Hero, by Mike Lupica
Billy Harriman is only fourteen when his father dies. But his father didn’t tell Billy everything about himself. His father was a known hero, working directly for the President of the United States. But he wasn’t an ordinary man. He was a superhero with amazing powers. And now, his father’s abilities have been passed on to Billy.
Billy is a seemingly average teen, occasionally bullied at school, until his father dies. And as soon as he discovers that he has mysterious powers, Billy is attacked my masked men. Billy knows that bad guys are out there, and that someone murdered his father. But he can’t be sure who to trust. An old man claims to know him and his father, but Billy has never met him before. His father’s best friend claims that the old man is a liar. Billy is full of doubt of others as well as self-doubt.
Hero is a highly entertaining coming-of-age story, with a superhero twist. It’s fast-paced, with several fun (if somewhat predictable) surprises. The bad guys or “Bads” as the book calls them are vague as are most of the answers that poor Billy receives. And while the ending is satisfying, there are many questions left unanswered that demand a sequel. As a sucker for superhero and origin stories, thoroughly enjoyed this engaging tale.
—
Hero releases from Philomel on November 2, 2010.