Original superhero world. A bit episodic, but interesting characters and an intriguing premise for superheroes (which function like professional sports teams in a league). A few typos and could use a little editing, but well worth the money. ( )

In this story it is the year 2013 and super hero teams are like Major League Sports teams. While hero teams are government funded (to handle threats to big for police) that only covers about half the costs. The other half comes from corporate sponsors. Each team has a business office which is very concerned with public relations, team rankings, new costumes, contract negotiations and the spring Supers Draft when members of the teen leagues turn pro.

Of course not everyone makes it onto an official hero team. Some hire themselves out as private security, some become mercenaries or villains, and some choose to operate independently, fighting the crimes too “small” for the hero teams. These independent operators are the Vigilantes. Most people view them as “hero wanabees” with either powers too weak to join an official hero team, or no powers and just enough training and gadgets to make them dangerous.

This book takes place in an alternate history with a significant amount of backstory. Apparently sometime in the early to mid-twentieth century (when our world was fighting World War One and/or Two) the earth was taken over by aliens. Humanity prevailed but some alien tech was left behind (including some captured alien scientists) and mutants happen, but all of that was many decades in the past.

The primary focus is The West Pacific Supers, whose base is on West Pacific Island, off the coast of California (which I am assuming is Not-Catalina Island). At the start of the book they are ranked #6 in the West Coast Conference, and have spot #5 in the Supers Draft to pick a new team member. Unfortunately there is a bit of undercurrent in the team because two senior team members each want to pick someone they can train to be their replacement, so they can retire. An unexpected attack changes all those plans.

I enjoyed this book very much, and once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. The humor in the book is ironic without going all the way into satire. The characters are well thought out and believable. There are a dozen supporting characters that are as interesting as the West Pacific Supers themselves. I look forward to the next book.

Fans of the “Velveteen vs.” stories by Seanan McGuire, or “Playing for Keeps” by Mur Lafferty should read this book.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in return for agreeing to write a review.

The West Pacific Supers of the title are a team of professional superheroes. They have stage names like Cosmic Kid, Blue Star and White Knight, they have superhero costumes and, at times, some terribly corny lines.

All of that may sound like something of a farce, but it works surprisingly well. This is an X-Men style version of 2013, where some humans are born mutants with peculiar, powerful abilities. They’re unusual, but not that rare: there are several teams of superheroes that operate like top sports teams, with sponsorships and top celebrity status. It’s amusing, and largely believable; it’s not hard to imagine that mutant superhero status would go that way, if such a thing existed.

Of course, for every superhero there’s a supervillain and a corresponding supercrime-in-the-making. The West Pacific Supers are having a difficult year: disaster after disaster leaves them short on team members and up against impressive odds. Can they work past their differences to save the day?

I think this scenario works because it’s possible to see the Supers as real people, not just costumes. There’s a great deal about their personal lives in this long book, probably too much – it threatens to drown the main action after a while. But I didn’t mind, because the authors avoided sinking into melodrama, and the Supers don’t take themselves too seriously for the most part. The story reads like the chronicles of the team over one Season, covering their interpersonal issues (of which there are quite a lot) as well as their supercharged action-filled crime-fighting escapades.

The villains were interesting too. I suppose there are superscientists to go with all the rest of the superness, and they’re up to no good. I liked Dr B the best; he seemed so oddly oblivious to most of what was happening, thoroughly deluded about his own role in any of it, and yet believably brilliant as a borderline genius scientist. It seems he may reappear in the next book, which makes me happy.

The book is very light-hearted in some respects – you can’t have all your characters walking about in superhero suits and write a perfectly serious book – but it isn’t a farce. The characters are strong, but not immortal, and the dangers are very real. The teams frequently lose members and West Pacific is no different; not all of them will make it to the end. The losses are affecting, but the balance between pain and humour is good.

Overall, not a perfect book but really enjoyable. I’m definitely game for the sequel. ( )