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Ex-Patriots (Ex-Heroes #2)

by Peter Clines (Goodreads Author)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 1,204 ratings · 135 reviews

It's been two years since the world ended. Two years since the dead rose and the plague of ex-humanity decimated mankind. For most of that time, the superhero called St. George, formerly known to the world as the Mighty Dragon, has protected the people of Los Angeles at their film-studio-turned-fortress, The Mount. Together with his fellow heroes-Cerberus, Zzzap, and Steal...more

Paperback, 294 pages

Published September 6th 2011 by Permuted Press (first published July 5th 2011)

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Aug 11, 2011 Eric rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: zombies, horror, katn, heroes-and-villains, badass, bamf, pop-culture-goodness, zombie-fest

(Does anyone remember Happy Feet?) Ramone: Let me tell something to you.

Because of the length of the audiobook and the fact that I need sleep somewhere during the night to do the annoying things in my day like work I had time to put down some of my thoughts. At the time I was seriously considering dropping down to at least 4 stars due to my feelings on having such a predictable plot. Cliche some would call it. There were even moments when lines from the book that had quoted movies were about how...more (Does anyone remember Happy Feet?) Ramone: Let me tell something to you.

Because of the length of the audiobook and the fact that I need sleep somewhere during the night to do the annoying things in my day like work I had time to put down some of my thoughts. At the time I was seriously considering dropping down to at least 4 stars due to my feelings on having such a predictable plot. Cliche some would call it. There were even moments when lines from the book that had quoted movies were about how cliche the the situation would be in a zombie-pocalypse. Looking back I must say I think it was a pretty intelligent decision. I'm not going to call it a red hearing but you definitely have to rethink it all once it happens.

Now that being said I'm so glad I didn't check out because once I got back into the book on day two I realized all my gripes were me nitpicking because I felt I'd been played. I was ready to bash all the heroes over the head for their stupidity starting with the woman in black herself. All of that would've been a terrible mistake.

You know I'm not going to give any of it away and I genuinely hope no one goes in looking for "the moment" but man after everything that had happened I was just amazed at how well it all turned out.

As I said before Clines has an ability to juggling the story elements without losing the reader and keeping an eye on the situation from the present and in the past, from a lot of different POVs, all while throwing in some parts comedy, drama, action, and a couple little pop cultural references that keep you smiling. I'm a fan, honest. I know I'm new to the club but after the preview of The Junkie Quatrain I'm all in. I do have one small worry though. The rate he seems to be releasing these books (Junkie will be out "soon" says the publisher) I hope that it doesn't become predictable in its own right. We all known Shyamalan was amazing at once point... then... so if he can avoid that pitfall I'm all for an abundance of more.

That's enough. I feel your love.(less)

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Aug 31, 2012 Linda (Miss Greedybooks) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, graphic-novels-superheroes, read-aloud-to-husband, humor, horror

I read this to my husband, it was a fun read. An eerie thought, how the sound of hundreds or more clacking teeth would be a nightmare for the ears. It would be awful I imagine, since they have constant numerous zombies at the gates doing this nonstop.

The superheroes are very cool, they are unique in their abilities. We liked Zzzap the most, he has an awesome power and the funniest lines. What's not to love about an ultra super hero with a witty sense of humor?

Ex-Heroes is the 1st, and Ex-Commun...more

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May 06, 2012 Andre rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Whenever you have an issue with a tiny aspect of something you read or watch, there often comes a fear that the follow-up book/movie/whatever will spend more time on that aspect and, therefore, infuriate you. This was the case with my reading Ex-Patriots. In my review of the first book, Ex-Heroes, I noted that the racial dynamics of the characters were bothersome. There was so much time spent introducing readers to the heroes that this wasn’t a really big issue. This time around, however, I coul...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Thee_ron_clark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, super-hero-stuff, action, post-apocalyptic

Super heroes and zombies clash again in Peter Clines' follow up novel to Ex-Heroes. I have to say, I wasn't really expecting much from the first story and was pleasantly surprised. Moving on to the sequel, I find myself hoping for a third one.

In this novel, the survivors of the first book find themselves visited by a military that they did not know still existed. Unfortunately, they also find that said military has plans for them that they are not happy to be included in.

Along with the heroes wh...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Jakedecock rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really liked this book's predecessor (Ex-Heroes), but it felt like it should have been a stand-alone story - not part of a trilogy. Thus, I had pretty low expectations for Ex-Patriots and it pretty much was right in line with those expectations. In Ex-Heroes I really got to see some of the heroes develop through the "THEN" and "NOW" chapters (now that I think about it that was one of the best aspects of the "Lost" TV series as well), but in this installment of the series there was little else...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Danielmatuk rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read this in 2 days after reading the previous installment in 2 days. I am surprised that this book got a better overall review than the previous book. I found this to be heavily military centered. While this does serve the overall atmosphere of the book, I really loved the first book's better.

With that being said I still loved this book. I hope this author continues to write. The introduction of the military into this story line was an interesting way of evolving the story while remaining true...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Patrick D'Orazio rated it 4 of 5 stars

Those who have read Ex-Heroes know the scoop from the first book. Peter Clines has created a world with his own flavor of superheroes, led by The Dragon (St. George), Zzzap, Stealth, and Cerberus, who reside in "The Mount", a barricaded movie studio in L.A. They live there protecting the bulk of survivors in the city from Ex's, aka zombies that have taken over the world. I felt that the author created a wonderful and highly detailed group of heroes and villains, using the writing technique of go...more Those who have read Ex-Heroes know the scoop from the first book. Peter Clines has created a world with his own flavor of superheroes, led by The Dragon (St. George), Zzzap, Stealth, and Cerberus, who reside in "The Mount", a barricaded movie studio in L.A. They live there protecting the bulk of survivors in the city from Ex's, aka zombies that have taken over the world. I felt that the author created a wonderful and highly detailed group of heroes and villains, using the writing technique of going back and forth in time, from 'now' to 'then' and back again, revealing only what the reader needs to know about each character-their origins, what brought them to where they are now, their motivations, etc.-until absolutely necessary to the plot. I loved the twists in the first book, which gave us a surprise ending I thought was quite a zinger. The heroes are unique, complex, and entertaining-there are no cookie-cutter duplicates of other heroes we already know and love.
The second book introduces the military to the equation. But not just the regular military, a group of super-soldiers created by a government scientist named Dr. Sorenson, who has turned them into physical specimens capable of great feats strength and speed. They are led by Captain Freedom (his actual real last name), though he isn't draped in the American flag throughout the book. He is a physically massive soldier who is the strongest of the super-soldiers and also the most moral of the military men the reader is introduced to here. The military, huddled at a secret base in Arizona, makes the trek to the Mount after discovering the barricaded safe haven. Despite an introduction filled with missteps, the heroes agree to make the trip back to Arizona to discuss mutual survival plans with Colonel Shelly, the top army officer still alive, and Agent Smith, the only representative on hand representing the U.S. Government. Naturally, more conflict between the military and heroes occurs, with the military wanting the large, robotic Cerberus machine and official control over the Mount, claiming that Marshall Law is still in play. This despite serious questions as to whether the U.S. government even still exists, given that the ex's seem to control most of the world.
New villains are revealed here, as well as new heroes, and the author does not disappoint with his efforts to provide fresh twists and turns to the plot, both with new characters and old. He uses the same format of 'now' and 'then' to divulge choice details, which leaves the reader guessing on particular details until the moment is just right. The action is on par with the first book, and the relationships between the different superheroes and the soldiers are solid. I particularly like the slow burn that is going on between St. George and Stealth-the two hero leaders who can't seem to figure out what type of relationship they're supposed to have.
Like the preceding book, this was a well written tale and it leaves plenty of room for more twists and mysteries in the final book in the trilogy. Villains that are complex and despicable, heroes that may seem indestructible yet are very much human in how they react and respond to the people and challenges they face...Mr. Clines has created a compelling world filled with fascinating characters. I look forward to seeing where it all leads.
(less)

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Sep 01, 2011 Thomas Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

ExPatriots is a sequel to the book ExHeroes, which I loved, and previously reviewed accordingly. The book is about some very realistically written super heroes (and the few thousand normal people they protect) trying to manage after the zombie apocalypse in Hollywood. They come into contact with some US military agents, and fun ensues.

