Full Synopsis

Hero: A Villain’s Origin is a YA/NA dystopian superhero novel about a boy raised to become the perfect weapon.

Casimir was born into the Exiled, a hunted group of superpowered outcasts. As the first Preterhuman in generations born with all eight abilities, he was trained from childhood by his father, a battle-hardened hero who believes power means control, mercy is weakness, and hesitation gets people killed.

Despite the violence he was raised in, Casimir still clings to the belief that real heroes show restraint.

That belief begins to shatter when a mission exposes a government operation targeting the Exiled and experimenting on Preters, alongside a mysterious girl from the other side of the conflict. Casimir begins to question everything he’s been told about the war, the Exiled, the enemy he was trained to destroy, and the father who shaped every part of his identity.

With a prophecy looming and the future of the Exiled resting on his shoulders, Casimir is forced to confront the one thing he fears most: becoming the violent man who raised him.

The stronger Casimir becomes, the harder it is to ignore the terrifying possibility that he was never meant to save the world... only reshape it.

Hero: A Villain’s Origin is a cinematic YA/NA dystopian superhero debut about inherited violence, identity, rebellion, and the fear of becoming what you were raised to be. Perfect for fans of Red Rising, Invincible, The Hunger Games, Chronicle, and Attack on Titan, Hudson’s explosive first installment blends emotionally grounded superhero storytelling with political dystopia, morally gray character arcs, and large-scale sci-fi conflict filled with superpowered warfare, coming-of-age tension, tragic heroism, and a slow-burn transformation.

Genres: YA Dystopian, Superhero Fiction, Science Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Action Adventure

Perfect for readers who love: father-son conflict, morally gray protagonists, hero-to-villain arcs, power-with-consequences storytelling, government conspiracies, found family, rebellion themes, emotionally realistic superheroes, tragic heroes, and character-driven dystopian sci-fi.

If you crave tragic chosen ones, grounded superhero stories, rebellion against oppressive systems, and antihero origins where power comes at a psychological cost, this story is for you.