The Apocalypse Gene

An Edge Of Your Seat Dystopian Adventure!

Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark have created a thrilling post-apocalyptic world. From the first chapter, I was immediately fascinated with Olivya's world and was drawn into this dystopian adventure. This is literally an edge-of-your-seat kind of read with more and more of the inner workings of this society revealed through each action packed chapter. From the mysterious and compelling Kindred to the strange Doom-criers, there are so many unique characters each with their own stories, legends, and mythologies. With so many things going on- one might think that it would be overwhelming, but The Apocalypse Gene was so cleverly written that I never felt lost or like there was a sudden info-dump. I am truly impressed and surprised by how much I liked this.

In The Apocalypse Gene, the world has been stricken by an uncontrollable cancer. Olivya's mother is forced to turn her home into a hospice in order to survive. Olivya goes to a virtual school and her only contact with kids her own age is in a virtual community known as Cy-Chi where everyone's avatar is supposedly as close to how they really appear as possible. This is where Olivya first meets Mikah. Both of them risk much to meet each other face to face in the very real, very dangerous Chicago streets. Each of them discover that the other is "gifted" Olivya with the sight with which she can see auras and Mikah with telempathy with which he can read and alter the emotions of others. The initial attraction that brought them together quickly grows to something much deeper and stronger and this helps to sustain them as they face some crazy challenges.

The Apocalypse Gene is unlike any other dystopian I have read. The writing is superb, there's enough action to make your head spin, and all of it flows together so perfectly that even with all of the unexpected twists and turns, there was never a point where I felt lost or confused. Turning that last page was like coming up for air. Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark have certainly put together an unforgettable post-apocalyptic adventure. I can't wait to read more from these two amazing writers.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended

Although this is a Dystopian Adventure, packed with heart-stopping action, the story operates on several deep layers: It's a very relevant narrative about last ditch efforts to heal from death-dealing disease. It's atouching tale of young love, rooted in shared ethics, and life-affirming values - a great alternative to conventional "teen-love" narratives. If you're familiar with Joseph Campbell's work on mythology and "the hero" you'll recognize the protagonists as true, self-sacrificing heroes - you'll just love them! Mythology and history are woven into the future world created in this book. If you don't have knowledge of mythology and history it will slip painlessly into your consciousness. If you do have that knowledge you'll appreciate that wonderful layer woven into their narrative.

Fun and exciting mix of genres

Some people love the paranormal powers of psychics and auras. Others are devoted science fiction fans. Still other readers fall to the lure of fantasy, angels, demons, and gods. And who doesn’t like a good action adventure? The Apocalypse Gene is a book that takes elements of paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, and action adventure and weaves them into a tale that readers of all these individual genres can enjoy.

Olivya sees auras, something she has always tried to control and keep from interfering in her day to day life, which happens to consist of caring for the dying souls spending their final days in her family’s hospice. Who would want to see the vibrant colors of death and diseases? Olivya’s abilities lend a very vivid and artistic element to the story. I enjoyed the descriptions of emotions through color, the bright yellows for lighter emotions and dark variants of reds and greens for those that were more sinister. Seeing the world through Olivya’s eyes was a new and interesting experience.

Mikah is a mystery to Olivya in so many ways, but the reader quickly learns that there is a reason for his secretive nature. Bringing a mythical slant to the book is Mikah’s demigod heritage and not-quite-human abilities. His story also connects the death Olivya is surrounded by every day with worlds beyond imagination and monsters of alien background. The combination of these two characters twists classically separate genres into one story very well. The sci-fi was balanced well by the more mythical side of angels and demigods. Even the futuristic society were all “normal” life is carried out in an online reality contrasted very nicely with the everyday malignancy of cancer run amok.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book was the incorporation of the familiar with the unfamiliar. Many of us have heard of auras, but have you ever thought of using psychic power to do battle? And who doesn’t have an avatar of some kind in today’s world, but have you ever considered what you would say to a miniature version of yourself suddenly come alive? The Apocalypse Gene never felt too out of the realm of reality, even with Adversarii and Xeraf-Yim, because there was plenty about this society you could relate to still.

Overall, this was an entertaining book that had interesting characters and a well thought out plot. I never knew what was coming next, but I looked forward to finding out. The endings of books are a big deal maker or deal breaker for me. If the ending is awful despite the rest of the book being good, it’s most likely I won’t read anything else by the author because I hate putting in a lot of time with a book only to be disappointed. The Apocalypse Gene definitely came through on the ending. I felt like all my questions were answered, it was exciting, I was kept guessing right up to the end, and it was nice and dramatic. You won’t be disappointed at the end.

