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The Indestructibles Paperback – April 30, 2014

by Matthew Phillion (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 335 ratings
A solar powered girl. A ballerina vigilante. A boy with an alien sharing his brain. A girl with a black hole for her heart. And, a werewolf. This is the next generation of heroes Doc Silence has gathered together, a random collection of amazing kids he hopes to train to make the world a better place. But Silence isn't the only one collecting super-powered teenagers. In the shadows, a dark organization — long thought destroyed — has been building a better monster, combining sentient hurricanes with car crash survivors, crafting designer cyborgs, girls made of fire and boys made of pure rage. What is this mysterious organization's goal? And what does it have to do with Doc's past, and his team's future? Will Doc Silence have enough time to teach them to be heroes before they are called upon to save the world — and will his team be ready to accept the mantle as their generation's brightest stars? The Indestructibles introduces Jane, Kate, Billy, Titus, and Emily— Solar, Dancer, Straylight, Fury, and Entropy — as they learn how to use their bizarre powers. Along the way, they also discover something about themselves and whether they have what it takes to save the world. Meanwhile, the mercenary Agent Black and the mysterious Rose find themselves pawns of a villainous association who plan on changing the world, starting with the creation of a living, breathing, sentient storm system they're able to bend to their will. The Indestructibles, coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
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  1. Book 1 of 5
    the Indestructibles
  2. Print length
    322 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    April 30, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.81 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0991427521
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0991427529
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"It's refreshing to have the book's one truly indestructible hero be female...

But there's plenty that you haven't seen before... Phillion ramps up the action often enough to keep things moving...in the end, it's the heroes' well-drawn personalities that make The Indestructibles fly... And [he] doesn't give the villains short shrift either...It's the rare young superhero fan who won't find him -- or herself plowing through The Indestructibles in as few sittings as possible -- and the rare older fan who won't want to scoop it up as soon as junior finishes."

- Peter Chianca Gatehouse Media

"Three cheers for Solar, Dancer, Fury, Straylight, and Entropy: the five brightest stars in the sky...a young woman with Supergirl-like strength and abilities; Kate Miller, who wasn't really a superhero at all; a teenage werewolf; a kid with an alien super symbiote living in his brain; and a girl who could control gravity...In other words, the superteam was filled with a disparate mix of monsters and freaks. Or, we suppose, they could simply be called Dr. Strange and the Furious Five... [an] indefatigably entertaining novel."

- Eric Searleman - Superheronovels.com

From the Author

A follow up interview with Matthew Phillion about the response to his new novel The Indestructibles.

Q: Have you been surprised by the initial positive response to The Indestructibles?
 
Matthew Phillion: Yes. More than surprised. Amazed. You write a story like this and all you can hope for is for an audience to connect with it somehow, and I'm humbled to see that these characters are resonating with the readers. I take every comment to heart. Every response is important to me.
 
Q: What's your take on the interest in a sequel already?  Will there be one?  When?
 
 MP: I'm thrilled that readers and even some reviewers have asked about a sequel. I joked during the writing process that I'd be happy telling stories about these characters for the rest of my life, but I wasn't kidding at all -- there are so many stories to share about these heroes. I'd had the plot for a second book already roughed out even while I was working on the first, and I'm hoping we'll be able to have a sequel available by the Fall. Fingers crossed! We'll be taking all of the Indestructibles to new and interesting places.
 
Q: Can you give us a hint about what we might see in the sequel?
 
MP: No spoilers! (laughs) But I can say that we saw hints of other lab-created supervillains in the first book who might still be at large. Also, it's hard to imagine the authorities would be thrilled that a bunch of teenagers were running around saving the world unsupervised, so they'll probably be facing challenges from both ally and enemy alike. And all five team members have some growing to do as they figure out who and what they really are.
 
Q: Many of your readers have a favorite member of the Indestructibles who they've related to most. Do you have a favorite?
 
MP: Oh no, that question will get me in trouble! Although, if I had to choose, I'd say I relate most to Doc, because I, like Doc, feel very protective over the others. They're my responsibility in much the same way they are his. I have to admit something to you though -- when I've had too much coffee, sometimes I find myself talking exactly like Emily.
 
