Scan barcode
bookph1le's review against another edition
3.0
The ending portion of the book was definitely stronger than the beginning. Still, I'm not all that excited about this book. It's not as well written as some other ya books I've read, and I wasn't really all that excited about any of the characters, though I didn't really actively dislike them either. I'm pretty ambivalent and would likely have just walked away from the series if the ending hadn't left me wondering what comes next. Still, I'm not entirely sure I'll read the next book. More complete review to follow.
Full review:
The Lost Code is one of those books where I think it's okay, then I strongly dislike it, then the ending redeems it a bit. In other words, it's a completely mixed bag. I was pretty sure I was going to give this book two stars, and then the ending happened and I realized that, if I had chopped off the first 3/4 of the book or so, I might have enjoyed it more. Of course, I wouldn't have been left with much of a book, but the last 1/4 is where the plot really kicks in and things get interesting. I think that if the book had started with the last 1/4 and gone on from there, it would have been a much better read. I can't help but feel that this is a situation where fewer books would translate into a better story. I'm all for series, but only if each book actually has something to say. Alas, this was the type of book where it felt like there was a lot of unnecessary filler in an attempt to stretch things into more than one book. Spoilers to follow.
First up, I will say right off the bat that I really, really disliked Owen's whole "technician" scenario whenever his internal dialog was explored. I just could not buy it. Maybe it's because my own internal dialog doesn't work this way but, regardless, every time it happened, I sort of cringed and wondered if anyone actually thinks that way. To me it felt too much like an intrusion from the hand of the author rather than an authentic window into the character's mind.
The thing that struck me as strangest about this book is that, even though the book is told from Owen's point of view, I never really felt like I knew him. Maybe that was because he was too busy having thoughts of technicians to explore his feelings about the things that were happening to him. He just never really came alive for me, and sometimes I actively disliked him because his thoughts seemed so juvenile, particularly when it came to his growing crush on Lilly. Whenever he started mooning over her, I was tempted to groan and skip ahead a few pages. I was also not very fond of Lilly. She seemed more like a collection of traits than like a person and, really, this is the problem with all of the characters in the book. None of them ever felt like a real person to me. I was always aware of them being characters in a book.
As for the secondary characters, I was interested in some of them, like Beaker, but they felt more like plot devices than people. I kept waiting for something unexpected to happen with Beaker and was disappointed when that moment never came. I can only hope these characters will be more developed in future installments, because it would do a lot for the story if they proved to somehow be a fully incorporated part of the plot.
Another annoyance of mine when reading these types of books is the setting. I just could not buy the whole idyllic summer camp is actually a den of horrors scenario. When characters live in a world with limited resources, it just doesn't make sense to me to place them in settings that seem so idle and frivolous. The logic behind this was far too flimsy to support it. I could buy that it was meant to be a playground for rich kids because the people in the Edens are blissfully oblivious to the real world, but the Edens are never developed enough for me to have been able to make this leap. I was much more interested in Owen's home in the Hub, or in the city, or in the nomads, but I never really cared about the summer camp, so I couldn't help but feel cheated by the unfulfilled promise of settings that struck me as much more interesting than the one about which I was reading.
One thing I did like, though, was the way Emerson used things like newscasts to good effect, in order to give the reader a taste of what the world looked like. I though this was a great way of providing some additional information without breaking the flow of the narrative and without giving me the impression that it was time for an info dump. I'd like more authors to take note of this technique because it's an effective way of showing the reader rather than telling.
My biggest disappointment with the novel, though, was the fact that so much of it is spent telling uninteresting details about the summer camp while the Atlantis mythology is doled out in tiny little bites. It's not that I wanted info dumps for this aspect of the story either, but it was annoying to me to have to sift through all the camp stuff in order to get to the really good stuff. I honestly thought the camp scenario could have been boiled down into a couple of chapters in favor of getting to the real story. I should have been hooked by the beginning of the book and not the ending, because it left me feeling ambivalent about whether I'll bother with any more books in the series. I'm not invested in the characters and I didn't find the camp particularly interesting, so that made me think this would be the first and last book I'd be reading in The Atlanteans. However, the ending did grab my attention, but I'm unwilling to read the next book in the series if it's going to be like this one: a lot of slogging through the boring stuff in order to get to the good stuff.
