Sixteen-year-old Damien Locke has a plan: major in messing with people at the local supervillain university and become a professional evil genius, ...
read full description
reviews
Aug 27, 2011
This book was great. Very campy. Alot of superhero/supervillian jokes, but even non-comic book fans could relate. Damien Locke is hilarious and I would love to be best friends with Renegade X. Not to mention, read another book about him. Here are just a few great quotes from the book:
I've been kidnapped by a madman in tights and a cape.
I explained that I'd been homeschooled but that didn't help. She must have been picturing cavemenlike supervillians in capes grunting and show More...
I've been kidnapped by a madman in tights and a cape.
I explained that I'd been homeschooled but that didn't help. She must have been picturing cavemenlike supervillians in capes grunting and show More...
0 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Oct 16, 2011
Megan
rated it: 
(Re-posted from http://theturnedbrain.blogspot.com)
There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that I won’t forgive a book for if it gives me fantastic characters. Plot holes? Cliches? Incest? Like the annoying girl you tolerate because her brother is way hot, I’ll welcome all those flaws if the characters are bitching.
And boy are Chelsea M. Campbells characters bitching!
Which is not to say that the book is full of plot holes and clichés. Incest on the other hand… N More...
There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that I won’t forgive a book for if it gives me fantastic characters. Plot holes? Cliches? Incest? Like the annoying girl you tolerate because her brother is way hot, I’ll welcome all those flaws if the characters are bitching.
And boy are Chelsea M. Campbells characters bitching!
Which is not to say that the book is full of plot holes and clichés. Incest on the other hand… N More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Dec 14, 2011
Liyana
rated it: 
It has everything I wanted in a book, which I didn't think was possible. I am honestly finding it difficult to say what I loved about the RoRX (read: everything) so I'll just put down a list. People, this is why I don't review books I have read, loved and put away for a while. The story, the characters just sit in my heart and brain comfortably. The thought of reviewing it just seems silly. I'd rather just have you guys find the wonder for yourself and be pleasantly, extremely surprised. This is
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Nov 22, 2011
Rachel
rated it: 
I... was really conflicted about this book. One one hand, I loved it and had a good time, but on the other, I'm cringing and wanting so badly to put this book under a pile of dirty clothes and just... never look at it again.
So, guilty pleasure? yes.
It's got the whole superheroes vs villains theme going on, and with all superhero/villain books, Campbell thought to add in the whole "there's a grey area!" and "change your destiny!" themes. Which isn't wrong; I li More...
So, guilty pleasure? yes.
It's got the whole superheroes vs villains theme going on, and with all superhero/villain books, Campbell thought to add in the whole "there's a grey area!" and "change your destiny!" themes. Which isn't wrong; I li More...
Feb 23, 2011
A Canadian Girl
rated it:
The Rise of Renegade X begins with its protagonist, Damien, waiting to become sixteen and get the V on his thumb that signals he will become a supervillain. With his supervillain mother - the Mistress of Mayhem (aka Marianna Locke), - his friends and a bunch of strangers on hand at his birthday party to witness this milestone in his life, Damien eagerly waits for the clock to turn to midnight. Unfortunately, when the clock does strike twelve, Damien’s thumbprint forms a horrifying X, which basic
More...
0 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
Feb 05, 2011
MaryBookSwarm
rated it:
I really, really enjoyed this story (when you finish a book in just a couple of hours and don't just skim the thing, you know it's good!). It was fun and snarky. Yay for the anti-hero. Or at least a kid who's convinced he is an anti-hero, hates heroes and everything to do with them, and swears he'll never be a hero.
But is he really the villian he thinks he is (and really wants to be)? Well, he's dating a supervillian chick who's power is shapeshifting. He "punishes" those More...
But is he really the villian he thinks he is (and really wants to be)? Well, he's dating a supervillian chick who's power is shapeshifting. He "punishes" those More...
Nov 08, 2010
BookKids
rated it:
I like that there are all sorts of issues sneakily raised by the book. The main premise of the book is that a person is either born a hero or a villain — it’s in their genes. So, Damien is problematic since he actually gets to choose. He’s actions will ultimately determine his eventual designation, not just his genes. And Damien fights this.
Also, because people are considered to be genetically determined, no one is able to fight the designation given. So, that means that some unpleasan More...
Also, because people are considered to be genetically determined, no one is able to fight the designation given. So, that means that some unpleasan More...
