Continuing the world started in Reformed, H. L. Burke offers this sequel in her superhero series. In the BCU (Burke’s Connected Universe), superheroes (called sables) are organized as law enforcers with all of the advantages and disadvantages bureaucracy brings with it. Some of these sables have a rehabilitation goal. What if you could take supervillains and turn them into heroes? What if a team could train those “evil gods among men” into law enforcers?
The first book of the series explored this premise with criminal Fade joining a small squad led by superhero Prism. This novel starts with an action-packed scene of the team working together to battle smugglers attempting to escape with some special cargo. After the opening chapter, we meet a teenage girl sable named Alma who is working in an Oliver Twist-like fashion but with an evil version of Fagan called Handler. Handler and his kids are all sables. Prism’s team connects with Alma and sponsors her into the rehabilitation program.
But don’t write “happy ending” yet as Alma hides secrets from the team. At the same time, two of the team members are falling in love. And hanging like a dark cloud over our cast of characters is a death of someone close. Alma’s defensive attitude, portrayed realistically here, threatens to disrupt the rehabilitation.
Redeemed is not a comic book or a Marvel movie for children. The politics of law enforcement and abandonment/foster care are depicted mostly for an adult reader. A frank—and quite refreshing view—on sexual intercourse is also a subtopic. The characters’ view on charity, religion, and grieving are all handled in a sensitive manner. This, more than the zip-bam-boff scenes, sets the series apart from other novels in the same genre.
Technically, H. L. Burke brings her A-game as always. If you’ve read any of her other novels, you’ll enjoy the style here. Multiple points-of-view, voice, nods to the genre—all of these elements work in the book’s favor. Don’t fret about the plot, though! Plenty of scenes contain the action one would expect from a superhero book.
Redeemed is a praiseworthy book in all ways but one. In the final resolution of the big battle, this reviewer had hoped the downtrodden had persevered in a different fashion. On the other hand, the climax of Alma’s fate was well-depicted—a fine denouement to one of our main characters.
Redeemed continues a superhero saga with heroes with foibles, fears, and faith like the normies, or normal people, in their world. An intriguing entry in a compassionate series, this book delights and advances the super characters who turn out to be a lot like us.