koalathebear's review against another edition
4.0
I thought that this book was excellent. For a man, Clines writes his female characters as sympathetically and as well as his male characters. I thought that this book contained a lot of suspense, pathos and the super hero element was very interesting to me. I intend to read it again.
shan198025's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it. I want more. First reading 10/12
Still love it. Second reading 2/16
Still love it. Second reading 2/16
kaytemi's review against another edition
2.0
DNF at 25%
The premise of this was massively appealing to me, superheroes and a zombie apocalypse. Unfortunately the writing did not captivate me, and the constant objectification of the women in the book was hugely frustrating.
The premise of this was massively appealing to me, superheroes and a zombie apocalypse. Unfortunately the writing did not captivate me, and the constant objectification of the women in the book was hugely frustrating.
bogdanbalostin's review against another edition
3.0
An extremely light read, fun, and stereotypical Hollywood B-grade superhero movie... with zombies. You'll have some fun if you like classic superheroes and zombie tropes mashed up together.
lessonz's review against another edition
2.0
Disclosure: I received this book as part of a giveaway on GoodReads.
This is like a poor novel adaptation of what probably would have been a pretty good graphic novel. I find myself thinking about how many of the characters are described as attractive and how I would have dismissed that if they were drawn as such. I think this is a natural and fair comparison as it seems pretty obvious the work was heavily influenced by the genre, even directly referencing The Watchmen, in an appropriately tongue-in-cheek way, at one point.
The interpersonal relationships are underdeveloped. Most of the character development is done in flashbacks. (So, in that way at least, a lot of the book is like a collection of origin stories. Given this is the first book in a series, I suppose that makes sense.) Some of the reveals are decent, but some are unfortunately cliché.
In the end, the cover copy is pretty spot on. If you love zombies, post-apocalypse, and super heroes, you’ll probably enjoy this one. If you’re looking for something new or different from what you’d get in most of stories containing those elements, well, this one is probably not for you.
This is like a poor novel adaptation of what probably would have been a pretty good graphic novel. I find myself thinking about how many of the characters are described as attractive and how I would have dismissed that if they were drawn as such. I think this is a natural and fair comparison as it seems pretty obvious the work was heavily influenced by the genre, even directly referencing The Watchmen, in an appropriately tongue-in-cheek way, at one point.
The interpersonal relationships are underdeveloped. Most of the character development is done in flashbacks. (So, in that way at least, a lot of the book is like a collection of origin stories. Given this is the first book in a series, I suppose that makes sense.) Some of the reveals are decent, but some are unfortunately cliché.
In the end, the cover copy is pretty spot on. If you love zombies, post-apocalypse, and super heroes, you’ll probably enjoy this one. If you’re looking for something new or different from what you’d get in most of stories containing those elements, well, this one is probably not for you.
ladypalutena's review against another edition
4.0
How would superheroes react to the zombie apocalypse? That’s the question behind Peter Clines’s Ex-series, the first of which is Ex-Heroes.
Upon the arrival of the zombie horde, ordinary humans wake up with the realization that they’ve gained superpowers of some sort. There’s the man who can generate electricity (who, slight spoiler alert, is hooked up to the main survivor city to generate their electricity), the one who has super speed (duh), and then there’s St. George, who’s pretty much impervious (but he’s not gonna test that against zombie teeth).
At first it appears that George, nicknamed by the “normal” humans (meaning the non-powered, non-zombified ones) St. George the Dragon, is the main character of the novel, but that quickly evolves throughout the book and its sequels to feature most of the other, still-living superheroes.
Yes, superheroes are affected by the zombie virus, too. As if worrying about the encroaching zombie horde wasn’t bad enough, now you’ve also got to worry about the superpowered zombies that unfortunately now reside within the horde.
We catch up with the survivors of the apocalypse about a year after the main event has occurred. As with most zombie stories, the main plotline is that the survivors, in their great walled city, are running out of resources. Someone has to go and collect those resources, and usually that someone is St. George or the other heroes. Their mission is also to search for survivors, or even another place to move their encampment (because being trapped in Los Angeles in the middle of the zombie apocalypse is not the greatest place to be).
The zombie threat is growing smarter, though, and its numbers are growing by the day, as more and more people succumb to the virus. There’s something running the zombies now, directing their every move, making them out to be more than just the mindless corpses that the heroes once thought them to be.
And then you find out who really caused the virus outbreak. And it’s a shocker.
If you’re a fan of superheroes, zombies, or science fiction in general, this novel (and its sequels!) should find itself a high place on your to-read list. The writing is pretty dang great (as I’ve read several of these in a day, because even though they’re thick, I was so entranced by them that I couldn’t put them down). The female characters aren’t just there for eye-candy, either…although the leader of the survivors, who may or may not actually have superpowers, is described as you would expect a man to describe a “vivacious” African-American female: “exotic.” Which, as we all know, is a terrible way to talk about anyone.
