Failstate

“Don’t worry, ma’am, help is on the way.” I pulled out my cell phone. I’d have to destroy it after calling the cops, but it was a disposable phone, easy to replace. No one could trace the call back to Robin Laughlin. “Failstate?” The victim’s voice, weak and thready, was all too familiar. I turned toward the woman and my mouth ran dry. Staring up at me, blood spattered across her mask and face, was Lux.

Book: Failstate by John Otte, Marcher Lord Press, 2012

Genre: Fantasty

Target Audience: Boys 13-19

Subjects: Gifts/talents/skills, unity, teamwork, good vs. evil

Summary: Having superpowers is hard enough, but when Robin and his brother join a reality tv show with others who have superheros, competing for a license to be a full superhero, life gets even harder. Then a tragic death of a team member changes his perspective on everything. Determined to find her killer he undergoes an investigation that could cost him everything – the girl he likes, his already shaky relationship with his mom and brother, a new friendship, and possibly even his very life.

Notes: This is something I haven’t seen before: a comic book type story but with no pictures. It’s all novel – 316 pages! It’s the story of characters who superpowers who try to live normal lives most of the time. It takes place in a world that has set laws about how to deal with those with superpowers. The spiritual emphasis comes primarily in Robin learning that he can’t hold himself up as better than everyone else and judge others, but truly does need their help. He is sitting in Church, harboring anger and unforgiveness against others, when the pastor teaches on James 2. Robin allows God to work in his heart and change his attitude. Rather than a ton of spiritual elements throughout the book, it’s like that is the climax of the story – everything built up to that point and that point changes everything. As for other elements, there isn’t a lot of graphic description of violence – some – but not as much as you might expect from this style of story. I highly recommend this story to those looking for a good adventure/comic book kind of story that teaches the truths of Scripture.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

1 Corinthians 1:10 – I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Check out the rest of Team Novel Team’s Posts on Failstate:

ADD Librarian • The Book Fae • Bookworm Reading • Books I Recommend • Colorimetry • CTF Devourer • Fiction Fire • Gillian Adams • Hornspoon Reviews • My Story Shelf • The Pen and Parchment • Jill Williamson • Virtuous Girlhood

Check out John’s blog. http://leastread.blogspot.com/