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Summary
Summary
From the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Brotherhood
The super hero book you need to read right now!
"An enjoyable, exciting, and action-packed read... at its core, just fun." -Associated Press
An extraordinary and emotional adventure about unlikely friends and the power of choosing who you want to be.
Jamie woke up in an empty apartment with no memory and only a few clues to his identity, but with the ability to read and erase other people's memories--a power he uses to hold up banks to buy coffee, cat food and books.
Zoe is also searching for her past, and using her abilities of speed and strength...to deliver fast food. And she'll occasionally put on a cool suit and beat up bad guys, if she feels like it.
When the archrivals meet in a memory-loss support group, they realize the only way to reveal their hidden pasts might be through each other. As they uncover an ongoing threat, suddenly much more is at stake than their fragile friendship. With countless people at risk, Zoe and Jamie will have to recognize that sometimes being a hero starts with trusting someone else--and yourself.
Don't miss this Most Anticipated New Science Fiction and Fantasy novel as chosen by:
CNN * Elle Magazine * Buzzfeed * Goodreads * Io9 * LitHub Bookmarks * BookRiot * BookBub * The Nerd Daily * GeekTyrant
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Chen (Here and Now and Then) delivers a fun, fast-moving superhero adventure that sees supervillain Mind Robber (aka Jamie Sorenson) continually running into vigilante Throwing Star (aka Zoe Wong) at inconvenient moments--first when he's mid--bank robbery, and later at the San Delgado Memory Loss & Dementia Support Group. There they discover they share an uncommon backstory: both lost their memories two years ago, waking in strange apartments to find a one-year lease from 2D Industries and a note detailing their superpowers. Zoe's desperate to know who she was before as proof that she's "more than just a weapon," while Jamie's focused on committing enough robberies to realize his dream of an early retirement. Zoe offers to help Jamie pull off his biggest heist yet if he'll use his mind manipulation powers to restore her memories. But when Jamie sees himself in Zoe's mind, he's sucked into an investigation of his own past and how it intersected with Zoe's. Chen's creative spin on the standard hero/villain origin story zips along--and unfortunately speeds past an enormous plot hole, offering a less than satisfactory explanation for the motivations and operations of 2D Industries. Still, fans of the genre will enjoy how thoroughly and gleefully Chen ticks off the checklist of superhero tropes. Agent: Eric Smith, P.S. Literary. (Jan.)
Booklist Review
In this vivid story, supervillain Mind Robber and superhero Throwing Star recognize each other at a support group for people with memory loss. Two years prior, they both woke up with no memory, but with superpowers. Jamie has been robbing banks so that he and his cat, Normal, can move to a tropical locale; between drinking heavily and delivering fast food, Zoe has been dishing out vigilante justice. Now, they both try and uncover the conspiracy that created them. The heart of Chen's latest (after A Beginning at the End, 2020) lies in Zoe's stubborn, impulsive attitude, and Jamie's practical, grounded approach. Their richly developed characters and the inner workings of their friendship root the action as the plot dives and twists. Chen's novels always put character first, and We Could Be Heroes is no different, inspiring fierce loyalty to both protagonists as they run spy operations into a mad scientist's lab, encounter blue electric men, and try to keep each other alive while figuring out their origins. The growth of these flawed but relatable super-people power this fast read.
Library Journal Review
Jamie Sorenson has superpowers. As the Mind Robber, he has been robbing banks and saving the money to get away from San Delgado and its new hero, the Throwing Star. As the Throwing Star, Zoe Wong figures at least she can pound on some bad guys while she tries to figure herself out. These two enemies have one thing in common: neither of them have any memories from before two years ago. When Jamie runs into Zoe at a memory-loss support group, they discover their pasts may be linked, and the search for answers will lead them into a deep conspiracy of medical experiments and memory wipes that threatens their city and more. Each has reasons to mistrust the other, but it will take breaking down boundaries--and pounding on more bad guys--to find their paths to true power. Interesting characters and solid pacing enliven this superhero story with twists. VERDICT Chen's (A Beginning at the End) writing wraps hard topics with heartfelt and humorous prose, creating a delightful novel of the steps and missteps of power, friendship, and trust.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton