Blurb:

Humanity faces extinction. Ten-kiloton monsters are rising from the depths of the Pacific, levelling entire cities in frenzies of destruction. Earth’s heroes have been decimated. The survivors put their hope in one last, desperate plan: find Hyperion, Earth’s most powerful hero, and ask him to return from exile to save them.

What they don’t know is that Hyperion is dead.

The Griffin spent ten years fighting wars across the sector as a weapon of mass destruction for the il’Drach Empire. His victories made his name a curse on a dozen worlds and a nightmare on scores more. He retired to the peaceful station Wistful and discovered that leaving his name behind didn’t clear his sins, his debts, or his conscience.

Earth’s peril may give him a chance for redemption, if he can only find a way to stop the monsters without turning into one. Without becoming The Griffin again.

Review:

Discovering Rohan in Wistful Ascending has to be one of my favorite new encounters of 2024. Apart from the fact that he hails from my country of origin, Rohan’s personality, backstory, and compulsive likeability make him a near-perfect protagonist that you just cannot stop rooting for. With Return of the Griffin, we see him face his past—friends and foes alike. 

I’ve mentioned multiple times that despite its kinetic action scenes and badass character clashes, it’s the cozy moments in between that really stood out for me in Wistful Ascending. But, is that the same case for its sequel? Keep reading!

What I liked:

Return of the Griffin starts out in a similar fashion as the last entry. We find Rohan stuck in the middle of a confusing action scene where he is seemingly overpowered. Cut to weeks earlier, where we slowly see the events leading up to that moment unfold. 

Rohan is on Wistful, gearing up for a rescue mission on Toth 3. In the opening chapters, we see much of what we’ve come to like—and fear—about this universe. Berne makes you comfortable by reintroducing his setting, before pulling the rug from under your feet and transporting Rohan to Earth for the rest of the book. I honestly didn’t expect this (I had not read the blurb), but it came as a happy surprise. 

Return of the Griffin is an all-out superhero novel. We get everything from superhero team-ups to ageing-heroes tropes, all perfectly blended with Rohan’s personality and bad jokes. Unlike the first novel, this one takes us back to Rohan’s world, where he comes face to face with his former teammates, ex-lover, former villains, and most importantly, his mother. We learn more about his past, and how his il’Drach blood has cost him during his time on Earth. 

But it’s not just about Rohan making amends. This is an experienced superhero who’s seen his share of war and life. Instead of being the angsty brooding superhero, he sheds all inhibitions to display his vulnerability. Rohan doesn’t shy away from admitting his mistakes, instead going all the way to accept accountability. This mature and wholesome attitude towards all the wrong he did is one of the many reasons that Rohan is compulsively likeable. Even in the face of the worst accusations, Rohan remains true to himself and does not pass the blame—even when there are multiple excuses.

Right, so I’ve rambled on for two whole paragraphs about how Rohan is a great protagonist and how he singlehandedly makes this series a better character-driven work than the vast majority of superhero stories out there. But he isn’t the only good thing about this book. 

The supporting cast from Wistful Ascending is largely missing from this one. However, the replacement roster of superheroes—and Rohan’s mom—doesn’t once make us feel their absence. Since Rohan already has a history with all of these folks, the character moments really shine in revealing Rohan and his past. All this not only makes the reading experience more fun but keeps on adding layers to Rohan’s backstory. Be it Bright Angel and Rohan’s tension as ex-lovers, or his mother’s mixed emotions towards her child who has been missing for eleven years, Berne navigates these dynamics with the same ease and fluidity as he did in Wistful Ascending. 

To build off that, the earth we visit is populated with superheroes, powered villains, and everything we’ve come to expect and love from Marvel, DC, and even Invincible. Some ‘inspirations’ are very much on-the-nose, with the Green, Kid Lightning, and Poseidon. But, it doesn’t matter. Berne unapologetically integrates these elements into his plot to focus on the larger theme of coming to terms with your past mistakes. The superheroes, kaiju sharks, and the plot of the Old Ones make for a rich backdrop for Rohan’s emotional and personal journey. The similarities make it easier to assimilate into this world, while Berne’s spin makes the read a fun, enjoyable, and often times a cozy experience. He doesn’t waste time teasing a larger universe, instead grounding us in the one he’s already built and focusing on the things that actually matter. 

What I didn’t like:

As much as I love the Hybrid Helix, there were a few things that did feel underutilized. Primarily, the main antagonist. 

SPOILERS IN THIS SECTION

Dr. Kraken is introduced right in the prologue and then remains near-non-existent. Yes, he is mentioned a few times, as is his species of the Old Ones. But, this very intriguing plot point remains largely unexplored. On the one hand, I loved that the mystery behind the Old Ones remains shrouded. On the other, I felt disappointed that we didn’t see enough of Dr. Kraken. This tie-in with the prologue didn’t feel as seamless as it had in Wistful Ascending. Dr. Kraken was a missed opportunity. I hope that Berne brings him back in the future instalments because this is one character that I really want to learn more about. 

Secondly, and this is purely based on personal taste, I wasn’t a big fan of the plot. The formulaic narrative remains a positive for this series, and I will never diss that. In fact, the formula allows Berne to create his golden character moments, which is the real treasure of reading these stories. However, the plot with the Old Ones and the land sharks didn’t feel as satisfying as I had expected. It started off strong, and uncovering the mystery was a delight. I just wish we had gotten more of this, with the Dr. Kraken tie-in being set up better. 

The ending isn’t disappointing. Rohan’s emotional arc meets its natural end, and that’s the more important part of this book. However, if you’re like me, you might find the conclusion with Dr. Kraken a tad underwhelming. 

Conclusion:

The superhero genre has been on the decline post-Endgame. But there are a few properties out there that are keeping the genre alive and relevant to pop culture. In my very honest opinion, Hybrid Helix is one of those properties. If you love the superhero genre, you have to pick up these books! 

Return of the Griffin is a solid sequel to an amazing Wistful Ascending. I am tempted to abandon my reading plans and binge on this series because these stories are just that damn good!

TL;DR:

WHAT I LIKED: Rohan, character moments and dynamics, fast-paced story.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: the main antagonist and the conclusion of the Old Ones plot.