Q: Is there anything else that you'd like to add?
 
Yes.  I'm heartened that boys and girls -- men and women, seemed to have responded positively to the story and these characters.  Because, as I mentioned previously, I wanted every character to not be defined and, more importantly perhaps, to not be limited -- by their gender or any other essential characteristic. I hope it's a book about people, not about categories.
 
And, I'd also like to thank everyone once again for their kind support and enthusiastic responses.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ PFP
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 30, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0991427521
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0991427529
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.81 x 8.5 inches
  • Book 1 of 5 ‏ : ‎ the Indestructibles
  • Best Sellers Rank: #2,168 in Superhero Science Fiction
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 335 ratings

About the author

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Matthew Phillion

Matthew Phillion

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Matthew Phillion is a writer, actor, and film director based in Salem, Massachusetts and the author of the Indestructibles Young Adult superhero adventure series, its spinoff, Echo and the Sea, and the newly launched Dungeon Crawlers series.

He calls himself a "recovering newspaper journalist" and occasional filmmaker and actor. Matt has appeared in feature films including the sci-fi romance Harvest Moon and the independent horror flick Livestock. He wrote and directed the 2013 romantic comedy Certainly Never, which was nominated at the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival for five awards including best screenplay and best New England film. (Matt proudly notes that he was one of the actors not nominated for their roles, which he says is a sign he should stick to what he's good at.)

An active freelance writer, Phillion writes about healthcare, pop culture, and more. He enjoys adventuring with his sidekick, Watson the terrier mutt, and is also the official manservant to his very demanding cat Harley.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
335 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this superhero book enjoyable, with good character development and a strong plot that doesn't get bogged down in unnecessary angst. The writing is praised for its wit, and one customer notes how it creates a world with mystery. They appreciate the emotional content, with one review mentioning its touching moments, and find the action content engaging, describing it as an action movie-style book.

Select to learn more

EnjoymentCharacter developmentStory qualityPacingWriting qualityHumorEmotional contentAction content
36 customers mention "Enjoyment"34 positive2 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and entertaining, describing it as a great superhero read that's worth the time.

"...This first book in the series was well-written and enjoyable, but not enough to spend $20 on the next two books. Ridiculous...." Read more

"this was a great book because it's just great! I loved Billy...." Read more

"...All in all. Good read. I'll be eagerly waiting for the next installment." Read more

"This book was good but not great. The author is good at giving a starting point for the characters to develop from...." Read more

24 customers mention "Character development"21 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting how the team members have interesting relationships with each other.

"...It was way up on my list of favorite superhero books. Great, great characterization with the good guys and the bad guys, solid story, and fantastic..." Read more

"...I love all the geeky inside jokes; for another, I love her bubbly personality. All five main characters are carefully developed...." Read more

"...You feel that the characters are genuine and unique (with the possible exception of Jane), and the variety and diversity of the POVs is refreshing...." Read more

"...I bought a second copy of this book for a friend but I love all the characters. Kate, especially, speaks to me...." Read more

24 customers mention "Story quality"21 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, praising its solid superhero narrative and strong plot, with one customer noting that it doesn't get bogged down in unnecessary angst.

"It’s not totally ground-breaking, but it is a good story. The most interesting character, to me, is Doctor Silence...." Read more

"...Great, great characterization with the good guys and the bad guys, solid story, and fantastic dialogue...." Read more

"...And while for me, the characters are the draw, the plot is solid too. It moves, has its funny moments, and lots of action." Read more

"Five supernatural kids team up with an old hero to fight evil. A good plot, tried and true. But worn, overused...." Read more

19 customers mention "Pacing"18 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one describing it as a fantastic voyage of the mind that creates a world with mystery, while another notes how it leaves many avenues open for future books.

"Awesome intro into the Indestructibles universe! So far I'm really enjoying all of the characters and the overall world that it sets up...." Read more

"Great opening salvo. Awesome character and good characters that mature...." Read more

"...Fast-paced, fun, full of wit! Can't recommend this book enough. Two thumbs way up. I've just downloaded the rest of the series!" Read more

"...I wonder if the author is a screenwriter because the dialogue in this book is fast paced, funny and really helps with the characters...." Read more

14 customers mention "Writing quality"13 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, with one noting how the author provides a starting point for readers, while another highlights the safety nets woven into the superhero universe.

