The Lost Code

I didn't finish this book. That's probably the best way to start this review -a confession. I didn't finish The Lost Code, because it was just too darn painful, and there are so many things sitting on my shelf right now that I'd rather spend my time with right now. Honestly, I tried to give this book a chance. I read half of it because I had to toss it aside. Why, you ask?

Let's see, where do I start?

The Lost Code is billed as some sort of YA Dystopian novel that's built on the classic myth of Atlantis. Yet, the book reads more like a Middle Grade novel with some fantasy elements more in the vein of Percy Jackson (there's even summer camp!). Though the author's writing style is solid, there's really not much else to talk about here.

After show more I got over the initial shock that the book had virtually nothing to do with what it promised, I tried to enjoy the story for what it was -but there wasn't much to enjoy. The world is incredibly fuzzy and the dystopian aspects feel like it was tacked on. This serious lack of world-building made it impossible to fully understand the world or appreciate the characters in it. Speaking of characters -the characters here are hard to understand and very, very flat. Their conflicts don't resonate and they don't seem to have realistic emotions or reactions.

Then, there's the pacing the and plot. This book is INCREDIBLY slow paced. Virtually nothing happened in the section I read, and what did happen unfolded far too slowly. It was also strange that their was no tie-in to the Atlantis aspect of the plot in the first half of the novel at all (and this was a lot of what interested me in the book in the first place!). And without this (plus the not well-developed dystopian backdrop), The Lost Code didn't really offer anything of interest to the reader. show less

When I first heard about this book, I was intrigued. I put it on my TBR list, and then had an opportunity to receive an ARC. OF COURSE, I took it!

I was hooked from page 1. Seriously. I just HAD to know what was going on and what was going to happen to Owen. I loved walking the path with him and figuring things out as he did. Sometimes I feel like the main purpose is to be all 'I have a secret and you have to wait until the last page to figure it out' and that drives me insane. Here, I never once felt like Emerson was keeping secrets from me-I was allowed to discover things right along with Owen, if that makes any sense.

The Lost Code has a fantastic premise, and one that I won't spoil for you here since it's not in the synopsis. Just show more rest assured that it's not done often, if ever. And it's done well here. Fast-paced, tightly woven, and an edge-of-your-seat read in places.

I loved the story and I love where it could be headed. I'm seriously looking forward to the next books in this series to see if any of my theories are going to pan out. Also because I just HAVE to know what happens. The final character mash-up had me on the edge of my seat, so I really need to know where that's going. Don't worry, it's not a love triangle or anything. It's just a WHOA, I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING type of thing.

Another thing, characters: I *really* like it when a male author makes his protag male also. It's so much more believable and realistic. Plus, Emerson writes a really fantastic male character. Every one of them was spot-on. I really liked his female characters too, but the guys were just spectacular. I don't mean that in a super-duper-character-crush kind of way. I mean it in a 'these are real people' kind of way.

Kevin Emerson is a seriously talented writer, and I'm enthusiastic about his future projects. The Lost Code gets a 'Pick Me' rating for its awesomeness!

Content Advisory:
Language: Mild
Sexuality: Mild
Violence: Moderate
Mature Themes: death, abandonment, abuse of authority, dystopia, apocalpyse

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As posted on booknook - YA and Fantasy book reviews

The Lost Code is a book about Owen Parker. He's a pretty normal guy who is far from perfect. He's not overly confident, he doesn't have a muscular build, and he's a little awkward. Owen has been selected to live in EdenWest, which is a dome compound 6 kilometers in diamter that protects its 200,000 inhabitants from the destroyed ozone and dangerous levels of radiation. The story starts off with Owen drowning. But when he's finally rescued, he should be dead according to all logic; he was drowning for 10 minutes. The fact that he's even alive is the first hint that something isn't quite normal...

