Title: The Division
Author: C.C. Bridges
Genre: Fantasy / Super Heroes
Length: Novel (71K)
Publisher: Musa Publishing (May 24th, 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb: Opening a portal to love.
Socket and Valor have been best friends—and part time superheroes—for years. When an invasion force threatens the Earth, they form a team of heroes to face the threat.
Closeted media darling Valor has no idea that Socket has been nursing a crush on him since their high school days. When a buffer, grittier version of Socket emerges from one of the alien portals, Valor discovers his own attraction, but his refusal to out himself gets in the way of his and Socket’s budding intimacy.
The alternate Socket has his own agenda, however. One that doesn’t include attachments or a team of do-gooders getting in his way.
Product Link: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=593
Review: This was a very nice story, I admit to being partial to this genre though and super heroes always have a special allure to me. This is the story of Earth and how it came near to being conquered by aliens if now for the existence of men and women with special abilities, powers if you will.
In this version of Earth, accidents happen. That’s how most characters became special, but others simply were born that way, manifesting their changes in adolescence as is common in comic books. Our main characters are Valor and Socket. They’ve been friends for years ever since a teen Valor prevented a teen Socket from taking the wrong path. They became fast friends and their friendship always verged on a bit more. For ten years, they were everything they had; Valor was Socket’s family since he was pretty much alone, and Socket became the only person who knew the real man behind Valor’s mask. No matter how many secrets and experiences they shared together through the years though, they both had one little secret each kept from the other.
Socket, out and proud since a teenager never shared with Valor that he has been deeply in love with his best friend. And Valor, always the golden boy, the public and media’s darling never admitted to Socket he is in fact bisexual. Imagine the guilt of Socket pinning after his straight best friend, and imagine the shame Valor feels for being attracted to men and yet not able to share this thing with the only person that knows everything about him.
It isn’t until Earth is endangered by robots and alien invasion through portals that things become delicate, the lines blur, and their friendship literally gets on the line.
Valor in front of the cameras and Socket behind in the shadows pulling the strings create a team of super heroes called The Division to fight for Earth.
The story is written fairly well. We have Valor who is blessed with enormous strength, near indestructibility, and the ability to fly. Socket who can talk with computers. He is the puppeteer, the guy that stays behind and coordinates everything, the mastermind behind all their technology. Doc Lightning, a doctor in real life and mistress of electric energy, her bolts are scary powerful. Dash with her supper-speed, Mace with his magnetic field mastery, and Tiana, the purple alien of the Ellorian people who’s got stranded on Earth and adopted by Socket. There are other characters who come in and out, but this is the core team, The Division.
Now, if I let the complete nerd take charge I’ll have to say that there ought to be more in this story on all counts. I’d have loved for reasoning, more elaborate that is, for these characters’ powers. I’d have loved for their background and cover stories to have been more solid. I’d have loved for their fights to have been more… logical, and I’d have loved for the villains to have actually had a bit more intellect, because really they sucked, and we all know the best part of a super-hero story are the villains.
As the plot will have it there are portals that open up connecting this Earth with another dimension, a parallel Earth, that has already been taken over by aliens, and their citizens are already slaved to the Overseers. The same people existing in this dimension exist in the other… almost. So our heroes are taken aback when along with the robots Peter charges in from a portal killing them as if it was no big deal.
Now Peter Barnes is the other self of Socket. They look alike if Socket actually had it in him to leave his command base and exercise. Peter is hot, with a killer body, and a fabulous mastery of swords. He ought to be though as he’s survived in his world by being good enough for the arena the Overseers indulge so much to. Peter comes with the story of having escaped his Master and landed on this dimension by chance, and is therefore given refugee by our team.
Did I say this story has some holes in there? Well, there are plenty and again if I really want to be the nerd that can’t let go of little details I’d say the entire villainy plot is wobbly at best. You just can’t have a proper, powerful super-team if you don’t have perfect bad guys, and these bad guys here were far, far from great, let alone perfect.
As for the romance of the story, Peter becomes the reason Valor realizes he’s in love with Socket, and while things seem perfect for a while there, those little secrets they have between them two and the hang-ups and the different mind-set quickly turn things sour. And we all know when a hero is distracted by unrequited love, love gone wrong etc. etc. they can hardly think straight and see what’s in front of their eyes. There is not much challenge left in the end for Peter to accomplish his goal.
As for the pair itself while having some seriously hot scenes, it failed to make me feel that spark, the real chemistry that would make me drown in the words and emerge only to gasp for air. It failed to give me the longing those two should have had.
Overall, as I said at the beginning, I’m partial to this genre. I’m also a bit demanding when it comes to it. This book could have been much, much better. Normally I’d have rated it lower too, but I let myself go and for the most part, I managed to enjoy it. If you indulge in the genre once in a while you’ll find it enjoyable as well and probably love it and want some more. If however you’re one of those nerdy types that eat comic books for breakfast I think you’ll find the above and many more to ruin the experience for you.