Review: Perception

Title - Perception
Author - Lee Strauss
Standalone or Series - Series Book 1 in Perception series
Genre - Sci Fi Dystopia
Expected Publication September 12th 2012
Goodreads and Amazon
Rating 5 out of 5 Stars

Synopsis

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along-side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.

Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically.

Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She’s in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.

PERCEPTION is a ( SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not-too-distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions—both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or ally us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love.

This is the first book in a planned three book series.

Opening Sentence

I balanced on my surfboard, right thigh burning and salt water stinging my eyes, while the best wave of the early morning carried me like a goddess on a pedestal to shore. 

Review 

I received this book from the author in return for a honest review as part of the release of Perception. Zoe is your typical teenage girl, attending school, surfing with her older brother, hanging out with her friends and boyfriend. Until suddenly her old brother goes missing, and no one seems to know where he is. Zoe starts her own investigation into what happened to her older brother, learning more then she can ever imagine. Zoe is what they call a GAP person someone who has been genetically altered to live an extended life around two hundred years. All GAP people live in cities where other GAP people live apart from the outsiders those who haven't had the genetic alteration. For a single person to have the alteration is around 750,000 so unless you’re rich you can't afford it. 

Zoe's grandfather was co-founder of the GAP program he was able to take advance of the process and is currently a senator running for President. His partner passed away choosing not to do the procedure for his family. Zoe reaches out to her house keepers son Noah a young man against genetically altering people. After finding a scrap of paper with the name DEXTER she feels like he is the only one who can help her find out what really happened to her brother when he turns up dead. The deeper they dig into the death of Liam the deeper the conspiracy goes, leading the pair on a adventure that changes their lives forever. 

I really loved the story it is kind of sci fi mystery with a romance twist. The relationship between Zoe and Noah reminds me of Romeo and Juliet two teenagers from different families; however with the sci fi twist it's more like genetically altered don't date outsiders. Her parents try to keep the pair apart but Zoe has to know the truth about her bother. Zoe and Noah have great chemistry as a potential couple and I really like their love story that's woven in the adventure of the story. The book is fast paced drawing you in right from the start, I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know more about the what happened to Liam. I felt that the characters are really well written allowing you to relate to them, and feel like you’re with them through the story. I can't wait to see what happens next, it's a great start to a new exciting series.