Soon enough, Owen discovers that his little water trauma caused him to grow gills! He's not show more quite a merman, but he has the underwater breathing part nailed! He groups up with some similarly gifted friends and together they speculate: is this transformation a result of their time at Eden? Are they being experimented on? Or is this some kind of natural evolution?

I adored this book! It kind of reminds me of Percy Jackson & the Olympians in the way that EdenWest is set up as a camp and that you have a few kids with special abilities. There are games, crafts, counselors, campers -- including some that you'll love to hate. These Eden domes are the only protection people have from the deathly sun and radiation, but some people worry that the integrity of the dome is failing, despite the camp director's claims that "everything is fine." So when Owen suddenly grows gills after his near-death drowning experience, he meets up with some likeminded campers and start to discuss the possibility of a conspiracy. Is Eden really what they say it is? Or is something darker taking place?

Owen is a really awesome protagonist. It was refreshing to read from a male character's point of view. It also made the brewing romance great to read about. You know how girls obsess over guys, overanalyze everything, and wonder if they're doing or saying the right thing? We get a small glimpse into the male version of that! I also love how normal he is and how talking to girls doesn't come naturally for him.

The Lost Code is a really unique story, full of conspiracy, deception, and an incredibly intriguing world. It's the kind of book that makes you think. Since it's all about environmental issues, I couldn't help but constantly wondering, "Will our world be like this some day?" It's a really fascinating thing to think about. It's interesting to hear the story unfold, learn what happened as the ozone started getting destroyed, and see how people try to combat the issue and find "save havens" in the Eden compounds. Then, next to all that, Kevin Emerson brings in some Atlanean lore! How cool!

This book is kind of slow moving. The first part is largely spent introducing us to the camp and letting us get a sense of what goes on. We quickly figure out who the camp bully is (Leech) and you'll really love hating him. You'll be screaming at Owen to punch Leech in the face or do other violent things. We also learn a lot about the state of the environment, the technology behind the compound, and so on. I can understand how it might be too slow for some pople. Emerson feeds us bits and pieces to keep us intrigued, but it might not be enough for you if you like a constant fast-paced story. But I was so intrigued by the history and all the information about Eden that it didn't bother me too much. I was never bored with this story!

One thing that did bother me was the way that Owen referred to his body or his brain or whatever. He described it as if he had technicians constantly monitoring his body and working his motor skills, etc. These "technicians" had a bit of a personality and even some dialogue. This first shows up in chapter one and my first reaction was that it was different, but interesting. But then, I thought it was a one time thing. It's constant throughout the whole story and just became weird and annoying. It reminded me of Ana's "Inner Goddess" in Fifty Shades of Grey. Here's how the book describes them:

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A feeling began to ache in my chest, a certainty: Owen, it's time to breathe. The order was matter-of-fact, like there were little technicians inside my body, wearing yellow jumpsuits and monitoring all of my functions on glowing screens. That was how I always felt, like others were in charge of me, like I was just along for the ride.

The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson, page 4
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I just found the usage to be a bit silly and distracting. It didn't fit in well.

My second gripe contains a spoiler so I'll have to be vague. I'll just say that I drew some assumptions with the whole Atlantean, `Owen growing gills' thing and got really excited about it. Then it turned out quite different and it was a little disappointing for me.

Despite those two issues, this book is definitely worth reading. The dystopian environmental aspects are AWESOME and so fascinating to read about. Towards the end it also feels a lot like an epic adventure story. I'm really looking forward to the second book and can't wait to learn more about the Atlantis lore! show less

This dystopian story takes place in a world where it is no longer safe to be outdoors because of danger from the sun due to ozone damage. Owen Parker finds himself the winner of a contest to participate in a summer camp in one of the exclusive domes that have been built for people to live in safely, which recreates the feel of the real world before the earth was damaged. Owen is from the hub, an underground community for those not fortunate enough to live in the domed community of Eden. He pretty much tries to keep to himself and stay inconspicuous. Owen finds himself at the lake for swimming testing. Normally, he wouldn't participate in this strenuous test, but he finds himself quite taken with the instructor, Lilly, who is one of the show more other girls at the camp. Despite his better judgement he jumps in and does pretty well for a while. The next thing he knows he has cramp, he's sinking to the bottom, and no one notices that he isn't there. As he slowly begins to lose consciousness, he hears a strange voice begin to speak to him telling him that what is oldest will be new and what was lost shall be found. That is the last thing Owen remembers before he drowns.