The first book focused more on the survivors in LA, and surviving in general. This 2nd book is more about an adventure at a military base in Arizona where strange...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Eoghan Odinsson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't overemphasize how amazing a storyteller Peter Clines is. There are so few authors that can really tell a story without overdoing it. Many authors seem to pad their books and add detail that does nothing for the overall story or flow. Clines does none of these.

The entire book is a rip-roaring ride from page one to the end of the book. The characters that began in Ex Heroes are further developed and their secrets slowly revealed - some of them at least.

The two themes that Clines has mixed...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Heather (HeadshotHeather) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ex-Patriots by Peter Clines was calling my name after having just finished reading Ex-Heroes and, boy howdy, did it deliver. Packed with every bit as much action as it's predecessor, Ex-Patriots introduces us to the Unbreakables, a group of super soldiers led by Freedom a true American patriot, Dr Sorensen, the doctor who figured out how to create the super soldiers and Mr. Smith, the man who is behind the notion of having super soldiers. There are other new characters, including a new Hero and,...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, tbr, kindle

Ex-Patriots by Peter Clines is book two in the Ex-Heroes series, and continues the series on the excellent note which it began. If anything, it is better than the first book, because the characters gain more depth and thus become more sympathetic and human (the heroes were, after all, human to begin with). [return][return]If you are not familiar with the Ex-Heroes series, it is a surprisingly good post-apocalyptic series. Surprising, because the plot in essence is superheroes v. zombies, which q...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Doug rated it 3 of 5 stars

A better showing than the Ex-Heroes predecessor, however it still suffers from some noticeable shortcomings. The biggest, and most important, is that I never get involved in the characters. Each scene is a set piece for some action or conflict, there is never a time when the characters just sit down and talk. They never reveal themselves on anything more than a surface level, the are two-dimensional cutouts. A second problem is the sense of threat, which is imperative in a zombie story or a supe...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Ex-Heroes series by Clines. I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was incredibly well done. They have different actors for the characters and the story is very well done. I thought this book was even better than the first book, I really enjoyed it. The third book in this series, Ex-Commincation, is tentatively scheduled for a December 2012 release.

St. George the Mighty Dragon, Stealth, Zzzap, and Cerberus have been doing their best to protect the citize...more This is the second book in the Ex-Heroes series by Clines. I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was incredibly well done. They have different actors for the characters and the story is very well done. I thought this book was even better than the first book, I really enjoyed it. The third book in this series, Ex-Commincation, is tentatively scheduled for a December 2012 release.

St. George the Mighty Dragon, Stealth, Zzzap, and Cerberus have been doing their best to protect the citizens of the Mount from the Ex-Humans dwelling outside of the Mount’s walls. Food is growing scarcer but things are going okay. That is until the military shows up with the supersoliders. The military claims they want to help the people of the Mount and join forces with Stealth and crew to protect humans and re-build America. But seriously, have you ever heard of the military being good and helpful after an apocalypse?

This book was even better than the first. Like the first book it goes between Then and Now. The Then parts tell the story of the creation of the super-soldiers. The Now parts tell about the superheroes dealings with the military. The plot was put together better than the first book, more complex and interwoven, and really action packed which was very engaging. We get to know our favorite super-heroes even better and I enjoyed every second of it.

What really impressed with this book were the layers of deception. Stealth and crew encounter so many layers of deceit as they deal with the army; nothing ends up as you think it will and everything is more complex than it first seems. Even though St. George is willing to give the army the benefit of the doubt as a reader you are just waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole time.

Our favorite super-heroes all grow to some extent in this story (as much as can be expected in a pulp-fiction kind of story like this). Stealth is learning to act more human and Ceberus is dealing with her fear of being out of her armor. All of them are pushed to the very limits of their powers, yet always seem to be just powerful enough. A lot of the action scenes were very awesome and it was wonderful to Stealth in full battle-mode...she kicked butt a number of times.

