Majority

* * *A Kirkus Reviews Best Indie Book of 2023 * * * In this action-packed space-opera adventure, one disadvantaged hero must ask himself: How do you defeat a galactic empire that can read your every thought? The Majority always gets what it wants. Thomas Hill just wishes it didn’t want him. There’s no way to escape a galactic mob of mind readers, no way for him to blend in with his foster family and other average Americans.  Because Thomas invented a way to save his own life. His custom medicine halts the progress of his degenerative neuromuscular disease. Newscasters proclaim him the next Einstein, but mere humans have no idea his bioengineered processing capacity rivals that of a supercomputer. They just think he’s smart. However, there are other bioengineered supergeniuses in the Majority. In fact, it’s shepherded by them. Some—such as the teenager known as the Upward Governess—are secretly trying to devise opportunities to break free from social constraints so they can invent weapons of planetary annihilation and become unchallenged masters of all living things. If Thomas is going to end the utopian tyranny of supergeniuses and their sycophants and slaves, he’ll need more than cunning. He’ll need social skills. Oh, and power. Lots and lots of power.  It’s a good thing his friendly foster sister has befriended a colossal superhuman. Ariock is oblivious to his own dangerous powers and wrongly assumes he’s just an overgrown loser. Superhumans like him are doomed to die as entertainment fodder for the Majority—unless Thomas can figure out a way to trick thirty trillion telepaths . . .   “Thoughtful explorations of morality, altruism, justice and mercy, and the idea that godlike powers come with godlike responsibilities add depth and breadth to this auspicious entry in SF literature’s mutant-superman genre. . . . An Earth-shaking opening to the chronicle of a rapacious galactic empire.” —Kirkus Reviews “Engaging from the start, this complex space opera features relatable, believable characters; highly original, meticulous world building; and difficult ethical and moral dilemmas. Both young adult and adult readers are sure to be absorbed by Thomas’ intergalactic journey. Luckily this is just the first installment of an epic series.” —Booklist