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The Supes
Slip Stephenson has the lamest super power of all time. His father, a world renowned Super, can turn himself invisible, but Slip has never managed to do anything more than turn himself an underwhelming shade of black.
According to the rules of the School for Underage Power Enhancement and Refinement (SUPER), Slip has to pass his final test by the end of this year or he must give up his superpowered dreams and live as a regular civilian. He spends his senior year studying with five other nearly useless would-be Supers. Together, they must work as a team and overcome their watered-down powers if they want to make it in the world of superheroes.
As this ragtag group comes together, they notice that strange things are happening in the Super world. A mysterious villain has set up base next to Slip’s school, and famous and powerful Supers are turning evil. To protect the ones they love, Slip and his team must take matters into their own hands.
Can Slip and his newfound friends unravel the mystery? Will they be able to take on fully-powered supervillains? And will they be able to save the world?
According to the rules of the School for Underage Power Enhancement and Refinement (SUPER), Slip has to pass his final test by the end of this year or he must give up his superpowered dreams and live as a regular civilian. He spends his senior year studying with five other nearly useless would-be Supers. Together, they must work as a team and overcome their watered-down powers if they want to make it in the world of superheroes.
As this ragtag group comes together, they notice that strange things are happening in the Super world. A mysterious villain has set up base next to Slip’s school, and famous and powerful Supers are turning evil. To protect the ones they love, Slip and his team must take matters into their own hands.
Can Slip and his newfound friends unravel the mystery? Will they be able to take on fully-powered supervillains? And will they be able to save the world?
- GenresSuperheroesYoung Adult
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2017
30 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 28, 2018
3.75 stars
Slip and Scout are twins attending Super Hero School. Their father can turn invisible and is a popular superhero. But all Slip can do is turn black like a silhouette. Scout can turn invisible but can’t see when he does. All of their classmates have managed to graduate, so they’re now with a small class of kids with lame powers who are getting too old for school but can’t prove their powers are useful.
The first half is pretty good, attending school and being misfits and all that stuff. They start calling themselves Supes because they aren’t good enough to be Supers, and this leads to a bunch of soup puns.
Then the second half really picks up, and the final third was just a blast to read. There’s a lot of character development and some surprises. It’s a light, fun read ideal for superhero fans.
No strong language or sexual content; some mild violence.
Book Blog
Slip and Scout are twins attending Super Hero School. Their father can turn invisible and is a popular superhero. But all Slip can do is turn black like a silhouette. Scout can turn invisible but can’t see when he does. All of their classmates have managed to graduate, so they’re now with a small class of kids with lame powers who are getting too old for school but can’t prove their powers are useful.
The first half is pretty good, attending school and being misfits and all that stuff. They start calling themselves Supes because they aren’t good enough to be Supers, and this leads to a bunch of soup puns.
Then the second half really picks up, and the final third was just a blast to read. There’s a lot of character development and some surprises. It’s a light, fun read ideal for superhero fans.
No strong language or sexual content; some mild violence.
Book Blog
February 16, 2019
In The Supes we follow the son of a world renowned Super who can turn himself invisible. But Slip Stephenson doesn’t come near his father’s super power, and all he can do is to turn himself completely black. Totally the lamest super power of all time.
Slip is a student at the School for Underage Power Enhancement and Refinement (SUPER), and after years of failing his Super-exam (cause what use can turning black really be) he is now on his last year. Either he must pass the test or he will have to live his life as a regular civilian. Slip does not want to be “normal”, but how can he pass the test with his lame super power?
Slip and his fellow classmates, who are in the same position, has to work together as a team and make the best of their useless super powers if they are to make it in the Super world.
I found the premise of this novel to be quite intriguing even though I’ve already had my share of superhero novels. I thought it was impossible to make something new in this genre, and it was with a lot of skepticism I started to read this book. But how I had to eat my own words this time. I loved this book. I found it to be entertaining and fun. It was easy to read and had a nice pace that never really made any part of it slow or boring. The characters were nicely developed, and from the start I felt for Slip and the other characters. His team had characters from many different backgrounds and with personalities that really separated them from one another. There was humor and jokes mixed with more serious topics. It was just like any school of teenagers, and it was interesting to learn about these characters and their world.When they faced problems, I struggled with them. When they laughed, I laughed too.
I think the author has done a great job coming up with a twist to this Superhero genre and there wasn’t much in this words that reminded me of any other Superhero novels/movies/comics etc. Matthew Pritt managed to create characters with unique powers. And his worldbuilding was great. I always had a clear picture of what the characters and their surroundings looked like.
I’m highly impressed with the author’s work, and I recommend this book to everyone. A well deserved 5 stars from me on this one.
Slip is a student at the School for Underage Power Enhancement and Refinement (SUPER), and after years of failing his Super-exam (cause what use can turning black really be) he is now on his last year. Either he must pass the test or he will have to live his life as a regular civilian. Slip does not want to be “normal”, but how can he pass the test with his lame super power?
Slip and his fellow classmates, who are in the same position, has to work together as a team and make the best of their useless super powers if they are to make it in the Super world.
I found the premise of this novel to be quite intriguing even though I’ve already had my share of superhero novels. I thought it was impossible to make something new in this genre, and it was with a lot of skepticism I started to read this book. But how I had to eat my own words this time. I loved this book. I found it to be entertaining and fun. It was easy to read and had a nice pace that never really made any part of it slow or boring. The characters were nicely developed, and from the start I felt for Slip and the other characters. His team had characters from many different backgrounds and with personalities that really separated them from one another. There was humor and jokes mixed with more serious topics. It was just like any school of teenagers, and it was interesting to learn about these characters and their world.When they faced problems, I struggled with them. When they laughed, I laughed too.
I think the author has done a great job coming up with a twist to this Superhero genre and there wasn’t much in this words that reminded me of any other Superhero novels/movies/comics etc. Matthew Pritt managed to create characters with unique powers. And his worldbuilding was great. I always had a clear picture of what the characters and their surroundings looked like.
I’m highly impressed with the author’s work, and I recommend this book to everyone. A well deserved 5 stars from me on this one.
April 11, 2017
I had a hard time rating this. There was nothing really good in this and nothing really bad, it was just that annoying level of mediocrity. I think author had a fun idea for a plot but it really missed the intensity. I was thinking that okay this could be marketed for younger readers but even they would want more action packed story. The Supes was an enjoyable read, writing was easy and flowing but this wasn't a memorable reading experience.
I think this would have worked better as a comic book or even with some whimsical illustrations.
I think this would have worked better as a comic book or even with some whimsical illustrations.
April 16, 2018
First off, as a few other people warn, the book seems like it would be a Young Adult sort of book, teenagers trying to learn how to use their powers with a literally cartoony aspect to their world where superhero news is rendered as comicbook strips in the newspaper, and the main character, Slip, occasionally complains that comics written by the "Norms" are unrealistic, with plot aspects that are ridiculous because "things just don't work that way". But within the book, we see cracks in the system, where superpowered individuals are kept apart from civilian society, monitored and commanded by the government, and by the end of the book, several characters are dead and the government has jailed nearly a third of the superhero population due to their type of powers.
But aside from that, this was really quite entertaining. The school for training powers has a squad-based mentality with very specific roles, but students are encouraged to swap out said roles as they get a better understanding of who they are and what their powers can do. The characters are fun, if a bit one-dimensional from time to time. I actually liked how Slip, the main character, nursed a grudge against Edison almost entirely because Edison made a move on Felicia (successfully!) before Slip could summon the courage. It made him feel much more human. Similarly, the way in which Scout, his twin, doesn't particularly want to do anything with superpowers, but wants to keep their superpowered father happy, was a nice touch.
Ultimately, I liked it. It's not high literature, but it does the trick.
But aside from that, this was really quite entertaining. The school for training powers has a squad-based mentality with very specific roles, but students are encouraged to swap out said roles as they get a better understanding of who they are and what their powers can do. The characters are fun, if a bit one-dimensional from time to time. I actually liked how Slip, the main character, nursed a grudge against Edison almost entirely because Edison made a move on Felicia (successfully!) before Slip could summon the courage. It made him feel much more human. Similarly, the way in which Scout, his twin, doesn't particularly want to do anything with superpowers, but wants to keep their superpowered father happy, was a nice touch.
Ultimately, I liked it. It's not high literature, but it does the trick.
June 25, 2018
4.5/5
I love superheroes, plain and simple. That being said, I was delightfully surprised by how good this book was.
Slip comes from a legendary superhero lineage. His dad can turn invisible, his twin brother can do the same with limitations, and Slip? He can turn an underwhelming shade of black. Bummer!
This is Slip's fifth attempt at graduating SUPER high school. If he doesn't make it this time, it's the normal life for him. As Slip continues his journey, he discovers new friendships, what it means to be on a team, and where his place is in the super world.
This book was entertaining, easy to read, and very suspenseful. I felt that the characters were very original. I like how each super definitely had some limitations, and some of them were quite interesting. Sugar was a hoot, and Slip's other teammates were very colorful as well.
The only small things I'd like to point out is that sometimes the level of juvenile the book presents seems to be more like middle school, but hey, these kids have been pampered for the most part, so I can understand that.
