Title: Spark Rising
Author: Kate Corcino
Publication Date: December 15th 2014
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction.
A brief synopsis; (Via Goodreads)
All that’s required to ignite a revolution is a single spark rising.Two hundred years after the cataclysm that annihilated fossil fuels, Sparks keep electricity flowing through their control of energy-giving Dust. The Council of Nine rebuilt civilization on the backs of Sparks, offering citizens a comfortable life in a relo-city in exchange for power, particularly over the children able to fuel the future. The strongest of the boys are taken as Wards and raised to become elite agents, the Council’s enforcers and spies. Strong girls—those who could advance the rapidly-evolving matrilineal power—don’t exist. Not according to the Council.Lena Gracey died as a child, mourned publicly by parents desperate to keep her from the Council. She was raised in hiding until she fled the relo-city for solitary freedom in the desert. Lena lives off the grid, selling her power on the black market.Agent Alex Reyes was honed into a calculating weapon at the Ward School to do the Council’s dirty work. But Alex lives a double life. He’s leading the next generation of agents in a secret revolution to destroy those in power from within.The life Lena built to escape her past ends the day Alex arrives looking for a renegade Spark.
About the Author;
She also believes in the transformative power of screwing up and second chances. Cheers to works-in-progress of the literary and lifelong variety!
She is currently gearing up for publication of Ignition Point and Spark Rising, the first books in the Progenitor Saga, a near future dystopian adventure series with romantic elements, science, magic, and plenty of action.
You can find Kate at her Website, Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook.
Review;
Initially, I held this book with contempt, if only because I wasn't understanding.
From the get go, I was transported into this magical, dystopian science-fiction setting and I had absolutely no idea what was going on, you know?
There was this girl, (this kick-ass, strong willed and pretty witty girl, mind you) who was being hostile and slightly provocative and clearly engaging in illicit, shady business (gotta love a chick who does that, seriously) and then, bam, suddenly, she's on the run, and I'm just like "Whaaaaaaaaat?"
So, to conclude that part above, I felt the explanation took too long to appear, and I was left too muddled to thoroughly enjoy the beginning of it.
But then, you know, everything got cleared up and I got really pulled into this book.
Kate did a brilliant job with her characters; Lena was as strong as she was independent and beautiful, and whilst there was elements of her becoming the cliché dependent-on-the-(so-called)-hero, she ultimately did not develop into that person.
Alex was fantastic, because I honestly did not know where his loyalties lay. At one moment, I was positive he was playing her, but then I'd get a tiny niggling hint that maybe he wasn't but then minutes later I'd be damn sure again. I loved the mysterious elements to it, as I felt Kate really managed to convey his true nature very effectively, and keep it well hidden with just the right amount of honesty.
The world building, once I had got to grips with it and the whole concept, I felt was pretty damn original. (As far as originality seems to go these days, anyhow). I was especially glad to see the essence of the patriarchy, as it's something I wouldn't have thought would have disappeared even so far in the future.
Star Rating: 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
You can purchase Spark Rising at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
This sounds really unique and with great characters, too boot! Glad you liked it, Paige! :)
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