The Second Chance of Darius Logan

Black 16-year-old Darius has been on his own ever since his family was murdered in the Attack eight years ago. Just before his 17th birthday, Darius is caught in possession of illegal drug Adrenaccelerate, aka eXXell, which he had been selling to make ends meet. After resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer, Darius is saved from a deadly fall by “the greatest superhero in the world,” Captain Freedom, leader of Super Justice Force. Following interrogation by Captain Freedom, Darius is given the option of spending 15 years in jail or enrolling in Second Chance, a rehabilitation program founded by the Super Justice Force “as a way to help ex-convicts start a normal life after prison.” While participating in the program, Darius faces obstacles such as locating dangerous biomorphs (“the only extraterrestrials banned from the planet Earth”) and proving himself against foes who want to see him fail. Debut author Walker’s insightful prose renders a new superhero universe reminiscent of The Boys in which heroes are just as flawed as humans, making for a fast-paced dystopian adventure that takes a critical look at what it means to be a hero. Ages 12–up. (July)