Ultimately, if you are a fan of superheroes and like a good coming of age story, check this out. You won't be sorry you did!
I love superheroes, plain and simple. That being said, I was delightfully surprised by how good this book was.
Slip comes from a legendary superhero lineage. His dad can turn invisible, his twin brother can do the same with limitations, and Slip? He can turn an underwhelming shade of black. Bummer!
This is Slip's fifth attempt at graduating SUPER high school. If he doesn't make it this time, it's the normal life for him. As Slip continues his journey, he discovers new friendships, what it means to be on a team, and where his place is in the super world.
This book was entertaining, easy to read, and very suspenseful. I felt that the characters were very original. I like how each super definitely had some limitations, and some of them were quite interesting. Sugar was a hoot, and Slip's other teammates were very colorful as well.
The only small things I'd like to point out is that sometimes the level of juvenile the book presents seems to be more like middle school, but hey, these kids have been pampered for the most part, so I can understand that.
Ultimately, if you are a fan of superheroes and like a good coming of age story, check this out. You won't be sorry you did!
November 20, 2018
This story has it all - action, suspense, good vs evil, quirky humor, unpredictable twists and imaginative characters. Would love to meet up with supes again. Hoping for a sequel (s). Could picture this as a comic book or movie!
May 15, 2017
Great book
The plot was interesting and was different from the normal teen with superpowers books. I totally recommend this to anyone who likes superhero books.
The plot was interesting and was different from the normal teen with superpowers books. I totally recommend this to anyone who likes superhero books.
December 29, 2021
Matthew Pritt’s The Supes is a fast-paced afternoon read filled with action, unlikely allies, and a little bit of anarchy, too.
Slip Stephenson lives in a world where being Super is standard and average is undesirable—at least for him. But Slip has yet to show himself to be particularly Super. He’s stuck between two futures: the one he wants, and the one he fears is inevitable.
We follow Slip and his twin brother into their final year at school. It’s their last chance to find their Super skills. The boys and their classmates face the end of their education with no solid idea of what comes next. Together, this ragtag group of rejects must come to terms with their powers to find their place among the Supers or accept their fate as Norms.
But then, trouble strikes from a surprising source, as it does in any good superhero story. And when the best of the best fail to beat the bad guy, Slip and his team—the self-styled Supes—must use their unique skills to save the Super world.
Pritt’s cast of characters takes center stage in The Supes. Slip is relatable as the angsty teenager, trying too hard and not hard enough all at once. He struggles to mold himself into something he’s not instead of finding his true worth. It takes a great mentor, faithful and loyal friends, and a fight with a mega-villain for him to recognize his potential and to put his powers to good use.
The author also gives us a supporting roster of believable almost-heroes, each with their own set of woes. The rival, the comic relief, the antagonist, the love interest—they’re all covered. Each character struggles with their own superhero “handicap,” and we get small tastes of how they have learned to deal. While the story focuses on Slip, the other characters are rich and intriguing in their own right. Special shoutout to Sugar—her lines had me laughing out loud.
The novel does turn a dark corner toward the end, ultimately giving Slip the reality check he needs to push forward. The Super world is not what he imagined—all accolades and glory and fame. It is full of hidden truths and trickery and the potential for suffering and death. As Slip experiences this shadow side, he realizes his Super duty to the greater world. It gives him a sense of purpose and allows him to fully find himself.
The Supes is a refreshing and robust breakout novel. Pritt’s universe is ripe with potential for future adventures and rich backstory. I hope this is not the last we’ve seen of The Supes.
Slip Stephenson lives in a world where being Super is standard and average is undesirable—at least for him. But Slip has yet to show himself to be particularly Super. He’s stuck between two futures: the one he wants, and the one he fears is inevitable.
We follow Slip and his twin brother into their final year at school. It’s their last chance to find their Super skills. The boys and their classmates face the end of their education with no solid idea of what comes next. Together, this ragtag group of rejects must come to terms with their powers to find their place among the Supers or accept their fate as Norms.
But then, trouble strikes from a surprising source, as it does in any good superhero story. And when the best of the best fail to beat the bad guy, Slip and his team—the self-styled Supes—must use their unique skills to save the Super world.
Pritt’s cast of characters takes center stage in The Supes. Slip is relatable as the angsty teenager, trying too hard and not hard enough all at once. He struggles to mold himself into something he’s not instead of finding his true worth. It takes a great mentor, faithful and loyal friends, and a fight with a mega-villain for him to recognize his potential and to put his powers to good use.
