Book Review: School for Sidekicks by Kelly McCullough

School for Sidekicks

by Kelly McCullough

Blurb: Being a hero isn't always what it's cracked up to be in this funny and genuine novel from adult fantasy author Kelly McCullough.

Evan Quick is a GIANT superhero geek who dreams of one day becoming a superhero himself. Every morning he checks to see if he's developed his powers overnight, and every day there's nothing. No flying, no super strength, no invulnerability—that always hurts to check—no telepathy, no magic. Not even the ability to turn off the alarm clock without smacking the switch.

But then Evan somehow manages to survive a supervillian's death ray, and is sent to the Academy for Metahuman Operatives. Unfortunately, his new school is not what he expected, and instead of fighting bad guys, Evan finds himself blacklisted, and on the wrong side of the school's director. If Evan ever wants to realize his dream, he must convince his "mentor" Foxman, a semi-retired has-been, to become a real hero once again.

Cover Review: This cover is very dynamic and shiny. It instantly makes you think of superheroes, even without the title to give it away. It also uses mostly primary colors, which is a staple of superhero costuming.

Plot: This was a hard-to-put-down book. The plot kept you fully engaged the whole time as you followed Evan and his pursuit of becoming a mask. There were superheroes, super villains, sidekicks, and bases in unexpected places (read it to find out where). I did feel like it was a bit rushed in places, and confusing in others, both of which could have been easily fixed.

Characters: The two characters you get to know the best are Evan and Foxman, so let's talk about them first. Evan is your basic nerd and I thought he was a fun character. A bit annoying sometimes because he wouldn't listen to others (but then, what thirteen year old boy does?). I loved his imminent danger banter mouth especially, along with his character arc.

Foxman was a Batman knock-off, only more dramatic. I loved him. Nice and flawed. Plus, everything he had was made fox-like and his computer, Denmother, was cool. He was a great mentor for Evan.

The rest of the characters, the sidekicks especially, were pretty forgettable. I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. Plus, some of their powers were just weird? And then there was the whole plot twist with the headmistress that didn't make a lot of sense. But at least the two major characters were good.

World: This is a world where superheroes are normal, which I think is awesome. There was a lot of worldbuilding in the super department, but not as much in the normal area. The science was a bit iffy, but isn't it always in this sort of thing?

Other: I enjoyed the themes of growing up and responsibility that the book addressed. Evan had to learn to fend for himself and what growing-up means and I think he handled it fairly well, for a thirteen year old.

Rating: 4 stars

Have you read this book? What is your favorite thing about superhero novels? Tell me in the comments.

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