Invasion: Book One of the Secret World Chronicle [Hardcover]

As a 'non podcast' person (where it evidently was started?), I was a little hesitant to start reading the series, except for my admiration of Mercedes Lackey and the others as authors. I was happily surprised! While the book uses a lot of ground, by necessity, to build background, it was a fun and gripping read. It was like reading about comic book heroes set it a more realistic setting, with the strengths and weaknesses of characters being revealed.
And if you like super heroes as well as 'urban fiction', you will enjoy this. Because of the background that needed to be filled, there were some slower areas, hence the 4 star rating instead of 5 stars. But I am looking forward to reading more of this! When is the next scheduled publishing?

Invasion (2011) is the first SF novel in the Secret World Chronicles series. In an alternate timeline, metahumans began to appear during World War II. These people discovered various psion powers within themselves. They could fly, withstand bullets, read minds and had other attributes. Most were stronger than normals and healed faster.

Echo is an organization of metahumans fighting criminals and other villains among the transformed. Founded by a nephew of Nikolai Tesla, Echo was run by the metahumans Yankee Doodle and Dixie Belle. Echo is most powerful within America, but has branches throughout the world.

In this novel, Bella Dawn Parker is an EMT and touch healer. She works for the Las Vegas Fire Department. Belladonna Blue is the rookie at her firehouse.

Victoria Victrix Nagy is a romance writer and a techno-mage. Vic has panic attacks from a fire incident. Her cat familiar is Greymalkin.

Ramona Ferrari is a detective in Echo Support. She works within the Echo headquarters in Atlanta.

Natalya Shostakovich is the second Red Saviour after her father. Nat is a dedicated communist and a metahuman.

John Murdock is a drifter and a metahuman. He is running from the Program.

Red Djinni is a limited shapeshifter, able to reform his skin. He can take on any face with a few minutes of concentration. He is a petty criminal trying to avoid notice by the Echo organization.

Seraphym is an agent of the Infinite. Sera can see the hopes and fears within a person and all their possible futures.

In this story, Heinrich Eisenhauer surrenders himself at the metahuman detention center within the Echo headquarters in Atlanta. Eisenfaust claims to be a Nazi warrior, but appears to be in his twenties. Echo authorities lock him in a cell.

Echo schedules an interview with Eisenfaust by Ramona, but the visit is delayed. When Romana arrives, the invasion forces are already striking the detention center. Eisenfaust is killed during the battle.

Ramona is shot by the Nazis, but her armored vest limits the damage to broken or cracked ribs. She plays dead and watches the Nazi troopers. She sees Eisenfaust talk to another prisoner. When the Nazis blast Eisenfaust, she sees Slycke escape from his cell.

Vic is working her way to the store to restock on food and kibbles for Greymalkin. She has convinced herself to step out of the car when the invasion starts. Gigantic antigravity war machines fold their way out of trucks in the store parking lot and armored troopers appear. She is so terrified that she overcomes her fear and causes the ground to buckle under the troopers.

Belladonna Blue gets a call from her mother warning of the invasion. Then the station klaxons go off. The vehicle doors open automatically and Bella sees nine foot tall armored suits in the street shooting energy from cannons built into their arms.

A horde of people are crowding into Red Square to demonstrate against the Red Saviour. Natalya is being chastised by the directorate for her political insensitivity, but her attention is elsewhere. She is watching Delex trucks park within the Square. Then metal figures burst out of the trucks and point their weapons at the crowd. She runs outside to face the invaders.

Red Djinni is working on a heist. His team is trying infiltrate the Vault. But some dumb thugs are robbing a bank in the same building, setting off the alarms.

John Murdock is drinking in a bar when the invaders come to New York City. The frontage is blown in, killing several patrons. John herds the survivors out the back door. There he meets a youngster who has just gained the ability to make fire.

Seraphym and her siblings are fighting against the invasion. The All has decided that divine intervention will be the only possible way to save humanity. She stabs a flying war platform with her fiery sword and it goes down.

This tale develops a world of super powers and advanced technology in the midst of a society much like the postwar culture of the 1940s. The villains are Germanic thugs in armored suits and vicious attitudes. The heroes are very good looking and graceful. Reminds one of World War Two propaganda posters.

This novel is based on a pod-cast series: The Secret World Chronicles. It is firmly rooted in the comics and radio shows of the past century. From Superman to The Shadow, superheroes and supervillains have been passed down into the contemporary era. The proximate influence for these series was probably the Wild Cards books.

I have only a passing interest in comic books and old radio shows, but I was intensely interested in such things during my teen years. I have also read some of the Wild Cards books, but not many. So I was not really expecting to enjoy this novel, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The metahumans drive off the main invasion, but small raids continue. The next installment in this series is The Hunt. It will probably be out in 2012.

Recommended for Lackey fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of superheroes, invasions, and deep secrets. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

I recently started reading the book. So far, it's holding my attention. There are lots of characters and locations to keep up with, but hey, my brain is up for the workout. I recommend this book to those who did like Heroes. I've been looking for a book about humans who have extraordinary powers, either born with them or somehow were genetically modified. I look forward to finishing this book and reading the next. Horah for Invasion, Secret World Chronicle.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 19 reviews  2.9 out of 5 stars