Meta Paperback – 29 October 2013

The first thing that stuck me about Meta is just how easy a read it truly is. The short chapters and constantly developing storyline make it extremely difficult to put the book down. Many a time I have thought: "right, one more chapter" and I've ended up reading for another half an hour.The story begins with an immediately likeable and genuine character, Connor, and quickly 'sets the scene' for the novel. The story is very humorous and entertaining, and those who follow the podcast 'The Complete Guide to Everything' will quickly begin to notice Tom's wit and humour within the text.The novel deeply emerges the reader into the struggle of Connor's newly grained superpowers and the consequences this places upon his moral and social judgement. Tom has created an extremely real character that satisfies the reader whilst challenging their moral compass. The closing scenes of the novel provide a good base for further exploration of the Meta world and the characters within it during a next novel. I definitely hope this is the case.Ultimately, it is a fantastic, easy read, that will provide many laughs and just basically put you in a good mood. If you follow Tim and Tom's podcast, it is an absolute necessity you read this book, its awesome.

"META" is an action-packed, super-charged science fiction novel by Tom Reynolds that begins years after the fatal Battle between The Governor and Jones, two powerful humans with supernatural abilities who disappeared into legend with other Metas. Now ten years later these super-powered beings have reappeared, fighting crime and saving the helpless. As the story opens sixteen year old Connor Connolly has survived deadly wounds in his encounter with a murderer while trying to save the life of a child, only to find strange armbands wrapped around his wrists. What he doesn't suspect is that this alien technology and his newfound abilities come with a price. Allied with Midnight and Iris, two other Metas, Connor must learn to control his power, lose many of his human shortcomings and hide his identity. When he does he may become Omni, the mightiest Meta the world has ever known.The narrative written in the first person flows steadily, although at times the dialogue seems disjointed and the plot lacks continuity. But, even though it could use more development to smooth out the rough edges, it is still a striking and imaginative story.The characters are interesting and seem to change, their personalities developing as the plot progresses. Connor Connelly is an unpopular, nerdy high-school teen whose curiosity and need to question can be irritating at times. As the story unfolds his attitude begins to transform as his body adapts to his new abilities. Derrick, a blogger and Connor's loyal and supportive brother is obsessive, persistent and perceptive. Sarah Miller, his high school love interest is non-judgemental, smart and funny. Like Midnight, the strategist, who seems aloof but is diligent, allowing Connor the flexibility to develop his own powers and Iris,whose a realist and very efficient, all help Connor mature and excel. Even the antagonist, "The Controller", is memorable with his fanaticism, abuse of power, his deception and cold-blooded heartlessness. All add depth to a story that grows in intensity.When I read the outline I knew I wanted to read "Meta" so I bought a copy and wasn't disappointed. I hope there is a sequel

I found this thoroughly enjoyable and I'd be keen to see a Meta 2 (as I'm sure others would be).Without giving too much away, it was fascinating to read a superhero book in which the protagonist (Connor) is suddenly thrust into the crime fighting role and has no idea how to "behave" like a good superhero: the book is exciting to read because Connor has to solve problems that are rarely addressed in (my experience of) other pieces of superhero fiction, and all this ambling makes for good character development.It's only noticeable flaws were in the editing - I think it would have read more nicely if the book had been proofread and grammar checked bit more.If you're big into this genre, then maybe this is nothing new, but I'm sure it would still be a enjoyable read - to a relative outsider, this is great! I'd definitely read a sequel.

I purchased this book because I am a fan of the quirky humor of the TCGTE podcast. I honestly didn't expect to like it much because my taste in reading usually runs more to history or serious subjects rather than to young adult fiction about super heroes. I wanted to support the show and was also curious about the kind of book that Tom would write. Although my wife and teenage sons had talked me into reading the first Hunger Games book, it just wasn't my cup of tea and I was expecting that my reaction to Meta would be similar. However, I am pleased to report that I was very pleasantly surprised by Tom Reynold's first book. It was very well conceived and clever as well as fast moving. I believe that the narrator's account of his struggles and fears as a previously ordinary teenager who must come to grips with the sudden and unexpected receipt of super powers is particularly well done, and reminds me of what I liked best about the first Spiderman movie. Meta's appeal lies in its evocative blending of the ordinary and the extraordinary.This is a fun superhero tale for thinking people, both young and not so young.

This was a fun book. I was a little worried about reading yet another story about a teenage boy who finds himself with incredible powers, but Reynolds keeps the book interesting. There were even a few moments that I did not predict, so full credit to Reynolds for that.Meta is a relatively short book (240 pages) so world building is relatively quick, yet well done. Exposition is given in the form of cautionary tales about where previous metas went wrong, keeping the world building interesting and relevant. The characters are a bit typical of this genre and story line, but the dialogue is still entertaining and has a few surprises.Overall, I did enjoy this book and will be purchasing the next book, The Second Wave. If you're looking for a good story about superheroes and super villains, I recommend Meta.