Masks: Rise of Heroes by Hayden Thorne

[reviews_and_ramblings]

I had this book in my reading list since a bit but I was never in the right mood. I was expecting a superhero type of book, and it's not really my cup of tea. Then tonight I decided to give it a try and it surprised me: the story is more "normal" than expected. It's in a way a very classical coming of age novel, and I like it in that way.

Eric is an emo kid, a 16 years old like a lot of other boys of that age, with a quite supportive family. He is out with his parents and sister and they accepted him, blue bangs covering his eyes and strange eating habit. For once, being gay is not an issue for this teen and all in all he has not serious problem in his life. Then one day he is rescued by a train accident by a flying superhero, a Superman style of hero, complete of spandex uniform and bulging muscles... and for a teenager with ranging hormones, the sight is almost too much: Eric develops a desperate crush on this masked hero.

But having a crush on a superhero doesn't change too much Eric's ordinary life; on the contrary, he continues to hang out with his friends, the girl Anthea and the guy Peter. Suddenly something changes: maybe since Eric is paying attention to another potential even if impossible love interest, Peter is staking is claim; the usually shy and introverse guy is all over Eric, kissing him and asking him out on a date... and simple like that, Eric turns from bestfriend to boyfriend, and now he has to be more careful around Peter, since everything he does and says has a new all meaning for Peter.

It's rather interesting to see how the "superhero" problem is processed in almost an ordinary way in Eric's mind, no more important than his trouble with his new boyfriend Peter, or with his strange family. When Eric is involved in some trouble due to the superhero war between Magnifiman and the villain, he comes back home upset in the same way he is when he has lover quarrels with Peter. In his teen perspective, Eric considers at the same way a problem that involves his little personal world than something of bigger proportion and worst consequences.

Another interesting thing that explains how Eric's mind works, is that, since he is gay and out with his family and friends, he doesn't consider it a problem, and so for him is more problematic and freak being a superhero than being gay... gay is normal, superhero is freak...

There is also a little romance between Eric and Peter, with some kisses and a bit of making out in a car back seats, and all is sweet and tender, but not too much detailed. Eric talks a lot about his ranging hormones, and about his daydreams, but actually he didn't do much.

http://www.prizmbooks.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=21

Amazon: Masks Rise of Heroes

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