ALA Booklist

Teens Abby, Roz, "Thunder," and Lance are matched against an enigmatic group of superpowered fanatics, known only as the Helotry, who are bent on bringing an ancient warrior forward 4,000 years through time to rule again. Granted, the teens possess superpowers themselves cluding Lance, who has the ability to talk his way out of anything. With the adult population crippled by a Helotry-created virus, will the teens' combined powers be enough to simultaneously stop the spread of the virus and the near-immortal Krodin? Carroll has created a prequel to his popular Quantum Prophecy series that will have fans cheering. This time the superheroic swashbuckling is told in chapters that alternate the point of view between each of the teens and the ancient bad guy, Krodin. Readers can dive right in without having read the trilogy, but chances are that once they start, they'll want to finish all four books. Fast paced and occasionally funny, this book will also appeal to readers of David Klass' Caretaker Trilogy and the armies of X-Men fans.

Horn Book

When a man-made plague incapacitates the world's adults, a group of adolescent superheroes (plus one teenage con-man) takes on the organization that created the illness. The teens find themselves facing formidable opponents, including the resurrected first superhuman. Though the omniscient narrative voice is sometimes disorienting, Carroll creates a good balance of humor, adventure, and action.

Kirkus Reviews

When the adults mysteriously fall sick, it's up to telekinetic Roz Dalton and her motley collection of burgeoning teen superheroes to defend the world against the machinations of the Helotry, a shadowy organization dedicated to returning the deadly Fifth King, an ancient superhuman that fought for the Assyrians against Egypt 5,000 years ago, to power. Packed with extended fighting scenes, soaring flights and vicious battles of wit, Carroll's adventure honors the best of superhero narratives. The empowered teens take to their powers quickly, with any turmoil over the use of their abilities happening off the page, which keeps the momentum going. However, a disposable romance and the author's heavy hand in portraying moral absolutism hamper the overall tale. The supervillains appear disconnected from their nature; they are reluctant to use their abilities, making their ruthless reputations undeserved. Though this may help propel the plot, the author provides insufficient character back story to support such a contradiction. Decently executed superhero fare, but it doesn't rise up, up and away. (Action. YA)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Carroll's alternate version of our world includes superpowered heroes and villains, but even they are falling victim to a global epidemic. Or at least the adults are%E2%80%94teenagers, superhuman or not, are immune. So when a group called the Helotry plans to resurrect an ancient, invincible superhuman named Krodin, the only people in their way are a handful of teenagers. These include telekinetic Roz; superstrong Abby; Thunder, who manipulates sound waves; and a con artist named Lance. But they have little experience using their powers, and none working as a team. Balancing abundant action with moments of introspection, Carroll's (the Quantum Prophecy trilogy) exuberant prose is just right for setting, story, and characters alike%E2%80%94this is basically a novel-length superhero comic, sans illustrations, and should easily appeal to fans of the X-Men, Justice League, etc. The young heroes are both brave and terrified, often acting solely because it's the only way to save their families. They're clever, yet make mistakes, which casts them in a more realistic light. Ages 10%E2%80%93up. (May)

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9 Nearly 4500 years ago, the Fifth Kinga godlike, violent man who brought the entire known world under his rulevanished from his palace balcony in full view of hundreds of his subjects. Now, in the present-day United States, a group calling themselves the Helotry is determined to bring him back. These fanatics create a plague that affects adults all over the world, including the contemporary superheroes who had the best chance of stopping them. But the Helotry has not counted on opposition from a newly formed group of teen superheroes (and one &4;normal&4; but extremely clever and resourceful 14-year-old) unaffected by the plague and determined to use their powers to save the day. The characters are introduced at a rapid-fire pace that may be difficult for less advanced readers to follow, and the book&9;s ending is somewhat abrupt. However, the continuous action and entertaining interactions among the teen protagonists will likely win over some fans of superhero comics and adventure novels.— Hayden Bass, Seattle Public Library, WA

Voice of Youth Advocates

Into the ordinary, unsuspecting small town of Fairview, South Dakota, comes a force of extraordinary evil. The Helotry are trying to resurrect Krodin, a notoriously cruel, nearly indestructible ruler who lived over four thousand years ago. They removed the threat of adult intervention, including the superheroes and superhumans, by creating a virus rendering everyone over eighteen too sick to fight. But they didn't plan for the four young teens left standing as the adults around them fell ill. Three are superhumans, with the skills of extreme strength, telekinesis, and manipulation of sound. The fourth teen, although an ordinary human, has an innate criminal intelligence that makes him invaluable. Can these teens form a team that will save the world?