This was a brilliant story. I just loved all the action. It was a great story that kept my attention. It was the first x men story, and I definitely look forward to reading more. If you love x men, then you should definitely give this book a go. I can't wait to read more books from this series.
The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/triptych-by-jaleigh-johnson-aconyte-books-3-stars under my name ladyreading365

I read comics, but I wasn't familiar with this Marvel character yet. I thoroughly enjoyed this unique, complex character and exciting story. In fact, it made me want to hunt down other stories/comics involving Triptych. Marvel fans will enjoy this action-packed, fast-paced super-powered adventure.

I an unable to review this title, as it was archived before I had a chance to download and read it. This feedback is only to stop this title from adversely affecting my netgalley feedback rate. If in the future I have the opportunity to read this title, I will post a proper review here.

Triptych is the latest Marvel: Xavier's Institute Novel, written by Jaleigh Johnson. To say that I was excited about this novel would be the understatement of the year, as I've been craving some new X-Men stories lately.

Fantomex is a famous thief and super-soldier, so you can imagine his surprise (or lack thereof) to find one of his clones breaking into a museum with the intent to steal some goodies. For her part, Cluster has good reason to be interested in these artifacts, as they are far from typical.

These artifacts are about to kick off a series of events that neither Fantomex nor Cluster are prepared for, especially not once Weapon XIII enters the fray. Will one of them gain the artifacts they desire or play right into the other's hands?

If you generally enjoy side stories from the X-Men side of the Marvel universe, then the odds are good that you're going to enjoy Triptych. I personally really enjoyed spending a bit of time with Fantomex and Cluster; it made for a slightly different story.

I think the thing I love the most about the X-Men is that there are SO MANY different characters to appreciate. Sometimes that fact can be overwhelming, and other times it is too easy to let side characters slip through the cracks.

But see, that's where the Marvel novels shine, as they tend to pick up those characters and give them their moment in the spotlight. That is what happened here in Triptych. I didn't really know anything about these characters, so it was a blast learning all about them and seeing them off on a new adventure. More like this, please.

I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Xavier’s Institute book Triptych by Jaleigh Johnson, published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.

So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.

I am going to try my best to not let these things cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.

What is Marvel
Look at this point I would bore you with a bit of background to the game/universe, but lets not, you all know the Marvel Universe, if you don’t have you been living under a rock!

The Xavier’s Institute novel series is focued on the heroes that attend this school and their adventures and the two books in the series thus far (disclaimer I never actually read the first one yet) have focuses on what would very much be considered b-list heroes, which is good because it allows the authors to do a lot more with the characters than they would be able to do with more established heroes.

The Story
This is an interesting story which focuses on Fantomex, a super soldier who at one point was three distinct brains in one body, but when those brains are separated due to catastrophic injuries, they are each given their own bodies and go their separate ways.

The main character of this book, the core Fantomex, is left the most injured and is taken by his external nervous system, the bio-mechanical E.V.A., to the Xavier Institute in Canada, where he is healed and brought back into the world, all too aware that he is missing two thirds of what he was.

A lot of the book is Fantomex coming to terms with what he feels is a diminished body and skill set, as some of his abilities are with the other members of the Triptych.

Feeling weaker, he tries to push those trying to help him away, despite the best efforts of Emma Frost and Cyclops to make him find a place in the world.

What follows is his attempts to find out what his other selves are up to, and what we get is a cat and mouse chase involving fine art and nanotech, and at the heart of it, is a young mutant, who like Fantomex, is still trying to find her place in the world.

Conclusion
To start off this book has taken me most of a month to read due to my having a lot of issues with sleep, so its been a while since my last review.

But this book is a fairly solid story, lets face it, we have all been in a place where we have needed to rediscover who we are, and I know I have had that again quite recently.

So its great to see how the author has really delved into the self-doubt and questioning that plagues us all in those times, but she shows that for Fantomex, and for most of us, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you can get there, so in that respect, the book is quite hopeful in its theme.

The four characters who are focused on in this book, deal with their identity crisis in very different ways, and the individual journeys to figuring things out are very different.

I am not sure how to summarise it, I just like that the book was all about figuring out ourselves, and that the journey is just as important as the destination, where shortcuts simply don’t work.

The LGBT aspect of the book is also great, with Avery being very much out and proud, but in, an ordinary way that probably feels more natural than you see in many other places.

To be honest that is something Aconyte have been good at, making queerness normal, not a plot point, just part of a character that feels right and not forced. It takes great skill to do that, and Aconyte have picked authors who just manage this flawlessly.

So how would I summerise this book, well frankly, if you have ever found yourself in a situation in which you feel like you have to question, anything about yourself, this is a book you will really relate to.

Four stars out of Five.

The eBook is out now and the paperback hits the shelves on the 3rd February.

I'm a huge Marvel fan. And because I usually pick up the comics, I wanted to read something different for once - which was when Triptych showed up. It was my first Marvel novel, and it was so much fun. Marvel and a good heist story - count me in.

The reader meets Fantomex, a former super-soldier and master thief who stumbles upon some of his clones. Trying to outplay one of them, Cluster, he decides to beat her at stealing priceless artefacts. Just that these are a little more special than he probably thought - they are infused with nanotechnology, something Fantomex is indeed familiar with. Turns out, Fantomex and Cluster aren't the only ones looking for these relics. What was initially an intriguing play turned deadlier game, and far more is at stake there.

Triptych is a fast-paced novel that brings up moral questions and throws in some outstanding storytelling. I have to admit, I was well more aware of other X-men characters than Fantomex. But I think this is why I loved reading this book in the end. I didn't know what to expect in the beginning, except what was stated in the blurb. I enjoyed Fantomex' snarky attitude. And even though this is a Fantomex story, it felt like none of the other characters came too short. Johnson has a great way of telling a story and keeping you engaged from page one to the last. The way humour was mixed with seriousness was brilliant. With this book, you get an incredibly written heist story, combined with heartfelt and funny moments and some fabulous characters you can only love.

[Thanks to Netgalley and Aconyte for allowing me to read an eARC. This has not influenced my personal opinion in any way.]

<i> triptych/ˈtrɪptɪk/
noun
a picture or relief carving on three panels, typically hinged together vertically and used as an altarpiece. </i>

I love X-Men. I am a sucker for X-Men. You better believe I jumped at the chance to read this book when I saw it on Netgalley. Although not familiar with the characters of this book, particularly Fantomex, I decided I would give it a go. I loved it.

This is somewhat of a found family book, which I think in some ways is the overarching point of X-Men as a whole. Basically, Emma and Scott are running the New Charles Xavier school, following the loss of Professor X and this tale begins with Fantomex (aka Charlie Cluster 7) waking up from the dead. Literally. His memory is hazy and something doesn't feel right...That is when he's told he isn't wholly himself and actually has been split from the other parts of himself in his body's efforts to heal. He is one third of what he originally was, his powers diminished, but his ego still strong. With help from EVA and Cyclops, he decides he needs to hunt down his other counterparts to find out what their motives are, particularly when they are found to be stealing art from high profile museums, but not together. On the other hand, we have Avery. A relatively new student to the school who is unsure about her powers. Her draw to a painting in a museum in Edmonton started her journey and so she to be drawn to it. She's riddled with grief after losing her father and a recent break up with her girlfriend has thrown her for a loop. When she dragged into the Fantomex drama, she soon finds her feet with her powers and what they mean for her as a mutant. When one of Fantomex's two counterparts join their team, Avery, Fantomex, EVA and Cluster must come together to stop Weapon XIII (or Fantomex and Cluster's goth brother as he affectionately gets called).

I know that plot feels confuluted but it was so nice to read. I loved seeing familiar characters such as Cyclops and Emma Frost with soft mentions of the likes of Wolverine and Deadpool. I enjoyed the characters of this book, particularly the dynamic between Fantomex and Cluster, their individuality despite coming from the same source (or person in this case). Avery was also a great character, reflective in spots and yet despite the pain she was going through, she was strong in the face of adversity. She kept to her morals and I loved seeing her finding a little home with Triage and David. I'm a big fan of found family dynamics and you really feel like the characters in this book come together as a family in the end.


