Star Child: A Story Of Super Powers (Places of Power Book 1) Kindle Edition

I liked it.Not the best book I've ever read, and can get a little cringey from time to time. But those moments are brief, and not very bad.The world is really interesting, kind of a medium-hard magic system, somewhat similar to Mistborn, but with way less restriction. I'm hoping future books will have more lore, for what is apparently an alternate earth.I'm looking forward to seeing how the author grows in his writing. I already like the fact that he can incorporate some gritty, grim dark elements without trying to use it as a crutch to try and build interest. And the protagonist is unique and powerful in this world, without feeling like much of a Mary Sue.The author is WAY better at writing books, than I am at writing reviews, and I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.

I originally listened to this on Audible but there was great deal the Kindle version. It has been awhile since I had read the story. There were actually some things I had forgotten about. Great story.

The book had potential but it fell into a common problem, too ambitious for the length. The writer has created an intriguing world with the potential for some very good stories but they're trying to do too much too quickly. A comparison to the Mistborn series is useful. The various powers and effects should be grown over time and not just plopped down into a plot line. Having the abilities arise over time along with the logical effects would have provided more depth to the material.The problem with creating superpowers is that it's hard to comprehend the major effects they can have. Larry Niven in the Gil the ARM series took a very small power and showed how it could radically change things. In this case a superpower is created that potentially could destroy the world, and at a minimum kill everyone within sight instantly and negate any defenses. It's too much power to be able to be held in a story that requires suspense. A few minutes of thought can create hundreds of applications for the power that dwarf anything in the book. There really aren't any limits to it except imagination. It's not a spoiler but picture a force point and a human brain, problem solved instantly. I'll let the readers figure out on their own why the alleged limitation in the book really isn't a limitation at all.Worth reading but it could have been so much more.

Good read , it felt both slow at times and action packed . The story and world unique. Clever twists. I would love a bit more character development but this author is slammed packed with potential.

To start with - awesome concept, fairly unique take on the whole "superpowers" bit.Then the rest....First off the author writes in "negative space", meaning after reading his first two books in this series, I still know what only a few characters look like, and 3 of them (2 being twin sisters) because they're the cover art.Unfortunately, this continues to all aspects of the book. They lived in a run-down apartment (nope that's all you get). They are ruled by "the Authority" (which might be an alternative US, or North American Empire, or Hemispherical Power, or United World Government... Or only cover the Northeast US.... who knows?). The main villainess in the first book, she wears blue, has glasses and keeps her (blond?) hair in a bun.... There's a school prominent in the book (the vast majority of the book takes place there), it has rooms, a basement, two gyms, a wall, and grounds with trees n stuff.....Before I continue, I really should point out, that to a certain point, I actually like this style of writing, it lets me fill out the cast and sets, creating a sort of "theatre of the mind." That being said, when the author then makes someone act out of character, or inserts a completely out-of-place item / place / effect, it completely breaks the "spell", and makes the problem seem far worse, at some points (especially the fight discussed below, and a few times in the second book) it actually irked me enough I stopped reading for a day or so.As for the powers, the author does a bang-up job of explaining (sans most whacky pseudo-physics) how the powers "work"... and then promptly ignores all that clap-trap when there's a plot-point to be moved ahead. (ie. falls into the trope of the powers wax and wane in usefulness and effectiveness depending on plot-development needs.) In the first book, this can be somewhat overlooked as everyone (having had their powers since birth) is just learning how to use them (even the ones who’ve been in an academy specifically for teaching powered children… um, ok… Because, obviously, any government calling itself “the Authority” is going to teach kids who can blow up cars, and hurl fireballs at a whim, only the vaguest “Theory” of how powers work, and then “reasonably” assume there will NEVER be any “accidents.”)Sadly, this is how the characters operate as well. The best (worst?) example, of course, is the main character, who takes 30 minutes to figure out how to fake his power to look like telekinesis... and is able to fool a schools-worth of trained personnel for weeks on end. The personnel, in turn, are so clever they're (apparently) hiding an incipient coup from “the Authority.” But, when SC (main character) enters the combat, which he's had a week to prep for, he destroys his (presumably) only viable defense the first chance he gets. Thus ensuring his own injury and defeat. (Though, of course, that works out to be best in the end, surprise!). Likewise, in the “boss fight” at the end, he could use his power to simply kill his opponent, but instead, hems and haws, and gets moderately wounded before "discovering" a way to use his powers in a manner that stretches the definitions of both how powers work and how physics work....Worst of all (and this is done in both books as well), the author makes the villains perfectly detestable, but then slips us the fact that, really, they're ALL just mind-controlled pawns (yes, even the leader(s) in each book).... but in a way that can never be fixed.... so... they're the bad guys, but they're not (necessarily) bad, but they must be defeated / destroyed / removed / whatever, because there's no way to "fix" them. So... you know, bad guys.... but... not um...... bad... guys......In this (the first book) what really made me hesitate to pick up the second book was the tone. Basically the first 80-85% of the book is a fairly thinkers-drama tone, while the last bit (literally) made me think I was reading a re-write of “Rumble In The Bronx” (Jackie Chan, 1995) or even worse “Battle Creek Brawl” (Jackie Chan, 1980), because the logic behind the actions, and the methodology of it, seemed to hold about the same “weight.” If you don’t mind a tonal shift from serious sci-fi to “Everybody was Kung-fu Fighting” (Carl Douglas, 1974) but with super powers, then this is fine for you I guess…. (Please note, I DID still get and read the second book, so…)

