between, featuring everything from the aftermath of child abuse to pre-teens with superpowers to serial killers. He clearly does not know how to stick to one subject.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
February 5, 2011
The only reason I didn't give this one a fifth star is that it ended so oddly. Yes, there was a resolution of sorts, but that was the only point in the novel where it suffered from "first volume-itis".
I don't normally like books where the main character is unlikeable, but in this case, I found that I could understand and identify with the character. The key point of the story is that this is a smart 12-year-old kid who has serious social and emotional issues that his parents have never noticed, or helped him deal with. The first is that he is quite literally the smartest person in the room most of the time, but that his peers have rewarded him emotionally for what might be considered the negative side of this: his ability to play pranks on adults. This has led him to have a bunch of "admirers," but only one real friend.
It is clear from the start of the story that Kyle has difficulty empathizing with others. That, combined with his lack of socialization, sets him on the road to what happens in the story.
The story itself was a fascinating examination of self-perception and the relativity of who is the hero and who is the villain in any story. In this story, Kyle has learned that the new "superhero" in town may not be what he says he is. In addition, though, Kyle himself has gained super powers, boosting his already substantial mental abilities, as well as giving him moderate physical super powers. When his attempts to play pranks that are boosted by his new abilities go drastically wrong, things spiral out of control. Will he recover from that spiral, or will it lead to much worse things. Kyle isn't the villain in his own version of the story, which is an important point.
Think of him as a young Lex Luthor vs. Superboy. The character isn't evil, as such, but commits acts that could be perceived as such, if the perceiver only knows part of the story.
If readers can get over their initial dislike of Kyle's personality, this is a fascinating story.
I don't normally like books where the main character is unlikeable, but in this case, I found that I could understand and identify with the character. The key point of the story is that this is a smart 12-year-old kid who has serious social and emotional issues that his parents have never noticed, or helped him deal with. The first is that he is quite literally the smartest person in the room most of the time, but that his peers have rewarded him emotionally for what might be considered the negative side of this: his ability to play pranks on adults. This has led him to have a bunch of "admirers," but only one real friend.
It is clear from the start of the story that Kyle has difficulty empathizing with others. That, combined with his lack of socialization, sets him on the road to what happens in the story.
The story itself was a fascinating examination of self-perception and the relativity of who is the hero and who is the villain in any story. In this story, Kyle has learned that the new "superhero" in town may not be what he says he is. In addition, though, Kyle himself has gained super powers, boosting his already substantial mental abilities, as well as giving him moderate physical super powers. When his attempts to play pranks that are boosted by his new abilities go drastically wrong, things spiral out of control. Will he recover from that spiral, or will it lead to much worse things. Kyle isn't the villain in his own version of the story, which is an important point.
Think of him as a young Lex Luthor vs. Superboy. The character isn't evil, as such, but commits acts that could be perceived as such, if the perceiver only knows part of the story.
If readers can get over their initial dislike of Kyle's personality, this is a fascinating story.
August 3, 2022
This was painful to read. Imagine someone being completely wrong for an entire book. Before having read this I would’ve found that hard to imagine because surely a dynamic character has good and bad opinions; only one-dimensional characters don’t. Unfortunately, Kyle was a very one-dimensional protagonist.
Kyle was pretentious from the very beginning. The entire book was an exercise in extreme delusion. Kyle was supposedly the most intelligent person on the planet (in his own humble opinion) but he didn’t seem to be capable of appreciating how others perceptions might differ from his. It’s a wonder his gigantic ego even fit in this book!
In truth, there was no evidence to prove what Kyle believed: that the character idiotically named Mighty Mike was an alien who had evil intentions. Everything Mike did was either helpful or innocent. Sure, he seemed like a goody-two-shoes and his lack of knowledge of obvious things suggested there was some truth to the alien theory, but all in all he actually seemed nice. Which only further proved that Kyle in all his self-conceited ways consistently pursued immoral avenues because of his jealousy.
In fact, Mike was of so little consequence that he had no personality at all until the literal end of the book. If Kyle genuinely wanted to protect people from an alien then he would’ve confronted Mike or sought out answers other ways but Kyle didn’t need to converse with Mike to get answers because he was fuelled by intense jealousy. All logic and rationale went out of the window, something that’s extremely ironic for someone who was supposedly a genius. And there’s only so much idiocy you can take from a bragger with nothing to show for themselves before you rule them (and this book) out as a lost cause.
Kyle was pretentious from the very beginning. The entire book was an exercise in extreme delusion. Kyle was supposedly the most intelligent person on the planet (in his own humble opinion) but he didn’t seem to be capable of appreciating how others perceptions might differ from his. It’s a wonder his gigantic ego even fit in this book!
In truth, there was no evidence to prove what Kyle believed: that the character idiotically named Mighty Mike was an alien who had evil intentions. Everything Mike did was either helpful or innocent. Sure, he seemed like a goody-two-shoes and his lack of knowledge of obvious things suggested there was some truth to the alien theory, but all in all he actually seemed nice. Which only further proved that Kyle in all his self-conceited ways consistently pursued immoral avenues because of his jealousy.
In fact, Mike was of so little consequence that he had no personality at all until the literal end of the book. If Kyle genuinely wanted to protect people from an alien then he would’ve confronted Mike or sought out answers other ways but Kyle didn’t need to converse with Mike to get answers because he was fuelled by intense jealousy. All logic and rationale went out of the window, something that’s extremely ironic for someone who was supposedly a genius. And there’s only so much idiocy you can take from a bragger with nothing to show for themselves before you rule them (and this book) out as a lost cause.