<b> DISCLAIMER: </b>

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2020 MARVEL

Fantomex takes center stage in this prose X-Men novel taking place during the Brian Michael Bendis era of X-Men where the Xavier Institute was located in Canada. Fantomex was recently separated into three clone bodies, one for each of his brains. He has separated into three distinct personalities, one good, one bad, and one neutral, and his powers have divided among the three as well. The book mainly focuses on how he and his 2 other selves learn to adjust to their new situation. There is also a new mutant, Avery Torres, that gets involved. The book is LGBTQ+, as one of the subplots is about her relationship with her girlfriend. There's plenty of action in the book. I also liked that it referenced the first X-Men Aconyte novel, Liberty and Justice for All, along with bringing in a lot of the X-Men as supporting characters.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This story features the mutant character Fantomex, a French mercenary who occasionally teams with various X-teams in the comics. The title, Triptych, refers to three characters: Fantomex and two of his clones, the female Cluster, and the male Weapon XIII. The three have become independent following Fantomex’s return from death.


I always love learning about lesser-known characters from the comics, so I really appreciated learning more about the powers, personalities, and world views of Fanomex and his clones. The book also shines a spotlight on some of the students at Xavier’s Institute, and while I wouldn’t highlight them as my favorite part of the book, they do shed more light on the problems faced by mutants in the Marvel Universe.

I gave Triptych five stars. It had everything I have come to expect from this series of Marvel prose novels from Aconyte books.

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2020 MARVEL

The latest entry in the Xavier's Institute series focuses on the mutant sentinel hybrid Fantomex, a character who's been something of a rogue element in the X-Men universe ever since he was first introduced nearly twenty years ago. Set not long after the events of the Uncanny X-Force series, we see a Fantomex who has gone through an extreme trauma.

Being a mutant with three brains, as well as an external nervous system called E.V.A. that can act independently as either a young woman or a flying saucer (yes, comics are weird), Fantomex has always been something of an unusual character; even amongst the X-Men. However, things have become even more complex for the character at the start of Triptych. Having just suffered through an extreme trauma that came close to killing him E.V.A. took Fantomex to a facility where he could be saved via cloning. Unfortunately, due to his complex biology the facility got things a bit wrong and instead of having one body with three brains his brains got split across three bodies.

This means that not only is Fantomex different now, both weaker and lacking some of his powers, but also his personality has gone through some changes; leading him to have to try to figure exactly who he is now. Something that would be difficult enough, but made even more so when his two other selves start to appear on the scene, apparently engaging in elaborate art thefts. Now Fantomex is going to have to learn to work alongside the members of the New Charles Xavier's School for the Gifted if he's going to find out what his other selves are up to, and stop them.

I've liked Fantomex since he first appeared in Grant Morrison's New X-Men run. He was mysterious, had a cool costume, and was a very no nonsense kind of character. Over the years he, like most comic characters, became more complex and at times slightly confusing. One of the changes made to his that was most interesting, however, was when he was split into three people. This was something that I was only vaguely aware of having happened in the comics, so when I saw that we'd be getting a novel focused on this I was quite excited as this was definitely something fun that was worth exploring.

And this was a large focus of the book. It takes president over action and adventure, and spent a large part of its time exploring Fantomex as a person. In a lot of ways he was always the kind of character who didn't do a lot of introspection, who rarely doubted himself. He was confident and had a plan and never worried that what he was doing was the wrong thing. This was, honestly, not the most interesting thing that could be done with the character. However, Jaleigh Johnson actually managed to make him feel like a real person for once.

Now that he's split into three beings Fantomex doesn't really know who he is anymore. He's finding that parts of his personality have changed, and that because some aspects of his powers have gone to his other selves he's having to be more cautious in battle. This leads him to feeling physically vulnerable, but it's the emotional vulnerability that is the most interesting. When Fantomex learns that Cluster (the female version of him) has received his more noble aspects, whilst Weapon XIII (essentially a bad version of him) has received his more negative traits, it leaves Fantomex feeling like the 'leftovers', the parts that don't really matter. He becomes vulnerable in a way that we've never seen him before.