The author also gives us a supporting roster of believable almost-heroes, each with their own set of woes. The rival, the comic relief, the antagonist, the love interest—they’re all covered. Each character struggles with their own superhero “handicap,” and we get small tastes of how they have learned to deal. While the story focuses on Slip, the other characters are rich and intriguing in their own right. Special shoutout to Sugar—her lines had me laughing out loud.
The novel does turn a dark corner toward the end, ultimately giving Slip the reality check he needs to push forward. The Super world is not what he imagined—all accolades and glory and fame. It is full of hidden truths and trickery and the potential for suffering and death. As Slip experiences this shadow side, he realizes his Super duty to the greater world. It gives him a sense of purpose and allows him to fully find himself.
The Supes is a refreshing and robust breakout novel. Pritt’s universe is ripe with potential for future adventures and rich backstory. I hope this is not the last we’ve seen of The Supes.
November 2, 2020
I believe this read has a near-perfect structure and pacing to it. The twist 75% of the way in, plus its climax and resolution are excellently executed. However, The Supes is not above critisism, and while the world and hero system may be original, I still found the events that transpired and characters who had prominate roles to be a tad formulaic to other books/films I have enjoyed before in the genre.
On my readthrough, I found myself reminded a bit of Ender's Game/Kingsmen Secret Service/The Incredibles, but in an inverse fashion. The Supes are deemed underpowered superheroes by their training academy staff in a world chalked full of superheroes and normal people, trying to sustain some semblence of society, which wouldn't be suject to periodic super destructions by heroes and villians alike. The scope is here for a larger world, but I don't believe it was fully captured, perhaps because of the main characters positions in the story. They're only just starting out, a sequel would be interesting and could expand on the bureacracies of the various government agencies (red-lists/first-reserves) and show how Supers/Villians view them in more depth (this is here, but it's only told about/shown second hand). The narrative does its share of commentary on the genre itself, but the climax scene and how it plays out across the world is a bit too similar for my liking, to the one at the end of the first Kingsman movie. If there is a sequel, it would be intersting to see how the world at large reacts to the sinister plans of Harold, becuase that's an aspect that Kingsman largely passed on in its sequel. With the same idea, I think Pritt could taken have more chances, and found a more consistent way to have graphic fight scenes delivered to the readers better throughout.
The Supes as a book is short, and this is where I believe some of its weaknesses are. The scenes were well described, but I think more time could have been spent getting to know the locations in the beginning, so that some of the actions/exposition scenes aren't as jarring as they can be. This pertains mainly to the Cube and the Academy. They play huge roles throughout the plot but seem to go through several different stages of development rather than having one cohesive design all the way through. When Slip and readers see the school and cube/other characters for the first time, it would have been helpful to have a walkthrough/orientation. When the characters go on missions to the cube and fake ones at the school, outside events start to go haywire. When this happens, it's just more difficult to keep a good picture/layout in my mind during the escellating scenes. Niether setting seems as populated as it should be, until the very end where some of the action became quite chaotic in its realization. Spending a lot of time just in the basement can make you forget thery're 4 other levels on top of it, along with a cafeteria/room or requirement(that has an expansive hangar within it where students can build Jets if they wish), which you don't really know is there until it is.
Slip is a career underachiever with low-rent powers he doesn't understand. He is most often the POV protagonist for readers, although I found slip to constantly jump to bad conclusions about other characters he should have been friends with, while also acting like a jealous/petulant child for largely no reason. He matures at the end, but near the beginning it was easy for me to understand why he and his brother had been passed over before, making it all the way to level 5. The cast of characters and twists are good, but this is where I begin to see some of the book's formulaic nature. The comedy and characters are witty and enduring, but I can easily imagine who some of the archtypes/influences were during the books development.
Still, Pritt strives to create a new iteration of the saturated super-hero genre all his own, and for the most part succeeds. I think I would have read sooner if the kindle version was cheaper, but at least there were no problems with the formating like I have seen with other conversions, and I'm glad I came around to read it eventually. An over-arching message here is that characters can mature, grow, and develop after seeming like no one special or deserving of their powers in the first place. In retrospect, I now find it it to be a good takehome message for anyone trying to sustain themselves as an author as well. Does me writing this review reflect that? Have I grown/matured over my journey(rhetorical)?
