What if the X-Men were a branch of the military and there was no Professor X? That's effectively Myke Cole's premise in Control Point, and not only does it work, it arguably trumps even Chris Claremont's most classic story arcs. Cole's military background helps ground his magic in the real word tale (humans manifesting magic abilities are called Latents, not mutants, and the most unique are disappeared and pressed into secret military service), and the world he builds around it is very well thought out; if you squint, you can see the D&D influences behind the mechanics, but not in the formulaic way that plagues most D&D-based novels.

More than anything, though, Control Point is a top-notch page-turner, full of vivid action sequences and engaging characters (Britton's internal conflicts dance on the edge of Drizzt Do'Urden-esque angst without ever crossing it), pulling off the ideal beginning of a series: it tells a great story while opening a portal to so much more. "Much more" could easily include comics, RPGs, and movies.

Recommended!