Spy High: Mission One -- A. J. Butcher

Set in the year 2060, this is the story of the Bond Team, six recruits in their first year at Deveraux Academy -- otherwise known as Spy High.  Basically, Spy High: Mission One is a B-movie in book format. 

It has the stereotypical (almost to the point of being offensive) characters:

Ben T. Stanton, Jr.: The blond team leader is a privileged rich-boy jerk who doesn't have the team's welfare at heart due to his dreams of personal glory.

Lori Angel:  Yes, that's her real name.  Brilliant and beautiful (and yes, blonde), she wants to be appreciated for her brains.  Of course, that doesn't stop her from almost immediately hooking up with Ben and cooing over him every few pages.  It's heinous.

Jake Daley:  The dark-haired farm boy with the chip on his shoulder.  He's the one with the real leadership capabilities.

Jennifer Chen:  The one Asian on the team.  Yep, you guessed it.  She's a martial arts expert.

Eddie Nelligan:  The red-headed Irish comic relief.  Also an excellent SkyBiker.

Cally Cross:  The only black member of the team, she was delinquent and homeless before being offered a place at Spy High due to her amazing computer capabilities.

It has the requisite amazingly bad dialogue:

"And you know what's the strangest thing?  When I saw you fighting, I could see only you, not the holograms.  You were the only one who could see them.  To me, you weren't battling anyone -- only thin air, only yourself.  I know you feel bad, Ben, but you've got to let someone in, someone real.  Let me help you."

That piece of sparkling wit belongs to Lori Angel -- you remember, the brilliant one?

The book also has a couple of megalomaniac bad guys (one holographic, one real), gadgets, the aforementioned SkyBikes, the Tutor that Believes in His Team -- no matter how crappily they work together, and a descendant of V. Frankenstein who owes at least some credit to Dr. Moreau.  If someone ever decided to make a graphic novel version of MST3K, this would be the perfect book to adapt and mock. 

Most of the time, it just felt like a really, really bad James Bond rip-off.  Occasionally -- very, very occasionally -- I had glimpses of the super-fun spoof it could have been.  But those oh-so-brief moments weren't enough to make me want to even bother reading the teaser for the second book in the series.  But hey -- once again, what do I know?  There are 6 books in the first series (and it has spawned an entire second series), so someone is obviously reading them.

Comments

[Little Willow]

Thanks for the warning. I like the spy genre when done well, but this sounds like one to stay away from.

[jesse]

i actually really enjoyed this book. it has a thrill that is different from other books. Is more for the teenagers but has a good story line and makes you want to read more. this is a great spy genre and the author has great word descriptions that make you want to read more mabe a little slow to start with but it has a great middle and ending.

this book sucked balls

[Becki]

What the hell ?!?!?!?!?! This is one of my favourite books and though the dialogue can get boring and pointless it keeps up the pace and at the end of each book leaves you desperate for more. Anyone who disagrees isn't worth mentioning.

[Stephen]

This is definatly one of the greatest books there is out there. And i dont know what is wrong with u people who say otherwise.

[deborah]

i love the themes in this book!

and i love all the interesting characters

[Tee]

What Is The Main Idea Because I got Confused?

wat happens i dont wanna read it

[spring green]

Best book ever. I think this site is made by another writter and can't do well without putting the names of other better writers in the dirt.

[nina]

i just started reading it i'm like attached to book and it is so good

[Hawaiigirl]

I LOVE THESE BOOKS!!!!!!

[hytr5]

I REALLY liked this book and i even reviewed it on my teen book review web site: http://ateengirlsbookreview.webs.com/actionbookreviews.htm

[Leila]

Yeah, a lot of people really do love this series -- which is totally cool! I'm just in the minority this time around. (It happens to all of us at some time or another...)

[elle]

actually this book is awsome! some bits are admittidley boring and confusing but you have to read on because it glues yours hands to the book! really good theme and background as well, so imaginaticve

[No one]

this is actually a good book. All u other people there who hate it are just plain pyschos. So what if it's a ripoff of Bond movies? Who cares? As long as it's good. And it is not stupid either. No other person has written a book like this.

[Jane Smith]

i really liked the first book. it was good. not the best but not awful or anything. in definately reading the second

[Nemo]

this book was soooooo boring