We meet some great new characters. The Driver is introduced, he can take over machinery and wear it like a body. We also meet the lead super-soldier Captain Freedom; he was a bit too cookie-cutter Captain America for me...but it worked for the story. I hope he developes into a more interesting character in future installments.

The story wraps up nicely, as with the first book, and I can't wait to read future installments. These books have been fun action-packed reads set in an interesting post-apocalyptic zombie-infested world. They are well done and just plain fun.

Overall I enjoyed this installment in the Ex-Heroes series. These are fun books, well-written, and just plain entertaining. The audiobook quality was exceptional. We get to see our favorite superheroes at the top of their game, lots of action, and a fast-paced and unpredictable plot add to the enjoyment. We also get to meet some great new characters. I enjoyed this book. I recommend to people who like action packed super-hero stories. This is also a good book for all those zombie fans out there.(less)

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Feb 18, 2012 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-and-fantasy

Not for everyone, but right up my (twisted) alley!!! OK, that was fun - as in yes, I stayed up too late last night/this morning to finish it, and it was worth it fun.... Let's keep this in perspective: I'm not expecting Clines to be nominated for either the Pulitzer or the Booker Prizes. But he deserves kudos for: (1) identifying a demographic (which includes me) that is sufficiently amused by two niche genres - not-just-comic-book super-hero fiction and zombie mayhem (which, admittedly, has ben...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After finishing up EX-HEROES I was pretty anxious to get started reading the follow up, EX-PATRIOTS. Fortunately I didn't have to wait long. (I admit I did abandon a just-barely-started read so that I could dive into this second of the series as soon as it arrived.)

It's now been two years since the Zombocalypse. Two years and the survivors in LA have made it this far thanks to the superheroes that have helped them. The Mount is secure and has even grown to include some of the old Seventeens and...more After finishing up EX-HEROES I was pretty anxious to get started reading the follow up, EX-PATRIOTS. Fortunately I didn't have to wait long. (I admit I did abandon a just-barely-started read so that I could dive into this second of the series as soon as it arrived.)

It's now been two years since the Zombocalypse. Two years and the survivors in LA have made it this far thanks to the superheroes that have helped them. The Mount is secure and has even grown to include some of the old Seventeens and their followers who gave up the gang in the wake of the big battle just one year ago. Though they've lost allies and friends along the way, they're making it. That doesn't mean they aren't all a bit relieved when a group of military men and women arrives on their doorstep. But these aren't just any military, they're Project Krypton -- the government's own attempt to create super soldiers with the help of science. Stealth, St. George, Zzzap, and Cerberus travel to Yuma to meet the folks in charge of the project and base. But when they arrive, they find that all is not as it seems.

Oh, bureaucracy and zombies! Gotta love it.

With EX-PATRIOTS, Clines has definitely managed to keep up the momentum and excitement of his debut. This second in the series also keeps the same format, switching between present and past, with the flashback chapters again alternating narrators as was the case in in EX-HEROES. This time around, the past is all told from the perspective of the folks involved in Project Krypton, again serving as an origin story and leading up to the events that are taking place in the present timeline of the tale.

Guys, this series is a must for any zombie fiction fan! I don't really know how else to say it. If you're in need of some shambling, flesh-eating monster tales to quench your WALKING DEAD craving, you should be reading Peter Clines. If you're a fan of super heroes, if you're a fan of apocalypse settings, heck, if you're a fan of a darn good read, you should be reading Peter Clines. Can I just say if you have any sense, you should be reading Peter Clines?(less)

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Feb 17, 2012 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Zombies, superheroes, super-soldiers