September 27, 2012
Imagine Superman appearing in Smallville in the middle of a meteor storm as a twelve-year-old instead of as an infant, with Lex Luthor the only witness to the “alien invasion.” Imagine Lex, already the smartest person in town, given super intelligence, strength, invulnerability, and flight by the radiation from the storm. Imagine Lex’s disgust at seeing the alien do-gooder become an incredibly celebrated hero, replacing him as most popular kid in school and stealing away the affections of Lois Lane.* Imagine that story told from Lex’s perspective.
That’s the general idea in this book. Kyle’s distrust and resentment of Mighty Mike builds—especially after he sees Mike use his powers ineffectively due to lack of intelligence; he knows he could do better, if given a chance—and he decides he must do something about it. Something drastic. He decides he must humiliate Mighty Mike and take his place as favorite hero, as the Azure Avenger. As the only one who knows the truth, it’s up to him to save his town—and his planet—from the lying, empty-headed big hero.
Since the book is based on getting inside the head of the "villain," I was hoping for a more sympathetic character with more psychological depth and realism. It was hard for me to identify with and get behind Kyle. Still, it was believable enough that I was able to understand what Kyle was doing, even if I didn’t feel what he was feeling, and enjoyed seeing his story develop. I know there are readers who will definitely enjoy this one.
A key ingredient in both Kyle’s popularity before the appearance of Mighty Mike and his approach to Mike after is his penchant for pranks, based on a philosophy he expresses in his "Prankster Manifesto":
1. People are foolish.
2. Serious people are doubly foolish. Especially people in authority: parents, teachers, etc.
3. Pranks show people how foolish they are.
4. It’s good to show people how foolish they are because then they stop acting so serious.
5. When they stop acting so serious, they can understand the truth.
6. Which is that they’re foolish.
7. Kyle Camden is allowed to be serious because he’s not foolish.
------
*I know, it should Lana Lang if they’re in Smallville, but Lois is the more widely known name.
That’s the general idea in this book. Kyle’s distrust and resentment of Mighty Mike builds—especially after he sees Mike use his powers ineffectively due to lack of intelligence; he knows he could do better, if given a chance—and he decides he must do something about it. Something drastic. He decides he must humiliate Mighty Mike and take his place as favorite hero, as the Azure Avenger. As the only one who knows the truth, it’s up to him to save his town—and his planet—from the lying, empty-headed big hero.
Since the book is based on getting inside the head of the "villain," I was hoping for a more sympathetic character with more psychological depth and realism. It was hard for me to identify with and get behind Kyle. Still, it was believable enough that I was able to understand what Kyle was doing, even if I didn’t feel what he was feeling, and enjoyed seeing his story develop. I know there are readers who will definitely enjoy this one.
A key ingredient in both Kyle’s popularity before the appearance of Mighty Mike and his approach to Mike after is his penchant for pranks, based on a philosophy he expresses in his "Prankster Manifesto":
1. People are foolish.
2. Serious people are doubly foolish. Especially people in authority: parents, teachers, etc.
3. Pranks show people how foolish they are.
4. It’s good to show people how foolish they are because then they stop acting so serious.
5. When they stop acting so serious, they can understand the truth.
6. Which is that they’re foolish.
7. Kyle Camden is allowed to be serious because he’s not foolish.
------
*I know, it should Lana Lang if they’re in Smallville, but Lois is the more widely known name.
July 14, 2013
Kyle is a genius, and he spends his life playing pranks on everyone. This makes him very popular at school, and he likes that. He is conceited, belittling, and self-centered. And when Mighty Mike comes to school and steals his place, he's mad. The entire book is about Kyle being jealous of Mike and trying to find a way to discredit him or get rid of him. He says he knows that Mike is an alien, but, to the reader, Mike is doing good at every turn while Kyle seems to be the bad egg. As you can tell, I didn't like Kyle, and I don't like reading a book where the "hero" is a jerk. I expected him to change or Mike's "true" personality to come out at the end. Neither happened.
I was also upset because I didn't realize this was the first in a series. Nowhere on the book or in the book does it give any indication that this is book #1. And rather than ending the book, the author just sort of quits and tells you to go buy the next book. It looks to me like he wrote a book, split it three or four ways, and decided to sell it as a series so he'd make more money. I don't like books with no ending or resolution. I don't mind series, but I think each book should have some kind of resolution.
So I would not recommend this book.
I was also upset because I didn't realize this was the first in a series. Nowhere on the book or in the book does it give any indication that this is book #1. And rather than ending the book, the author just sort of quits and tells you to go buy the next book. It looks to me like he wrote a book, split it three or four ways, and decided to sell it as a series so he'd make more money. I don't like books with no ending or resolution. I don't mind series, but I think each book should have some kind of resolution.
So I would not recommend this book.
May 23, 2010
Kyle Camden is a sixth-grader in a town called Bouring. He spends most of his time planning and executing the perfect pranks. He only has one real friend. Mairi understands why he does what he does and likes him for who he is instead of the wild pranks he is famous for.
Kyle uses his pranks to teach people to stop being so serious all the time. He is in the middle of setting up a huge prank when he witnesses a plasma storm. The next morning he realizes his intelligence has been boosted by the astrological event. It added something else to Bouring as well. Soon after the plasma storm, a teenage boy is found wandering around town. He has amnesia and is placed with a foster family until the police can find out who his parents are, but the people of Bouring don’t want him to go anywhere after they find out he has superpowers and can fly around and save people. The town calls him Mighty Mike and soon everyone at school wants to hang out with him instead of Kyle.
Kyle knows Mighty Mike isn’t some random lost boy. He realizes Mighty Mike must have arrived during the plasma storm. Kyle soon discovers he gained superpowers too. The problem is, when he attempts to do good things everything goes wrong. Bouring thinks he is the bad guy! Nothing he does works out the way he plans.