Full review:
The Lost Code is one of those books where I think it's okay, then I strongly dislike it, then the ending redeems it a bit. In other words, it's a completely mixed bag. I was pretty sure I was going to give this book two stars, and then the ending happened and I realized that, if I had chopped off the first 3/4 of the book or so, I might have enjoyed it more. Of course, I wouldn't have been left with much of a book, but the last 1/4 is where the plot really kicks in and things get interesting. I think that if the book had started with the last 1/4 and gone on from there, it would have been a much better read. I can't help but feel that this is a situation where fewer books would translate into a better story. I'm all for series, but only if each book actually has something to say. Alas, this was the type of book where it felt like there was a lot of unnecessary filler in an attempt to stretch things into more than one book. Spoilers to follow.
First up, I will say right off the bat that I really, really disliked Owen's whole "technician" scenario whenever his internal dialog was explored. I just could not buy it. Maybe it's because my own internal dialog doesn't work this way but, regardless, every time it happened, I sort of cringed and wondered if anyone actually thinks that way. To me it felt too much like an intrusion from the hand of the author rather than an authentic window into the character's mind.
The thing that struck me as strangest about this book is that, even though the book is told from Owen's point of view, I never really felt like I knew him. Maybe that was because he was too busy having thoughts of technicians to explore his feelings about the things that were happening to him. He just never really came alive for me, and sometimes I actively disliked him because his thoughts seemed so juvenile, particularly when it came to his growing crush on Lilly. Whenever he started mooning over her, I was tempted to groan and skip ahead a few pages. I was also not very fond of Lilly. She seemed more like a collection of traits than like a person and, really, this is the problem with all of the characters in the book. None of them ever felt like a real person to me. I was always aware of them being characters in a book.
As for the secondary characters, I was interested in some of them, like Beaker, but they felt more like plot devices than people. I kept waiting for something unexpected to happen with Beaker and was disappointed when that moment never came. I can only hope these characters will be more developed in future installments, because it would do a lot for the story if they proved to somehow be a fully incorporated part of the plot.
Another annoyance of mine when reading these types of books is the setting. I just could not buy the whole idyllic summer camp is actually a den of horrors scenario. When characters live in a world with limited resources, it just doesn't make sense to me to place them in settings that seem so idle and frivolous. The logic behind this was far too flimsy to support it. I could buy that it was meant to be a playground for rich kids because the people in the Edens are blissfully oblivious to the real world, but the Edens are never developed enough for me to have been able to make this leap. I was much more interested in Owen's home in the Hub, or in the city, or in the nomads, but I never really cared about the summer camp, so I couldn't help but feel cheated by the unfulfilled promise of settings that struck me as much more interesting than the one about which I was reading.
One thing I did like, though, was the way Emerson used things like newscasts to good effect, in order to give the reader a taste of what the world looked like. I though this was a great way of providing some additional information without breaking the flow of the narrative and without giving me the impression that it was time for an info dump. I'd like more authors to take note of this technique because it's an effective way of showing the reader rather than telling.
My biggest disappointment with the novel, though, was the fact that so much of it is spent telling uninteresting details about the summer camp while the Atlantis mythology is doled out in tiny little bites. It's not that I wanted info dumps for this aspect of the story either, but it was annoying to me to have to sift through all the camp stuff in order to get to the really good stuff. I honestly thought the camp scenario could have been boiled down into a couple of chapters in favor of getting to the real story. I should have been hooked by the beginning of the book and not the ending, because it left me feeling ambivalent about whether I'll bother with any more books in the series. I'm not invested in the characters and I didn't find the camp particularly interesting, so that made me think this would be the first and last book I'd be reading in The Atlanteans. However, the ending did grab my attention, but I'm unwilling to read the next book in the series if it's going to be like this one: a lot of slogging through the boring stuff in order to get to the good stuff.