"...It's well written with good character development throughout and a believable super hero universe that's just close enough to reality that it draws..." Read more

"...Matthew Phillion is an amazing writer. I bought a second copy of this book for a friend but I love all the characters...." Read more

"Well written, memorable characters, kid friendly, though enjoyable for adults as well." Read more

"This guy knows how to write!! So impressed with this new author. You start this and will not be able to stop until its finished...." Read more

13 customers mention "Humor"12 positive1 negative

Customers find the book funny and full of wit, with one customer particularly appreciating the group dynamic and banter.

"A fun and enjoyable book. I really wanted to read the next two in the series... Until I discovered they're $10 a piece...." Read more

"Fun and thoughtful, it was a nice light read...." Read more

"...is a screenwriter because the dialogue in this book is fast paced, funny and really helps with the characters...." Read more

"...The world had better hope so. I really had fun with this book...." Read more

8 customers mention "Emotional content"6 positive2 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, with one customer noting its fascinating cosmology and another describing it as super-entertaining.

"...The group dynamic and banter is good and actually touching in places...." Read more

"...You get to know these characters, relate to them, cheer them on and worry for them. Read this book!!!" Read more

"It’s not totally ground-breaking, but it is a good story. The most interesting character, to me, is Doctor Silence...." Read more

"...The characters are deep and involved, realistic and sympathetic, with some standard archetypes and several innovative new ones...." Read more

4 customers mention "Action content"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the action content of the book, describing it as an action movie sort of book.

"The Indestructibles is a YA action novel that brings together a band of unlikely superheroes...." Read more

"...It moves, has its funny moments, and lots of action." Read more

"...This is a popcorn, action movie sort of book...." Read more

"...And thankfully it's not full of teen drama. The action is as well done as the pacing and story, which is very...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • daustin
    5.0 out of 5 stars great, great book
    Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I've been on a superhero reading tear since I got my Kindle. Some has been great, some good and some so-so. (Not sure if it's polite to mention other books in a review).
    This book really shocked me. It was way up on my list of favorite superhero books. Great, great characterization with the good guys and the bad guys, solid story, and fantastic dialogue. (Would loooove to see this on the big screen.) I wonder if the author is a screenwriter because the dialogue in this book is fast paced, funny and really helps with the characters.
    I will definitely be buying a sequel if it comes out.
    There's a superman-type and batman-type on the team and it shows just how well they play off of each other. All of the team members have interesting relationships with each other. I'm not going to summarize any of the story, I hate it when reviews are just a summary.
    My only nit picks are that the book needs one final proofread. The author used 'site' when he meant 'sight', there's a couple of dialogues where it's unclear who is talking to who and in one scene Emily is supposed to be saying something but Kate says it or vice versa. But those are very minor and only happened a few times.
    If you like superhero fiction I highly recommend this book.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Jacqui Corn-Uys
    4.0 out of 5 stars Even superheroes need to learn to work together...
    Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The Indestructibles is a YA action novel that brings together a band of unlikely superheroes.

    Doc Silence knows that the time has come once more. Evil has reared its head again, and he needs to unlock the powers in a group of kids who must fight together to bring an end to the evil experimentation that is taking place. The kids need to not only learn to use their powers but learn to work together, and as anyone knows, stick a bunch of teenagers together and that’s not always an easy task. Can a werewolf, a dancer, solar-girl, a flying boy and gravity-defying Emily stop arguing with each other long enough to defeat a destructive storm as well as other humans that have been turned into experiments? The world had better hope so.

    I really had fun with this book. The characters showed a lot of the human side of superheroes and how they can doubt their decisions or miss their families. The experimentation done on the children was horrific as the uncontrollable evil powers that were thrust on them was hardly fair. Especially as many were not given the choice. I liked how the superheroes knew intrinsically they had these powers but learning about them and controlling them was a give and take fight. Doc’s history and the extent of his powers were fascinating, and I’m keen to see what will happen with him and the Lady.

