“Adept plotting keeps… globe-spanning threads spooling smoothly and meticulous blocking gives the dazzling action sequences a cinematic bravura” – Publishers Weekly starred review

“Prepare to have your puny Earth-brain blown out of the back of your head as Samit Basu takes the idea of superheroes and turns the dial up to 11” – Ben Aaronovitch

“Fresh, exciting heroics with a serious spine. What’s not to like?” – Nick Harkaway   How would you adapt to a world of superhumans? And how far would you go to stop them destroying it?

In 2020, eleven years after the passengers of flight BA 142 developed extraordinary abilities corresponding to their innermost desires, the world is overrun with supers. Some use their powers for good, some for evil, and some just want to pulverize the world’s most iconic monuments and star in their own reality show.

But now, from New York to Tokyo, someone is hunting down supers, killing heroes and villains both, and it’s up to the Unit to stop them…

Excerpts:

Chapter One on Tor.com, featuring a giant lobster kaiju attacking Tokyo.

Chapter Three, in which we meet the superheroes of the Unit and see what happened to Uzma: SF Signal Waterstones.

Also a July reading-list thing from Buzzfeed.

Reviews

‘A post-modern, comedic, smart romp… Resistance is a thrilling, well-paced, enormously entertaining ride… The book is populated by a large cast of superheroes, written with amazing finesse—Basu’s protagonists, antagonists, and even side characters are engaging when they’re being badass, laugh-out-loud funny when they’re being snarky, and heartbreaking when they’re dying.’  – Strange Horizons

“If there is a better series out there about post-modern superheroics, I have yet to see it.” – Playback:stl

‘If you have the guts to poke your head out of the comfortable and familiar and try a new, somewhat foreign flavor (“international” would be a better description), you will be richly rewarded. Only look out for falling buildings, animated statues, monsters with poisonous flatulence, and the possibility of at least a third book to come!’ – MuggleNet

‘I can’t recommend this novel enough simply for the engaging plot, but Basu is obviously breaking new ground, especially for American audiences, in uniting international contexts, a diverse array of characters from multiple nations, and the genre of speculative fiction. This novel is certainly one to add to your reading list, or if you’re an instructor, your syllabus!’ – Asian American Lit Fans

‘When I read Turbulence I thought the bar had been set too high for Basu to reach it again. I was wrong. This book is in fact better than Turbulence.’ – Cult Den

‘You think you know which way the story will go and then it takes you in a completely different direction. Basu has maintained his ability of giving a fresh perspective on the genre, taking familiar tropes and archetypes and turning them upside down and inside out.’ – The Geek Hard show

“In Resistance, Basu writes the perfect sequel with stronger villains, more dynamic action, and deeper relationships between the characters; who’ve now lived more than a decade in a world of super powered shenanigans. ” – Atomic Moo

“If you’re looking for action and drama, Resistance is it.” – Retrenders

“Japan’s kaiju and giant mechas; superheroes and those who oppose them; global conspiracies and a future earth on the verge of dystopian collapse. Except for the fact that the author brings them all together so brilliantly in a single novel. Plus, anyone who can additionally fold in sly references to Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis and Monty Python’s Flying Circus, while riding roughshod over the Caucasian-centric mould of most tales of the ilk, assuredly gets my vote.” – Adventures in Sci Fi Publishing

“Resistance is an action-packed, fun and thrilling superhero story that delves even deeper into the questions of what it is to be a hero and a villain. It’s bigger, funnier and even more self-aware thanTurbulence and offers up plenty of surprises. If you’re not reading this series yet, why not? Don’t make Uzma Tell you to.” – Fantasy Faction

‘… a tighter pace, well rounded characters and some really well placed revelations about not only the characters but also their powers…. When all the pieces start to come together, it’s just like watching a master painter working on his next piece of art.’ – Curiosity of a Social Misfit

‘What would it be like if normal humans were suddenly given superpowers? I feel both books deal with this issue in a way that isn’t just humorous, but also realistic. And that’s what makes both books a good read’ – FanGirl Confessions

‘If you haven’t read the first one but are down with non-American supers and women who aren’t just given the short end of the stick, you should definitely read Turbulence (and then Resistance).  If you like superhero stories at all, I suspect you’ll like Basu’s work here.’ – Fistful of Wits.

‘Resistance acts as a love letter to Kaiju, action sequences, pop culture and comic book action heroes.’ – Fangirl Nation/Fanboy Nation

‘Basu manages to characterize many of them very intensely for the amount of space he had to do it. From their powers themselves to their motivations, all the superheroes and super villains were masterfully, and often horrifically or comically crafted.’ – Fortress of Solitude

‘I’m bummed that I’m just now hearing about Samit Basu and that he  doesn’t already have TV shows, movie deals and graphic novels based on Turbulence and Resistance .This is a story I could return to over and over and still get the same amount of enjoyment out of it. I was especially here for the interesting women created. I would love a Tia spin-off.’ – Paper Droids

‘We knew we were going to enjoy this book immediately after reading the very first sentence: “A giant lobster rises slowly out of Tokyo Bay.”’ – Superhero Novels

‘The characters, whether human, hero, and villain, are strong and well-developed. The world they live in is clearly vast, without the details of it seeming too general or too numerous. The tone of the story is the perfect balance of witty, action-packed, self-referential, and strangely real given the premise. If there is a better series out there about post-modern superheroics, I have yet to see it.’ – Playback:stl

‘It’s a great read that spans the world and somehow manages to keep things organized and highly entertaining without skipping a beat.’ – City of Films

‘Basu does an excellent job of creating characters that readers can relate with and fully understand on an emotional level. Several of the novel’s characters are originally from Basu’s home country of India, but the story and dialogue between characters is so well written that it easily overcomes any cultural barriers’ – BGG After Dark

‘Altogether Resistance is a great take on modern portrayals of super-powers. While it is a book as opposed to a graphic novel it does not suffer from the lack of images and indeed allows a reader a closer look into the mindset and personalities of the characters.’ – Vada Magazine

“Resistance is every comic book lover’s dream revitalising of the genre” – SFSite

“Self-referential humor creates a refreshing metafictional world that paves the way for a well-balanced and entertaining superpowered adventure.” – Foreword

Interviews/Posts

An essay on Bollywood superheroes in io9

About superheroes, spec-fic and Resistance at SF Signal

Much fun was had doing the Tor Pop Quiz at the End of the Universe.

Take Five on Suvudu

Huffington Post piece on “Indian” creatures in lit/pop culture around the world.

Another act of great kindness from Ben Aaronovitch. Thanks Ben!

A guest post on SciFiNow.

Interview at Forces of Geek

Interview at Fanboy Comics

Buy the book:

Amazon

Nook

iTunes

Waterstones