The Sowing

When Remys sister is murdered by outsiders, or so they are told, she is devastated. When questions arise about it her family abandon the sector and join the resistance. She left everything behind including her boyfriend Valerian. Years later and Valerian is now leading the hunt to stop the resistance. He has no idea why Remy left and still thinks of her. He knows he has to stop the resistance no matter what, even if Remy is involved. When he is told some hard truths he has to find evidence and what he finds shocks him to the core. His life is not what he thinks and now he has to take drastic action. When I first saw the cover of this I thought aliens. After reading the blurb though I knew it would be something Id enjoy and enjoy it I did. I loved Remys character. She is strong, determined and loyal. She often goes out on raids and is well able to look after herself. When she lost her sister it devastated her but when she learned the truth she knew she had to go. Her life before was amazing but now she has to fight for survival. Everyday is a battle for food and answers. Vale was an awesome character too even though he was the "bad" guy. He has been brought up to believe what the sector says but when he learns what cost is involved he chooses his own path. He is smart, strong and loyal. When I heard that this was written by a mother/daughter team I was a bit hesitant to read it because I wasn't sure how well 3 people voices would come together. I needn't have worried though because the book was seamless. Not once did it feel like I was reading something 3 people wrote. The only downside to The Sowing was the science and genetics part. Most of it went over my head. I understood only some and skimmed alot of the big words!!! I still found it fascinating though. The idea that the sector controls everything and genetically modifies food for each person was something you could imagine. Overall The Sowing was awesome. The plot was well paced and fast enough. The story was complex and gripping and the characters were all well developed. I flew through the book and didn't want it to end. I cant wait to see what happens and am eagerly awaiting book 2.

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings Another dystopian series and although this one isn't big just yet, I think it has the power to play with the big boys in the dystopian genre.  Told through a few characters points of view, this one centers around the Sector and the Resistance that has broken off from it.  Remy is part of the Resistance and has been ever since her family suffered a tragedy while her sister was at the Academy.  The Resistance was created due to a group that disagrees with the genetically modified foods that are fed to different parts of the society to change them physically, emotionally and intellectually.   This book was so easy to get into and the worlds were easy to understand.  As both Remy and Vale share the story, it helped show the difference between the two societies and I appreciated hearing parts of the story overlap in both of their points of view.  The other thing that I loved was the reason the Resistance broke off - genetically modifying food.  This seemed unique and different and made for a perfect plot point. 

The dynamics of conflicting feelings are really at the heart of The Sowing, especially with regards to the characters’ feelings towards each other but they’re also integral to the multiple plot lines taking place within the story. Confusion runs high and while, as a reader I found myself often confused, that’s also part of what drove me on. I really connected with the players, especially Remy, Soren and Vale, and sympathized with the way they were at odds and yet drawn together. It must be very difficult to learn that much of what—and who—you’ve believed in your whole life, including friends and family, is just a facade and it’s hardly surprising that animosity and distrust come to the fore. Even parents come under suspicion and, if you can’t trust your own parents, who can you trust? A murder mystery opens the story and that, in itself, is unusual for dystopian fiction. Certainly death is no stranger in this genre but it’s not usually in the guise of a case that cries out for solving. Remy’s personality has been shaped by the massacre in which her sister died and it’s no wonder that Tai’s death looms ever large in Remy’s mind, especially when the Consortium ramps up the hunt for the Resistance. The potential dangers of genetically modified food have been used as a plot device in dystopian and/or post-apocalyptic fiction before but the authors give it a special twist here by making it the source of the Consortium’s manipulation of the people. I really enjoyed this fresh theme and also appreciated the ease I found in understanding the biological aspects thanks to clear explanations. I do think worldbuilding is not as thorough as it could be but, hopefully, some of my questions will be answered in the next book (and, really, I don’t want ALL the answers right away). I don’t know when The Reaping is due to be released but it’s already on my wish list ;-)