The next thing he knows he wakes up to Lilly giving him CPR. When Lilly whispers to him not to tell them (meaning the camp leaders) how long he was under the water, he was shocked to find that he had been under more than 10 minutes. From this point on the world as Owen Parker knows it is forever changed. Destined to unlock the code that will help save the world, Owen finds himself no longer a follower, but an emerging leader, under the close observation of the leaders of the camp, and in the beginning of a budding relationship with Lilly. He discovers new friends that have undergone the same changes that he has experienced, and he finds that there are those who would do anything to stop him. Owen must decide whether to give in or stand up for what he knows is right. The future of humanity just might depend on it.

This dystopian story also incorporates some mythology, centered around the lost city of Atlantis, which was interesting and fresh. I liked the main character Owen. I am not sure how old he was, but he seemed to be one of the older campers. Lilly, who I really liked, was a little older that Owen and had a great personality. There are several other characters in the book who also play important roles, one being Leech, who was quite the bully. The story line was interesting, though a little slow-paced in the beginning, but by the end of the book there was quite a bit of action, and the Atlantis mythology comes more into play. The love interest was sweet also. The Lost Code is a book that I think would appeal mainly to the middle grade age group and some older teens, and I would definitely recommend it to that age group. It reminds me somewhat of Percy Jackson, though not as fast paced. With that in mind, if you enjoy dystopian stories and mythology, then The Lost Code is something you or your children might enjoy. show less

When I first saw the blurb for The Lost Code, I immediately thought of the Percy Jackson books, and knew I had to give it a read. While it is another of those post-apocalyptic/distopian titles populating the YA shelves, it had a fresh feeling to it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's adventure, mysteries, and even a bit of romance, plus a pretty fabulous main character in Owen. His journey from someone who didn't fit in and just wanted to be like everyone else to the strong, capable person he becomes at the end of the book was really wonderful to read. I loved that he finally decided to take action, to not rely on others' opinions, and to do what he felt was right. I think Owen and I are really going to get along well.

I loved the show more set-up of this story. This book is really all about Owen finding himself and taking charge, but there was so much more to the story. See, Owen is at a summer camp in EdenWest, which is enclosed in a dome that's supposed to protect everyone from the harmful rays of the sun. You either live in these domes, or you live underground, because the sun's rays are so strong that they cause radiation poisoning if you're out in them for too long. There's a lot of questions about what's going on at the camp, and what's going on with the campers, and it keeps twisting and turning around on itself so much that I was constantly guessing. And then there are the little bits of the mythology that are revealed throughout, particularly what happened to Atlantis and what it means for Owen's world. I found the mythology particularly interesting, again, because this is a pretty big reading kink for me personally, and it was nice to see something new in that respect.

And then you have the romance, which I felt was really true to teenagers, and Owen in particular, who is so afraid of doing something wrong and not fitting in. There are all those awkward moments where he's afraid he's said the wrong thing, or doesn't know what to do, and I kind of adored the entire thing. Lilly was a really well-developed character, with an interesting back story. I found her to be a really strong character, but with her own weaknesses, and am eager to see how her story will turn out.

This book definitely sets up the rest of the series; very little, aside from Owen's ancestry and their overall goal, really happens. There's a lot of time spent on daily camp life, from crafts to various activities, and then you have the growing romance between Owen and Lilly. The action doesn't really kick in until about 60% into the book, but once it does, be prepared to be unable to put the book down; I literally read and read until it was done, it was so engrossing. But as the first book in a new series, this sets up the world, introduces the characters and problems, and gets the reader interested in the story quite well. It's a really great start to a new series, and I enjoyed every word of it.

