Powerless is a novel written by Lauren Roberts. Released in 2023, it is the first book in Roberts' Powerless trilogy and tells of a kingdom ruled by a eugenicist. The book is split across multiple perspectives, but is mostly seen through Paedyn and Kai’s perspectives.
Characters[]
- Paedyn "Pae" Gray
- Prince Kai
- Adena
- Prince Kitt
- Lenny
Publisher's summary[]
She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.
Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.
The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.
Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.
When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.
Summary[]
A lethal Plague swept through the Kingdom of Ilya, leaving some survivors with powers and some without. They are the Elite and the Ordinaries. After the danger of the Plague, the king of Ilya ordered the Ordinaries to be banished or killed in order to preserve his Elite Society. Many years later, the kingdom is once again at peace. Paedyn, an Ordinary, is hiding amongst the people in the slums. To hide her lack of ability, she poses as a Psychic, an easy ability to fake when taught how to perceive her surroundings and the people around her. She is a cunning and witty thief, pick-pocketing and taking things from the people passing through The Slums.
Prince Kai is to be the future Enforcer for the kingdom of Ilya and his brother, Kitt, is to be king. As part of Kai’s predetermined job, he is to find and kill any Ordinaries and anyone associated with them. When he is sent on a mission to kill an ordinary, he runs into Paedyn when she tries to take money from him.
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See also[]
| Title | Author | Release date | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Queen | Victoria Aveyard | 2015 | A novel with a similar dystopian world in which the world is ruled by superpowered elites |
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | 2008 | A novel with a vaguely similar dystopian world |
| Defy the Night | Brigid Kemmerer | 2021 | A novel with similar themes released in a similar time period |
| Blood Circus | Camila Victoire | 2023 | A novel with similar themes released in a similar time period |
| The Selection | Kiera Cass | 2012 | A novel with similar themes |