Genre: Sci-Fi, Superheroes, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Rari
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About The Book
Perry’s mother told him he’d develop the superpower of flight, like his grandfather. She even named him Peregrine, so folks would call him “The Falcon.” Spoiler— they don’t. Because when he did come into his power, all he got was the ability to change colors. Not even himself, like some kind of Chameleon Man, but the color of objects. He can de-pukify the shade of his bedroom curtains, turn a bully’s sweatshirt pink, or even turn a red traffic light green. (Not a good idea.) He hasn’t told anyone except his disappointed mom about his power. What would they call him? The Interior Decorator?
Back in high school, under stress, he did convince his power that transparent was just another color. Now that ability’s sometimes fun in an illicit way. Then one morning, in the mailroom at work, he turns a cardboard box transparent and sees a bomb inside. And Perry’s ordinary life explodes.
Sergeant Deckard of the Nova City Bomb Squad never thought much about superheroes, or supervillains for that matter. He has plenty of work with ordinary humans and their explosives. Until he and his bomb-sniffing dog, Nix, get called to a possible-explosives situation in a highrise mailroom. The guy who reported the bomb is a nerdy twink in dark-framed glasses who pushes all of Deck’s buttons. When he finds out the young man has a weird superpower and may be the target of a villain, every protective instinct comes into play.
Deckard’s goal is to keep his job, his dog, Nova City, and Perry intact. His libido can just sit down, shut up, and take a number. But as their attraction gets hotter and the villain closes in, their future might be blown apart before it even has a chance to start.
Transparent Is a Color is a part of the multi-author Subpar Superheroes MM romance series. Content warning for abduction, parental emotional abuse.
The Review
A superhero story with a difference. In Transparent, superheroes are very much real, and the civilian law enforcement is not happy with the collateral damage they cause, but are helpless to do anything since the supes have their own courts.
Perry is a supe, but he has hidden his powers from everyone. His grandfather was a well-known hero, but the only power Perry has is to change the colors of objects that he can see. When he was in school, he convinced his power that transparent was a color too. Now he uses his power to peek into the packages that he has to deliver to the rich and famous, who live in the apartment complex where he’s a delivery boy.
When he sees a bomb in a package meant for a judge, Perry calls the police. Decker is a detective in the bomb squad, and he isn’t convinced of Perry’s reasons of suspecting a bomb, but when his dog, Nix confirms that there is indeed one, he is intrigued. Soon after, someone attempts to shoot Perry, and Decker saves him.
Convinced that Perry’s life is at risk, Decker has him move out of his apartment and into his own. But more bombs appear, and it seems as if the bomber is determined to get to his target, even if he has to go through Perry to do it.
I very much enjoyed the writing and plot. Perry and Decker are both very likeable characters, and Nix, the police dog is just the best. The interactions between Perry and Decker, and the way Perry has to reveal his powers slowly, was all very well done. I laughed outloud at how Perry dealt with the US army person who came to recruit him.
The people of the bomb squad, Perry’s landlady, and his friend Tucker all form a found family for Perry, whose mother is so ashamed of his powers that she ignores his existence. I just hate parents like her.
All in all, this was a very entertaining read. If you like superheroes and comedy, you’ll love this one.
The Reviewer
Rari is an author and editor writing under the name of Niranjan K. She is an avid reader of all things fantasy, and loves to discourse at length about her favourite books as well as shows. This blog is the space where she will be sharing her views and insights of the books, shows and movies that she likes.