The Lost Code will be available in North America on May 22, 2012. I'd definitely recommend you pick up a copy.

An e-galley was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. show less

This book really captured me. I love a book when I can get into the adventure within the plot and follow along with the characters. If you thought this book was just another story, think again.

What I adored about this book is the amazing plot line. The history of the Atlanteans, the secret maps, the codes to a long lost civilization, I fell into this plot quickly. I like that is plays fast in the plot so that the reader is immediately hooked. The story has so many elements in the plot line mixing them up to make one fantastic story.

The characters of the book are another great addition to the story. Each character plays a bigger role than expected. I loved that everything about the characters is kept secret so than even the readers are show more out of the loop along with the characters themselves. The characters grew fast in the knowledge that they gained, and quickly learn to survive.

The love interest is a small developing part of the story but one that I truly enjoyed. Innocent love between the characters is amazing. I love the small smiles, the wide eyes, and the sweet innocence that comes in their kiss. It's one of those loves that you just have to aww at!

The Lost Code is an entertaining adventure that keeps the reader hooked till the last page. The compelling narrative that is exciting and solid, The Lost Code creates a story beyond the pages. The sheer adventure of looking for clues made me feel like I was in an Indiana Jones movie! The Lost Code is a rich, fantasy adventure that anyone can read. show less

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Is there a better myth for an adventure novel than the lost continent of Atlantis? I think not. Where else can you find mystery, lost secrets, and archaeological revelations? I devour books about the fabled continent (seriously, if there is a fictional book about Atlantis, I’ve read it), add in a dystopian twist like Kevin Emerson does in THE LOST CODE, the first book in his new The Atlanteans series, and that’s a book that shoots right to the top of my TBR pile.

The first half of THE LOST CODE unfolds somewhat leisurely as readers are introduced to Owen, the newest camper at a special domed camp that allows kids to experience life away from the harsh reality of a planet devastated by global show more upheavals. There are bullies, hot older girls, enigmatic adults, oh and gills. Owen begins to change and discovers he’s not the only ‘special’ camper in the dome. I did begin to wonder if we were only going to get few psychic dream/visions and references to reincarnation instead of actually getting to the subject of Atlantis, and thankfully it did at about the halfway point. After that, the adventure really took off and the Atlantis elements took center stage. There were hidden temples, advanced ancient technology, lost languages, and unlocked secrets.

Despite delivering on the Atlantis elements, THE LOST CODE did have a few setbacks. I was looking for Owen’s age throughout the book, but it was never mentioned. I know this is being marketed as young adult (YA), but it really feels more like a middle grade (MG) book (think Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series). If I were guessing based on his thoughts and behavior, I’d peg Owen at about twelve, thirteen tops. That’s not a bad thing if you enjoy MG (and I do), but I was expecting a teenager like the one portrayed on the cover. In that sense, it felt misleading. Also the environmental speeches had a tendency to get preachy.

My biggest gripe, however, was with the romance. It just felt awkward and ultimately unnecessary. I never once felt my heart race or that wonderful nervous/excited flutter in my stomach. On the contrary, every romantic encounter between Own and Lilly was ill-timed (like when he was covered in blood right after seeing a dead body for the first time, or after stumbling across horrific human vivisections). Lilly is older (we never learn how much), and it never made sense that she would go from essentially babysitting Owen and his cabin mates one day to flirting with him the next week. I didn’t buy it.

After a slow first half, the end of THE LOST CODE went a long way towards interpreting the Atlantis legend while packing plenty of dystopian adventure into the second half. I’ll be hoping for a more mature version of Owen and hopefully a better developed romantic storyline when the next book in The Atlanteans series hits shelves in Spring 2013.

Sexual Content:
Kissing show less