ALA Booklist (Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Twelve-year-old Jack Blank's life is just that ank. An orphan at St. Barnaby's Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost, Jack has no memory of his past or his real name. After destroying a zombie robot in a freak accident, Jack is rescued from the orphanage by an android emissary from the Imagine Nation, Jack's native homeland, where superheroes, aliens, and ninjas all live together. Unfortunately, Jack's homecoming is short-lived, as he is discovered to be infected with a deadly robot virus. Yet Jack isn't sick, and he soon learns that his inexplicable immunity to the virus is only a part of his superpowers. While Jack learns to control his powers, he also learns that the zombie robots that invaded Imagine Nation years ago never left the island and are looking for him. Myklusch's debut novel fun mix of adventure, fantasy, and science fiction an imaginative read and will easily attract young male readers longing to be from another world.

Horn Book (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Orphan Jack has few prospects--until being carried off on a voyage where he must figure out who he is while protecting himself from an alien horde. The story is essentially a comic book adventure in novel form, with superheroes and advanced technology to be found in spades. Though the tale's action quickens its pace, the book is still too long.

Kirkus Reviews

A talky ending leaves a forgiveable blemish on this semisatirical debut tale of a young foundling learning to harness a real superpower while setting out to uncover his obscure past. Years of poring over a stash of tattered comics left at the door of his New Jersey orphanage at least partially ease Jack's adjustment when he's suddenly attacked by a heavily armed warrior robot and then hustled off to the Imagine Nation—a floating island entirely populated by superheroes and reachable only by Those Who Believe. Though the Nation is rapidly turning into a police state thanks to a (pointedly familiar) climate of media-fostered fear in the wake of an attempted invasion by the alien race of robo-zombie Rustov, Jack does gather enough support both to survive the public revelation that his own bloodstream is crawling with Rustov nanobots and, thanks to his burgeoning ability to understand and make friends with machines, to steel himself for a second battle with the aforementioned metal warrior. Though Myklusch prefers diatribes and explanations to exploring the ins and outs of this comic-book world, he creates a beguiling, sequel-worthy scenario. (Fantasy. 11-13)

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

Myklusch%E2%80%99s debut is an ambitious, no-holds-barred adventure that makes effective use of some familiar tropes. Orphan Jack Blank%E2%80%99s dismal life in a New Jersey orphanage comes to an explosive end after a robot from a favorite comic book proves all too real and attempts to destroy him. Narrowly surviving the battle, 12-year-old Jack is rescued by the fast-talking Jazen Knight and taken to his true home%E2%80%94the hidden island of the Imagine Nation, where anything is possible, but which is also fast becoming a surveillance state. When Revile, the deadliest R%C3%BCstov, attacks the city and sheds light on Jack%E2%80%99s origins, Jack must master his new powers to forge his own destiny. There%E2%80%99s some clunky exposition and common themes aplenty (lonely orphan discovers superhuman powers, is both honored and ostracized, and is inextricably linked to a powerful enemy). But the exuberance and anything-goes whimsy of this story%E2%80%94enhanced by a light, comic book sensibility along with questions it raises about fate, corporate power, and heroism%E2%80%94make this a concept with potential. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. (Aug.)

School Library Journal (Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Gr 5-8 Jack Blank's dull life as a 12-year-old orphan ends when he is attacked by a mechanical monster, then whisked off to the Imagine Nation, a floating island populated by superheroes. The boy makes a few friends and several enemies, explores the parameters of his own newfound superpowers, and tries to uncover the mystery of his origin. The backstory of the Imagine Nation takes a while to develop but ultimately pays off in a richly imagined world with strong appeal to fans of comics. The island is populated by a fun cast of heroes and villains, many of whom Jack already knows about from the comic books he loves to read. Brisk narration captures the superhero world with a mixture of fast-paced action, wry humor, and occasional heartfelt speeches about courage and friendship. Jack's destined role in a looming alien invasion is revealed gradually and quite effectively, and he becomes a more interesting protagonist as he learns more about himself. Several surprising plot twists toward the end lead to some serious moral struggles, along with just the right amount of plasma blasts, fusion cannons, and major explosions that make up the engaging scenes of super-battles. Most of the supporting characters are largely defined by their hero personae, but these are varied enough to make all of them interesting. The fairly ubiquitous premise of an ordinary boy with hidden powers is used here with originality and purpose, with especially careful plotting that leads to an exciting and thought-provoking conclusion. Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR