... excellent ... Chen is a writer that effortlessly takes lofty concepts and whittles them down to reveal the human stories within. This novel could easily have been the psychological ramifications of messing with a person’s mind, and how taxing it can be to live a super life in a world of regular people. Instead, Chen deftly maneuvers his characters and his stories to be about human issues: identity, belonging, self-worth, self-awareness, guilt, and redemption are just some of the many currents running through this book. In some ways, the superheroics in this book are not the focus (though Chen does write a good action sequence) but are often more of a side effect of larger stakes ... Jamie and Zoe are two well-drawn characters, and even with the challenge of not knowing who they are themselves, Chen does a wonderful job of telling us as the story unfolds ... Chen infuses this story with charm, kindness, action, heroics, and enough grounding touches of humanity that reminds you that for all the bullets they can catch and all the memories they can erase, Jamie and Zoe are just people trying to figure out who they are, who they were, and ultimately as this information is gleaned, who they want to be ... There is a level of breeziness and humor, of camp and wit that sparkles throughout the book, with just enough tongue-in-cheek and knowing nods and references to make a reader grin, but not enough to detract from the momentum of the story or lower the seriousness of the stakes ... If there are some slight stumbles here and there, it’s only for the breathless pace Chen sets or hurdles of the story he’s telling ... a wonderful examination of humanity, relationships, identities, and how when we work together, we’re better for it.
The book is an overall enjoyable, exciting, and action-packed read. Zoe and Jamie may possess superhuman abilities, but the challenges they endure together are profoundly human ... The mystery of Jamie and Zoe’s real identities is intriguing and will keep you wanting more. At times, however, the plot feels a little slow, especially toward the end once the answers begin to unfold. Nevertheless, We Could Be Heroes is an engaging story of good versus evil versus something in between. It is, at it’s core, just fun.
We Could be Heroes by Mike Chen is a refreshing, light take on the superhero origin story ... heartfelt interactions and charming dialogue are the backbone of We Could Be Heroes ... a well written, elegantly structured tale of joy and friendship.
Interesting characters and solid pacing enliven this superhero story with twists ... 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.
... vivid ... The heart of Chen’s latest 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.
... propulsive, entertaining ... Heroes displays Chen’s skill at portraying paranormal characters who are convincingly complex human beings ... The quest for identities — and for human connection — is what drives We Could Be Heroes ... Pacing and intelligence are key in sci-fi suspense, and Heroes is both brainy and fast on its feet. Chen also has a nicely comic touch with aspects of 21st century living ... What’s most striking about We Can Be Heroes is that it’s a dystopian novel that is more sunny than dystopian, warmed by the friendship that grows between Zoe and Jamie. Together they discover their pasts are more troubled than they knew, and that troubled pasts can be overcome.
Chen delivers a fun, fast-moving superhero adventure ... 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.
