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The Lost Code

(The Atlanteans #1)

Kevin Emerson (Goodreads Author)

3.59 · Rating details · 2,932 ratings · 422 reviews

In the year 2086, Camp Eden promises summer “the way things used to be,” back before the oceans rose, the sun became a daily enemy, and modern civilization sank into chaos. Located inside the EdenWest BioDome, the camp is an oasis of pine trees, cool water, and rustic charm.

But all at Camp Eden is not what it seems.

No one will know this better than 15-year-old Owen Parker. ...more

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Hardcover, 435 pages

Published May 22nd 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books

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Nov 26, 2012 B rated it did not like it

Shelves: read-reviewed, almost-fell-asleep, caught-in-a-bad-romance, losing-my-faith-in-humanity, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, snark-bait-ooh-ah-ah, take-your-insta-love-and-leave, unmet-potential, 1-star, 2012-reads

This review contains minor spoilers for The Lost Code.

I knew upon reading the first two, painful pages of The Lost Code that it would not end up being a book that I'd like, but me, being the horribly optimistic and good-hearted person that I am (laugh and I'll make you read this book) trudged on hoping that The Lost Code would garner at the very least two stars from me.

And this is what I get for being optimistic and good-hearted. *sigh* I should just stop being an overall amazing person. (A ...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Giselle rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc, own

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this. The blurb gives off a dystopian, sci-fi feel to it. It obviously has some mythology too with the series titled The Atlanteans. So I wasn't sure how all this would fit together in one novel. Well, let's just say that it doesn't lack in originality! A futuristic dystopian world, domes, special genes, Greek mythology, secrets, and an adventure like no other. This is what you can expect from the world created in The Lost Code. Regardless of I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this. The blurb gives off a dystopian, sci-fi feel to it. It obviously has some mythology too with the series titled The Atlanteans. So I wasn't sure how all this would fit together in one novel. Well, let's just say that it doesn't lack in originality! A futuristic dystopian world, domes, special genes, Greek mythology, secrets, and an adventure like no other. This is what you can expect from the world created in The Lost Code. Regardless of my rating, I was truly absorbed in this world at the start. It's so different, so much potential running through these pages that I had truly high hopes for it. I can honestly see some readers enjoying this, but I think it would attract specific tastes rather than a general readership.

My problems began with the slow, drawn out way the story is told. We start with a bang with Owen dying, this is then followed by lots of strange happenings that very much intrigued me. But then it takes a very long while to get further into the plot. We spend a lot of time with mostly unproductive tedious details and lengthy paragraphs about the summer camp the book is set in, instead of fleshing out the world and characters, or most importantly, moving on to the heart in the story: the mythology. With over 400 pages, I found myself getting bored and wanting to get to the point. By the time this happened - almost 3/4 through - my enthusiasm for it had died down so much that I wasn't able to enjoy the stronger ending.

This future is bleak. The world is basically uninhabitable because of the sun's deadly rays. People are forced to live underground or inside these Eden domes where everything is fake, but perfect. I didn't particularly buy this. Not the future itself - that is actually plausible, but the domes aren't especially believable. For one, how do they go about getting resources to keep the domes alive? And everyone is so care-free about it all. I never sensed the urgency that you get from dystopian futures where everything is on the brink of destruction. Making the setting inside this perfect, pretend world removes the dismal feeling I was expected to garner.

Our protagonist Owen is a character that I initially found interesting. He's very self conscious without much social experience. He's a bit of an outsider in his cabin but then he starts to realize he's different - very different. However, I never got to know him much more than this. I felt disconnected from him personally, this led me to become a bit detached from the story overall, not really feeling it. I also had a very hard time with his internal dialogue which he refers to as "technicians" dealing with his different organs and needs.

"The technician watching my heartbeat whispered to his neighbor, who was in charge of my blood-oxygen levels. Her screen flashed ominously. A persistent beeping made her head shake. 'There's not much more I can do', she said. 'We're going to need air'." - (Quoted from the uncorrected proof)

He has conversations and watches them "work" like this. Those parts just made me uncomfortable; I found it so bizarre. It's part of the reason I couldn't relate to Owen. There is also a little romance but I never felt real passion or chemistry between them. This may simply be because of everything stated above.

By the end, the story does pick up quite a bit with elaborate Atlantis mythology. If you can get past the overly descriptive nature of the book, the premise has immense potential. The ideas are clearly new and creative; it could become an overall great series especially with some more character development. I'd recommend this to fans of Percy Jackson, but expect a more lengthy, slower paced adventure.

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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May 08, 2013 Melanie rated it really liked it

Wow - a lot of people found this book disappointing... I'm surprised. I liked it very much. Other reviewers have done great plot summaries, so I won't re-invent the wheel. But I do want to present an alternate view of the story, and address some of the reviewer complaints:

I gather that people wanted more action/adventure and less of the main character's camp experience. Some folks felt that the story didn't really begin until the last few chapters, but it didn't seem that way to me - I thought t Wow - a lot of people found this book disappointing... I'm surprised. I liked it very much. Other reviewers have done great plot summaries, so I won't re-invent the wheel. But I do want to present an alternate view of the story, and address some of the reviewer complaints:

I gather that people wanted more action/adventure and less of the main character's camp experience. Some folks felt that the story didn't really begin until the last few chapters, but it didn't seem that way to me - I thought the purpose of the first book was to make the awful environmental conditions very clear and give the main character, Owen, time to grow into his new identity. Because the story focuses on Owen himself, rather than leaping right into the mystery of his heritage, he has time to become real to readers. We're following along as he learns to use his newly acquired gift and gains enough confidence to start defending the underdog characters around him. The plot premise is that a high-school kid will save the world; watching Owen grow as a person convinces readers that he has the noble character for the job, as well as the unusual superpower.

One reviewer mentioned that the characters spend a lot of time swimming. To be fair, the book is about kids from Atlantis. Presumably they will swim a lot. But in each swimming scene, more of the story reveals itself: the uneasy truce between five kids with a shared secret, the link to Owen's heritage, the problems with the biodome's manufactured habitat, and yes, the budding romance between Owen and one of the camp councilors-in-training.

I think the folks who didn't particularly like the book probably gravitate to stories with lots of plot twists and action, and prefer that authors leave the introspection and philosophy out of it (which is not a bad thing! Plot twists and action are awesome!) That said, I found it chilling whenever a character described the earth "as it used to be," because the descriptions included references to real events: actual cloning experiments, atmospheric damage, toxic spills, global warming, the growing influence of big business. I wouldn't blame anybody who felt the book came off like a lecture - it sometimes struck me as preachy, and I liked the story - but for the most part, I felt the link between the global wasteland described in the story and real-life environmental issues added an extra level of tension.

As for the slower pacing, my impression is that the author used this first book to set groundwork for the next books in the series. Because we know the enemies, conditions and Owen's backstory, the author won't have to explain any of that in later novels; he can just dive right into the action scenes, knowing we'll understand the who and why. I'm pretty sure the pacing will pick up in book two, and stay fast until the end of the series.

I'm really glad I read the reviews, because now I'll know whether to recommend the book to somebody looking for new dystopian titles. If you read sci-fi and fantasy stories for the action and danger, and generally like books that start with a bang and don't let up, then The Lost Code probably won't be your cup of tea. If you like stories that dwell on characters' motivations and incorporate underlying themes - if you prefer the characters to interact and form relationships between action scenes - you might enjoy The Lost Code.

I guess it's easy to tell which kind of reader I am...
...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Kogiopsis rated it liked it

Shelves: galleys, reviewed

Alright. *cracks knuckles* Time to get back into the reviewing game.

I have a deep love for the idea of Atlantis. It combines my affection for lost civilizations with my interest in natural disasters and my boundless enthusiasm for wild semi-magical technologies. More than once I've toyed with Atlantis concepts of my own, and someday I'd like to actually take a crack at writing one, if I can worldbuild it to my own satisfaction. So naturally, when I saw 'book one of the Atlanteans' on the cover o Alright. *cracks knuckles* Time to get back into the reviewing game.

I have a deep love for the idea of Atlantis. It combines my affection for lost civilizations with my interest in natural disasters and my boundless enthusiasm for wild semi-magical technologies. More than once I've toyed with Atlantis concepts of my own, and someday I'd like to actually take a crack at writing one, if I can worldbuild it to my own satisfaction. So naturally, when I saw 'book one of the Atlanteans' on the cover of The Lost Code, I knew it had to come home with me.

This book came so close to being what I wanted. So close. The protagonist, Owen, develops gills very early in the book and the descriptions of them and of swimming with them were simply fabulous, as were the descriptions of what had happened to the world following the melting of the ice caps and the subsequent Great Rise. I was excited because look! Science! In a YA book! And there was enough about aquatic organisms and ecosystems that I thought maybe this was gonna go all the way, was going to be the marine-centric science fiction Atlantis that I wanted from it.

And then... around the halfway point, I'd say, came the twist that told me I was wrong. The nature of Atlantis changed and from then on I got a lot less invested. Blah blah blah secret experiments, blah blah blah same old cardboard villain I've seen in a whole lot of other YA books, blah blah blah smoochy romance and romantic! tension! caused by outside forces... blah blah blah huge infodumps. But then the ending was rather snappy, and I came away feeling not-quite-satisfied but plenty entertained, and so: three stars and I'll read the next one because why the heck not; this one went quickly.

A couple of miscellaneous notes, because like I said I'm getting back into the swing of reviewing and the re-entry's a bit rough:
- Owen's tendency to describe his body as if it were being run by tiny people was confusing at first, then interesting, then annoying. Unfortunately these hypothetical technicians had more personality in their dialogue than some of the main characters; therefore, his digressions were a problem for me not because of their weirdness, but because I didn't want to switch back to normal Owen-narration.
- I like the idea of the 'Cryos' a lot, and their characterization in relationship to their situation. That was neat enough that I'll handwave the unlikeliness that we'd have gotten working cryogenics tech by the time of the Great Rise.
- None of the characters had as much personality as I would have liked, but I appreciated the fact that Lilly seemed to have an investigative bent and was suspicious of things, and that she payed attention to her surroundings. I wish she'd had real interests, but I'll take vague personality traits in love interests when I can get 'em, especially since in the beginning of the book she was basically just That One Hot Chick Who's Out Of Owen's League. Any personality is better than that.
- Owen's use of the word 'screwed' when wondering about Lilly and Evan's past relationship bugged me. Look, dude, if you're gonna think about whether or not they had sex, think about it that way. This is kind of a personal pet peeve, but I find 'screwed' to be an annoying euphemism.
- Lilly's reaction to having hurt and possibly killed someone, even an enemy, was really believable and sympathetic for someone her age and with her background.

I think basically what I felt when I finished this book was that I wanted more, and not in the sense that I immediately craved a sequel. I wanted more worldbuilding, more science, more action (the pacing in this book is pretty weak, though I didn't notice until I finished because gosh those descriptions of swimming were fun), more characterization, more originality. It was competent enough that I'm optimistic about the sequel being able to deliver these things, and readable enough that I'll take the time to find out if it does. ...more

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Feb 21, 2017 Colleen Houck added it

Shelves: apocalyptic, death, outdoors-camping, future, secrets, super-powers, suspense, villain, doctors-medical, friends

A very unique take on the story of Atlantis. My favorite thing was the butterflies that were little spy cameras. The setting is lovely. It will stay with you. Curious about the world outside the dome now.

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Nov 18, 2011 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it it was amazing

This book really captured me. I love a book when I can get into the adventure within the plot and follow along with the characters. If you thought this book was just another story, think again.

What I adored about this book is the amazing plot line. The history of the Atlanteans, the secret maps, the codes to a long lost civilization, I fell into this plot quickly. I like that is plays fast in the plot so that the reader is immediately hooked. The story has so many elements in the plot line mixin ...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Katy rated it it was ok

I had such high hopes for this book but ended up being really disappointed. It wasn't because the story was bad per se - because it was good though not great - but it didn't really exist. I know that doesn't make sense, but hopefully I can explain.

I felt the REAL story didn't start begin until Chapter 16 (in my version, page 155 out of 276). That's more than halfway through the book, and after that, it was just about them finding out about who they really are and plans to escape. And the latter ...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Aphrodite rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical, dystopian-and-post-apocalyptic, first-reads-giveaways

okay I won this book as a ARC and it took me A WHILE to finish since it is coming out this month! but yaa... BUY IT! I loved this book!!!
This is a really unusual book, and that's what I loved most about it. There are no vampires, no shape shifters, no werewolves, no zombies, no nothiiiing. It is totally unexpected when we find out what some of the characters are. It takes place on Eden something something lol I kinda forgot and WOW! While I was reading I was wondering could this really happen t ...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Justin rated it really liked it

“History is always written to serve the powerful.”

This was a good book!! :D

This book has some instances of sciency elements in it: When it talks about what it's like outside, the genetic code, DNA, and stuff like that. It also has some mythology about Atlantis about it, though it's not quite like the tradition story of it being underwater and all.

Likes:

Loved the action scenes!
The romance. I liked how there was some, but not enough that it dominates the whole book.
Descriptions of how life wa ...more

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Jan 26, 2018 Cherie rated it liked it

Shelves: series, published-since-2000

One down, two to go. Just because.

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Dec 08, 2012 Jon rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Fans of Gone and Percy Jackson

Recommended to Jon by: Myself!

Shelves: mythology, science-fiction, paranormal, dystopia-post-apocalyptic

Seen at Scott Reads It
I have read so many mixed reviews of The Lost Code but I really liked the premise of it. I mean seriously a book about Atlantis sounds like such an original and cool idea. The Lost Code got off to a bit of a slow start but I definitely enjoyed it. The Lost Code tells the story of Owen who goes to Camp Eden, a camp located inside a dome that mimics conditions before the oceans rose. Global Warming much? Anyway the reader is whisked on a strange journey that takes the reader Seen at Scott Reads It
I have read so many mixed reviews of The Lost Code but I really liked the premise of it. I mean seriously a book about Atlantis sounds like such an original and cool idea. The Lost Code got off to a bit of a slow start but I definitely enjoyed it. The Lost Code tells the story of Owen who goes to Camp Eden, a camp located inside a dome that mimics conditions before the oceans rose. Global Warming much? Anyway the reader is whisked on a strange journey that takes the reader to Atlantis.

I'll be honest Edenwest BioDome (the location of Camp Eden) isn't such a spectacular setting. We vaguely learn about the world and The Great Rise (when the oceans rose) but not nearly enough. I had tons of questions about the domes being the inquisitive reader I am and most of my questions were not really answered. The world building isn't bad but it definitely was lacking. I did like how The Lost Code takes place in an unique and different kind of setting (a camp) as opposed to the barren wasteland or a totalitarian metropolis.

From the first few pages I wasn't a big fan of Owen but he definitely grew on me. In the beginning I thought that Owen seemed rather childish with trying to impress Lily.Owen kinda reminded me of Percy at first but then again Percy was 12 and Owen is supposed to be 15. I mean dude if you can't swim, don't take a swimming test just to impress the hot life guard. There was a bit of insta-love between Owen and Lily but that didn't really bother me. Luckily Owen really matured throughout the novel, at the end he was no longer that lovelorn boy. Lily is the "smart-girl" that really puts Owen in his place and reminded me a bit of Annabeth from Percy Jackson. She was very likeable from the start and I hope she continues to be a big part of The Atlanteans series. I do hope we learn more about Lily because even though I found her to be a likeable character, she wasn't developed that much.