Shelves: audiobook, science-fiction, post-apocalyptic, superheroes, zombies

This is definitely popcorn entertainment. Superheroes + zombies: it's a novelized comic book, and it reads like one. I thought the first book (Ex-Heroes) was pretty cheesy and mediocre if enjoyable. The second book is also cheesy, maybe just a notch above mediocre. Clines's writing has improved in this sequel, and it particularly shows in the plotting. Instead of a dumb boss fight with a predictable conclusion at the end, there are several fairly clever (if very much conforming to standard super...more This is definitely popcorn entertainment. Superheroes + zombies: it's a novelized comic book, and it reads like one. I thought the first book (Ex-Heroes) was pretty cheesy and mediocre if enjoyable. The second book is also cheesy, maybe just a notch above mediocre. Clines's writing has improved in this sequel, and it particularly shows in the plotting. Instead of a dumb boss fight with a predictable conclusion at the end, there are several fairly clever (if very much conforming to standard superhero tropes) twists, some of which made things that initially had me rolling my eyes suddenly become more credible. The battle at the end is more complex and has more factions and is left a little bit inconclusive (well, in typical genre fashion, you can't ever have a villain decisively killed).

In Ex-Heroes, we were introduced to a gang of superheroes who were defending "The Mount," a fortress inside what was once Paramount Studios in Hollywood, where human survivors have barricaded themselves against the zombie hordes that have overrun the world. In this second book in what is obviously meant to be an ongoing series, we're introduced to a group of "super soldiers" who were engineered by the U.S. Army just before everything went to apocalypse. Led by "Captain Freedom" (yeah, yeah), they discover the Mount when they fly a predator drone overhead. The heroes send out Zzzap, their energy form hero, and soon the superheroes are meeting the super-soldiers, there is the obligatory initial misunderstanding leading to a completely unnecessary hero battle, followed by the two groups deciding to join together, followed by the discovery of sinister secrets, a hidden bad guy, a returning foe, and more "killing dead zombie celebrity" jokes.

I gave the first book 3 stars; I give this one 3.5. I don't think Peter Clines is going to be putting out anything really fantastically well-written or brilliant, but although falling a bit below my usual quality threshold for series I want to keep following, I have enjoyed both books enough that I will probably snap up the next book when it's released. This is very much hardcore zombie-superhero-nerd fantasy, but if that hits your sweet spot, take the time to enjoy the unabashed enthusiastic genre love here.(less)

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Mar 10, 2012 Tim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ex-Patriots does not quite live up to its predecessor, Ex-Heroes. I still enjoyed it quite a bit to be assured. The setting, premise, and characters continue to engage me. The first half of the novel is every bit as good as the first book, but it unfortunately fell apart for me a bit during the second half.

Ex-Heroes had a satisfying arc with good reveals throughout. It was relatively self-contained, but the premise itself left room for further exploration.

Ex-Patriots, on the other hand, starts...more

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May 21, 2013 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

REVIEW SUMMARY: More awesome super heroes meets zombies, now with super soldiers!

MY RATING: 4 stars

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Things get more complicated for L.A.'s ex-heroes when a unit of super soldiers show up.

PROS: Cool heroes, fair representation of the military, better villains, better plotting, better characterization, even better pop-culture references.

CONS: Weak finale with lack of resolution - building up for Ex-Communication, weaker action.

BOTTOM LINE: A good sequel that addresses some problems...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Trike rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, fantasy, superhero-fiction, zombies, post-apocalypse

3.5 stars. Ex-Patriots is the sequel to Ex-Heroes. It's not quite as engaging as the first book was, half because it's not as revelatory and half because the story itself isn't as awesome. If Ex-Heroes is the "KAPOW!" then Ex-Patriots is the "Biff!"

A direct analogy: Iron Man was an awesome movie, revelatory for making the character compelling and altogether amazing, while Iron Man 2 was competently made. That's how these books compare. As with Iron Man 2, I recommend Ex-Patriots to anyone who i...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Tasha Robinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this one a good bit better than the series' previous book, Ex-Heroes. That one did all the heavy world-building and had a fairly standard "fighting off ye olde post-zombie-apocalypse enemy" plot familiar from arc after arc of The Walking Dead, in spite of the freshness of the "superheroes in the zombie apocalypse" novel plot. This one broadens the world considerably, and comes with more surprises. These still aren't deep books—they're quick, fun reads, with a ton of superhero-on-zombie a...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Zedsdead rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Zedsdead by: Next in series.