Highly original and exciting read

I read this book while it was being workshopped, and I thought it was one of the most inventive, moving and fun YAs I'd read in a long time. The opening really grabbed my attention, it was quite unusual, and the rest of the book kept me reading. And I haven't been a YA for a long time!
I used to edit YA fiction, and if this had come across my desk in those days, I would've run with to the next editorial meeting, shouting, "We got a winner!"
I think teens would really like this book. It's a heady mix of action, adventure and romance. The characters are very appealing and well-drawn. It has a youthful, exciting vibe, in addition to a strong, emotional thread that I'm pretty sure young readers would love. I can't say for sure, not being a teen myself, but I've heard a number of them who read the pre-pub version raving, so I'm confident in recommending it highly to young readers.

Save the World!

This is a wonderfully complicated novel set in a future ravaged by disease. Olivya is an instantly relatable teen as she argues with her mother and resents her responsibilities, escaping into the cyber world. Her online friend, Mikah, is tempting and empathetic. Of course she will sneak out to meet him. From there, the plot twists and turns in unpredictable ways, challenging the reader to keep up and enjoy the ride. Fantastic first novel!

Buy this book!

This story is a fantasy monster and well worth the read.

The story begins in the undisclosed future in Chicago--drawn with enormous affection by the resident authors. A worldwide pandemic is raging, and life on the planet has changed to the point of unrecognizability. Olivya Wright-Ono, a half black, half Asian teenaged girl lives with her mother in their home cum hospice center. Olivya's mother works for the government, providing those desperately ill with a place to die. Olivya is, in many ways, a typical teenaged girl. She has an attitude problem reinforced by her ninja-like martial arts skills, given to her by her deceased Japanese father. She tends to be stubborn to the point of insanity, she's selfish, confident, self-absorbed and--in my humble opinion--a real pain in the ass. Olivya is a "mystic"; someone who can see the life energy auras of those around her. Her love interest is Mikah, a non-human Kindred who lives in a high-rise complex filled with quasi-demonic creatures who seem to be bent on world domination. Mikah is a powerful telempath, able to direct and change the emotional states of others. In one of the book's opening scenes, Mikah comes to Olivya's rescue when she is being threatened by a shiv-pack: a lawless group of degenerate gangsters who live on the edge of death brought about by their apocalyptic society. Mikah uses his telempathy to reduce the shiv-pack's leader, Ripper, to a quivering mass of giggling skin.

The book starts with the throttle down, and it doesn't ease up at all. The plot twists are thoughtful, surprising and carefully rendered. The book takes you on a journey into a world of "what if?" that I, for one, dearly wish I had written.

This book was written with careful respect to the craft and a great deal of affection for the characters and the story in general. There are elements of folklore throughout, as well as Easter Eggs of fantasy and mythology. It is the kind of book that could save the publishing industry if more people wrote like this.

Anyone who is a fan of anime or manga will recognize The Apocalypse Gene. It has an atmospheres-deep, Akira feel to it, and if Suki and Carlyle have not already begun the process of translating this story into a graphic novel, they should. I could easily see it selling well among the graphic-novel set.

The book straddles the line between Urban Fantasy and YA. The target audience for The Apocalypse Gene could easily be teenaged girls. Olivya's pubescent struggles and teenaged misery would speak to that audience loudly and clearly. I could see it sitting comfortably on the YA shelves, but it provides enough of a meaty story for parents who want to read something along with their kids. There are a few elements that might not be suitable for children, so I encourage parents to read it first, and then give it to their children if they can bear to let it go. The timing of the release couldn't have been better with this book. The Apocalypse Gene fits squarely in the paradigm of 2012's End of Days and the recent fascination with the occult, disease and monsters so luridly portrayed in today's media.

It goes without saying I enjoyed this book and recommend it highly, I think, but it's worth repeating. The Apocalypse Gene is a satisfying book that will leave you lying awake, worrying about it. Go get a copy.

A must for all ages

The Apocalypse Gene is fast paced, action packed, and laugh out loud funny, with vivid imagery, all set in a 'spanky', futuristic world. Innovative characters jump off the pages with such amazing clarity and snappy dialogue that it makes this a very enjoyable read. Olivya is definitely a character you can't help falling in love with.

Susan Stec, author, The Grateful Undead series