X-Men meets Heroes when New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld teams up with award-winning authors Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti in the second book of an explosive new trilogy about a group of teens with amazing abilities.

They thought they’d already faced their toughest fight. But there’s no relaxing for the reunited Zeroes.

These six teens with unique abilities have taken on bank robbers, drug dealers and mobsters. Now they're trying to lay low so they can get their new illegal nightclub off the ground.

But the quiet doesn’t last long when two strangers come to town, bringing with them a whole different kind of crowd-based chaos. And hot on their tails is a crowd-power even more dangerous and sinister.

Up against these new enemies, every Zero is under threat. Mob is crippled by the killing-crowd buzz—is she really evil at her core? Flicker is forced to watch the worst things a crowd can do. Crash’s conscience—and her heart—get a workout. Anon and Scam must both put family loyalties on the line for the sake of survival. And Bellwether’s glorious-leader mojo deserts him.

Who’s left to lead the Zeroes into battle against a new, murderous army?

**

Review

This may not be the first tale of a group of crime fighting teenagers with supernatural powers, but its talented writing team get points for creating some fresh and original superpowerd abilities. Scam has a seemingly omniscient inner voice, which can speak for him and get him out of trouble or, all too often, into it. Flicker is blind but can perceive what others see. Crash can take down any computer and finds the experience embarrassingly—and dangerously—enjoyable. Bellwether can control the energies of the group and unite them in a common purpose. And Anonymous—well, never mind, no one seems to remember anything about that guy. These five, plus one unpredictable new addition, make up the Zeroes, a team that split up due to infighting but get called back together to fight a baddie and come to terms with their talents and their place in the world. Told from six different points of view, the plot of this hefty tome sometimes gets bogged down, but the time taken to develop each character pays off, and with two sequels planned, readers can look forward to spending more time with the Zeroes in the future. VERDICT For fans of superhero fiction looking for a character driven tale and those who enjoy works by the three capable authors. (School Library Journal, *STARRED REVIEW July 2015)

Science fiction powerhouse writers Westerfeld, Lanagan, and Biancotti join forces to create a group ofteen superheroes living in Cambria, California. Socially awkward misfits, the six protagonists have powersranging from crowd control, the ability to crash computer systems, a voice that can talk anybody intoanything, and more. “Glorious Leader” Nate uses his powers of persuasion to reunite the group after adisastrous rant by Ethan (code name Scam) in which he alienates every member. They succeed in rescuingScam from police questioning and acquire a sixth member in the process. There is a comfortablypredictable flow to the cinematic, nonstop action; the multiple and intersecting story lines; and thearchetypal characters. These heroes see themselves as zeroes, but by the story’s end, they have realizedtheir powers are in fact valuable gifts, formed alliances and romances within the group, and seem poisedfor more adventures. It’s a fat but quick read, whose abrupt ending will leave fans ready for a sequel.HIGH DEMAND BACKSTORY: Westerfeld’s name alone draws a crowd, following the success of hisUglies series, Leviathan series, and Afterworlds (2014). Add Printz Honor Book author Lanagan,Biancotti, and a major marketing campaign to the mix, and this collaboration will fly off the shelf. (Booklist June 1, 2015)

“Fresh and original superpowered abilities.” (School Library Journal in starred review of ZEROES)

“Intriguing protagonists and cinematic powers.” (Kirkus Reviews on ZEROES)

“With action, romance, and thorny ethical questions, it’s a book with a little something for everyone.” (Publishers Weeky on ZEROES)

“Cinematic, nonstop action.” (Booklist on ZEROES)