On my readthrough, I found myself reminded a bit of Ender's Game/Kingsmen Secret Service/The Incredibles, but in an inverse fashion. The Supes are deemed underpowered superheroes by their training academy staff in a world chalked full of superheroes and normal people, trying to sustain some semblence of society, which wouldn't be suject to periodic super destructions by heroes and villians alike. The scope is here for a larger world, but I don't believe it was fully captured, perhaps because of the main characters positions in the story. They're only just starting out, a sequel would be interesting and could expand on the bureacracies of the various government agencies (red-lists/first-reserves) and show how Supers/Villians view them in more depth (this is here, but it's only told about/shown second hand). The narrative does its share of commentary on the genre itself, but the climax scene and how it plays out across the world is a bit too similar for my liking, to the one at the end of the first Kingsman movie. If there is a sequel, it would be intersting to see how the world at large reacts to the sinister plans of Harold, becuase that's an aspect that Kingsman largely passed on in its sequel. With the same idea, I think Pritt could taken have more chances, and found a more consistent way to have graphic fight scenes delivered to the readers better throughout.
The Supes as a book is short, and this is where I believe some of its weaknesses are. The scenes were well described, but I think more time could have been spent getting to know the locations in the beginning, so that some of the actions/exposition scenes aren't as jarring as they can be. This pertains mainly to the Cube and the Academy. They play huge roles throughout the plot but seem to go through several different stages of development rather than having one cohesive design all the way through. When Slip and readers see the school and cube/other characters for the first time, it would have been helpful to have a walkthrough/orientation. When the characters go on missions to the cube and fake ones at the school, outside events start to go haywire. When this happens, it's just more difficult to keep a good picture/layout in my mind during the escellating scenes. Niether setting seems as populated as it should be, until the very end where some of the action became quite chaotic in its realization. Spending a lot of time just in the basement can make you forget thery're 4 other levels on top of it, along with a cafeteria/room or requirement(that has an expansive hangar within it where students can build Jets if they wish), which you don't really know is there until it is.
Slip is a career underachiever with low-rent powers he doesn't understand. He is most often the POV protagonist for readers, although I found slip to constantly jump to bad conclusions about other characters he should have been friends with, while also acting like a jealous/petulant child for largely no reason. He matures at the end, but near the beginning it was easy for me to understand why he and his brother had been passed over before, making it all the way to level 5. The cast of characters and twists are good, but this is where I begin to see some of the book's formulaic nature. The comedy and characters are witty and enduring, but I can easily imagine who some of the archtypes/influences were during the books development.
Still, Pritt strives to create a new iteration of the saturated super-hero genre all his own, and for the most part succeeds. I think I would have read sooner if the kindle version was cheaper, but at least there were no problems with the formating like I have seen with other conversions, and I'm glad I came around to read it eventually. An over-arching message here is that characters can mature, grow, and develop after seeming like no one special or deserving of their powers in the first place. In retrospect, I now find it it to be a good takehome message for anyone trying to sustain themselves as an author as well. Does me writing this review reflect that? Have I grown/matured over my journey(rhetorical)?
April 26, 2019
I have to admit, it wasn't the kind of super hero story I was expecting, especially since I almost live by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This story dwelled much deeper into the technical parts of being a super hero, most specifically when you're a super hero-in-training that goes to a specific super hero training academy.
Despite that, I really enjoyed reading it.
The characters were the ones that kept the story together and made it so enjoyable and endearing. I loved how their names connected to either super power or their personality, like Sugar, Slip, Hopper and Scout. They really fit the characters well and it was definitely a nod to the golden age of comics and their super heroes, like Peter Parker and Wally West in Marvel and DC respectively. My favorite character was Sugar with her (pun intended) sweetness and kind personality. I didn't really like Slip,the main character, until the last part of the story. That's where he felt more human and relatable to me. His super power was a surprise, I'll admit.
The story itself was kind of slow but it kicked into literal action in the last part of the book and it was really exciting to read that part and see all the realism within in.
If you're interested in seeing another side to a super hero story, I'd definitely recommend this book.
Despite that, I really enjoyed reading it.
The characters were the ones that kept the story together and made it so enjoyable and endearing. I loved how their names connected to either super power or their personality, like Sugar, Slip, Hopper and Scout. They really fit the characters well and it was definitely a nod to the golden age of comics and their super heroes, like Peter Parker and Wally West in Marvel and DC respectively. My favorite character was Sugar with her (pun intended) sweetness and kind personality. I didn't really like Slip,the main character, until the last part of the story. That's where he felt more human and relatable to me. His super power was a surprise, I'll admit.
The story itself was kind of slow but it kicked into literal action in the last part of the book and it was really exciting to read that part and see all the realism within in.
If you're interested in seeing another side to a super hero story, I'd definitely recommend this book.
