In Zeroes, we were introduced to some of the most unconventional superheroes in town. They can’t fly, become invisible or read minds. But they can guide the emotions of crowds and crash electronics with their minds.

In Swarm, these superzeroes are back, opening their own nightclub so that they can experiment with and grow their powers. But instead of creating happy dance parties, they are fighting a much scarier enemy. An enemy with superpowers who gets a joy out of killing his own.

Compared to the first book in the series, Swarm is a lot darker and the stakes are higher. The new super human, Swarm, can turn crowds into rage-filled killing machines, and against him the Zeroes are impotent. The confidence of our heroes is shattered, and the team falls apart as Swarm unlocks the evil nature that lies within one of the Zeroes.

With a Star Wars-esque, don’t cross-over-to-the-dark-side plot, the vulnerability and self-doubt the Zeroes battle against is much more complex than what one might expect for a superhero novel aimed at young adults. The novel has serious, Batman-worthy moral ambiguity and angst. We don’t get much backstory for why Swarm is evil, but this is because the story focuses on the Zeroes’ struggle to keep their relationships with their families and one another intact – which is a far more interesting.

Once again, these three authors have collaborated flawlessly. Transitions between character perspectives are seamless, perhaps even better than in Zeroes, where it was sometimes hard to tell who was narrating. Superhero stories are conventionally told in comic books or on the screen, but these authors do a fantastic job of translating an actioned-pack plot into words. With a seatgripping, unpredictable conclusion, Swarm will leave you desperate for more.

Reviewed by Emma Stubley

Age Guide 14+