More superhero-vs-zombie funness. A squadron of enhanced Marines makes contact with the heroes at the Mount, who are whisked off to a desert base in Arizona on a diplomatic mission. Naturally things immediately go awry. A new villain has good guys fighting good guys and an old villain reappears to capitalize.

Ex-Patriots is just like the first book. Clines has some great ideas and good plot structure, but his writing hasn't improved any. He seems to get bored during zombie fights, his language a...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Phil Norfleet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very good book. For an avowed zombie hater (sorry, I just don't like the genre), this is very high praise. The characters remain strong - there were some actions taken fairly early on in the story that I questioned but then made complete sense by the end of the book - and their various relationships with each other work well. I've even become kind of invested in the ship-tease going on here with St. George and Stealth and now kind of root for them (even though I think Stealth is quite probably t...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Tim Fiester rated it 4 of 5 stars

Had so much fun with the first book I had to read the second. It's just as good in several ways. Thankfully, the author introduces a couple new heroes to spice things up. Unfortunately, though, the author repeatedly uses the same phrases when describing the actions of certain characters. When he's relating the actions of, say St. George (the "Mighty Dragon"), you pretty much can expect to see the phrase "the exes swarmed all over him, chipping their teeth on his arms and legs." *sad sigh*
Neverth...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Rob Fulks rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book, yet parts of it leave a lot to be desired.

Here be spoilers:

I read a lot of comics so the return of Legion wasn't exactly a surprise. The power that he has is very interesting, it's clever that the author made him stupid, if not he would be completely unstoppable. I hate that the story ends so damn abruptly. I get that there will be more books, but the story barely really advances all that much. That being said, I really do enjoy the stories, but like most good stories I...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Jesse Carrasco rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great sequel to a random book that I found last year (Ex-Heroes). I have no idea how I came across the first one but I picked it up and was quickly drawn in to the story of superheroes in Los Angeles vs. zombies. You can't ask for anything better. After reading that book I found out there was a sequel and decided to finally sit down and read it. This one was just as good as the first. It read like a movie; building on the characters we already knew, adding some new memorial characters...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Stephen Beeman rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you liked Ex-Heroes, you'll like Ex-Patriots. If you loved Ex-Heroes... you'll like Ex-Patriots. Same great characters, same well-crafted action, but not as compelling a plot. The other blemish, which you'll only discover at the end, is the annoying way one of the characters spends the entire story foreshadowing the next book in the series, without any payoff in this one. Still, a solid effort, quickly and professionally done. Buy it to encourage him to write more books in this thoroughly ent...more

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Oct 17, 2012 David(LA,CA) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Better than the first book in the series, but it didn't fix any of the problems I had with the first one ether. The flashback chapters are still present, and feel like they're dropped in specifically so the author can extend a cliff hanger ending from the previous chapter. I think I liked the flashbacks a little better this time because they were helping to give back story on characters that weren't the main characters this time. They expanded on characters that weren't already going to be given...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Ben Richardson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books-i-own

I have to admit I gave the first book 4 stars- it was good, well written (and to the nitpickers, its fiction. okay?) and the pop culture references were a lot of fun. Never been a huge zombie fan, but Clines mythology is fascating (esp the 'how they came to be' explanation is startling).

Now to 'ex-patriots' .... the plotting was good/interesting/basic...until HOLY SMOKE! Did Clines just do what I THINK he did? DANG. Talk about a writer who can pull it together. I was torn between dragging out re...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Mihir rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review originally over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: After reading Peter Clines excellent debut Ex-Heroes, I was very excited to see where he would take the characters and the world he had written about, in the next book. As is the case with most successful debuts, the sequels come up high anticipation and therein lies the quandary for the author as to come with a story which will resonate with the readers and give them something from the previous book and also at the same time head the char...more
Review originally over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: After reading Peter Clines excellent debut Ex-Heroes, I was very excited to see where he would take the characters and the world he had written about, in the next book. As is the case with most successful debuts, the sequels come up high anticipation and therein lies the quandary for the author as to come with a story which will resonate with the readers and give them something from the previous book and also at the same time head the characters in a new direction. It’s a tight rope act and one which has to done precisely as there are no second chances.