This sense of vulnerability, of having to figure out who you are and how you fit into the world is shared with the books second protagonist; a young woman named Avery Torres, who recently moved to the school to try to figure out her powers. Having lost both of her parents, and having left behind her girlfriend in order to attend the school Avery feels very isolated. She doesn't think there's much point to her staying longer than absolutely needed and becoming an X-Man, and because of this she's reluctant to make friends. Add on to that the strain of a long distance relationship, one in which her partner can tell that Avery is hiding something from her, and she's very much feeling close to empty.

Despite having very different lives, and very different outlooks on the world this story is very much about these two isolated and vulnerable people figuring out who they are, and who they want to be. They may not like each other much when the book begins, but through their interactions with each other, and their fates becoming more and more entwined Avery and Fantomex actually have a great effect on the other. They encourage the other to start thinking of themselves better, to start seeing the good in the world around them, and to start making connections. It's strange how the one ting both of them needed is the one thing they helped the other to see; perhaps we can only listen to our own good advice when it's coming from another.

It might seem like a strange choice to write a super hero story that puts fighting and action on the back burner, that spends its time having characters talk through their feelings or simply having fun together and bonding; but there are hundreds of books where heroes and villains fight each other if that's what you're after. This is something else, this is something a little special. It shows a human side to these characters, a vulnerability and complexity that is often left out of comics to make more room for explosions and fist fights. If you're after something a bit different, something that isn't just the standard comic book formula this is a book you're definitely going to want to read.

I have read two of the Marvel novels previously, one of which was a hit (Elsa Bloodstone), and one was a miss (Target: Kree). They keep pumping these books out though, and Netgalley keeps treating me (I have another 4 of the Marvel books I still need to get to). And so far they have all been really quick and easy reads.

Fantomex is a Marvel character I was before this familiar with only by name… which wasn’t a problem for this book at all. Because of events previous to this book (which are explained very well), the character needs to rediscover himself throughout the story… and we are going along for the ride. He has to relearn his powers and see how his personality has been affected by events. So with a basic idea of the X-men, you get a long way (there are some jokes regarding Logan, references to Psylocke, Kitty Pryde and Xavier, and the school they are at now is run by Scott Summers, Emma Frost and Magneto).

What the blurb doesn’t tell you about is the second main character and her story line: Avery Torres. She has newly arrived at the school, and just wants to learn how to handle her powers and go back to her normal life. She struggles with the secrecy and the consequences this has on her and her girlfriend’s relationship (the way inclusion of diversity was handled so naturaly and not show-offy was really refreshing).

What makes this book work so well for me is that it is as much about the plot as it is about character development. Both Avery and Fantomex grow a lot throughout this story, and have to learn that it is okay to trust/depend on other people… even though you have been hurt and disappointed in the past. You don’t have to be alone and push people away… which is definitely something that hit close to home.

There is also a great love and appreciation for art and food in this book, cutting nicely through the well constructed action scenes. It must be difficult to write your own story within an already well established universe, but Johnson did it, and very well at that. My only criticism is that some of the plot points were a bit too convenient, or didn’t make quite sense but only served to get to another point. Apart from that, this book just works and was an absolute joy to read.

An interesting take on the character Fantomex from the Marvel universe. Much like Wolverine, (Weapon X) Fantomex is a product of the Weapon Plus program albeit of a much later generation. The original version of Fantomex was a genetically engineered super soldier, sentinel nanobot infused, tri-brained cyborg. In a prior novel the OG Fantomex was killed and, as often happens in the superhero genre, is resurrected. The hook in this one is that because of the three brains in one body, the mechanism used to do the resurrection decided that each brain should be in a separate body. This, of course, leads to our conflict. The resulting split is broken out rather simplistictly as Id (Weapon XIII), Ego (Fantomex), & Superego (Cluster) with each "clone" evincing textbook traits at the beginning of the book. The main protagonist, Fantomex, is all Ego at the start but working with younger mutants at the hidden Xavier Institute changes him for the better. No spoilers, but if you are looking for a quick read and enjoy the superhero genre, you will probably enjoy this.