In terms of plot The Lost Code starts off rather slowly but it eventually picked up the pace. We spend much of the beginning reading about camp activities while slowly strange happenings occur. Even though I think the camp activities were necessary in order to establish the characters and their relationships, I think it could have been shortened. Once the major conflict of The Lost Code I was definitely hooked and compelled to read more. I wish there was more Atlantis, codes, and strange happenings though. The second half of the book was definitely better than the first half. I really liked Kevin Emerson's writing style and it reminded me of the compelling style of Michael Grant.

The Lost Code is a fun read that took me on a journey unlike anything I have read. Sure it had some faults but overall it was an entertaining book. The first half of the book is slow-paced but it's necessary to add tension leading up to the second half. Will I read the sequel? I'm definitely ready for a sequel because after the ending I am pretty pumped to see more Atlantis. Unlike most books, The Lost Code's romance is cringe-worthy and I really enjoyed reading about Lily and Owen's relationship.I just hope that there's no love triangle introduced in the next book! ...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Soumi rated it liked it

Shelves: owned-arcs, young-adult, paranormal-others, sea-creatures, books-i-reviewed, owned-copy, sci-fi, signed-copies

A myth surrounded by mist, a legend waved through stories after stories, generations after generations, but no one know the truth. I grew up listening to several bed time stories on Legend of Atlantis but I never thought I will find a YA fiction based on that, I couldn’t help but being was extremely curious and took an immediate interest in the book.

Author Kevin Emerson introduces us to a post global warming era where the ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have raised, and the Sun can burn you down A myth surrounded by mist, a legend waved through stories after stories, generations after generations, but no one know the truth. I grew up listening to several bed time stories on Legend of Atlantis but I never thought I will find a YA fiction based on that, I couldn’t help but being was extremely curious and took an immediate interest in the book.

Author Kevin Emerson introduces us to a post global warming era where the ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have raised, and the Sun can burn you down. The human kind is living inside a sealed and secured dome that artificially controlled. The story follows Owen Parker, a shy and very average boy living inside such a dome called Eden. After a drowning accident in swimming coaching, he finds himself discovering about his heritage and others like him, who are different from ordinary human beings. Descendent from a highly advanced ancient race call The Atlanteans, Owen can restore the lost knowledge and save the remaining human kind.

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

Mythology is a very common in Young Adult novels, but featuring lost city of Atlantis is utterly unique and immensely interesting. I was fascinated by author’s description of Atlantis; the lost city resides below sea level, it was so vivid and life like. The Lost Code was an intelligent blending of mythology and fantasy into dystopia.
Atlantis has always been shrouded by mystery and the truth of its existence is long buried, I must say it was a brave and brilliant attempted by the author to dig up through the traditional knowledge and give it his own twist with a taste of dystopia.

An Ordinary Boy

The story was narrated by Owen, a less-than-ordinary boy who doesn’t fit with adjectives such as dashing or brave. But there is something special about him that makes him extraordinary who can change fate of our world. .
The world we know has long gone, devastated and ravaged by heat and epic change in global climate. People have taken shelter inside a seemingly perfect dome that is not so perfect. Climate change is not that big issue anymore, so what went wrong is past? Descendent of an ancient legendary race, only Owen can unlock the forgotten knowledge in his very gene and restore the balance what went wrong thousand years ago, how his ancestor nearly destroyed the world while advancing their technology beyond limit. Discovering his heritage, he welcomed the changes within him.

The romance thing didn’t play a major part, although I enjoyed both Lily and Owen. They were polar opposite, where Lily was gorgeous and smart, brave and bold, Owen was shy, reserved and down to earth. It’s not a romance novel but their magnetic attraction added some spicy flavor in this book.

The Lost Code is a whole package of surprises with action, myth and little romance. Stated with slow pace, the book gradually picks up speed and went fast by the end. The Lost Code is definitely worth buying and I will not miss the next books
...more

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Jul 28, 2014 Raina rated it liked it

Shelves: dystopia, ya, sci-fi, green

Atlantis is so cool.
Great concept, and the author is lovely.
Read it in preparation for his visit to our library.

