Book One: The Extraordinaries

***The Extraordinaries*** is the first book of the Extraordinaries trilogy by TJ Klune. It came out on July 14, 2020.

## Synopsis

Some people are extraordinary. Some are just extra. *New York Times* bestselling author TJ Klune's YA debut, *The Extraordinaries,* is a queer coming-of-age story about a fanboy with ADHD and the heroes he loves.

Nick Bell? Not extraordinary. But being the most popular fanfiction writer in the Extraordinaries fandom is a superpower, right?

After a chance encounter with Shadow Star, Nova City’s mightiest hero (and Nick’s biggest crush), Nick sets out to make himself extraordinary. And he’ll do it with or without the reluctant help of Seth Gray, Nick's best friend (and maybe the love of his life).

Rainbow Rowell's *Fangirl* meets Marissa Meyer's *Renegades* in TJ Klune's YA debut.

## Summary

The book starts with chapter 67 from Nick's fanfiction, *This Is Where We Scorch the Earth*. His self-insert main character, Nate Bellen, wakes up at the top of the McManus Bridge. Pyro Storm reveals himself and tells him that the villain's plan is to lure Shadow Star by using Nate as bait. Like always, Shadow Star comes, and the chapter ends with Nick falling from the bridge.

In the real world, Nick is looking at the comments for the chapter. His dad calls him downstairs for breakfast, where he takes his pill and turns on the news. Nick sees Rebecca Firestone and realizes that she is reporting on a break-in at Burke Tower, which Shadow Star stopped. He and his dad get into a small argument over whether Extraordinaries like Shadow Star actually help.

Soon, Nick leaves to catch the train for school. He meets up with Lola Gibson (Gibby), Jasmine Kensington (Jazz), and Seth Gray afterwards, and they walk the rest of the way to school. When Nick sees Seth, he brings up the fact that he has been weirdly busy this summer without a direct reason.

On the first day of his junior year, Nick gets two detentions in second period. During lunch, Owen Burke visits where Gibby, Jazz, and Seth are sitting with Nick. Nick thinks about what had happened at the end of his sophomore year; the Great Romance of Nick and Owen, as he called it. Owen and Seth start arguing about Extraordinaries, and it ends when Seth runs to his locker early. Nick follows to comfort him.

After Nick gets out of detention, he and Gibby walk to the subway station. After finding out that the train is delayed for an unknown amount of time, they agree to walk to the next station. On the way there, Nick convinces Gibby to go with him into an alley. They get mugged there, but Shadow Star comes in and saves them. Nick kisses him, but when asked about it, he denies doing it. He asks Shadow Star to autograph a slip of paper, and they also take a selfie together.

Nick arrives home. He attempts to call Seth about it, but it goes to his voicemail. A little later, his phone rings again, and he mistakenly thinks that it is Seth. Instead, it turns out to be his dad. After hanging up, Nick turns on the TV to see Rebecca Firestone reporting on the mugging that Shadow Star stopped, which was the one Nick and Gibby were involved in.

Finally, Seth calls Nick back. Nick notices that the autograph he got from Shadow Star had his full name on it, not the nickname he told him. Nick realizes that Shadow Star must have read his fanfiction, which then makes him realize that all Shadow Star might see him as is a person who needs to be saved all the time. From this, Nick decides that if he wants to be with Shadow Star, he must become Extraordinary. Chapter 68 of his fanfiction mirrors his goals.

(WIP)

1. ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52380340-the-extraordinaries