This advance copy has been given to me for an honest review #Marvel #MarvelEnt #Aconytebooks #review

My first Marvel novel and really enjoyed it. Fanta ex is no longer whole but one part of a Triptych and is not sure of himself or others. And so the adventure begins in a fast paced novel with moral questions and values plus some violence. New characters for me and loved it. Read to see what happens and enjoy.

About Marvel Entertainment. Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character- based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8000 characters featured in a variety of media for over 80 years. Marvel utilises its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games and digital media. For more information visit marvel.com. 2020 MARVEL

Former super-soldier and master thief, Fantomex, stumbles upon one of his clones, Cluster, breaking into museums to steal priceless artifacts. Outwitted and intrigued, Fantomex decides to beat Cluster at whatever game she’s playing. But something is different about these artifacts. And they aren’t the only ones looking for them… Their other clone, Weapon XIII, is on the hunt too. The cat-and-mouse heists test their burglary skills and push the boundaries of how much they can trust one another.


Triptych, a Marvel: Xavier's Institute novel, is scheduled for a September 2021 release. I was graciously allowed an early preview galley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly, I was unfamiliar with the main characters of this story. Fantomex, Cluster and Weapon XIII first made their debuts in 2002 in New X-Men #128 (written by Grant Morrison). These characters have a very trippy relationship which is to be expected from Morrison. Jaleigh Johnson, however, does a wonderful job bringing a reader like me up to speed on them while weaving a very interesting story as well. Johnson also navigates the complex canvas that is the X-Men world of mutants well, mixing established characters (the three protagonists as well as Cyclops, Emma Frost and others) with her own new creation Avery Torres.

The themes of self, identity and finding one's place resonate in the story, making it a quick and exciting read. Recommended for Marvel fans, super-hero fans, and just general action fans.



About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2020 MARVEL

I love superheroes. More than that, I love the X-Men. Like, LOVE the X-Men. I haven’t experienced so much pure serotonin to my brain as I did when I read the recent Marauders comics for the first time. I’m obsessed with the concept and a lot of the characters.
Imagine my excitement when I receive an ARC of an X-Men novel. It was a lot.
Ultimately, my opinion of Triptych by Jaleigh Johnson is positive. It was a good book, one that handles concepts of grief and identity at its heart.
One thing I really enjoyed was that by including a character other than Fantomex’s perspective, there’s this constant mystery of why Avery Torres is so important to the story. It’s a fun mystery and one of the things that propelled my interest forward.
I think my main issue with this book is a personal one- it just didn’t stick with me. Maybe the story would’ve been more fun for me if it had been a comic, who knows. I liked this book, but it’s really a run of the mill read for me.
Will I be recommending it? Great question. I have no clue. If anyone loves X-Men or art heists, this is probably a good book for you. My little Scott Summers heart went aflutter every time he was mentioned, so hey. I recommend this to James Marsden fans, maybe?
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for my e-ARC.

Writing for franchises is a hard thing to do. Especially ones that have a long standing tradition and near cult-following such as #Marvel's X-Men as there's so much lore, expectations and baggage that the task might seem dauting to any professional author.

Yet, in true hero fashion, Jaliegh Johnson looked at the odds, read the danger in the room, and lunged in to create a great piece of storytelling firmly set in the universe created by #MarvelEnt's Marvel Comics multiverse, with this particular one taking place in the corner where the mutants are fighting for their very existence and the X-men are sometimes saviors, sometimes bogeymen, often times an unnerving mystery to all those outside their closely knit circle.

Triptych is what I'd call a "Heist" novel, where the most interesting feature defining it is its exploration of self. The most important questions Jean-Phillipe Charles—the suave and hard-to.swallow Fantomex—is often making to himself (and his selves is): "what makes me, well us, ourselves amid all we've lost?"