I promise you won’t be let down by this series. And if you are? Please, tell me why. I’m always open for a debate on books I love. It’s a recommended read at 3.5/5 stars. It’s not overly spectacular, but it got me hooked enough that I devoured three of these in one day. (You read that right.)
Upon the arrival of the zombie horde, ordinary humans wake up with the realization that they’ve gained superpowers of some sort. There’s the man who can generate electricity (who, slight spoiler alert, is hooked up to the main survivor city to generate their electricity), the one who has super speed (duh), and then there’s St. George, who’s pretty much impervious (but he’s not gonna test that against zombie teeth).
At first it appears that George, nicknamed by the “normal” humans (meaning the non-powered, non-zombified ones) St. George the Dragon, is the main character of the novel, but that quickly evolves throughout the book and its sequels to feature most of the other, still-living superheroes.
Yes, superheroes are affected by the zombie virus, too. As if worrying about the encroaching zombie horde wasn’t bad enough, now you’ve also got to worry about the superpowered zombies that unfortunately now reside within the horde.
We catch up with the survivors of the apocalypse about a year after the main event has occurred. As with most zombie stories, the main plotline is that the survivors, in their great walled city, are running out of resources. Someone has to go and collect those resources, and usually that someone is St. George or the other heroes. Their mission is also to search for survivors, or even another place to move their encampment (because being trapped in Los Angeles in the middle of the zombie apocalypse is not the greatest place to be).
The zombie threat is growing smarter, though, and its numbers are growing by the day, as more and more people succumb to the virus. There’s something running the zombies now, directing their every move, making them out to be more than just the mindless corpses that the heroes once thought them to be.
And then you find out who really caused the virus outbreak. And it’s a shocker.
If you’re a fan of superheroes, zombies, or science fiction in general, this novel (and its sequels!) should find itself a high place on your to-read list. The writing is pretty dang great (as I’ve read several of these in a day, because even though they’re thick, I was so entranced by them that I couldn’t put them down). The female characters aren’t just there for eye-candy, either…although the leader of the survivors, who may or may not actually have superpowers, is described as you would expect a man to describe a “vivacious” African-American female: “exotic.” Which, as we all know, is a terrible way to talk about anyone.
I promise you won’t be let down by this series. And if you are? Please, tell me why. I’m always open for a debate on books I love. It’s a recommended read at 3.5/5 stars. It’s not overly spectacular, but it got me hooked enough that I devoured three of these in one day. (You read that right.)
ladypalutena's review against another edition
4.0
How would superheroes react to the zombie apocalypse? That’s the question behind Peter Clines’s Ex-series, the first of which is Ex-Heroes.
Before the arrival of the zombie horde, ordinary humans wake up with the realization that they’ve gained superpowers of some sort. There’s the man who can generate electricity (who, slight spoiler alert, is hooked up to the main survivor city to generate their electricity), the one who has super speed (duh), and then there’s St. George, who’s pretty much impervious (but he’s not gonna test that against zombie teeth).
At first it appears that George, nicknamed by the “normal” humans (meaning the non-powered, non-zombified ones) St. George the Dragon, is the main character of the novel, but that quickly evolves throughout the book and its sequels to feature most of the other, still-living superheroes.
Yes, superheroes are affected by the zombie virus, too. As if worrying about the encroaching zombie horde wasn’t bad enough, now you’ve also got to worry about the superpowered zombies that unfortunately now reside within the horde.
We catch up with the survivors of the apocalypse about a year after the main event has occurred. As with most zombie stories, the main plotline is that the survivors, in their great walled city, are running out of resources. Someone has to go and collect those resources, and usually that someone is St. George or the other heroes. Their mission is also to search for survivors, or even another place to move their encampment (because being trapped in Los Angeles in the middle of the zombie apocalypse is not the greatest place to be).
The zombie threat is growing smarter, though, and its numbers are growing by the day, as more and more people succumb to the virus. There’s something running the zombies now, directing their every move, making them out to be more than just the mindless corpses that the heroes once thought them to be.
And then you find out who really caused the virus outbreak. And it’s a shocker.
If you’re a fan of superheroes, zombies, or science fiction in general, this novel (and its sequels!) should find itself a high place on your to-read list. The writing is pretty dang great (as I’ve read several of these in a day, because even though they’re thick, I was so entranced by them that I couldn’t put them down). The female characters aren’t just there for eye-candy, either…although the leader of the survivors, who may or may not actually have superpowers, is described as you would expect a man to describe a “vivacious” African-American female: “exotic.” Which, as we all know, is a terrible way to talk about anyone.
I promise you won’t be let down by this series. And if you are? Please, tell me why. I’m always open for a debate on books I love. It’s a recommended read at 3.5/5 stars. It’s not overly spectacular, but it got me hooked enough that I devoured three of these in one day. (You read that right.)