I was so excited about ARCHVILLAIN. I’ve loved other books by Barry Lyga, but it only took me a couple of pages before I was totally disappointed in this book. Kyle is an irritating character. The way he constantly thinks of himself as better than everyone around him, including his parents, grated on my nerves. Barry Lyga says on his website that Kyle knows that Mighty Mike is an alien from outer space and will do anything to stop him. The problem is, Mighty Mike doesn’t seem like he is a bad guy. Even if he is an alien, he doesn’t seem to be doing anything except helping people. It seems like Kyle wants to stop Mighty Mike simply because he is jealous. The website also says, “It’s time to root for the bad guy!” As a reader, I had no desire to see Kyle win. In fact, he needs to be knocked down a peg or two and learn a lesson about feeling superior to others.
Kyle uses his pranks to teach people to stop being so serious all the time. He is in the middle of setting up a huge prank when he witnesses a plasma storm. The next morning he realizes his intelligence has been boosted by the astrological event. It added something else to Bouring as well. Soon after the plasma storm, a teenage boy is found wandering around town. He has amnesia and is placed with a foster family until the police can find out who his parents are, but the people of Bouring don’t want him to go anywhere after they find out he has superpowers and can fly around and save people. The town calls him Mighty Mike and soon everyone at school wants to hang out with him instead of Kyle.
Kyle knows Mighty Mike isn’t some random lost boy. He realizes Mighty Mike must have arrived during the plasma storm. Kyle soon discovers he gained superpowers too. The problem is, when he attempts to do good things everything goes wrong. Bouring thinks he is the bad guy! Nothing he does works out the way he plans.
I was so excited about ARCHVILLAIN. I’ve loved other books by Barry Lyga, but it only took me a couple of pages before I was totally disappointed in this book. Kyle is an irritating character. The way he constantly thinks of himself as better than everyone around him, including his parents, grated on my nerves. Barry Lyga says on his website that Kyle knows that Mighty Mike is an alien from outer space and will do anything to stop him. The problem is, Mighty Mike doesn’t seem like he is a bad guy. Even if he is an alien, he doesn’t seem to be doing anything except helping people. It seems like Kyle wants to stop Mighty Mike simply because he is jealous. The website also says, “It’s time to root for the bad guy!” As a reader, I had no desire to see Kyle win. In fact, he needs to be knocked down a peg or two and learn a lesson about feeling superior to others.
September 26, 2017
I choose to read Archvillain by Barry Lyga for school and I would overall give the book a seven out of ten rating if I were to rate it. I did enjoy reading the book and would recommend it to anyone that was looking for a good quick read. To give you some context about the book it is about a kid that is in middle school who is already above average in term of intelligence. Kamden the name of the main character then gets hit by a meteor and gains even more knowledge and that’s all that you need to know about the book so read more to find out. To be more specific about the audience that the author is trying to reach out with, this book would be great for fans of fiction and especially those that enjoy stories of superheroes. The good thing about this book is that it isn’t really a long book that will take you weeks to read but you can get this book done and finished in approximately 2 to 4 days if you really enjoy the book. One thing that I really didn’t like about the book is that it doesn’t really have a good backstory that explain the events that take place in the book we just start reading and the plot of the book starts to unravel. Also the beginning of the book starts off relatively slow and I could see kids who don’t really care for reading start to read this book and not finish because they would think that it was too boring. After the beginning of the book it does start to get a little more interesting and it turns out to be a very good and compelling book to read after all. So in conclusion I would recommend this book to anyone fiction fans and hero fans as well. Also don’t get turned off by the beginning of the book give it a chance and it will most definitely get better as you read.
January 24, 2018
This book was very interesting. I liked how the main character got his powers and the begging of the story about his family life and him being very good at school. The part of the book I did not like was the reason he wanted to beat Mike. The main character Kyle wanted to beat Mike because he was jelous of Mikes popularity. Mike just showed up to the school and all of the kids loved him. Before Mike showed up Kyle was every ones favorite. This made Kyle very angry so he wanted to knock Mike down a few pegs.
I did not personally like the way Kyle went about defeating Mike. Mike had the same powers as Kyle so Kyle had to use his brain not his powers to beat Mike. I found Kyle's way of beating Mike very naive. Kyle wanted to embarrass Mike at a large parade in his honer. Kyle did this by making a childish weapon that could not really do anything but make a few people laugh. The only time Kyle did anything serious was an accident. When he built the dumb weapon wrong it overheated and started blowing stuff up. This caused people to think Kyle was evil and wanted to hurt people. That was not true because Kyle only wanted people to like him more than Mike.
In all I thought the book was very good and I could relate to the main character a lot but the book could have been lots better. If all of the characters were a little bit more serious and Kyle's big plan could have so much better. I think the weakest part of the book was Kyle's plan to embarrass Mike because it was just dumb. In all the book was good and the story was fun.
I did not personally like the way Kyle went about defeating Mike. Mike had the same powers as Kyle so Kyle had to use his brain not his powers to beat Mike. I found Kyle's way of beating Mike very naive. Kyle wanted to embarrass Mike at a large parade in his honer. Kyle did this by making a childish weapon that could not really do anything but make a few people laugh. The only time Kyle did anything serious was an accident. When he built the dumb weapon wrong it overheated and started blowing stuff up. This caused people to think Kyle was evil and wanted to hurt people. That was not true because Kyle only wanted people to like him more than Mike.