To satisfy my chocolate itch, I’ve shopped the candy aisles thinking, “huh, that looks like a good one, but chocolate is chocolate…it really doesn’t matter, just as long as I get some.” Oh contraire! Choosing just the right brand of yum to achieve a chocolate fix makes all the difference in the world, and also, incidentally, aligned with my assumptions when it came to reading The Sowing by the Makansi mother-daughter writing trio. This addition to the dystopian genre packed a punch that woke me up to the realization that not all chocolate (or dystopian novels) are created equal. The strongest part of the book? The very first bite! Rarely do stories immediately suck the reader into the thick of things, but the Makansis do so in the prologue by getting us to love Tai within a couple of pages…then killing her off in a school shooting! What. The. Hell?!? Are you kidding me?! The amazing work of the authors, however, lies in the fact they are able to create a ripple effect through the rest of the novel, with Tai haunting the storyline and characters throughout the rest of the novel. The genealogy of both the younger and adult characters is also engaging; the reader is not dealing with two or three people the same age from one or two families, but rather, relationships are layered through jobs, politics, and family—both close and extended. What’s even better? It’s not confusing. At. All. There was no need of a complex glossary of characters because everything was smooth; it kept me involved, challenging my thought process, while in the meantime, not frying my brain to the point where I couldn’t keep up with what the hell was going on with the twisted helix, double strands, and genome sequencing.  Oh! And that’s the other cool thing about this read. It tackles a completely new and relevant topic to what’s happening in our own society. Food! With all the talk about GMOs, it’s fabulous to see the theories in action; best of all, the science is explained in a manner that any supermarket shopper can understand, as told through the lens of Remy, the main heroine. The dual narrative between the main characters of Remy and Vale is sharp and lends a dichotomy that is not to be missed. Get on down to the store and taste this dystopian treat, peeps!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Joanna's Review The Sowing is a the first part of a trilogy in which the story is set in a post apocalyptic world where all food is GM tailored for each person’s station in society and their role.  Children are educated and raised for certain jobs and roles within the society as a whole. Genetically modified food makes up a major point within this story as the characters had descended from people who had suffered through famine, and now GM food if the only form of nutrition. This book starts with a preface that has you asking so many questions that you can’t help but read on. After the murder of Remy's sister, Tai, she and her family leave the main society (The Okarian Sector) to join with the resistance.  The sowing is told from two sides ,Vale and Remy's.  Once they were friends with feelings, and now they’re on opposite sides of a revolution.  I loved Vale, let me get that straight out there, he was honourable, decent and I loved seeing his thought process. Remy on the other hand was a lovely character, but I didn't really connect with her in the same way.  She was trying to give us so much insight into the rebels that I felt her sometimes get lost, but I did love her bravery and morals.  I felt somewhat confused by her feelings and how quickly they seemed to do a flip and how quickly she seemed to get over an event that I would have personally really struggled with.. The whole world that the Author(s) have created is utterly believable, so much that it could be futuristic. The only fault I had was that I struggled somewhat with the science and felt that I needed a text book sometimes to read along with it.  The twists and suspense in this story make it a page turner, and I will definitely be awaiting the next book in the series. I would recommend and have already done so in fact to others who like dystopian novels, but I just hope that there is more happening with the world as a whole in the next book as I see the basis for a fabulous story. I don't want to be swept up in too much romance without a good story to go with it. I think I would give this a 4* While I eagerly await the next book. Heidi's Review This review is different to those I usually do. I tend to get rather carried away and go into detail. I've tried to refrain from it this time, and it was hard. It’s like looking at chocolate and not eating it! You know that feeling you get when you start reading a book , that feeling of 'epicness ' well this is one of those reads! Without taking anything from Suzanne Collins, I love The Hunger Games, all 3 books were brilliant!  The Sowing is brilliant its a blend of Tomorrow People, Revolution and of course Hunger Games. I hate to admit this, and if quoted I'll deny it LOL (I won't), this is one of those books you'd like to see adapted to film but at the same time you're nervous and ask yourself will the movie live up to the characters as formed in my mind or should I treasure the characters leave them as I read them!? K.Makansi is one to keep your eyes on, I can't wait for The Reaping to see what Remy and Vale do in the "world" of Okaria A definite ¿¿¿¿¿ must read!

