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Summary
Summary
X-Men meets Marissa Meyer's Renegades when New York Times bestselling author of the Uglies series Scott Westerfeld teams up with award-winning authors Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti for this explosive trilogy filled with "cinematic nonstop action," ( Booklist ) about six teens with unique abilities.
Don't call them heroes.
But these six Californian teens have powers that set them apart.
Take Ethan, a.k.a. Scam. He's got a voice inside him that'll say whatever you want to hear, whether it's true or not. Which is handy, except when it isn't--like when the voice starts gabbing in the middle of a bank robbery. The only people who can help are the other Zeroes, who aren't exactly best friends these days.
Enter Nate, a.k.a. Bellwether, the group's "glorious leader." After Scam's SOS, he pulls the scattered Zeroes back together. But when the recue blows up in their faces, the Zeroes find themselves propelled into whirlwind encounters with ever more dangerous criminals. At the heart of the chaos they find Kelsie, who can take a crowd in the palm of her hand and tame it or let it loose as she pleases.
Filled with high-stakes action and drama, Zeroes unites three powerhouse authors for the opening installment of a thrilling new series.
Author Notes
Scott Westerfeld was born in Dallas, Texas on May 5, 1963. He received a degree in philosophy from Vassar College in 1985. Before becoming a full time writer, he held several jobs including factory worker, software designer, editor, and substitute teacher. His works for young adults include the Uglies series, the Midnighters series, and The Last Days. He is the co-author of the Zeroes series written with Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti. He also writes science fiction novels for adults. He has won numerous awards including a Special Citation for the 2000 Philip K. Dick Award for Evolution's Darling, a Victorian Premier's Award for So Yesterday, and an Aurealis Award for The Secret Hour.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (6)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Westerfeld (Afterworlds), Lanagan (Yellowcake), and Biancotti (Bad Power) weave a sprawling adventure about a group of superpowered teenagers who call themselves Zeroes. When one of their number, named Scam for his ability to tell people exactly what he needs them to hear, is detained after being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the others reunite after months apart, some less eager than others. Events quickly escalate, and soon half the group is in hiding, while the authorities and the mob hunt for them. The plot meanders, but the authors give their characters plenty of depth, skillfully blending human dilemmas with superhuman abilities. With the exception of Crash, who can bring down technology with a thought, these aren't flashy, cinematic powers; subtle yet powerful, they largely revolve around coercion and manipulation. Mob and Bellweather can influence the emotions of crowds; Anonymous is nearly impossible to perceive or remember; and blind Flicker telepathically sees through the eyes of those around her. With action, romance, and thorny ethical questions, it's a book with a little something for everyone. Ages 14-up. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Each of the five teens in the Zeroes has a unique supernatural ability; Thibault, for instance, is impossible for people to remember or even notice without serious effort. Leader Nate (Bellwether) gives the Zeroes code namesThibaults is Anonymousand runs simulated training missions (training for what, exactly, is not immediately clear, and never really becomes so). An opportunity for a real mission arises when a Zero gets himself into serious trouble: Ethan (Scam) uses his preternaturally persuasive voice first to obtain a duffel bag full of cash, and then again in an ill-advised attempt to outmaneuver some bank robbers. The Zeroes jail-break Ethan, whos being questioned by the police, and in the process they cross paths with Kelsie, another gifted teen. At five-hundred-plus pages, with six main characters stories to follow (the third-person chapters rotate perspective), this series opener occasionally struggles to maintain its pace, although curiosity about the various characters and how their storylines relateprior to the introduction of the Zeroes as a teamwill keep pages turning. Theres plenty of time to flesh out each of the teens individual motivations, their unusual abilities, and the repercussions of using these powers carelessly: with great power comes greatyou know. katie bircher (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Science fiction powerhouse writers Westerfeld, Lanagan, and Biancotti join forces to create a group of teen superheroes living in Cambria, California. Socially awkward misfits, the six protagonists have powers ranging from crowd control, the ability to crash computer systems, a voice that can talk anybody into anything, and more. Glorious Leader Nate uses his powers of persuasion to reunite the group after a disastrous rant by Ethan (code name Scam) in which he alienates every member. They succeed in rescuing Scam from police questioning and acquire a sixth member in the process. There is a comfortably predictable flow to the cinematic, nonstop action; the multiple and intersecting story lines; and the archetypal characters. These heroes see themselves as zeroes, but by the story's end, they have realized their powers are in fact valuable gifts, formed alliances and romances within the group, and seem poised for more adventures. It's a fat but quick read, with an abrupt ending that will leave fans ready for a sequel. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Westerfeld's name alone draws a crowd, following the success of his Uglies series, Leviathan series, and Afterworlds (2014). Add Printz Honor Book author Lanagan, Biancotti, and a major marketing campaign to the mix, and this collaboration will fly off the shelf.--Carton, Debbie Copyright 2015 Booklist
Bookseller Publisher Review
"Co-authored books often raise alarm bells for readers, with many examples of great ideas poorly executed. Thankfully Zeroes manages to overcome any scepticism with a well-crafted plot and some pretty amazing characters. There are six main characters in Zeroes. Each character has a different superpower that can be both a benefit and hindrance (hence the 'Zeroes' rather than 'Heroes' of the title). Each character also covers particular personality traits--confident, shy, dishonest, self-serving, honest--without being overly stereotypical, and readers will be intrigued to know which characters were written by which author. The plot weaves together the story arcs of the characters, exploring situations that many teenagers will relate to at one time or other, such as the character who while not invisible is so non-memorable they might as well be. There are a couple of farfetched scenarios but we're dealing with superpowers so it's kind of a moot point. Zeroes is a really good book that will have wide appeal thanks to its breadth of characters. It's the first of a series that I think has the ability to attract the same following as Scott Westerfeld's 'Uglies' series. Tanya Caunce is a former bookshop owner and current bookclub wrangler "
School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Ethan, known as Scam, has a unique ability to say things he doesn't consciously even know. The voice doesn't always tell the truth, though. When it lies and drops him in a mess, he has to ask for help from the "Zeroes," a group of teens with their own abilities. Westerfeld, Lanagan, and Biancotti team up to tell a story about a diverse group of regular kids who happen to have superpowers, and they expose the consequences of having these fantastic abilities while throwing in some romance, a little action, and a dash of humor. The characters could have used a little more development, but the story is well paced and the plot engaging. Amber Benson provides a solid narration, enhancing the ensemble story. VERDICT Fans of Westerfeld and YA sci fi will enjoy. ["For fans of superhero fiction looking for a character-driven tale and those who enjoy stellar writing": SLJ 7/15 starred review of the Simon Pulse book.]-Denise A. Garofalo, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A sextet of mutant superhero teenagers just want to be safe in this weighty tome. Last summer, Ethan had so antagonized his fellow Zeroes that their friendship ended. Now his own carelessness has made him a material witness in a bank robbery, and only the Zeroes can rescue him. Ethan, you see, has a secret power: "the voice." The voice knows more than Ethan himself ever could and uses Ethan's mouth to tell people what they need to hear in order to get Ethan out of the frying panthough there's often a nearby fire. The other Zeroes have equally strange abilities, including Nigerian-American Chizara's ability to crash the myriad technological gadgets that cause her chronic pain; rich, Latino Nate's "Glorious Leader" charisma; and blind, white Riley's (overdone and too-obvious) extraordinary vision. The teens undergo no particular quest; the story's driving force is the desire to escape drug-dealing mobsters. Given the fizz superhero teens could contribute to any narrative, this tome is oddly weighty in both tone and heft. These solidly characterized 16- and 17-year-olds all have younger siblings who seem quirky enough for sequel-bait; hopefully they won't become more noise in the already-crowded premise. In this series opener by three acclaimed authors, intriguing protagonists and cinematic powers will surely please adventure fans who don't mind an ensemble developed at the expense of the individual. (Science fiction. 13-15) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
Zeroes CHAPTER 1 SCAM "MORE COFFEE?" Ethan jumped. It'd been a long night. "Okay." The waitress wasn't even listening, the coffee pot dipping toward Ethan's cup. Which was fine. The coffee was crap and he was already wired, but it gave him an excuse to keep sitting there. He'd spent the last two hours hunched in a back booth of the Moonstruck Diner, staring out the window at the Cambria Central Bank. It was right across the street, and it opened at eight. "Want anything else?" the waitress asked. "I'm good. Thanks." He drank some more coffee. Still crap. At least the bitter java gave him a reason to seem jumpy. Nobody would look at him and say, "Hey, that kid is real jumpy. Must have something to do with the army-green duffel bag under his feet." Nope. Nobody would blame the bag. He glanced around the diner. Everyone was wrapped up in their own six a.m. thoughts. Nobody was even looking at him. Okay, one girl was looking at him. But she glanced away like she'd been caught staring. So apart from that one cute girl at the front of the diner, nobody was looking at him. Besides, this was the middle of Main Street. Nobody would come rolling in to seize Ethan and his bag and haul them both out into the dawn. Nothing bad ever happened here in Cambria, California, population half a million during a college term. The diner was filling up with delivery guys on breaks, respectable citizens in suits, and the occasional group of clubbers winding down. All Ethan had to do was watch the bank and wait for the doors to open. Easy. As long as the waiting didn't kill him. "More coffee?" "Seriously, it's been five minutes. Can you stop with the coffee?" The waitress looked stung. "Sorry," Ethan said. But she was already gone. He pulled the duffel bag up and wedged it into a corner of the booth like a makeshift pillow. Which was pretty funny, given what was in the bag. It was the stuff in the bag that was keeping him awake. That, and the people looking for it. He'd always known the voice would do this one day--get him into serious trouble. The voice didn't care about consequences. The voice didn't weigh up the pros and cons and then say, "Hey, Ethan, this is how you can get what you want." The voice wasn't sentient like that; it wasn't smart. It didn't negotiate. The voice just went for it. It lied and lied, and most of the time Ethan didn't even know where the lies came from when they poured out of his mouth. How did the voice know half that stuff? But Ethan had always known that one day he'd pay for all those lies. Right now he was hoping today was not that day. Excerpted from Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
