Review: The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 435 pages

May 22, 2012, Harper Collins

WHAT IS OLDEST WILL BE NEW, WHAT IS LOST SHALL BE FOUND.

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth’s history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.

Source: Kevin Emerson (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

I’ve seen different versions of the future in different dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels. I’ve seen zombie and vampire-infested worlds, virus ravaged worlds, flooded worlds and sun-baked worlds but The Lost Code’s story world was one of the most realistic and frightening of them all. The too hot sun baked the earth dry. People couldn’t go out in the open once the sun was up. The only safe places were the Habitable Zone and the Eden Domes. The history of the changes in the world that was integrated in the novel was probably the most accurate and probable of all the things I’ve read.

Emerson’s attention to detail was amazing. After reading The Lost Code, I really felt that I’ve lived in EdenWest. It was great to see how the dome itself functioned, as well as how it was failing. The Eye controlled everything in the dome: the SafeSun lamps, the robot birds and butterflies, the artificial sound of the night insects, the lightning, the rain, and even the stars in the sky.

I liked how Owen developed throughout the novel from being the ‘Turtle’ who drowned to being a fishboy with gills who spent the night swimming with the CITs to finally finishing the metamorphosis and becoming the Atlantean that he was meant to be. He was no longer lost. He knew who he was and he knew his purpose in this world. It was good to finally see him confident, especially when it came to expressing his feelings towards Lilly, one of the CITs.

But just went things were getting good, the Nomads attacked the dome. Lilly was ranting about her theories on why they have gills and Eden’s ulterior motives. A siren kept appearing in the water, insisting that Owen find her in an underwater temple. Owen also found out that there have been disappearances throughout the years in Camp. Paul, the head of the Camp, was sugarcoating his words, assuring the campers that everything was okay. But was it true?

I felt that there was a portion in the middle of the novel that dragged but once the story hit the 2/3 mark, things got better. I was blown away with shocking revelation after shocking revelation. There were twists and turns, more complications, more allies and more questions. Suspense and action tangled together and eventually brought an inspiring ending.

I’ve always been interested in Atlantis. I remember watching the Disney movie and thinking how it beautiful it was when I was a kid. But Emerson took Atlantis’ grandeur to a whole new level. The ancient civilization had a kind of technology and advancement that surpassed even some of the advancements of the future world. When Owen tapped into the Atlantean psyche, the visions that surged in his head were breathtaking and at the same time, scary.

The Lost Code is a thrilling adventure that will keep readers wrapped up in the mystery, the secrets and the discoveries. This novel got all the things I love: dystopia, Atlantis secrets and science. I recommend this to people who enjoy dystopia, mystery and fantasy.

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