Page 27 - Panama City Living Magazine September-October 2019

BOOK REVIEW
ZEROES
BY SCOTT WESTERFELD, MARGO LANAGAN, AND DEBORAH BIANCOTTI
Reviewed by Parker McClellan
Parker is attending Florida State University College, working towards a bachelor’s of science in professional communication degree.
He enjoys learning and per- forming magic. Parker reads as many books as he can get his hands on and has start- ed his own lending library so that he can share his love of reading with others.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FENDER
In the beginning we meet Scam, who is in a world of trouble after “accidentally” stealing a bag of money. Scam is a member of a team called Zeroes, a group of teens each with a superpower. Scam’s superpower? The all- knowing voice inside his head that prattles on at the most unlikely of times, sometimes helpful, sometimes not, and not always truthful, yet the voice can often influence anyone to do or believe anything. Although the team disbanded the previous summer, now their “glorious leader” is bringing them back together to save Scam.
This sci-fi fantasy book is a page-turner from beginning to end as the teens risk life and limb going toe-to-toe with a pow- erful criminal family. As I read "Zeroes," I began sympathizing with the characters as they not only navigate the criminal un- derworld but also deal with the pressures of families and the challenge of simply being teenagers.
"Zeroes" (2015), the first in a trilogy, is a group effort by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti. This is a powerhouse combination. Westerfeld is best known for the extremely creative Le- viathan series; Lanagan is known for her short stories; and Biancotti for her short fiction, especially “A Book of Endings.”
What is interesting about these authors is their individual writing styles that inter- twine nicely to pull you in and make you care about the characters as they strate- gize and fight to protect themselves and each other.
"Zeroes" caught my eye after I finished watching "The Umbrella Academy," a su- perhero series on Netflix. "Zeroes" was interesting as the authors write about an often challenging time in young people’s lives. Adding superpowers to the mix and the ability to run around undetected for the most part, makes for an exciting sto- ry. If you enjoy young adult fiction like I do, then this is certainly a book that you should read.
www.PanamaCityLiving.com • September–October 2019 • 27