Renegades by Marissa Meyer
Synopsis:
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to the villains who have the power to end them both.
Arch Enemies by Marissa Meyer
Synopsis:
As Insomnia, she is a full-fledged member of the Renegades, a syndicate of powerful and beloved superheroes. She works with Adrian’s patrol unit to protect the weak and maintain order in Gatlon City. As Nightmare, she is an Anarchist – a group of of villains who are determined to destroy the Renegades. Nova wants vengeance against the so-called heroes who once failed her when she needed them most. But as Nova, her feelings for Adrian are deepening, despite the fact that he is the son of her sworn enemies and, unbeknownst to Nova, he has some dangerous secrets of his own.
In this second installment of the Renegades trilogy, Nova, Adrian, and the rest of their crew – Ruby, Oscar, and Danna — are faced with escalating crime in Gatlon City, while covert weapons and conflicting missions have Nova and Adrian questioning not only their beliefs about justice, but also the feelings they have for each other. The line between good and evil has been blurred, but what’s clear to them both is that too much power could mean the end of their city – and the world – as they know it.
Review:
Nova is a member of the “villainous” Anarchists, but goes undercover as a Renegade superhero. She is determined to take down the Renegades from the inside. But the more she gets to know Adrian, the harder her mission becomes.
I read Renegades and Arch Enemies back-to-back. These first 2 books in the trilogy are fast-paced and full of action, suspense, and a bit of romance. The story is sometimes dark, yet lightened with some humor and heart. This story is great for fans of X-Men. And I love that it’s from the perspective of a “villain” (who’s more of an anti-hero than a bad person). And not all of the Renegades are heroic. The characters are engaging, with the intensity building to a dramatic cliffhanger. The final installment can’t come soon enough.