Places of Power is the fourth Leo Petracci novel I have read and I am hooked on him as an author. I like his writing style and character development. The book is easy to read, I spent my Sunday devouring it, but don’t expect a simple straight line plot. It warped and twisted in the way a good author knows how to do, bringing the reader down a new path until he forgets the original issue as he is now immersed in a completely different story than where he started.We meet SC, Star Child to his mom with whom he lives in a somewhat squalid apartment. Things go awry, SC’s mom is taken away by the police, SC ends up in a juvenile detention facility where naturally things are not all they are cracked up to be, and he meets a girl, Ariel. We also meet some fellow prisoners who become friends, Lucio, Darien, and Slugger, and some not so friendly associates as well. As SC learns how to use his unnatural powers and control them, he also learns how to grow up. Pressure mounts on the detention center and fellow prisoners are pitted against each other in life and death struggles. SC has to find his mom, save the girl, and possibly, just maybe, save his friends and in the long run society as well. Grab and copy and hang on, it’s a fun ride.

Its rare for a book to hold my attention sufficiently to set aside other things... this was one such. Mr Petracci has managed to create an entirely new and original reason for superpowers. Geography and circumstance govern power, people born near volvanoes tend to have firepowers etc.The title of the book is probably the weakpoint sounding a bit 1970's flowerpowery...don't be fooled...in context it makes sense. in tone this is similar to the upcoming new mutants film. A police state and something darker than the police state of which we see only the tip of the iceberg, running a 'school' that prioritises obedience...permanent life long obedience. Our protagonist is unique due to where he was born, and frankly I'd be a bit worried about his power getting out of hand... if it did, there wouldn't be much left! That said its interesting to see the mechanics of this particular power..I wonder if the author will fiddle with time dilation and other powers that might be inferred from 'SC's unique 'geo' and one has to wonder if being the only one means he gets 'all' the potential power from that location rather than just part of it (as would be normal for this universe).

The classic story line where it starts calm, goes bad and then it finishes off a little brighter than beforeBut with a twist where everyone is born with an ability depending on where they are situated

The book is an ok start for a series but there are too many periods where nothing is happening. I had to struggle through most of the book but it does eventually pick up. The series could pick up from here so the next instalment may be worth a read but I've been put off by the lacklustre start.

Paid full price and sorry i did! Long winded,slow and boring.So little progress in plot gave up half way way through.Read if on Kindle unlimited,maybe,but don't pay full price!

Thoroughly enjoyable read with an interesting take on a super powered society. I was expecting the main character to be a little more overpowered compared to society after reading the reddit chapter 1 though.