In all I thought the book was very good and I could relate to the main character a lot but the book could have been lots better. If all of the characters were a little bit more serious and Kyle's big plan could have so much better. I think the weakest part of the book was Kyle's plan to embarrass Mike because it was just dumb. In all the book was good and the story was fun.
October 4, 2017
Kyle Camden is the king of Bouring Middle School. He has 'pranked' everyone from the principal to the Sheriff. His pranks are legendary and he is the center of attention at school and maybe the smartest person there. But then one night while he is preparing for his next great prank, he is bathed in unearthly energies, and now he has new powers. But there is also a second kid at school with powers, a boy with amnesia who was found in the sports field with no memory - Mighty Mike. Soon Kyle is playing second fiddle to Mike in every way. In order to regain his supremacy at school and in the town, he tries to take down Mike, but in doing so he turns into a super villain.
This new series by acclaimed author Barry Lyga is geared for a younger audience than his other works. It is an addictive story and well-written. You find yourself torn between cheering for Kyle and hoping he gets caught. Children will love reading this book and I am sure it will spark great debate about doing the right things for the wrong reasons, and having a good goal but achieving it in a wrong way and so on. This would be a great book for a young reader book club or classroom discussion. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Barry Lyga. As well as an author profile and interview with Barry.
This new series by acclaimed author Barry Lyga is geared for a younger audience than his other works. It is an addictive story and well-written. You find yourself torn between cheering for Kyle and hoping he gets caught. Children will love reading this book and I am sure it will spark great debate about doing the right things for the wrong reasons, and having a good goal but achieving it in a wrong way and so on. This would be a great book for a young reader book club or classroom discussion. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Barry Lyga. As well as an author profile and interview with Barry.
February 7, 2017
If you like snarky, know-it-all kids who become superheroes...or super villains? Not my usual cup of tea, read for inspiration for programming. Lots of hacking and making for this super smart superhero. Plus, I truly enjoyed how dumb Mike was and how the other kids just failed to notice anything because of his powers.
April 15, 2020
I thought it was a really cool and interesting book I would defiantly recommend 👍
August 12, 2021
Adorable plot!
April 30, 2015
No one knows that preteen prankster Kyle Camden was in the field behind the middle school the night that it was hit by a plasma shower from space. No one knows that Kyle has developed powers of invincibility, speed, endurance, and a super intellect. Instead, a mysterious boy named Mike is all over the news. Mike doesn't remember anything about his life before the plasma hit, and no one can find his parents. Plus, Mike has amazing powers of his own and a strong desire to help people, which together have turned him into a celebrity superhero named Mighty Mike. Kyle, on the other hand, is suspicious of Mike, and he becomes more and more annoyed with everyone's adoration of their new favorite superhero. Kyle thinks that by dressing up as his own superhero identity, the Azure Avenger, he can show everyone that Mike is a phony and become everyone's new favorite hero. Little does he know that everything is about to go horribly wrong...
I really liked the premise of this book, but for some reason it was really hard for me to get through. I think maybe I saw where the story was going pretty early on, so I felt like it was taking too long to get to a foregone conclusion. The idea of accidentally becoming a supervillain instead of a superhero is interesting, and this book manages to make Kyle fairly likeable and relateable while still having a personality that others can misinterpret as kind of evil. I wish the book had been a little longer and explored something a little more unexpected, since it's already pretty clear from the title that Kyle ends up being seen as a villain.
I would recommend this book to grades 4-8, especially any fans of superheroes. It's nice that this book is a little shorter than other superhero books I've read for this age group. Readalikes include Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities by Mike Jung and Sidekicked by John David Anderson.
I really liked the premise of this book, but for some reason it was really hard for me to get through. I think maybe I saw where the story was going pretty early on, so I felt like it was taking too long to get to a foregone conclusion. The idea of accidentally becoming a supervillain instead of a superhero is interesting, and this book manages to make Kyle fairly likeable and relateable while still having a personality that others can misinterpret as kind of evil. I wish the book had been a little longer and explored something a little more unexpected, since it's already pretty clear from the title that Kyle ends up being seen as a villain.
I would recommend this book to grades 4-8, especially any fans of superheroes. It's nice that this book is a little shorter than other superhero books I've read for this age group. Readalikes include Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities by Mike Jung and Sidekicked by John David Anderson.
December 1, 2013
Kyle has always been the smartest kid in school...and the one whose pranks give him attention. His total disdain for others, including his TV-watching parents is an attitude I've seen in young kids. And adults.
But Kyle is caught in a plasma event and everything changes. HE's even smarter, and he is strong, can fly, and he feels no pain. All dangerous qualities in a kid who doesn't really have much empathy for others.
Something else happens that night...a boy appears...no memory, no name, no family. But all the powers Kyle now possess and then some. Mike is an alien, he must be!
Mike now inhabits the niche at school that was Kyle's. And Kyle seethes. In his zeal to get revenge, he goes to extremes...and he fails every time. He's labeled the villian. He's seen as the bad guy. Interesting turn of events.
He creates a superior 'brain' in his iPod, and gets a taste of what it's like to be his friend...the put-downs, the superior attitude.
SO FAR, Kyle hasn't learned...learned to work with people for real instead of seeing them as targets, of looking for the good in people.
Kyle was a frustrating character. I liked the excerpts from his journal. His own voice was much more engaging to me than the third-person narration in between journal entries.
I LOVE Lyga's murder-suspense novels, and his new adult novel is intriguing too. I wanted to see what his style would be with books for youngsters. I do prefer I HUNT KILLERS to Kyle...but I can see how kids would really love the idea of getting revenge on those who seem so beneath us.