Peter Clines’s sequel to his exhilarating debut is titled Ex-Patriots and focuses on events a year later after what has happened in Ex-Heroes. The Mount community has more than doubled in its size due to the influx of immigrants from the other side. The Heroes have had their share of losses but their workload has even increased and now there’s a bit of resentment being aimed at the heroes by someone who believes they are taking away their civilian choices and rights. Things however look up as they celebrate Independence Day and people have a good time. Their celebrations are noticed by a military drone which brings out two choppers of US soldiers. These soldiers aren’t just the ordinary kind, they are from the project Krypton headed by Dr. Emil Sorrenson. They prove their capabilities and invite the heroes to their base as the Cerebrus armor is something which would be invaluable to them. On arriving at the Krypton base, things start going southwards as the heroes learn of certain things. But the main question is who is the real villain amidst all these events and what does this mean for all the humans still living in the Mount?

Sequels are always hard things to write however the author does the smart thing by sticking to his original successful formula of structuring his story and making sure that the readers instantly feel reconnected with the characters, however the new thing which he does is that he shifts the location of the action from Los Angeles to Project Krypton out in the Arizona desert. This shift causes a change of scenery as well as helps in widening the focus of the story and giving the readers an outward look at the events which have been happening. This pattern was very reminiscent of Matthew Reilly’s Scarecrow novels wherein the first two books had a similar plot structure but were in diametrically opposite environments.

The characterization is again top notch as we re-enter the lives of the POV characters picking up from where the readers were left off & the fit is smooth. This time however the flashback then sections focus more on the newer characters thereby giving us a fresher look at the story but this move also detaches a bit of the attachment to the primary characters. As this time around its the new characters who are the recipients of the "Then" sections.

This book had a primary drawback which was that during the middle portion, it tends to have a lull in the action and robs the story of some of its energy as well as the tension. This move while explained in the climax seems premeditated but somehow doesn’t quite come across so clearly. There’s also the addition of the new characters which aims to bring new zeal but some of the these characters aren’t as intriguing as the earlier POV ones. Also some of them don’t get enough time to develop as the story restricts their flashbacks. There's also a major plot point from the first book of which there is no mention over in the sequel & I hope the author does address it in the next one. These points might be something which were noticed only by me and many wouldn’t be bothered by them however anticipation often is a double-edged blade. The ending however redeems these points completely as the author reveals his final twists which will definitely surprise many a reader and continues the tie-in with the overall all series arc.

CONCLUSION: Peter Clines’s sequel aims to please all new as well as the previous readers however the overall execution didn’t come across as envisioned. But the book is still a great effort and continues the excellent story begun in Ex-Heroes. Ex-Patriots is a crackerjack of a sequel, continuing in the same vein and yet delivering a thoroughly refurbished product in which readers can get lost in. Its an excellent middle book & now I can’t wait to see how it all ends in Ex-Communication.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Trax rated it 4 of 5 stars

A really great follow up to Ex-Heroes. It's awesome like the first book while moving forward. It actually reminded me of the difference between the movies Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead. Maybe it's just because of the introduction of the military into the mix that makes me see that comparison between those zombie flicks and the two Ex books, as parallels. The story expands on the characters from the first book while adding new characters into the storyline.

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Future Survivors,...: EX-PATRIOTS (zombies vs superheroes!) by Peter Clines out now!	3	31	Oct 24, 2011 08:33pm
Apocalypse Whenever: EX-PATRIOTS (zombies vs superheroes!) by Peter Clines out now!	2	11	Sep 23, 2011 09:46pm
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About Peter Clines

Peter Clines is the author of the genre-blending -14- and the Ex-Heroes series.

He grew up in the Stephen King fallout zone of Maine and--inspired by comic books, Star Wars, and Saturday morning cartoons--started writing at the age of eight with his first epic novel, Lizard Men From The Center of The Earth(unreleased).

He made his first writing sale at age seventeen to a local newspaper, and at t...more

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Ex-Patriots (Ex-Heroes #2)

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