Will you choose justice... or anarchy?
The Renegades are everything any young prodigy - a human with extraordinary abilities - should want to be: fighting for justice, defending the weak, protecting the city and healing the wounds that the villain gangs left upon Gatlon City. They emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society to establish peace and order. Heroes.
As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew. The rebel Anarchists. For hundreds of years, since the Renegades triumphed over them, they have spent their lives in hiding - hunted, feared and persecuted for their powers. Looking for change, these powerful prodigies banded together and rebelled.
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Thanks to Macmillan Children's Books, I was given the opportunity to read this book prior to the UK release date (5 April, so it's out now - order it here)
I was very kindly sent two uncorrected proof copies of the book - one for myself, one for a fellow book-loving friend - along with some other lovely goodies.
I partnered up with my book club buddy, Molly, who I collaborated with on a blog post last year.
We both read the book and decided to pick a side. Read on to see our reviews and find out if we chose the same team...
Janay
Do you have what it takes to be a hero?
Renegades is an exciting adventure, perfect for fans of Marvel's Avengers and X-Men.
This novel is a tale of heroes and villains, Renegades vs Anarchists. The Renegades, with their special powers, serve to protect the city of Gatlon and the people who live here, like true superheroes.
But what is the story of a team of superheroes without an opposing villain or team of villains? The rebel Anarchists want less restraints and to be a part of society again, by any means they see necessary.
Adrian is a Renegade. He is dedicated to the cause and is on task to keep the peace, build up a better city and tries to do the right thing. However, he also works to address a personal issue to do with his mother.
Nova is with the Anarchists, ready to fight for them after the death of her family. She is prepared to do whatever she needs to do in order to help her fellow Anarchists, including infiltrating the other side.
This book is full of interesting, talented prodigies on both teams.
I think the idea for this story is so exciting. The plot is very unique, unlike anything I've ever read before. Anyone who knows me would tell you that I am a massive Marvel fan, so anything to do with superheroes interests me. As someone who is not so patiently waiting for the new Avengers: Infinity War movie, this book has definitely kept me going. I loved how this book ended and I can't wait to read what happens next.
The writing flows so well and it kept me hooked. I will admit that I did struggle to get into the book in the beginning, but only for the first fifty or so pages. The moment we started to hear more about Adrian and the other Renegades, I was completely invested in the story.
Overall I would give this book a rating of 4/5 stars because I enjoyed reading this and seeing the situation from both sides. I thought the plot was exciting and adventurous and it was well-written. The main characters are detailed, showing their strengths and their flaws, but there is room for more which I hope to see in the next book.
After reading this book, I would say that I would choose the side of the Renegades. I can see why both sides are fighting, and they do so because they believe in something, but the Renegades are protecting the people living in Gatlon City. They are serving justice and creating a sense of security. I do not think that the Renegades are perfect, no one is, but I believe that they are what is needed.
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Molly
We were all villains in the beginning.
Renegades is a book about two sides of prodigies.
First you
have the villains, the Anarchists. They believe in individuality. In freedom.
They believe that people should live for themselves, fight for themselves,
without having to rely on anybody.
Then you have the superheroes, the
Renegades. They fight crime and believe that they should protect all prodigies
and non-prodigies alike. The story of good and evil is delivered by two people,
both fighting for their own cause.
Nova Artino fights to avenge her family
whereas Adrian Everhart contrasts her motives and fights for peace.
Nova Artino survived a traumatising act against her family
and ever since, she has fought for the Anarchists. Her identity is close to
being uncovered when Nova’s loyalty to her cause is challenged and is faced
with a task that could be crucial to achieving the goal the Anarchists seek.
Adrian Everhart fights for the Renegades, his loyalty is
unquestionable. However, he seeks personal goals and takes up a new role on top
of his own.
Phobia is a prodigy who can stimulate one’s fears. He hides
and lives in the shadows. His real name is unknown but his alias is enough to
know him. Not much is known about Phobia, which creates an atmosphere of
mystery whenever he appears in the book.
Max Everhart is a young boy who lives in the Renegade
headquarters. He is left, however, in a quarantine and isn’t allowed contact
with anyone unless they are wearing appropriate gear. The high levels of
secrecy surrounding matters concerning Max, creates an atmosphere of
uncertainty and mystery.
The plot of the story is quite unpredictable and contains
sudden plot twists, however, there is a sense of familiarity throughout the
plot as it is entwined with a romance amidst the rivalry.
I found the story quite gripping from the start, but I
didn’t feel entirely pulled in until around the 100 page mark. I over all loved
the book and found it difficult to put down. I feel like all the characters had
a good involvement with the story, but there could have been more information
about some of them to make them more real to the reader.
I would give this book
4.5/5 stars purely because a lot of questions were left unanswered and some
aspects didn’t quite link up.
I understand both views of the rivalry between the Renegades
and the Anarchists, however, if I had to choose a side, I would choose the
Anarchists. I would choose this side because their views shed light on the fact
that there is more than one side to a story and that a villain doesn’t just act on nothing. The Anarchists have their motives and it shows
that even superheroes aren’t perfect.
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So, there you have it. Molly and I chose different sides. I'm joining the Renegades and Molly is siding with the Anarchists.
We had a long conversation on the phone after finishing the book about which side we were on and I was surprised to find out that we were to be on opposing teams.
Now to wait for the second book, Arch Enemies!
If you've read Renegades, which side are you on?
Do you want justice?... Or anarchy?
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