Another reviewer saw a parallel I didn't -- Kyle as Lex Luther; Mike as young Superman. Hmmmm. interesting
But Kyle is caught in a plasma event and everything changes. HE's even smarter, and he is strong, can fly, and he feels no pain. All dangerous qualities in a kid who doesn't really have much empathy for others.
Something else happens that night...a boy appears...no memory, no name, no family. But all the powers Kyle now possess and then some. Mike is an alien, he must be!
Mike now inhabits the niche at school that was Kyle's. And Kyle seethes. In his zeal to get revenge, he goes to extremes...and he fails every time. He's labeled the villian. He's seen as the bad guy. Interesting turn of events.
He creates a superior 'brain' in his iPod, and gets a taste of what it's like to be his friend...the put-downs, the superior attitude.
SO FAR, Kyle hasn't learned...learned to work with people for real instead of seeing them as targets, of looking for the good in people.
Kyle was a frustrating character. I liked the excerpts from his journal. His own voice was much more engaging to me than the third-person narration in between journal entries.
I LOVE Lyga's murder-suspense novels, and his new adult novel is intriguing too. I wanted to see what his style would be with books for youngsters. I do prefer I HUNT KILLERS to Kyle...but I can see how kids would really love the idea of getting revenge on those who seem so beneath us.
Another reviewer saw a parallel I didn't -- Kyle as Lex Luther; Mike as young Superman. Hmmmm. interesting
August 28, 2012
This was a sweet, fun little YA book -- pretty much what I'd expect from author Lyga. Kyle is the smartest middle schooler in the town of Bouring, and as such, he takes it upon himself to try to educate the masses in his hometown by performing elaborate pranks on them. (People need to learn that they take themselves too seriously, in Kyle's opinion.) Then Kyle gets caught in the energy/radiation backlash from what is most decidedly *not* a meteor storm, thank you very much -- and emerges with a whole new range of superpowers. Trouble is, he's not the only kid to appear out of the storm with superpowers. Mighty Mike's got them too -- and, to further complicate things, Kyle is the only one who knows that Mighty Mike is not all he appears to be ...
You can't be a lifelong fan of comic books and DC and not understand that this book is the story of Superman, told from Lex Luthor's point of view -- with Supes and Lex both still in middle school. Kyle is a far more sympathetic character than Lex Luthor (mostly because, contrary to what the public thinks, Kyle really *is* just trying to good, at least most of the time). But the obvious comparison made for a fun mix-up of the usual hero/villain dynamic.
My only complaint is that this book is apparently the first in a series (which I did not realize), so it doesn't have the strong resolution (or, really, ANY resolution) that I was hoping for. It's a fun, light, quick read, so I'll probably pick up the sequel, but I do hope I don't have to read a dozen more books before any real resolution or character change takes place!
You can't be a lifelong fan of comic books and DC and not understand that this book is the story of Superman, told from Lex Luthor's point of view -- with Supes and Lex both still in middle school. Kyle is a far more sympathetic character than Lex Luthor (mostly because, contrary to what the public thinks, Kyle really *is* just trying to good, at least most of the time). But the obvious comparison made for a fun mix-up of the usual hero/villain dynamic.
My only complaint is that this book is apparently the first in a series (which I did not realize), so it doesn't have the strong resolution (or, really, ANY resolution) that I was hoping for. It's a fun, light, quick read, so I'll probably pick up the sequel, but I do hope I don't have to read a dozen more books before any real resolution or character change takes place!
August 16, 2011
Thanks to his pranks, Kyle is the most popular kid in town. He has managed to prank everyone, his teachers, his peers and the police. He was setting up one of those pranks when the plasma storm hit. He was knocked unconscious and woke up three days later smarter, invulnerable to pain and able to fly.
And he's not the only one. A teenager was found after the storm, suffering from amnesia and possessing powers similar to Kyle's. Mike, as the boy comes to be known, quickly becomes the most popular kid in town, displacing Kyle. This makes Kyle very jealous, and he begins to plan a pranks to expose Mike as the fake he thinks he is.
Unfortunately, these pranks quickly get out of hand, and Kyle is painted as a villain who is out to hurt all. Can Kyle convince the town that Mike isn't the goody two-shoes he seems? Can he avoid capture by the authorities as he learns to master his own powers.
This book was a difficult read, because it was quite obvious to me that Kyle is a self-centred, jerk who can't handle his demotion to second banana in the kids eyes. And it was hard to have any sympathy for him, and when you can't empathize with the main character, it makes reading a book a tough slog. Too bad, because author Barry Lyga has proved before that he is a very competent author who is not afraid to deal with tough topics head on, treating his readers with a respect and maturity that many others lack.
And he's not the only one. A teenager was found after the storm, suffering from amnesia and possessing powers similar to Kyle's. Mike, as the boy comes to be known, quickly becomes the most popular kid in town, displacing Kyle. This makes Kyle very jealous, and he begins to plan a pranks to expose Mike as the fake he thinks he is.
Unfortunately, these pranks quickly get out of hand, and Kyle is painted as a villain who is out to hurt all. Can Kyle convince the town that Mike isn't the goody two-shoes he seems? Can he avoid capture by the authorities as he learns to master his own powers.
This book was a difficult read, because it was quite obvious to me that Kyle is a self-centred, jerk who can't handle his demotion to second banana in the kids eyes. And it was hard to have any sympathy for him, and when you can't empathize with the main character, it makes reading a book a tough slog. Too bad, because author Barry Lyga has proved before that he is a very competent author who is not afraid to deal with tough topics head on, treating his readers with a respect and maturity that many others lack.