Oct 14, 2010
Kari
rated it:
Entertaining, comical and plenty villainous, The Rise of Renegade X is a great mix of superheroes/villains, the elements that readers have loved in comics for years, and plenty of ties in and connections to the YA genre in general. Campbell has created a great world where superheroes and villains exist openly, even if their specific identities are kept a secret, while also making it believable.
Damien has been raised by only his mom, a supervillain who has taught him plenty of the tri More...
Damien has been raised by only his mom, a supervillain who has taught him plenty of the tri More...
Sep 04, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
This book can be described in one word as Fantastic!
Fantastic characters, fantastic world built, fantastic plot….yup, you guessed it fantastic all the way around. So fantastic, in fact, that I can’t decide where to start.
Shall I begin by speaking about Golden City? Ok, sure, that’s a great place to start. I mean, where else can supervillains and superheros co-exist but in a place that sounds so very much from the heart of a comic book? Golden City , at times, gave off a v More...
Fantastic characters, fantastic world built, fantastic plot….yup, you guessed it fantastic all the way around. So fantastic, in fact, that I can’t decide where to start.
Shall I begin by speaking about Golden City? Ok, sure, that’s a great place to start. I mean, where else can supervillains and superheros co-exist but in a place that sounds so very much from the heart of a comic book? Golden City , at times, gave off a v More...
May 31, 2010
Rachael
rated it:
Damien Locke can’t wait for his sixteenth birthday when his right thumbprint will form a V, officially marking him as a supervillain. Imagine his surprise and outrage when instead an X appears. There’s only one possibly way this could’ve happened: his supervillain mother doing it with a superhero. Blech. A superhero, of all people! To make matters worse, Damien now has to live with his superhero family. With his plans of villainy temporarily foiled, Damien must figure out what to do in the meant
More...
May 30, 2010
Connie
rated it:
Better than I expected!
I have to admit it, I bought this book for the lulz. I thought a book about a poor little supervillain who is FORCED to live with his superhero dad and experience personal growth was going to be HILARIOUSLY bad. I mean, I thought it was going to be so epically horrible that we'd be mocking this until we all died.
I thought wrong.
Okay, the premise is still a little goofy, and the teenaged angst is still a little... well, maybe I'd like it More...
I have to admit it, I bought this book for the lulz. I thought a book about a poor little supervillain who is FORCED to live with his superhero dad and experience personal growth was going to be HILARIOUSLY bad. I mean, I thought it was going to be so epically horrible that we'd be mocking this until we all died.
I thought wrong.
Okay, the premise is still a little goofy, and the teenaged angst is still a little... well, maybe I'd like it More...
May 05, 2010
Danielle
rated it:
Damien had spent his whole life believing himself to be pure supervillain--despite the mystery that is his father. But on the day of his sixteenth birthday, instead of a v appearing on his thumb, he gets himself the mythical Third Letter--x. The apparent offspring of a villain and a hero, Damien knows he'd be the laughing stock of the villainous world if this gets out, not to mention completly ineligable for the top Supervillain school in the country. To better understand the severity of t More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Mar 31, 2010
Cathy
rated it:
4.5 really, a terrific book.
First of all, keep in mind that this is an advanced copy, so any and all items are subject to change. That being said, I doubt much will change. I'm not a great editor and was too caught up in the story to pay much of attention, but I didn't note any typos or or other obvious errors (and I often do).
Anyway, the experience starts with the great cover. The design is echoed on the cover page and the first page of each chapter. The font type for b More...
First of all, keep in mind that this is an advanced copy, so any and all items are subject to change. That being said, I doubt much will change. I'm not a great editor and was too caught up in the story to pay much of attention, but I didn't note any typos or or other obvious errors (and I often do).
Anyway, the experience starts with the great cover. The design is echoed on the cover page and the first page of each chapter. The font type for b More...
3 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
Apr 05, 2011
Dee
rated it:
Well...I had high hopes for this book. This is Campbell's first published novel, which is easy to tell. However, I'm going to keep an eye on her. She knows how to pick a topic for reluctant readers. My 15-year-old son, who is an avid graphic novel fan, was waiting for me to finish the book so he could get his hands on it. This is akin to a miracle.
Damien finds out that he is the product of a supervillain mom and a superhero dad. This gives him the unique opportunity to choose his own More...