Originally published at https://booksareonlythebeginning.wordpress.com/2017/09/10/book-review-exheroes-by-peter-clines/
Before the arrival of the zombie horde, ordinary humans wake up with the realization that they’ve gained superpowers of some sort. There’s the man who can generate electricity (who, slight spoiler alert, is hooked up to the main survivor city to generate their electricity), the one who has super speed (duh), and then there’s St. George, who’s pretty much impervious (but he’s not gonna test that against zombie teeth).
At first it appears that George, nicknamed by the “normal” humans (meaning the non-powered, non-zombified ones) St. George the Dragon, is the main character of the novel, but that quickly evolves throughout the book and its sequels to feature most of the other, still-living superheroes.
Yes, superheroes are affected by the zombie virus, too. As if worrying about the encroaching zombie horde wasn’t bad enough, now you’ve also got to worry about the superpowered zombies that unfortunately now reside within the horde.
We catch up with the survivors of the apocalypse about a year after the main event has occurred. As with most zombie stories, the main plotline is that the survivors, in their great walled city, are running out of resources. Someone has to go and collect those resources, and usually that someone is St. George or the other heroes. Their mission is also to search for survivors, or even another place to move their encampment (because being trapped in Los Angeles in the middle of the zombie apocalypse is not the greatest place to be).
The zombie threat is growing smarter, though, and its numbers are growing by the day, as more and more people succumb to the virus. There’s something running the zombies now, directing their every move, making them out to be more than just the mindless corpses that the heroes once thought them to be.
And then you find out who really caused the virus outbreak. And it’s a shocker.
If you’re a fan of superheroes, zombies, or science fiction in general, this novel (and its sequels!) should find itself a high place on your to-read list. The writing is pretty dang great (as I’ve read several of these in a day, because even though they’re thick, I was so entranced by them that I couldn’t put them down). The female characters aren’t just there for eye-candy, either…although the leader of the survivors, who may or may not actually have superpowers, is described as you would expect a man to describe a “vivacious” African-American female: “exotic.” Which, as we all know, is a terrible way to talk about anyone.
I promise you won’t be let down by this series. And if you are? Please, tell me why. I’m always open for a debate on books I love. It’s a recommended read at 3.5/5 stars. It’s not overly spectacular, but it got me hooked enough that I devoured three of these in one day. (You read that right.)
Originally published at https://booksareonlythebeginning.wordpress.com/2017/09/10/book-review-exheroes-by-peter-clines/
markarubin's review against another edition
5.0
I was concerned about starting this because I wasn't sure a book about super-heroes dealing with a zombie apocalypse could live up to my nerd-expectations, but I was extremely pleased with the way it all turned out. I loved the characters, even though they aren't totally original -- a fire-breathing Superman, a woman Batman, a woman Iron Man -- but what's original these days in super-heroes anyway? It all just works. The more unique heroes (Gorgon, the amazingly-named Zzzap, Cairax) are very interesting, and it's a treat to learn that these were characters thought up by the author when he was a kid. There are some plot holes, and some of the humans come across as generic and interchangeable, but at its most basic this book is just a blast. The final act would be right at home in any big-ticket Hollywood film. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Spoiler
(how did the leader of the Seventeens get his powers?),beardedbarista's review against another edition
5.0
Super glad that Barnes and Nobles puts a great display of books out on there up front tables.
Peter Clines [a:Peter Clines|3396842|Peter Clines|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314048538p2/3396842.jpg] Ex-Heroes [b:Ex-Heroes|16479439|Ex-Heroes (Ex-Heroes, #1)|Peter Clines|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360646185s/16479439.jpg|10753679] would have probably been over looked by me if not. I will thank my friends Gabi and Wesley for one wanting the book and the latter buying it for her while I was in his presence. <--- not really a good review yet :)
The book is great! I am a huge comic book fan and this spoke to me immediately. I love the characters and their unique powers. And for a first book Peter killed it. Just the right amount of action, sex, and fun that I want and descriptive enough for me to be engrossed in the look and feel of a post apocalyptic world with Ex's and Superheroes fighting it out.
ALSO my mind just blew up to find out (literally seconds ago) that there are 4 books in this series!!!! I guess I will be buying 3 more books :)
Peter Clines [a:Peter Clines|3396842|Peter Clines|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314048538p2/3396842.jpg] Ex-Heroes [b:Ex-Heroes|16479439|Ex-Heroes (Ex-Heroes, #1)|Peter Clines|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360646185s/16479439.jpg|10753679] would have probably been over looked by me if not. I will thank my friends Gabi and Wesley for one wanting the book and the latter buying it for her while I was in his presence. <--- not really a good review yet :)
The book is great! I am a huge comic book fan and this spoke to me immediately. I love the characters and their unique powers. And for a first book Peter killed it. Just the right amount of action, sex, and fun that I want and descriptive enough for me to be engrossed in the look and feel of a post apocalyptic world with Ex's and Superheroes fighting it out.
ALSO my mind just blew up to find out (literally seconds ago) that there are 4 books in this series!!!! I guess I will be buying 3 more books :)