February 20, 2015
Archvillain by Barry Lyga is about a kid named Kyle Camden. Kyle Camden lives in the town of Bouring where nothing ever happens. Until one strange night when the sky lights up with mysterious lights. Kyle then gains boosted intelligence, boosted strength, and flight. He was not the only one with powers. A mysterious kid named Mighty Mike showed up that day with all Kyle's powers including freeze breath and heat vision. Mike goes around saving people around the nation,but Kyle thinks he is something is wrong with him. Mike then shows up at Kyle's school and everyone follows him. Well this story is about superheroes, but I think that they seem believable. When Kyle feels as though Mike his stealing his best friend Mairi he becomes jealous. Kyle also seems a little stuck up because he is smarter than everyone else. In my Mind Kyle looked like a pale, skinny, nerdy kid with black hair and he has glasses. Mairi is the only one that talks to Kyle as a friend and jokes a lot with him. Kyle in the book does many things to show he hates Mike. When Mike is getting an award, tries to him him with a "Pants Laser" to vaporize his pants and embarrass him. He also creates an artificial intelligence called Erasmus to help destroy Mike. Might Mike on the other hand shows that he does good and flies around to help people. I thought the book was okay because it had really good setup, but not enough story.
September 5, 2010
Kyle Camden lives in the small town of Bouring, where nothing exciting ever happens. Until one strange night when the sky lights up with mysterious lights. All of a sudden, nothing is the same. Kyle discovers his body has developed so interesting powers. Even more perplexing is the arrival of a boy with similar powers, named Mighty Mike. Mike has been flying all over the nation saving lives, but Kyle knows there is something much more sinister going on. The question is, can Kyle exposed Mike for the fraud he is without making his own situation into something worse?
A super, drippingly cute book. I am a HUGE fan of Barry Lyga, so I was totally expecting to love this book. But it was not like I thought it would be. There were totally some surprises that threw me off, and I still enjoyed the book. First of all, Kyle's voice is both wise and funny. Then there's the fact that he is a super genius and yet still struggles with the things normal boys do (like having "the talk" with his Dad). I loved how Kyle takes everyday techie objects and turns them into boy fantasy items. This is how I imagine boys ages 6-12 see their world all of the time. Very clever! Kyle's friend Mairi is also a nice touch, to give the story a slight feminine side. And with an ending that is sure to leave readers wanting more, elementary school age boys will love it!
A super, drippingly cute book. I am a HUGE fan of Barry Lyga, so I was totally expecting to love this book. But it was not like I thought it would be. There were totally some surprises that threw me off, and I still enjoyed the book. First of all, Kyle's voice is both wise and funny. Then there's the fact that he is a super genius and yet still struggles with the things normal boys do (like having "the talk" with his Dad). I loved how Kyle takes everyday techie objects and turns them into boy fantasy items. This is how I imagine boys ages 6-12 see their world all of the time. Very clever! Kyle's friend Mairi is also a nice touch, to give the story a slight feminine side. And with an ending that is sure to leave readers wanting more, elementary school age boys will love it!
July 18, 2014
TLC Call #: J LYGA B
Chris’s Rating: 3 Stars
After getting caught in a plasma storm from space, the 12 year-old genius prankster Kyle had developed superhuman abilities, which he decides not to share with anything. Unfortunately for Kyle his popularity (and sanity) begin to ebb when the plasma storm not only ups his intellect, but brings another super to earth from unknown origins. Kyle instantly hates Mighty Mike and is determined to ruin and expose him for the fraud he is.
I was expecting to enjoy this book…and I did at times…but overall not so much. Even though Kyle is conceited and not very likable I couldn’t help but feel bad at how often he is misunderstood—especially when he saves the day and is blamed for the problem.
Pros: 1. Interesting storyline, 2. reasonably good humor, 3. good to see how preconceived notion can lead to misunderstanding…for multiple characters.
Cons: 1. The insanely brilliant Kyle is often so dumb and blind that he can’t see what a hypocrite and jerk he is and won’t give anyone a chance once he decides they are his enemy. He is so utterly possessed this way that it drags the story down. 2. Very inconclusive ending...with the thick-headed Kyle learning next to nothing.
A book for boys…probably 10-12.
Chris’s Rating: 3 Stars
After getting caught in a plasma storm from space, the 12 year-old genius prankster Kyle had developed superhuman abilities, which he decides not to share with anything. Unfortunately for Kyle his popularity (and sanity) begin to ebb when the plasma storm not only ups his intellect, but brings another super to earth from unknown origins. Kyle instantly hates Mighty Mike and is determined to ruin and expose him for the fraud he is.
I was expecting to enjoy this book…and I did at times…but overall not so much. Even though Kyle is conceited and not very likable I couldn’t help but feel bad at how often he is misunderstood—especially when he saves the day and is blamed for the problem.
Pros: 1. Interesting storyline, 2. reasonably good humor, 3. good to see how preconceived notion can lead to misunderstanding…for multiple characters.
Cons: 1. The insanely brilliant Kyle is often so dumb and blind that he can’t see what a hypocrite and jerk he is and won’t give anyone a chance once he decides they are his enemy. He is so utterly possessed this way that it drags the story down. 2. Very inconclusive ending...with the thick-headed Kyle learning next to nothing.
A book for boys…probably 10-12.
January 17, 2012
My review for today, Archvillain by Barry Lyga, is one that I read over Thanksgiving while we were in Lubbock. It's my first Middle Grade read, and one that I sincerely enjoyed. It tells the story of a middle schooler named Kyle who witnesses a plasma shower in a field while preparing to pull a prank on the football team. The next day he realizes that the plasma shower not only gave him super intelligence, but also the ability to fly and a supernatural strength. His only problem is that another boy appeared after the shower - a boy who is assumed by the town to be a super hero. Only Kyle knows the truth - and he is prepared to do anything he can to stop Mighty Max, even if it means becoming an archvillain.
The story is cute and fun - I can really see middle school students getting a kick out of it. And I love reading from Kyle's point of view. It's a great example of an unreliable narrator AND characters who aren't all good or all bad. The story is original and I especially enjoyed seeing Kyle change (and not necessarily for the better) as the story played out.
The story is cute and fun - I can really see middle school students getting a kick out of it. And I love reading from Kyle's point of view. It's a great example of an unreliable narrator AND characters who aren't all good or all bad. The story is original and I especially enjoyed seeing Kyle change (and not necessarily for the better) as the story played out.
July 6, 2010
Kyle Camden is just your slightly-above-average sixth grader (smart, super popular, and known prankster) until he's caught in a plasma shower in a field outside the small town of Bouring. Suddenly, his intelligence goes through the charts, he has super strength, and he can fly! But Kyle's not the only thing that changed that fateful night. Another kid was apparently caught in the storm. They're calling him Mighty Mike and the whole town adores him for his good deeds. Only Kyle can see Mike for what he truly is, only Kyle can defeat Mighty Mike and show the whole town his true colors... and if that turns Kyle into an archvillain, so be it!
This is a fun and funny start to a new series. I found myself chuckling out loud throughout the book. Best of all, Lyga manages to make Kyle's archvillain character a sympathetic one. Recommended.
More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/...
This is a fun and funny start to a new series. I found myself chuckling out loud throughout the book. Best of all, Lyga manages to make Kyle's archvillain character a sympathetic one. Recommended.
More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/...
August 18, 2017
I really liked this book. It's from the point of view of a 12 year old who has always been the smartest and most popular kid in his town because of his pranks. However when the "starts fall" he gains super intelligence as well as super powers. Meanwhile a strange boy named Mike has appeared and is now making a name for himself as a superhero.
Kyle can't stand this and the way the book shines is that it takes you into the mind of a burdening supervillain. It makes sense why he starts to act out, that most of his acts are misunderstood and while trying to get rid of this "brainless alien" he just makes everything worse for himself.
The character of Kyle, while arrogant and Lex Luther like in his role, is well developed and as the main character I sympathized with him a great deal. And while I was hoping it would wrap up, I am going to look for the next book in the series because I want to know what happens next.
Kyle can't stand this and the way the book shines is that it takes you into the mind of a burdening supervillain. It makes sense why he starts to act out, that most of his acts are misunderstood and while trying to get rid of this "brainless alien" he just makes everything worse for himself.
The character of Kyle, while arrogant and Lex Luther like in his role, is well developed and as the main character I sympathized with him a great deal. And while I was hoping it would wrap up, I am going to look for the next book in the series because I want to know what happens next.
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
One night, while playing a prank on the town's high school, Kyle Camden is exposed to plasma. From the plasma, he obtains superpowers.
Awesome, right?
Except for the fact that from the plasma appears a clumsy, really-bad-at-saving-the-world alien named Mighty Mike.
Determined to prove who Mike really is, Kyle turns into a supervillain to show everyone the truth. When the world turns against him and the radiation from the alien puts his friend's life in danger, however, Kyle will have more to deal with than he ever imagined.
Can Kyle save his best friend? Can he prove Mighty Mike is not who he says he is?
A quick read for superhero fans, the characters are entertaining and memorable. The plot is simple, but fun to read. Those who like adventure, action, superheroes, and fantasy will enjoy reading ARCHVILLAIN.
One night, while playing a prank on the town's high school, Kyle Camden is exposed to plasma. From the plasma, he obtains superpowers.
Awesome, right?
Except for the fact that from the plasma appears a clumsy, really-bad-at-saving-the-world alien named Mighty Mike.
Determined to prove who Mike really is, Kyle turns into a supervillain to show everyone the truth. When the world turns against him and the radiation from the alien puts his friend's life in danger, however, Kyle will have more to deal with than he ever imagined.
Can Kyle save his best friend? Can he prove Mighty Mike is not who he says he is?
A quick read for superhero fans, the characters are entertaining and memorable. The plot is simple, but fun to read. Those who like adventure, action, superheroes, and fantasy will enjoy reading ARCHVILLAIN.
April 9, 2011
3.75 Kyle was going to pull yet another prank at school when an alien (Mighty Mike) catapulted from outer space and bathed Kyle in a plasma that gave him superpowers. Once the most popular kid at school, Kyle gets demoted as Mighty Mike takes his spot (and his best friend, Mairi). Why is it that only Kyle can see that Mighty Mike only saves the day by accident??? Seeking revenge, Kyle builds a machine to de-pants Kyle at a public event, but things go terribly wrong and it makes Kyle look like the villain! Though not thrilled with his villain status, he is determined to do anything to stop Mighty Mike and find out what he's really doing on earth....This is a hilarious twist on the superhero story. Similar to Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series, the reader realizes that the "villain" isn't really evil, but a complex character.
July 21, 2011
Perfect for those reluctant readers in your life. Smart boy who is in a field at the wrong time is suddenly equipped with super-powers, even more smarts AND an attitude. He *used* to be the most popular boy in the school until a mysterious new boy who is even stronger appears. To add salt to the wound the new kid is stupid! What is a boy to do? Apply brain against brawn. It could be the battle of the ages!
Barry Lyga is one of my favorite YA authors and it was fun to see what he could do with a younger audience. He hit it on the head. Lots of snark but age appropriate humor as well as Lyga's ability to identify a character's faults but still love 'em anyway. Perfect for tweens and young teens. Boys, reluctant readers and anyone who likes a good spin of a super-hero will enjoy picking this one up. My 11 year old loved it.