Damien finds out that he is the product of a supervillain mom and a superhero dad. This gives him the unique opportunity to choose his own More...
Dec 15, 2010
Rosalia
rated it:
When a superhero or villain turns 16 they get a V or and H telling the world what they are. If you are the child of a superhero and a villain you get an X and your behavior will choose your fate. They make it a point over the course of the book to establish that not all superheroes are necessarily good people just like not all villains are necessarily going to be bad people. There is also a lot of prejudice. Should someone who is the children of villains be helped when they will most likely
More...
May 13, 2010
JG (The Introverted Reader)
rated it:
Damien Locke is the son of the Mistress of Mayhem, a mad scientist supervillain living in Golden City. On his sixteenth birthday, he has a huge party to celebrate his thumbprint becoming a "V," meaning that he's a born supervillain. Except that it doesn't. It becomes a mythical "X," which can only mean one thing: his dad must be a superhero. Where does that leave Damien?
I had a lot of fun reading this! Damien might not be the most scientific supervillain, or More...
I had a lot of fun reading this! Damien might not be the most scientific supervillain, or More...
2 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
May 15, 2010
Mel
rated it:
(originally posted on my blog: http://hefollowedmehome.blogspot.com/)
Damien (aka Renegade X) is not just some punk with a cocky attitude who wants to be a villain, he's real and likable and although he may not want to admit it, he has a conscience. I loved the way Chelsea captured Damien's inner struggles and included his thoughts...which didn't always match what he said and had me giggling. Not only does he have his super hero/villain issues to deal with, there's his ex-girlfriend, Kat, w More...
Damien (aka Renegade X) is not just some punk with a cocky attitude who wants to be a villain, he's real and likable and although he may not want to admit it, he has a conscience. I loved the way Chelsea captured Damien's inner struggles and included his thoughts...which didn't always match what he said and had me giggling. Not only does he have his super hero/villain issues to deal with, there's his ex-girlfriend, Kat, w More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jul 14, 2010
Mary
rated it:
I really, really enjoyed this story (when you finish a book in just a couple of hours and don't just skim the thing, you know it's good!). It was fun and snarky. Yay for the anti-hero. Or at least a kid who's convinced he is an anti-hero, hates heroes and everything to do with them, and swears he'll never be a hero.
But is he really the villian he thinks he is (and really wants to be)? Well, he's dating a supervillian chick who's power is shapeshifting. He "punishes" those who More...
But is he really the villian he thinks he is (and really wants to be)? Well, he's dating a supervillian chick who's power is shapeshifting. He "punishes" those who More...
Mar 26, 2010
Karin
rated it:
Welcome to Golden City where superheroes and supervillains mingle with ordinary citizens. We meet the main character, Damien Locke, on the eve of his 16th birthday – the day his “V” is supposed to appear in his thumbprint. The day his fate is officially sealed. The day he becomes a REAL supervillain. His “V” will ensure his admission to Vilmore, the university for aspiring villains. So, standing in front of a crowd of people as the clock strikes Midnight, Damien watches as his thumbprint shifts
More...
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Aug 07, 2010
Lea
rated it:
Damien Locke thinks he has things all figured out as he prepares to turn sixteen. He's charging ten bucks a head for tourists to watch the unveiling of his V, the mark on his thumb that will identify him as a supervillain, and he's finally getting revenge on the former best friend who made out with his (now ex-) girlfriend at Damien's last birthday party. But when midnight rolls around, Damien gets an X instead of V, and he discovers that his mother's long ago fling with a superhero puts Damien'
More...
Jun 24, 2010
Dan
rated it:
Are your parents supervillians or superheroes? If you are anything like me or Damien Locke then your parents might be both. Sixteen year old Damien Locke wants to be a badass from top to bottom and has set out to follow in the footsteps of his supervillian mom, the Mistress of Mayhem. Thing is, there might be a small problem standing in the way of everything he has planned. He seems to give a rats@$$ about other people. Damien moves in with his dad, a superhero, and plots to prove he is the supe
More...