bookswithdeniece's review against another edition
3.0
At the start, I had a hard time reading it because the events didn’t interest me in anyway. To be honest, I wasn’t even interested in it even before reading it. I just bought it because it was on sale and read it because it was the one I picked on my TBR jar. That being said, I really had a hard time getting into it. In addition to that, I hated Owen, because I saw him as a coward. Owen seriously annoyed me, I hate that I know he can stand up to bullies and protect the other bullied kids, but never did he do so. Looking back, I think Owen is more selfish than coward, yes, that’s the perfect description for him. Throughout the book I wished for him to be better, but he disappointed me all the time. I also hate how he treats the other bullied kids, like they are a pain in the ass. I also hate that he hates people who think they are the center of attention, when in fact he’s like them too. I REALLY HATE HIM OMG
I liked the plot, the story, it really took me in an adventure. It also showed me what can possibly happen if we take our environment and resources for granted as well as when we think that we are superior to everything and everyone, and even come to a point where we fight nature. I also liked how “Atlantis” was included in the story, actually it’s the center of the story. Though I like the story, I hated the characters. The only character I like is Beaker. He is so cute..
I enjoyed and liked this book, however, the joy I felt for it was not enough for me to continue the series.
I liked the plot, the story, it really took me in an adventure. It also showed me what can possibly happen if we take our environment and resources for granted as well as when we think that we are superior to everything and everyone, and even come to a point where we fight nature. I also liked how “Atlantis” was included in the story, actually it’s the center of the story. Though I like the story, I hated the characters. The only character I like is Beaker. He is so cute..
I enjoyed and liked this book, however, the joy I felt for it was not enough for me to continue the series.
steph01924's review against another edition
3.0
The book isn't exactly what I pictured it was going to be....there was a lot more emphasis on the summer camp and the slow build, which is fine. I think I wanted to like this more than I did...Atlantis is always a fun bonus factor for me, but we didn't delve too much into that in this book. There were some hints of things to come, but it was just that: lots of little hints. I'm still, overall, a bit confused about certain aspects of the main plot, which doesn't feel great. Maybe it'll pick up in the second book.
Owen as a character got a bit better as time went on. Obviously he came into his own the more he found out about himself, but I never feel felt very connected to him. The characters all just felt sort of bland. I got, intellectually, why Lilly would eventually be attracted to Owen, but I never felt much chemistry. I feel like Lilly ended up getting side-lined from being more an interesting, independent character with her rebel ideas to becoming Owen's sidekick, meekly following along with his journey.
Once Owen found out all the secrets, I was getting very tired of him just going along with everything because 'on some level, he'd always known this was the case/he didn't know how, but this just felt right, like he'd secretly known it was true his whole life/etc. etc. etc. Fine, yes, Owen isn't your typical hero who cries 'why me?' because he's completely comfortable with all these changes...but you don't have to tell me that on every third page. He's a natural, we get it.
Anyway, I'll give the next book a shot.
Owen as a character got a bit better as time went on. Obviously he came into his own the more he found out about himself, but I never feel felt very connected to him. The characters all just felt sort of bland. I got, intellectually, why Lilly would eventually be attracted to Owen, but I never felt much chemistry. I feel like Lilly ended up getting side-lined from being more an interesting, independent character with her rebel ideas to becoming Owen's sidekick, meekly following along with his journey.
Once Owen found out all the secrets, I was getting very tired of him just going along with everything because 'on some level, he'd always known this was the case/he didn't know how, but this just felt right, like he'd secretly known it was true his whole life/etc. etc. etc. Fine, yes, Owen isn't your typical hero who cries 'why me?' because he's completely comfortable with all these changes...but you don't have to tell me that on every third page. He's a natural, we get it.
Anyway, I'll give the next book a shot.
halcyone's review against another edition
3.0
This review was originally posted at The Cozy Armchair.
I'd had The Lost Code on my to-read list since 2011, so when I saw it was up for an arc tour via Southern Book Bloggers, I immediately jumped at the chance. This was also my very first time participating in an arc tour! So you can imagine that it was all very exciting for me. (Margaret can confirm this since she was there when the book came in the mail and saw me squee over it.)
