Book Review: Arena Mode by Blake Northcott

Arena Mode by Blake Northcott

Genre: Comic Books, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Dystopian Future
Series: Arena Mode #1
Publisher: Noösphere Publishing
Publication Date: June 2013
Author Info: http://www.blakenorthcott.com

What if superhumans were real? What if they came out of the closet to reveal themselves to the world? And what if, some of them were the 1% and accepted billionaire Cameron Frost’s opportunity to pit their superhuman powers against each other in a death match for a chance at a whole lotta money?

Matthew Moxon lives in this dystopian future and is thrilled to see his love of comic books turned into fantasy. Unfortunately, a brain tumour puts a downer on his life, leaving the Arena Mode tournament as his only option for a treatment that costs millions. The problem? Mox, as his friends call him, isn’t a superhuman. But he does have a valuable comic collection, as well as a best friend with questionable connections and that’s enough for Mox to buy his way into deceiving Cameron Frost into believing that he really is a superhuman.

Arena Mode is basically a comic book written in novel format and it’s a fun read for any comic book fan. Northcott is a card-carrying geek and obviously a huge fan of the comic industry herself. Her opinions on important topics like the prequels that shall not be named or Marvel’s misunderstanding of how death works sneak into the story in the form of Matthew’s own thoughts. (I’m perfectly fine with these opinionated moments since I share the same opinion).

“Sledge”

I’m a very visual reader, easily able to picture just about anything in my head. Arena Mode’s unique style lends itself perfectly to my creative mind. But Northcott also has connections within the comic industry, giving the book its added punch in the form of full character illustrations and bios at the back of the book. Lucky Kickstarter supporters also received full colour character cards and other goodies to accompany their reading.

Each of the superhumans Matthew meets has a unique power set, though their abilities will be recognizable to comic fans. The key to making these characters unique is the way Northcott makes them more than just their abilities.

The Arena Mode battle itself was very interesting and tense, especially with Matthew having no powers, however I felt some of the battles, particularly the ones meant to be truly epic, were brushed over a bit too liberally. Again, I could picture these battles in my head, but in novel form, the details fell short.

The big reveal became evident about half way through the book, but it didn’t deter my enjoyment. Everything still flowed smoothly and interestingly, culminating in an ending that opens the door for some very intriguing events in the future.

Arena Mode is the product of a very successful Kickstarter. Its sequel, Assault or Attrition, continues with Northcott’s Kickstarter success. Want to know how she did it? Check out our interview!