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If you can't keep track of every Marvel eventuality, I don't blame you. Fortunately, there's only one thing you need to know to enjoy The Phoenix Chase by Neil Klein: omega-level psychic powers are great for memeing.

The Phoenix Chase by Neil Kleid takes place amongst the next generation of X-Men. Two schools, one each headed up by Cyclops and Wolverine, continue the work of Charles Xavier. But Kid Omega (a.k.a. Quentin Quire) thinks that's dumb. He's gearing up to create the ultimate remote classroom experience: Mutants Without Borders, a school that exists entirely inside his mind. Unfortunately for him, an intergalactic threat calling itself "The Remaining" uses orientation day to kidnap his closest friends for ransom. The price?

Summers. And the Phoenix Egg.

You don't have to know a lot about the X-Men to know that "Phoenix" means "bad news." And even if you don't, The Phoenix Chase fills you in on everything you need to know, as any good tie-in does. Rather than involve Cyclops, who (understandably) has big feelings on the whole Phoenix thing, Quentin turns to Scott's brother Alex, a.k.a. Havok. The two then set off across the galaxy on the universe's most dangerous egg hunt.

Marvel fans will see a lot of familiar faces along the way. A few of the Guardians of the Galaxy have a look-in, as do bigger and smaller names, both in person and in flashback. Expect to see friends and foes from all across the universe... and expect Kid Omega to have something to say to all of them.

Quentin and Alex are a surprisingly satisfying odd couple, both dealing with similar issues in vastly different ways. In the end, it'll take a bit of Kid Omega's chaos and Havok's levelheadedness to save the day. But is the day really saved? Or just stabilized for later catastrophe?

Even if you don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of Marveldom, The Phoenix Chase guides you through its many locations and characters with ease. That's a must for a solid tie-in, as I say quite a bit. But it's also got another: a story that could hold its own even if you filed the serial numbers off. If Quentin was an off-brand psychic and the Phoenix Egg was a sci-fi McGuffin by any other name, the story would still be strong, and his and Alex's reluctant friendship and mutual growth would still matter.

If you're in the U.S., you can grab The Phoenix Chase now. U.K. readers will have a little longer to wait—July 20.

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This blog post is part of a tour hosted by The Book Network.