A deeply tthoughtful but moving saga makes you think about government control and how we are moldded to fit cultural needs rev karen blank ewell

After the Religious Wars and Famine Years almost wiped out the human race, the Okarian Sector rose from the ashes, a small colony that uses genetics and technology to thrive in an otherwise dystopian world. The leaders and elite who live in the capital city of Okaria are happy and safe, while the farms and factories outside the city hum with productivity. Who better to embody all the strength, potential and advancement of human culture than Valerian Augustus Orleán? With a name like that, it’s no surprise that Vale is the son of the sector’s chancellor, graduated with the highest honors from the Sector Research Institute and happens to be a piano prodigy in his spare time. And yet, is the utopia of the Okarian Sector a little too good to be true? When Vale takes a new position as Director of the Seed Bank Projection Project, his task is to identify and stop a small group of rebels that have been trying to sabotage the genetically coded seeds that feed the sector. Vale can’t understand why anyone would leave the loving embrace of Okaria, live out in the uncivilized wilds and try to destroy everything the Okaria has built. Specifically, he can’t understand why Remy Alexander would choose to become a rebel. Vale accepted his position as much to find the woman he can’t forget as to stop her and her rebel companions – who were once some of the best and brightest of Okaria. He wonders what would make them turn down their bright futures. Does it have something to do with the horrific massacre that took the life of Remy’s sister three years ago? The Sowing checks off all the boxes on my “Nope, not gonna put it down” list. Written from the shifting first person perspectives of Vale Orleán and Remy Alexander, readers get to ride along as Remy and her teammates fight the system, and as Vale slowly begins to see through the cracks in his perfect society. Author K. Makansi douses The Sowing with plenty of science talk that is surprisingly accessible to non-sciency types like myself. Equally impressive is that Makansi also writes deep, vibrant characters. The result is a story that tickles the intellect and pulls on the heartstrings. By the end of the book, I had truly come to care about many of the characters in Makansi’s world, especially Remy’s broody, brilliant and darkly sarcastic rebel teammate Soren (love you Soren!). As Remy and Soren desperately guard a dangerous secret that could change everything, Vale’s digging leads to horrific revelations. How far does the conspiracy go, and what role did his parents play in that terrible massacre that left Remy’s sister dead? The Sowing is a brilliant adventure where war is as much about brain as brawn. The action doesn’t stop for a single minute. I think I sprained my finger swiping my Kindle so vigorously trying to get to the next page. Yeah, it’s that good. (This book was provided to Compulsion Reads for review by the author.)

Move over, Hunger Games and Divergent. It looks like we have a contender here. Mark my words, The Sowing will definitely appeal to the YA crowd, or people who enjoy reading books that help them find themselves. Like many YA novels, The Sowing is written based on the POV of Remy and Vale. While it’s penciled in first person, there’s a heavy emphasis on the supporting characters. This approach proves to be fruitful. Minor characters are just as important as main characters. I have to divulge that I wasn’t drawn into the book in the first place. I felt that the first 100 pages were rather paper-thin-plot. Character-wise, there’s room for improvement. It gets so fast-paced that everything seems a little unworkable for me. In spite of all this, I was hooked. Who is the real mastermind behind the unsparing mass slaughter? Will Remy and Vale end up together? What’s going to happen to the Sector and the Resistance? Overall, I find that The Sowing is plagued with suspense and riddles. If you’re looking for a novel worth your time, this might be it. Be prepared to jump out of your skin. Memorable quotes: There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth- not starting and not going all the way. Seeds are some of the strongest and hardiest in the whole world. They’re a testament to the power of life to return even after thousands of years, even after death and starvation. They spring from the ground eternally, bringing flowers and beauty back to the world, just like hope. Note: Mild profanity I received a complimentary copy of The Sowing in exchange of my honest review.

The story is full of style and talent.  Complex, intriguing characters provide the pulsing heart of the story that engage the reader's emotions; the dystopian setting, astute environmental and societal observations, plus the mystery of the DNA offer something for the reader's mind to ponder and analyze.  With the introduction of serious themes, the story keeps things accessible and entertaining with a wonderful sense of humor, especially of the dry variety.  Episode One is a definite page turner and left me wanting to read the next installment right away.