The answers are not easy or as obvious of as a splitting of abilities between the three "nodes" he has beein divided into due to a faulty assessment by the healing programs initiated over at the New Charles Xavier School, located somehwere in the fridgid cold of the Canadian expanse. What can I say? When you get savaged by the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, some things are usually going to have a rather unexpected turn. Consider it their gift that keeps on giving.

Very much like this book.

It's written in a simple, direct way that make reading easy, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have very powerful moments and interesting turns of phrase beyond the usual comic book one-liners, as well as breathtaking moments of introspection and imagery that keep the reader entrhalled by a narrative that, in the vein of the best stories in the genre—be they other novels or movies—keeps getting more and more intense as the mysery unravles and the action mounts to the momentous finale.

Yes. That means this book is a great ride filled with many interesting stops, which all come at the precise time and with the force they need to astonish, shake, shock and make the reader think hard about serious issues about relationships, identity and what links these two together as well as their place in our respective worlds.

Yes, the world we live is one, but the way each one of us experience it makes completely our repective own, and this story is proof of this fightening marvel.

So, yes the novel is not a frantic ride from start to finish. As any good dish from the Vallée du Rhône or the Monts du Lyonaiss, this tale of the most broken of Fantomex personas—not "personalities," mind—has to be let to simmer in a low fire because the results of all the preparation are, well... quite specatcular.because the wait is well worth it in the end.

Now, a bit more detail and an honest disclaimer, with the latter being the first I'd address:

I'm no longer a fan of the X-Men, but I love good X.Men stories.

Needless to say, I'm quite pleased with what Jaleigh Johnson has crafted with him, E.V.A., Cluster and Weapon XIII, besides Christopher Muse (Triage) and Avery Torres, and the rest of the familiar "big name" X-men characters who make appreances throughout the story, Everything is in its right place and in the exact quantities to make them delectable, recognizable and essental to the moment they appear on the tale., and by no means are there just to parade a huge list of supporting characters.

So what the story like?

As I said: solid. Like any good heist-caper-thriller, it paces itself and mounts the tensions for and between all characters who find themselves part of a plot far bigger than their initial suspicious had them believing.

After all, we're reading about Fantomex. Misdirection is to be expected.

What's more enticing to me is the complex, well-fleshed relationship between Fantomex (Jean-Phillipe) and E.V.A., (his disembodied central nervous system come sentient and self-aware enoug to be a definite and important personality all on her own), and the way both of them deal with change, loss and rebuilding after trauma. In a way, to me this is a deep reflection on the act of aging and outgrowing our pettiest if prettiest selves. A process of the getting wiser by getting hurt and getting real, so to speak..

This is perhaps the very thing that makes this book different from all others of its kind (superheroes and heist fiction): there's a sense of inevitability to the protagonist quandary and major conflict that can't be solved, but sorted out. It's not all non-stop action, grim instrospection, dark noirish prose or funny displays of snappy dialogue. Yet, at various stages, it manages to be the perfect amount of each of these elements in an almost perfect blend.

What I love about it is that Triptych is novel that digs deeper into this nagging question of what makes us.... our own unique selves.. and this is perhaps the second most important thing why you should care to read it. The first, of course, being Fanto... I mean, the X-Men.

All in all, a great, fun read and a great tale that builds and expands on the #Marvel Universe line that's been published by the good, dedicated folks over at #Aconytebooks.

This was my honest #review for this book.

Once again, I would like to thank Aconyte Books and Netgalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for a honest and fair review. I will preface this by stating three facts; I love most marvel (who doesn’t nowadays?!), I loved Jaleigh Johnson’s other work and Aconyte Books might well be becoming my favourite publisher out there! That said I will remain unbiased and will keep the review spoiler free and add greater detail when the book is released.

I must start by admitting I didn’t know as much about Fantomex as some other X-men centric characters I wasn’t sure what to really expect. I knew the basics and loved his snarky attitude (who doesn’t!). This coupled with the synopsis sold me. From the very first line I was not disappointed. The storytelling is top notch, of course this is a story of Fantomex but all other characters be they classed as deuteragonist or supporting character find their own voice with Johnson’s skills. I have to say, and I admit my biased, Magneto’s interactions with Fantomex are some of my favourites!