After Zeroes (2015), the group of superpowered teenagers is derailed by other people with powers—and fewer morals.Everything's going pretty well for the gang—they've even started a monthly underground nightclub where they can safely practice their powers (as most of them require crowds). But then a pair of out of towners who get off on treating people like toys hit it and break everything the Zeroes have worked for—and they hint they've something bigger planned. The Zeroes must track down the troublemaking duo, but when they do, they discover that these two are the least of their worries—a terrifying person hunting the superpowered teens has been pointed right at them, and horrible deaths await. The pace clips along nicely, and the large ensemble cast (gender balanced, economically diverse, and with multiple races and shades of the LGBTQ spectrum represented) enjoys complicated dynamics, a palpable bond, and intersecting character development arcs. Aside from their inner circle, family storylines add emotional stakes on top of the physical. The expansion of the world to include superpowered people from out of town creates nice foils for the heroes, especially as they continue grappling with the ramifications of the powers. The ending resolves the book's main plot but then offers up the kind of cliffhanger that may make readers riot. A high octane bundle of thrills. (Kirkus Reviews 7/15/16)

This addition to the series starts off with the Zeroes working on a new project: a nightclub to experiment with their powers. It’s reasonably safe, if not exactly legal. Unfortunately, their plans are disrupted by the arrival of two new teens with supernatural abilities—and unlike the original crew, these guys are not dedicated to using their powers for good. What’s more, one of them, nicknamed Swarm, may be more powerful than all of the original Zeroes. If they don’t work together and learn to control their powers, the results could be deadly. Like the first volume, this novel can feel weighed down by a large cast and multiple points of view, but the Zeroes continue to be relatable as they struggle to do the right thing even when they are in over their heads, and the fast paced action keeps the pages turning. VERDICT Fans of the first book will not be disappointed by the latest installment in the saga. (School Library Journal August 2016)

The Zeroes, a group of six superpowered teen friends, discover that they aren’t the only ones with talent when a new guy, who can meld a crowd into a deadly killing machine, comes to town with murder on his mind. One of the Zeroes, Kelsie, aka Mob, is afraid it’s only a matter of time before she becomes just like this malevolent stranger, but the more immediate issue is how to stop him. In their sequel to Zeroes (2015), Westerfeld, Deborah Biancotti, and Margo Lanagan offer readers a story marked by nonstop action, a little romance, and a few dismemberment scenes. Reading the first book isn’t essential, but helps in instances like knowing that Bellwether is also “Glorious Leader,” since the latter becomes his moniker in the second book. This is standard but solidly written teen superhero fare, although the final chapters stand apart for their moving treatment of the forgotten Zero, Anon, and for the cliff hanger ending that will make trilogy fans itch for the third book. (Booklist 7/21/16)

After the disastrous events of Zeroes (rev. 11/15), the diverse team of supernaturallygifted teens has set up the aptly named Petri Dish, a nightclub/social experiment where they can test and eventually master their powers in relative safety. It’s the perfect place, since many of the Zeroes’ abilities—such as leader Nate’s influence on the emotions of a crowd—depend upon connecting energetically to a large group of people. Perfect, that is, until two superpowered strangers wreak havoc at the Dish with their own crowd manipulating abilities. Wanting to prevent any more chaos, the Zeroes track down the strangers, only to learn of a much bigger threat. Now that readers know the main players, their powers, and their abilities’ pitfalls, this second volume accelerates the pace and ups the stakes of the first book. Lots of action sequences, including a handful of truly scary scenes that would be right at home in a zombie flick, add to the suspense. (Spoiler: you really don’t want to encounter a “swarm.”) But it’s not nonstop near escapes and explosions.
The authors develop the teens’ platonic and romantic interpersonal dynamics (including one blossoming same sex relationship), and it’s these connections that both endanger the Zeroes and, ultimately, save them. A cliffhanger ending
will leave fans eagerly awaiting the Zeroes’ next adventure. (The Horn Book Magazine September/October 2016)

About the Author

'YA's hippest author' Scott Westerfeld is the author of the hugely popular Uglies series. As well as the Midnighters series and three stand alone YA novels, he has written five science fiction novels for adults. He and his wife, Justine, divide their time between Sydney and New York.