Strand Prophecy

I'm 12 and I read the book in one day. I'm ordering the next book right now. Fantastic read!!!

Steve Cutter's scientific research enables him to become "Strand" - only a man yet something more - and realizes that the world is in serious danger because of accelerated evolution that is creating predatory creatures. He needs to convince the President of the United States and the rest of the world of the danger but he is fighting an uphill battle. He tries hard but can't do it alone and soon the people closest to him are in real danger. "The Strand Prophecy" is a page turning superhero science fiction graphic novel (the first of five in the series). I initially had some doubts about the book because it seemed a bit gimmicky to me - author JBB Winner is actually a father and his two young daughters - but they quickly overcame my doubts. The novel is full of action and great characters. Strand is a great hero, very powerful but still a man underneath his costume and full of doubts even as he is trying to save the world. The supporting characters are all good, although I wish some them, like E, had been better developed (I know it's a well-worn plot device but a hint of romance between Strand and E would have been welcome). I loved the character of Anna, Strand's teenage niece - she is a strong role model for teenage girls and I wish she hadn't been absent for large chunks of the book. "The Strand Prophecy" is full of action and written in a way so that I could picture what was happening as I read it. It would, I think, make a very good movie. (There is a wonderful catchphrase throughout the book). The illustrations are wonderfully done and I kept flipping to the back of the book to check out various characters as I was reading the book to see if the illustrations matched how I pictured them (they usually did). While the book is fine for older children to read (and they'll love it) be aware that the last part of the book is very gory - the book is dedicated to Stephen King and the last part reads like something out of a King novel. "The Strand Prophecy" is rip roaring fun and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

This book is exactly what I've been looking for, for ages now! A comic book fantasy, with the depth of character that only a novel can provide! I've found my genre, and at the top of favorites in that genre, is this book!

First, let me just come right out and say I freakin' loved The Strand Prophecy. Any fan of science fiction and/or superheroes in general cannot help but stand up and applaud the debut of Strand, who is "just a man - and something more." Possessing no supernatural abilities of his own as the human Steve Cutter, Strand is the self-made product of cutting-edge technology. His fervent desire to protect the innocent can be traced back to the guilt he feels for a terrible personal tragedy and his determination to protect his niece Anna, the only family he has left in the world. Now she - and every other person on the planet - is in danger, and only he knows it. That makes him the perfect - albeit reluctant - man for the job of getting the word out and helping mankind prepare for a future no one else sees coming. Evolution, Strand has discovered, comes in sudden jolts rather than proceeding gradually over millions of years, and a new age is about to smack Earth right across the chops, causing amazing and unpredictable physical changes in human beings and potentially creating animal monsters that could threaten man's dominance if not his very existence on the planet. If no one in a position of power will take his warnings seriously, Strand is more than prepared - thanks to his life-long commitment to research and technological development - to defend the innocent all by himself. So how cool is Strand? With the strand technology he has developed, he is able to essentially rewire his own brain, raising cognitive functions to unheard of levels and unleashing the unprecedented power of the human mind. This has allowed him to develop technologies only dreamed of in the past, such as the exoskeletons that give him the ability to perform feats of superhuman strength and endurance, the laser technology that allows him to read and analyze just about anything in a matter of seconds, and the hordes of advanced, futuristic robots now at his disposal. Strand cuts quite a figure with his exoskeleton, cape, faceplate and visor, revealing nothing of his features (in an attempt to keep his real identity a secret) apart from the blue laser lights of his eyes. He also has a special lair in the form of a gigantic, ocean bound research vessel, develops the ability to talk to a howler monkey, and - perhaps most impressive of all - his super vehicle of choice is a customized Tomahawk missile (which is why they call him "the missile rider"). How cool is the novel? Well, it starts out with a shootout at the White House and ends with a thrilling, heart-pumping engagement on the Florida shoreline. In between, you have all sorts of incredible animal - and human - mutations manifesting themselves, increasingly elaborate and public appearances by Strand to get the word out to everyone - with or without the help of the American President, strand-enabled medical miracles, interspecies communication, covert military operations, deceit and cover-up at the highest level o

Although I am not a fan of this genre, for some reason I found the blurb interesting - and am I glad I did! The creativity combined with the suspense makes you want to read the whole book in one sitting. The characters are so real and so is the emotion. I think the character development is one of the high points of the story as you really feel for these people as they go from one trying circumstance to another. I highly recommend this for a fun read!!!