Renegades by Marissa Meyer Summary

Renegades by Marissa Meyer is a young adult science fiction novel about Nova Artino, a teenage girl who goes undercover as a superhero to destroy the Renegades—the syndicate of prodigies who failed to save her family ten years ago. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans have extraordinary abilities, the story explores themes of justice, revenge, and moral ambiguity as Nova infiltrates the organization while developing unexpected connections with her supposed enemies, particularly Adrian Everhart.

Marissa Meyer is a #1 New York Times-bestselling author known for The Lunar Chronicles series and fairy tale retellings. Meyer wrote Renegades inspired by her lifelong love of superheroes, creating a world where the lines between heroes and villains blur. With over seven million books sold worldwide, Meyer combines her storytelling expertise with superhero mythology to explore moral complexity, making Renegades a departure from her fantasy roots into action-driven science fiction.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer is perfect for young adult readers who love superhero stories with moral complexity, fans of action-packed science fiction, and anyone who enjoyed series like The Lunar Chronicles or books exploring vigilante justice. The novel appeals to readers aged 12 and up who appreciate strong female protagonists, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, and stories that question traditional hero-villain narratives with themes of revenge, loyalty, and redemption.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer is worth reading for fans of superhero fiction seeking fresh perspectives on the genre. The novel offers compelling world-building, morally gray characters, and action-packed sequences that challenge traditional good-versus-evil tropes. As the first book in a trilogy, it sets up intriguing mysteries and character dynamics, though some readers note the pacing slows mid-book. Meyer's exploration of justice and perspective makes it stand out in YA science fiction.

Nova Artino's superpower in Renegades is the ability to put people to sleep with a touch, which she uses under her villain alias "Nightmare". This power saved her life when she was six years old during her family's murder, allowing her to stop the hitman before he could kill her. Nova's ability to never need sleep herself makes her alias "Insomnia" perfect for her undercover identity when infiltrating the Renegades, giving her strategic advantages during surveillance missions.

Prodigies in Renegades are humans with extraordinary supernatural abilities that emerged in this world. These powers vary widely—from Adrian Everhart's ability to bring his drawings to life, to Ruby Tucker's bloodstone powers, to Nova's sleep-inducing touch. The Renegades syndicate consists of prodigies who positioned themselves as heroes after society crumbled, while the Anarchists represent villain prodigies who originally controlled the world before being defeated in the Battle for Gatlon.

The main conflict in Renegades centers on Nova's undercover mission to destroy the Renegades from within while seeking revenge for her family's death. Nova believes the Renegades are false heroes who abandoned her family during their murder, while the world views them as saviors. This creates tension as she develops feelings for Adrian Everhart, a Renegade whose father she originally planned to assassinate, forcing her to question her loyalties and the true nature of heroism versus villainy.

Adrian Everhart is a key Renegade character and the biological son of Captain Chromium, one of the organization's founding council members. His prodigy ability allows him to bring anything he draws to life, which he uses to create tools and weapons during missions. Adrian also secretly operates as the Sentinel, an armored vigilante, and develops a romantic connection with Nova despite her hidden identity as Nightmare, creating dramatic irony central to the trilogy's tension.

Nova's family was murdered by a villain gang called the Roaches when she was six years old. The hitmen killed her mother, father, and baby sister Evie in their apartment while Nova helplessly listened, believing the Renegades would arrive to save them—but they never came. Nova's uncle Ace Anarchy found her after she used her power to stop the killer, and later killed all 47 members of the gang in revenge. This traumatic abandonment fuels Nova's mission to expose the Renegades as frauds.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer differs from The Lunar Chronicles by focusing on superheroes rather than fairy tale retellings, though both feature strong female protagonists and morally complex worlds. While The Lunar Chronicles blends science fiction with romance and fairy tale elements, Renegades emphasizes action sequences, vigilante justice, and the gray area between heroism and villainy. Both series showcase Meyer's world-building skills, but Renegades offers a grittier, more contemporary take on power and perspective.

The Anarchists in Renegades are a group of villain prodigies led by Ace Anarchy who systematically took over the world before the Renegades defeated them. After losing the Battle for Gatlon, the surviving Anarchists operate as underground rebels, viewed by society as villains but seeing themselves as freedom fighters. Nova belongs to this group, having been raised by her uncle Ace after her family's murder. The Anarchists believe the Renegades are tyrannical frauds who maintain power through propaganda.

The Sentinel is a mysterious armored vigilante who operates outside Renegade authority, later revealed to be Adrian Everhart working in secret. Adrian created the Sentinel persona using his drawing abilities to act without council oversight and political restrictions. This dual identity creates tension as the Sentinel confronts Nova in her Nightmare persona, with neither knowing the other's true identity. The Sentinel's ambiguous allegiance adds complexity to the story's exploration of justice and heroism.