Barry Lyga is one of my favorite YA authors and it was fun to see what he could do with a younger audience. He hit it on the head. Lots of snark but age appropriate humor as well as Lyga's ability to identify a character's faults but still love 'em anyway. Perfect for tweens and young teens. Boys, reluctant readers and anyone who likes a good spin of a super-hero will enjoy picking this one up. My 11 year old loved it.
December 30, 2010
practical pranks kids gets super powers and has attitude that he is better than everyone else including another super hero -Mike.
More to come
Kyle is telling the story , and he doesn't reveal at all to his classmates that he has super powers. Mike does something heroic and become the Hero of the the town. Kyle by being secretive ends up being the bad guy. There is a situation where Kyle ends up saving a dear friend of his, but he has to make some choices .
I found Kyle to kid with a attitude and know it all. I understand that his parents were there but he found them to idiots, and always working on secret projects to get rid of Mike. I found Kyle to be a BRAT. He likes to cause trouble and likes to takes pants down off other kids.
More to come
Kyle is telling the story , and he doesn't reveal at all to his classmates that he has super powers. Mike does something heroic and become the Hero of the the town. Kyle by being secretive ends up being the bad guy. There is a situation where Kyle ends up saving a dear friend of his, but he has to make some choices .
I found Kyle to kid with a attitude and know it all. I understand that his parents were there but he found them to idiots, and always working on secret projects to get rid of Mike. I found Kyle to be a BRAT. He likes to cause trouble and likes to takes pants down off other kids.
December 4, 2010
I picked this one up because I left my book at home one day and it was the shortest book that looked interesting.
Kyle is a prankster and the most popular kid in school. One day while setting up for a prank, he is enveloped in a radioactive cloud. This gives Kyle superpowers and the ability to fly. It also brings his Archvillain Mighty Mike.
Then nothing goes as planned. Mike turns out to be the good guy, and Kyle through some freak mistakes with his inventions is labeled as the bad guy.
Kyle tried to be all conversational, but he was never likable enough. I had a hard time rooting for him and was annoyed with him instead. Kyle was supposedly super smart, and the radiation made him smarter, but it was never evidenced in anything he did.
Kyle is a prankster and the most popular kid in school. One day while setting up for a prank, he is enveloped in a radioactive cloud. This gives Kyle superpowers and the ability to fly. It also brings his Archvillain Mighty Mike.
Then nothing goes as planned. Mike turns out to be the good guy, and Kyle through some freak mistakes with his inventions is labeled as the bad guy.
Kyle tried to be all conversational, but he was never likable enough. I had a hard time rooting for him and was annoyed with him instead. Kyle was supposedly super smart, and the radiation made him smarter, but it was never evidenced in anything he did.
February 26, 2012
This story that follows a kid who gets superpowers by being in the right place at the right time was a fun read, especially with the twist that Kyle actually acts like the 'bad guy.' I wonder sometimes about people who are seen as 'evil' in books or movies, and I think about where they got their start - were they always out to destroy others? Or, like in Kyle's case, did they make some mistakes that added up to an infamous reputation? Kyle's attitude toward others annoyed me but this hubris lent believability to him not realizing that his plans were going to fail and make him look like the bad guy. It's difficult to root for Kyle as a protagonist due to the people that he hurts along the way and his conceited view of himself, but I don't mind this because these are real flaws.
July 21, 2013
This was an almost frighteningly realistic view into the mind of a young archvillain-in-progress. Kyle is a super-smart, yet self-absorbed and misanthropic kid who likes to play pranks on people - mostly adults in authority - and is therefore very popular at school. However, when he's caught in a miniature plasma storm that delivers "Mike," a Superman-like alien to his hometown, he finds himself with comparable powers but without Mike's altruistic mindset. Mike ends up overshadowing Kyle, which Kyle just can't handle... and Kyle the archvillain (who is, up through the last page, still convinced that HE is the hero) is born. Highly recommended for fans of the superhero genre looking for something complex and different - and a bit darker.
August 18, 2010
Before “the stars fell” in the city of Bouring, Kyle Camden was the most popular kid in school. He pranked everyone in every way imaginable. Then in came “Mighty Mike”, an alien superhero who took his place.
When Kyle is bathed in the same plasmas as Mike was created by, he decides to get rid of the annoying superhero. Using a bunch of home-made gadgets, will Kyle be able to show the world who Mike really is?
Coming out in October 2010, this book gives the story from the villain’s point of view. He is just a normal kid trying to get even, not some evil maniac who wants to destroy the town. Have a blast reading this book!
When Kyle is bathed in the same plasmas as Mike was created by, he decides to get rid of the annoying superhero. Using a bunch of home-made gadgets, will Kyle be able to show the world who Mike really is?
Coming out in October 2010, this book gives the story from the villain’s point of view. He is just a normal kid trying to get even, not some evil maniac who wants to destroy the town. Have a blast reading this book!
April 8, 2013
The main character is the most popular kid in school till "the stars fall down." He is transformed into a super hero. When he is testing out his powers he discovers another amatuer super hero. While the rest of the world is fawning over Mighty Mike Kyle is planning to kill him. Kyle must fight for what is his. While he is trying to help he is blamed for it all so he becomes known as a villain but he just wants to be a hero.
This series I finished in a whole two days maybe one I'm not sure but I really enjoyed this book. This book was predictable from the start. Kyle seems like a troublemaker but he is just a kid who wants to change people's opinions.
This series I finished in a whole two days maybe one I'm not sure but I really enjoyed this book. This book was predictable from the start. Kyle seems like a troublemaker but he is just a kid who wants to change people's opinions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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