Anyway! The Lost Code has a creative storyline at its core. After an event called the Great Rise, which was basically a product of global warming and humans messing up, the world was irrevocably changed. Many years later, privileged pockets of humanity are living in protected domes, while other populations struggle to survive underground and Nomads roam the rest of the desolate land.
The worldbuilding was definitely interesting, especially since Owen comes from outside, so being in the dome is a novelty. The concept of these Edens, and of the Cryos (kids whose parents could afford to freeze them until better times), were great too. I only wish we had gotten to see more of that! Most, or just about all of, the novel focuses on the summer camp Owen is attending, summer camp activities, and oh yeah, gills! Owen develops these interesting appendages, and there's lots of gorgeous descriptions of underwater shenanigans, which I could read all day.
Owen himself sounded like a little kid, not exactly savior of the world type. All the hints at his life before camp with only his dad really made me ache a little because I'm a sucker for those kinds of family relationships, and part of me is hoping we meet his dad in the sequel. Otherwise, the rest is Owen enduring being bullied, being single-minded about Lilly, and thinking about the technicians in his body. Let me tell you, I was only amused the first time he mentioned them. Every time after that was just too much. Like, Owen please.
Lilly was a great character. The slight development she got beyond being a love interest was fantastic. I loved that she was curious and persistent, and that she had all these theories about the truth behind the domes. The other characters got only very slight development; they were largely 2D, with only hints at real personalities, especially Leech.
Plot wise, The Lost Code was slow from the start. Like I said, it's summer camp from the first page, and there's not much in terms of action until the very end. But it was easy to read and fairly entertaining despite its relative predictability, so I wouldn't necessarily say that the slow pacing upset me even though I kept waiting for something epic to happen.
The Atlantis mythology also wasn't what I expected. I was a bit disappointed with that development, but I imagine we'll get more in the sequel. The Lost Code definitely reads like the first book in a series, where its whole purpose is to set the stage, introduce the characters and the villain, and then end just as the adventure is really about to start. Frustrating, yes, but not a total deal breaker.
Although I didn't find myself overly invested in the book, it was still a nice, fun read, especially in the middle of summer since everything about it screams summer vacation! With a bonus post-apocalyptic setting and supernatural happenings.
I'd had The Lost Code on my to-read list since 2011, so when I saw it was up for an arc tour via Southern Book Bloggers, I immediately jumped at the chance. This was also my very first time participating in an arc tour! So you can imagine that it was all very exciting for me. (Margaret can confirm this since she was there when the book came in the mail and saw me squee over it.)
Anyway! The Lost Code has a creative storyline at its core. After an event called the Great Rise, which was basically a product of global warming and humans messing up, the world was irrevocably changed. Many years later, privileged pockets of humanity are living in protected domes, while other populations struggle to survive underground and Nomads roam the rest of the desolate land.
The worldbuilding was definitely interesting, especially since Owen comes from outside, so being in the dome is a novelty. The concept of these Edens, and of the Cryos (kids whose parents could afford to freeze them until better times), were great too. I only wish we had gotten to see more of that! Most, or just about all of, the novel focuses on the summer camp Owen is attending, summer camp activities, and oh yeah, gills! Owen develops these interesting appendages, and there's lots of gorgeous descriptions of underwater shenanigans, which I could read all day.
Owen himself sounded like a little kid, not exactly savior of the world type. All the hints at his life before camp with only his dad really made me ache a little because I'm a sucker for those kinds of family relationships, and part of me is hoping we meet his dad in the sequel. Otherwise, the rest is Owen enduring being bullied, being single-minded about Lilly, and thinking about the technicians in his body. Let me tell you, I was only amused the first time he mentioned them. Every time after that was just too much. Like, Owen please.
Lilly was a great character. The slight development she got beyond being a love interest was fantastic. I loved that she was curious and persistent, and that she had all these theories about the truth behind the domes. The other characters got only very slight development; they were largely 2D, with only hints at real personalities, especially Leech.