The plot is fantastic and keeps you hooked from the start. Johnson blends serious and humorous in such a way and in such great measures that you won’t be left thinking there is too much of one or the other (well I certainly wasn’t!). The action is well written and believable within the Marvel universes.
One thing that I find increasingly refreshing in works published by Aconyte Books is the natural inclusion diversion of both race and sexuality. That is not to say this is the books main focus but as in real life it is depicted in such a way that it seems natural, there is no song and dance about being diverse it is just there, as it should be!

All in all the book went well above my expectations. Fast paced action, heartfelt moments, funny moments, fabulous writing style, brilliant characters and characterizations and a snarky protagonist what isn’t to love?
I cannot help but recommend this book enough, I’ve pre-ordered a physical copy and a couple of copies for friends who I am sure will love this. Currently the hardest thing is keeping myself quiet about the plot and not being able to go full fan-girl mode yet! The Ebook will be available from the September 7, 2021. With the paperback following on September 28th for the US and November 11th for the UK.

Aconyte Books are the novel division of Asmodee Entertainment. Asmodee Entertainment is based in an amazing building in Nottingham, England. The Star Brewery opened in 1852, producing beer for Shipstones until 1991.

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com. © 2020 MARVEL

Jaleigh Johnson lives and writes in the wilds of the Midwest. Her middle grade debut novel The Mark of the Dragonfly is a New York Times bestseller, was chosen for the ABA Spring Indie Next list, and was named one of Amazon’s Top 20 Children’s Books of 2014. Her other books from Delacorte Press include The Secrets of Solace, The Quest to the Uncharted Lands, and The Door to the Lost. She has also written fiction for the Dungeons and Dragons Forgotten Realms line and Marvel/Aconyte Books. Johnson is an avid gamer and lifelong geek. Visit her online at www.jaleighjohnson.com.

trigger warning
<spoiler> trauma, being orphaned, gun violence, kidnapping </spoiler>

When Fantomex wakes up, it's a very rude awakening: The person with three brains turned into one of three clones with only one brain, and roughly a third of his former abilities. And the other clones are up to no good...

This plays some time after Logan, Professor X is dead, and the mutants face threats from sentinels. Apart from watching the movies, I haven't gotten very far into the stories yet, so Fantomex was new to me and I can't compare anything to how the comics did it.

This book was pretty fast paced, and you feel that the author relies on you having some basic understanding of the world and the established characters, like Cyclops and Magneto and Wolverine. There is no real introduction, and if you were entirely new to this universe, I am not sure if you'd have a fun time with this novel - but then, people who never picked anything with the Mutants up before are not the target audience, so I can't really fault anyone for that.

The wider Marvel universe gets mentioned in the form of S.H.I.E.L.D. who are constantly hanging above their heads, kinda like a warning. "Be quiet or we'll have to deal with them!"

I expected more heist than simply walking in and taking what you want. If you're here for that story element, you'll be disappointed.

All in all, it made me want to delve deeper into the stories, either through novels or by finally picking up the comics or watching series I haven't gotten round to yet.
If you're a fan of the characters or the universe in general, I think this might be fun.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

What a trip! It's been quite a while since I've read or watched anything X-Men related and this was a great reentry, reminding me how much fun these characters can be.

A young adult mutant is coming into her powers. A vaguely French and very arrogant super-soldier/thief is coming to grips with loss of power and identity. Sentient tech is continuing to evolve. And they're all converging at the Xavier Institute in this adventurous and touching heist story with themes of second chances, found families, self-discovery, and the choices that define us.

Both fast-paced and thoughtful, this is well-written superhero fun.

<b>Topics, tropes and themes:</b> loss, change, second chances, grief and mourning, found family and friendship, identity, self-discovery, self-acceptance, cloning, nanotech, sentience, LGBTQ, art heist, psychometry, telepathy, culture, communication
<b>Content notes:</b> death of a parent, fantasy violence and healing