Gen 13: Version 2.0

Sholly Fisch

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

Greenwich Village is the perfect place for five disaffected, super-powered renegade teens. But when they get attacked by the meanest bunch of genetically souped-up twelve year olds they'd ever seen, they stand to lose a lot more than their cool.

Review by Paul Lappen (260104) Rating (8/10)

Review by Paul Lappen
Rating 8/10
Based on a comic book series, this novel is about five young people, recruited by the US Government into a secret program. Going through very specialized training, including genetic engineering to bring out their talents, they became part of an organization called I.O. (International Operations) and travelled the world, working for America. That is, until the day they left I.O. with the help of renegade agent and went out on their own.

Sarah, also known as Rainmaker, is able to manipulate the weather. Bobby, aka Burnout, is able to turn himself into a ball of flame. Roxy (Freefall) can manipulate gravity. Grunge's ability is to temporarily take on the physical characteristics of whatever he touches, be it metal, water or rubber. Fairchild, the "leader" of the group (first name Caitlin), is impervious to things like bullets fired at her.

Halfway to a Bachelor's degree in computers from Princeton when I.O. came calling, Fairchild finds herself at an emotional crossroads. Is this all there is to life? She yearns for a more normal life, like a regular job and a place in the suburbs. She is not the only one with personal stuff going on. Sort of leaving the group, Fairchild goes on a bunch of job interviews. She is disgusted to find that people are more interested in her body than her brain.

Around this time, Gen 13 is attacked by someone who knows them inside and out. A devious plan is hatched to take over the world, with help from a stolen Trident nuclear missile. This individual has created a new group of seemingly indestructible genetically engineered people with strange abilities called Gen 14. With Fairchild temporarily absent, things are not looking good for Gen 13 in the battle with their "descendants."

Obviously, fans of the Gen 13 series and comic book fans in general need this novel. For everyone else, this is lighter summertime-type reading that is perfect for the beach or pool. It's very much worth it.
Paul Lappen (26th January 2004)