June 17, 2019
This was a fun read! Loved the concept of teens with superpowers that seem less than useful since we get so much in popular culture about nearly unstoppable superheroes. As the story progresses, the different characters discover hidden strengths or innovative ways to use their powers that show that they can contribute as much as those with more obvious talents. I thought the sometimes tense dynamics between the disparate group of teens was well thought out and very identifiable for anyone who's ever had to work on a group project in school! The only downside for me was I wasn't sure who the target reader was for this book. It seemed at first as though it was written more for a middle grade audience, but then there is some unexpectedly violent action near the end that might be more appropriate for a young adult level. The tension definitely builds from the middle of the book to the end as the action intensifies, and I found it hard to put down once I got to that point. Overall, a fresh take on the teenage superhero genre with a very positive message of the value of teamwork and of finding our own inner superpowers.
January 25, 2021
The Supes is a novel about a group of seriously underpowered teen superheroes that need to learn to work together as a team.
The main protagonist is Slip Stephenson, son of The Sneak, a famous superhero. Unfortunately, Slip’s superpower seems to be turning black whenever he tries to turn invisible. As a result he continues to be held back in school and has one more year to graduate or will be forced to live his life as a norm.
I really liked the concept that powerful kids in super school graduate faster and therefore younger kids lord it over the seniors. The world creation is quite good and the segregation between supers and normals is both well thought out and entertaining.
Slip ends up with five other underpowered misfits and I enjoyed the characters and how they developed into a team. The one aspect that held this book back a bit for me is that there is a lot of time spent in training sessions and the simulations did not create much tension for me because I knew there was no true danger.
I loved when we found out more about Slip’s powers and how he used them was quite good.
Over-all, I was entertained by The Supes.
The main protagonist is Slip Stephenson, son of The Sneak, a famous superhero. Unfortunately, Slip’s superpower seems to be turning black whenever he tries to turn invisible. As a result he continues to be held back in school and has one more year to graduate or will be forced to live his life as a norm.
I really liked the concept that powerful kids in super school graduate faster and therefore younger kids lord it over the seniors. The world creation is quite good and the segregation between supers and normals is both well thought out and entertaining.
Slip ends up with five other underpowered misfits and I enjoyed the characters and how they developed into a team. The one aspect that held this book back a bit for me is that there is a lot of time spent in training sessions and the simulations did not create much tension for me because I knew there was no true danger.
I loved when we found out more about Slip’s powers and how he used them was quite good.
Over-all, I was entertained by The Supes.
October 20, 2019
I could not put this book down! Matthew did a fantastic job of immersing me in a unique world of a superhero school. The plot was not predictable at all, and I was carried along on a crazy roller coaster ride where I was on the edge of my seat almost the whole time, while also experiencing insights into the primary main character's thoughts and feelings as he learns about his own abilities. All the main cast of The Supes have their own unique personalities that show through in everything they do. I highly recommend this book!
December 19, 2020
Breakfast Club meets Harry Potter meets the X-Men
The beginning was a bit hard to get into, but after that, I was hooked. The unpopular kids in school who eventually make good. Most everyone who goes to the Super school moves on after a tough test. Not our group, for various reasons. At their last chance, they bond and take on a real life super villain. You’ll care about and root for the quirky characters long before the end. The book moves fast and doesn’t disappoint.
The beginning was a bit hard to get into, but after that, I was hooked. The unpopular kids in school who eventually make good. Most everyone who goes to the Super school moves on after a tough test. Not our group, for various reasons. At their last chance, they bond and take on a real life super villain. You’ll care about and root for the quirky characters long before the end. The book moves fast and doesn’t disappoint.
February 7, 2018
Look on 👎
March 15, 2020
I am a huge fan of anything superheroes and this one was great fun, it was interesting to see a bunch of supers who haven't got the usual common powers. Each character was interesting in their own way with a variety of abilities from tech, physical and creature based which made it a lot of fun to see them work around each of their specialties.
The Supes was such a sweet and adorable idea, i loved how they all got soup hero names but they fit each character perfectly in the best way. Slip is a great mc in the worst way in that he could be very negative, realistic and rather pessimistic which I could totally enjoy as progress through the story. The different roles in the team were explored in an interesting way, allowing each person to figure out what works and roles changing.
It has a great villain too which I loved! Also no long monalogues which I adored as a great trait in a villain, he was straight to the point in what he wanted and how to get it done which was so fun too read. The story did end up a lot more brutal and rough then I was expecting, but it was a perfect look at the life of Supers and how things don't always go to plan. No matter how hard you try you can't always predict everything.
Overall I found it a fascinating read which I d recommend to anyone who loves superpowers, heroes and villains along with something rather unique.
The Supes was such a sweet and adorable idea, i loved how they all got soup hero names but they fit each character perfectly in the best way. Slip is a great mc in the worst way in that he could be very negative, realistic and rather pessimistic which I could totally enjoy as progress through the story. The different roles in the team were explored in an interesting way, allowing each person to figure out what works and roles changing.
It has a great villain too which I loved! Also no long monalogues which I adored as a great trait in a villain, he was straight to the point in what he wanted and how to get it done which was so fun too read. The story did end up a lot more brutal and rough then I was expecting, but it was a perfect look at the life of Supers and how things don't always go to plan. No matter how hard you try you can't always predict everything.
Overall I found it a fascinating read which I d recommend to anyone who loves superpowers, heroes and villains along with something rather unique.
April 10, 2017
Originally reviewed on my blog, To Read or Not to Read?
PG-13 for violence, including animal mauling. There wasn't much until the climax, but those last chapters were intense
Recommend to newcomers of the superhero fiction genre; fans of Sky High and other underdog stories
On the whole, The Supes is a fun story with some great quirks on the genre, despite characterization flaws.
While the basic plot is something we've seen before, The Supes has plenty of twists to keep things interesting -some predictable, some not. But what really takes the cake for me was Pritt's ability to come up with some pretty whacked out powers and I seriously respect how he well is able to use them in the story. Unlike Sky High, which serves as a decent peer story-wise, the 'lame' powers of Slip and his team don't come together just to solve the single problem/villain of the story. Instead, these Supers work on developing their powers into something that will be useful in the long run.
But can we talk about some of these ridiculous powers? Because I love them. So much. There's Sugar, the girl who can talk to squirrels; her father can turn into a squirrel, but her mother's human, so she wound up part squirrel. She has squirrel feet. And skin flaps under her arms, like a flying squirrel. Talk about inconvenient. Felicia is in a similar situation; she's almost human, expect for the gills. She can't breathe oxygen and is therefore water-bound and stuck with the unfortunate nickname 'Fish Tank'. Our main character Slip can't turn invisible like his dad (only black), but his brother might be worse off. He's got the turning invisible part down, but he can't see when he does.
Not only does Pritt saddle his characters with inconvenient and crazy-sauce abilities, but he uses them creatively and as great story devices. I feel like he was simultaneously poking good fun at the superhero genre and hitting it with a dose of reality that served the story well. Because if superheroes did exist, of course there would be some of these Supers stuck with in-between abilities. I think Pritt has found a clever niche in the genre.
My favorite power featured in this book has to be those of The Mind Writer, whose every word takes up permanent residence in the listener's brain. I love it because, on the surface, it didn't seem that impressive to me. To be completely honest, when this character was introduced, I thought it was kind of lame. But when that character pointed out that she had to watch every single word she ever said, because those words would never ever be forgotten, it exploded into one of the most interesting super powers I've seen. Plus, like so many of the other abilities, Pritt uses it to its greatest advantage.
My one great disappointment with this book was the amount of flat characters. I didn't feel like most of them stood very well on their own. Together, Slip and his six teammates have a great dynamic that capitalizes well on the underlying theme of teamwork, but on their own I didn't get a great sense of their personalities, aside from maybe Sugar and Hopper.
Slip especially lacked this needed depth and, for the main character, this was disappointing. I wanted a better sense of him because he had the potential of being a good character. I loved that everything goes wrong for him, but I wanted more depth from him to really feel the impact of it as a reader. So much of his story was told from an arm's length perspective, instead of the in-your-face, up close and personal depth I love, and I therefore had a hard time connecting with him. He's got plenty of good qualities and flaws -he's a nice guy, yet because of bad experiences has a tendency to expect the worst of people- but he lacks refined characterization to really bring him to life.
The Supes leaves a few things open-ended for a potential sequel, but it wraps up the story nicely so there are no gaps or cliffhangers.
PG-13 for violence, including animal mauling. There wasn't much until the climax, but those last chapters were intense
Recommend to newcomers of the superhero fiction genre; fans of Sky High and other underdog stories
On the whole, The Supes is a fun story with some great quirks on the genre, despite characterization flaws.
While the basic plot is something we've seen before, The Supes has plenty of twists to keep things interesting -some predictable, some not. But what really takes the cake for me was Pritt's ability to come up with some pretty whacked out powers and I seriously respect how he well is able to use them in the story. Unlike Sky High, which serves as a decent peer story-wise, the 'lame' powers of Slip and his team don't come together just to solve the single problem/villain of the story. Instead, these Supers work on developing their powers into something that will be useful in the long run.
