One point of contention, and even though this is an ‘own voices’ book, something about the start of Danny’s story and transformation did not sit well with me. April Daniels brings together child-like fantasy and social commentary on identity, gender, and trans issues with ‘ Dreadnought.’

I loved this book because – hello superheroes – but also because of the diversity in its characters and unique perspective on the superhero genre. If Danny can’t sort through the confusion of coming out, master her powers, and stop Utopia in time, humanity faces extinction.

Dreadnought’s murderer-a cyborg named Utopia-still haunts the streets of New Port City, threatening destruction. Between her father’s dangerous obsession with “curing” her girlhood, her best friend suddenly acting like he’s entitled to date her, and her fellow superheroes arguing over her place in their ranks, Danny feels like she’s in over her head. It should be the happiest time of her life, but Danny’s first weeks finally living in a body that fits her are more difficult and complicated than she could have imagined. But before he expired, Dreadnought passed his mantle to her, and those secondhand superpowers transformed Danny’s body into what she’s always thought it should be. Until Dreadnought fell out of the sky and died right in front of her, Danny was trying to keep people from finding out she’s transgender. Genre: Y/A, Science Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTĭanny Tozer has a problem: she just inherited the powers of Dreadnought, the world’s greatest superhero.

Comic book heroes, conspiracies and a social conscience.

April daniels books