Plot wise, The Lost Code was slow from the start. Like I said, it's summer camp from the first page, and there's not much in terms of action until the very end. But it was easy to read and fairly entertaining despite its relative predictability, so I wouldn't necessarily say that the slow pacing upset me even though I kept waiting for something epic to happen.
The Atlantis mythology also wasn't what I expected. I was a bit disappointed with that development, but I imagine we'll get more in the sequel. The Lost Code definitely reads like the first book in a series, where its whole purpose is to set the stage, introduce the characters and the villain, and then end just as the adventure is really about to start. Frustrating, yes, but not a total deal breaker.
Although I didn't find myself overly invested in the book, it was still a nice, fun read, especially in the middle of summer since everything about it screams summer vacation! With a bonus post-apocalyptic setting and supernatural happenings.
charms1976's review against another edition
3.0
I have read many books in the Adult Genre featuring the mystery of Atlantis or at least has some sort of premise of Atlantis in the plot. So when this book appeared in my review list, I decided to give it a go and see how it would fare in the Young Adult Genre.
While I enjoyed the book and the character of Owen, I did find the book lacking in some ways. To me, it seemed that the other characters dragged the book down. I couldn't bring myself to enjoy them that much. It wasn't any one particular thing about them, it is just what it is. I loved the lore and mythology that is included with the book. I actually learned a few things while reading it. The story does start off slow and you really have to commit yourself to the book to get the pay off at the end of it. I think it is because the world needed to be established and it brought the story down in that regard. Now that I have finished the build up, I am hoping that the next book in the series will take off at a better pace. This is the one thing about new series that authors have to learn to balance out for the reader. Too much info in the first book could lead to boredom and not enough can leave the reader confused. A delicate balance that I hope is figured out by the next book.
While this wasn't my favorite book, I did enjoy the fresh take on the plot. Mythology mixed with modern day and add some dystopia makes a great new series for the young adult genre. One to keep my eye on for future installments while hoping it gets better with book two.
While I enjoyed the book and the character of Owen, I did find the book lacking in some ways. To me, it seemed that the other characters dragged the book down. I couldn't bring myself to enjoy them that much. It wasn't any one particular thing about them, it is just what it is. I loved the lore and mythology that is included with the book. I actually learned a few things while reading it. The story does start off slow and you really have to commit yourself to the book to get the pay off at the end of it. I think it is because the world needed to be established and it brought the story down in that regard. Now that I have finished the build up, I am hoping that the next book in the series will take off at a better pace. This is the one thing about new series that authors have to learn to balance out for the reader. Too much info in the first book could lead to boredom and not enough can leave the reader confused. A delicate balance that I hope is figured out by the next book.
While this wasn't my favorite book, I did enjoy the fresh take on the plot. Mythology mixed with modern day and add some dystopia makes a great new series for the young adult genre. One to keep my eye on for future installments while hoping it gets better with book two.
lillyenrose's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very interesting story, with many twists that I never saw coming. I was confused at first that the main character was a guy and not a girl (Why i thought this I have no idea sorry), but after a few pages i started to understand the characters more. This is a fast moving story that made me want to read the next one even though it's not out.
vidhi26p's review against another edition
3.0
This is a dystopian novel that isn't incredibly written. The idea is very original, but this isn't a page turner. It's written in first person in the point of view of Owen, the main character. Instead of feeling encouragement towards him, sometimes I feel annoyed at his lack of leadership.
postitsandpens's review against another edition
3.0
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 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.
I loved the 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.
morghxn's review against another edition
5.0
This book is one of my favorites. I loved the whole concept of gill children. I can relate to Owen the way he's not really sure where he fits in at Camp Eden. The way he tries to find his place in the status of people is relatable to anyone who has ever endured high school. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in dystopian books or sci-fi novels. This book encompasses almost every interest which makes it a fun read. This book has some major foreshadowing throughout the book. It hints who the Atlanteans are, what the are, and who is against them. The imagery in this book is very vivid and I often feel as if I am in the camp with the kids. Unforgettable book it is.