Aug 27, 2011
Coquille
rated it:
This book has the perfect premise, so clear-cut yet utterly original. Fans of comic books and superheroes will absolutely eat this baby up. I devoured this book pretty quickly considering my lack of free time. The pace is fast and the writing is snappy, snarky, and sometimes snippy. Damien is a Supervillian, about to get his V (a sign that appears on the thumb on one's 16th birthday), but when the day arrives, complete with a money-making party for tourists, his world crumbles as an X appears. L
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 20, 2012
Shari
rated it:
Damien Locke, future super villain has grand plans to attend Vilmore, the elite boarding school for up and coming super villains. Unfortunately the X that appears on his thumb the night of his sixteenth birthday turns his life upside down. Now he will have to prove himself a villain or a hero.
My absolute favorite part of The Rise of Renegade X has to be main character Damien. His hysterical sarcasm had me laughing out loud more times than I can count. Truly the characters of th More...
My absolute favorite part of The Rise of Renegade X has to be main character Damien. His hysterical sarcasm had me laughing out loud more times than I can count. Truly the characters of th More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jul 06, 2010
Madeline
rated it:
I like that there are all sorts of issues sneakily raised by the book. The main premise of the book is that a person is either born a hero or a villain — it’s in their genes. So, Damien is problematic since he actually gets to choose. He’s actions will ultimately determine his eventual designation, not just his genes. And Damien fights this.
Also, because people are considered to be genetically determined, no one is able to fight the designation given. So, that means that some unpleas More...
Also, because people are considered to be genetically determined, no one is able to fight the designation given. So, that means that some unpleas More...
Aug 16, 2010
Ashley
rated it:
I would probably give this book a 3.5 if I could. If I could describe this book in one word I would probably say it was funny. It almost felt like a parody sometimes, yet it was also heartwarming and earnest. Not exactly the typical descriptors one would use to describe a story about a guy stuck between being a superhero and a supervillain. Especially not one where that guy talks about sex a lot. But Chelsea Campbell has crafted a very interesting story here. First of all, it feels extremely uni
More...
Dec 16, 2010
Additeenlibrarian
rated it:
One reason this book was a fun read is its unusual sense of right and wrong. Our "hero" is also a villain, his friends are villains (but some aren't so bad), his parents are a mixture of hero/villain. When his 16th birthday comes around, Damien doesn't automatically get the V on his thumb he was expecting. Instead, he gets an X. Which means he has a choice to make: good guy or bad guy?
This book is funny, unusual, and unpredictable. There's action and romance and humor. Despi More...
This book is funny, unusual, and unpredictable. There's action and romance and humor. Despi More...
Aug 26, 2010
Erin
rated it:
Your 16th birthday is pretty exciting for children of superheroes or supervillains because your right thumbprint turns into a V (for villain) or H (for hero) and you learn your power! Damien has been prepping to be a villain his entire life, learning from his mother. But on his 16th birthday, when he gets an X instead of a V on his thumb, he learns that he is a superhero/supervillain cross! Based on his choices, he can turn into a villain or a hero. He's determined to become a villain, but when
More...
Aug 21, 2010
Diana
rated it:
Another one that I read and didn't write up right away. Damien Locke, the son of a supervillain, stages a big event for his sixteenth birthday when the V indicating his status as a supervillain will appear on his fingerprints but the worst thing that can happen (as far as Damien is concerned) does and instead of a V he develops and X. An X means that his status as supervillain or superhero is undetermined. It can only mean that his mother conceived him with a superhero but who? Damien's investig
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 20, 2010
Beth
rated it: 
This book started off cheesy but fun enough; the son of a supervillian mom finds out his father is a superhero and has to go live with him. But it goes distarously off course with wildy uneven charaters and very rushed plot. The boy is supposed to be a straight 17, but acts like a gay middle aged man...? And the author can't decide just how evil his evil ex-girlfriend is, but apparently she's useless enough to be the damsel in distress at the end. The nice girl who wants to be his sidekick j
More...
Sep 07, 2010
Katie
rated it:
The Rise Of Renegade X is probably one of the most unique YA novels that I’ve ever read. Funny, witty and action-packed, I definitely enjoyed Damien Locke’s struggle to remain villain in a family full of superheroes.
Damien is one of those immature, snarky teenage boys that we only get to see as side characters in most novels. I was so entertained to read about one as a protagonist. His sarcastic comments and sharp ways of handling his newfound family was hilarious. After reading book More...
Damien is one of those immature, snarky teenage boys that we only get to see as side characters in most novels. I was so entertained to read about one as a protagonist. His sarcastic comments and sharp ways of handling his newfound family was hilarious. After reading book More...