But can we talk about some of these ridiculous powers? Because I love them. So much. There's Sugar, the girl who can talk to squirrels; her father can turn into a squirrel, but her mother's human, so she wound up part squirrel. She has squirrel feet. And skin flaps under her arms, like a flying squirrel. Talk about inconvenient. Felicia is in a similar situation; she's almost human, expect for the gills. She can't breathe oxygen and is therefore water-bound and stuck with the unfortunate nickname 'Fish Tank'. Our main character Slip can't turn invisible like his dad (only black), but his brother might be worse off. He's got the turning invisible part down, but he can't see when he does.
Not only does Pritt saddle his characters with inconvenient and crazy-sauce abilities, but he uses them creatively and as great story devices. I feel like he was simultaneously poking good fun at the superhero genre and hitting it with a dose of reality that served the story well. Because if superheroes did exist, of course there would be some of these Supers stuck with in-between abilities. I think Pritt has found a clever niche in the genre.
My favorite power featured in this book has to be those of The Mind Writer, whose every word takes up permanent residence in the listener's brain. I love it because, on the surface, it didn't seem that impressive to me. To be completely honest, when this character was introduced, I thought it was kind of lame. But when that character pointed out that she had to watch every single word she ever said, because those words would never ever be forgotten, it exploded into one of the most interesting super powers I've seen. Plus, like so many of the other abilities, Pritt uses it to its greatest advantage.
My one great disappointment with this book was the amount of flat characters. I didn't feel like most of them stood very well on their own. Together, Slip and his six teammates have a great dynamic that capitalizes well on the underlying theme of teamwork, but on their own I didn't get a great sense of their personalities, aside from maybe Sugar and Hopper.
Slip especially lacked this needed depth and, for the main character, this was disappointing. I wanted a better sense of him because he had the potential of being a good character. I loved that everything goes wrong for him, but I wanted more depth from him to really feel the impact of it as a reader. So much of his story was told from an arm's length perspective, instead of the in-your-face, up close and personal depth I love, and I therefore had a hard time connecting with him. He's got plenty of good qualities and flaws -he's a nice guy, yet because of bad experiences has a tendency to expect the worst of people- but he lacks refined characterization to really bring him to life.
The Supes leaves a few things open-ended for a potential sequel, but it wraps up the story nicely so there are no gaps or cliffhangers.
April 10, 2017
REVIEW: The Supes by Matthew Pritt
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Summary:
Slip is a Super with the ability to turn invisible, except that every time he tries to turn completely invisible, he turns black. Which doesn't help very much when it comes to superhero missions. His dad is a famous Super known for being able to turn invisible and Slip's brother, Scout, is usually able to turn invisible but can't see when he's is. Slip is on Level 5 at SUPER(School for Underage Power Enhancement and Refinement) which is on his last chance of being able to pass his Super test, so it's now or never to figure out how to use his skill properly. Slip is paired up with a bunch of other kids who also struggle with their powers and team up together to help each other. Slip encounters many challenges throughout the book and learns to find strengths in his weaknesses. Together they face all sorts of new challenges they never thought they would see.
Opinion:
I really enjoyed this book. Going into it i was in a really bad book slump so i was really worried to read this, but it was action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It had a lot of laugh worthy moments and laugh worthy characters that made the books that much better. Even if i did think I had a plot twist figured out, i was completely surprised. It kinda reminds me of the movie Sky High but like 10x better. I also really enjoyed the character development throughout the whole book. It had an edge of romance that didn't distract from the story and edge of mystery. Although the ending was kinda confusing, it was so good and would recommend to anyone.
Rating:
8 1/2 out of 10
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Summary:
Slip is a Super with the ability to turn invisible, except that every time he tries to turn completely invisible, he turns black. Which doesn't help very much when it comes to superhero missions. His dad is a famous Super known for being able to turn invisible and Slip's brother, Scout, is usually able to turn invisible but can't see when he's is. Slip is on Level 5 at SUPER(School for Underage Power Enhancement and Refinement) which is on his last chance of being able to pass his Super test, so it's now or never to figure out how to use his skill properly. Slip is paired up with a bunch of other kids who also struggle with their powers and team up together to help each other. Slip encounters many challenges throughout the book and learns to find strengths in his weaknesses. Together they face all sorts of new challenges they never thought they would see.
Opinion:
I really enjoyed this book. Going into it i was in a really bad book slump so i was really worried to read this, but it was action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It had a lot of laugh worthy moments and laugh worthy characters that made the books that much better. Even if i did think I had a plot twist figured out, i was completely surprised. It kinda reminds me of the movie Sky High but like 10x better. I also really enjoyed the character development throughout the whole book. It had an edge of romance that didn't distract from the story and edge of mystery. Although the ending was kinda confusing, it was so good and would recommend to anyone.
Rating:
8 1/2 out of 10
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