    There were a few editing mistakes like there and their being mixed up and capitals appearing in the middle of a sentence for no reason but nothing to slow the flow of reading drastically.

    I definitely recommend this book that even adults can enjoy and am interested to see where the story is heading.
    One person found this helpful
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  • A. E. Hutchison
    5.0 out of 5 stars A new favorite series
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This is a review of the series through Book 4. I suppose the series falls into the Young Adult range, in that it isn't wildly complex, doesn't have sexual scenes or depraved behavior by the main character. However, as a not-so-young adult, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a bittersweetness that run through the books, and gets more developed as they go along. Loss and sacrifice are constant themes even though this is not "dark." And, there is plenty of beating the bad guys in the end.

    I suspect the author's favorite character is Kate, the Dancer. And I can see the allure. But, my personal favorites are Doc Silence (the grown up), and Entropy Emily. For one thing, I love all the geeky inside jokes; for another, I love her bubbly personality. All five main characters are carefully developed. No sudden unexplained changes in personality here. Also, there are quite a few characters that are more ambiguous--not "heroes" but not "villains." Some good people do bad things. Some bad people do good things. However, the bad action is never presented as being good.

    And while for me, the characters are the draw, the plot is solid too. It moves, has its funny moments, and lots of action.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Paul Kettle
    4.0 out of 5 stars Doc Silence himself bears a name and a power set that easily reminds one of the magical hero Doctor Strange
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    At first glance, you'd be forgiven for noting down the similarities between "The Indestructibles" and the overwhelming number of superhuman-oriented comic books already present in the world. The story itself is a fairly simple one; a hero known as Doc Silence gathers a small group of super-powered kids or young adults to prepare for a looming threat in the form of an old enemy, who has amassed her own team of formidable assistants. It's your typical, standard science fiction superhero affair. Unlike numerous stories, such as The Watchmen, which basically focus on deconstructing familiar tropes and aspects present in superhero stories, Matthew Phillion presents us with a tale that is familiar to anyone who's ever associated with comic books, yet is also written well enough to be accessible to anyone who isn't familiar to that kind of story.

    What Mister Phillion has done, however, is create a series of likeable characters that, although showing off traits and characteristics similar to well-known fictional characters in other media, lend a sense of freshness to the story with personalities that outshine their uncanny abilities. Doc Silence himself bears a name and a power set that easily reminds one of the magical hero Doctor Strange, but comes across as the sort of "leader" that mentors his followers without meddling too deeply in their personal interactions; rather on a number of occasions, he takes a back seat and lets the kids make their own decisions, allowing them to formulate their own team dynamic. Next, you have Jane; a spirited girl whose desire to help people coupled with her power of flight, near-invulnerability and solar-based powers echo that of Superman. Kate is easily the female Batman of the group; stoic and withdrawn, but unlike Bruce Wayne is not completely incapable of opening up to people on occasion, and her viewpoint in regard to her teammates is amusing to read. Next is Titus, a werewolf whose rage-induced transformations easily echo The Incredible Hulk, but surprisingly proves to be one of the team's most tech-savvy members, at least in his human form. Billy Case, the cocky "bad boy" of the bunch, gains his powers from an alien symbiote- which he nicknames "Dude"- living inside his brain. Unlike Spiderman, however, the symbiotic Dude doesn't encourage or amplify Billy's brash behaviour, but tries to discipline him, becoming a Jiminy Cricket-like "good conscience". Finally, we have the wild card of the team, and arguably the most appealing character of them all; Entropy Emily, a teenage girl whose knowledge of various pop culture references and cheeky personality easily make her the comic relief of the story. Chances are if you read this story, Emily is the first character you'll remember. The villains themselves, while not quite as show-stealing as the heroes, prove just as interesting in their own way.

    All in all, as stated before, "The Indestructibles" is a typical superhero story that reuses a lot of aspects familiar to long-time comic fans, but is still readable and enjoyable enough to stand out on its own merits, and its characters are easily its main driving points. If you like well-written superhero stories with well-written characters, look no further than this book!
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