Yay near-future sci-fi!

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Apr 21, 2012 Ashley rated it really liked it

Shelves: first-edition, signed, owned-physical

As posted on booknook - YA and Fantasy book reviews

The Lost Code is a book about Owen Parker. He’s a pretty normal guy who is far from perfect. He’s not overly confident, he doesn’t have a muscular build, and he’s a little awkward. Owen has been selected to live in EdenWest, which is a dome compound 6 kilometers in diamter that protects its 200,000 inhabitants from the destroyed ozone and dangerous levels of radiation. The story starts off with Owen drowning. But when he’s finally rescued, he sh ...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Sam rated it did not like it

Shelves: really-bad, dystopian, romance, mythology, didn-t-finish, genetic-mutation, 2013

It was more like a 2.3 star. So, I rounded down. Because it deserved it.

What is it about?
Basically, the world is in shambles (no surprise there) and there are these big dome thingies that people live in. Apparently, our main character and narrator, Owen, lives outside of this place, underground, and only came here as a prize winner something-or-other. He finds out he has gills and is decended from the Atlantians blah blah blah.

Characters?
We have Owen, who is a totally...not impressive main cha ...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Emily Blake rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2012, own, really-liked, arc, signed, dystopian, young-adult, review, for-review, sci-fi

*An ARC was provided by Harper Collin's Children's Books in exchange for an honest review*

I haven’t read a book with a boy as the main character since Percy Jackson, and I really loved those books. Owen isn’t as kick-butt as Percy was, but he (and this book) are special in their own ways.

First off, this is an amazingly original, imaginative idea. Atlantis, and dystopia. Great. All the books about werewolves and vampires are getting old because how many times can you tell the same story different ...more

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Nov 19, 2011 ILoveBooks rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, will-trade

Another dystopian novel? Author Kevin Emerson created a standalone novel in the popular dystopian genre. The reader is introduced to Owen, a slightly nerdy and funny young teen at a camp. Owen isn't at just any camp, however, the camp represents one of the only remaining habitable places on Earth. Earth has been ravaged by humans; the ozone layer has broken down and the fresh water is rapidly evaporating. Owen and his fellow campers are told that their small corner of the world is doing well, bu ...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Jennavier rated it really liked it

There's so much to love about the Lost Code, but I'll try to keep it brief. Owen is an every-boy, not someone that anyone would think is special. Yet as he comes into his own in this dystopian setting you start to see that he really might be the one who can save his world. Add a cute girl and a creepy nemesis and the story is good to go.
I cannot say enough about Emerson's portrayal of teen dynamics. It was so spot on it gave me goosebumps. Very few adults can write about the shifting and exclusi ...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Laura rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Family & Friends

Did I like the story? Yes

Could I read the story again? Yes

Will I let my 12-year-old daughter read it? Yes, she’s on page 45 now

Will I read the next in the series? Yes either from Library or at a good price, but I wouldn’t say that I’d stand at the bookstore at midnight waiting on release date.

Will I read other books from the same author? Yes

How many stars? Gave it 4 stars because I answered everything yes above :).

I did read a few reviews before I read the book (won via Goodread’s giveaway), an ...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Jennifer rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 14, 2012 Vivien rated it liked it

Based on an ARC.

‏The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. Earth is becoming a wasteland.

When Owen arrives at Camp Eden, one of the only remaining habitable places on earth, he never imagined that his life would take a dramatic turn. The knowledge he would discover, just may be the key to discovering forgotten history. Little did he know what transformations he would go through

This was a refreshing take on the dystopian genre that seems to be everywhere right n ...more

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May 05, 2014 Abbie rated it it was ok

The Lost Code started out okay, but i quickly lost interest.

Owen was an alright character to start with, but as the story progressed, i liked him less and less.
The other characters were the same. By the end of the book, there wasn't one character that i liked.

The pacing was way too slow.
It felt like it took me hours to get through a few chapters, and whenever i put it down, i didn't have the motivation to pick it back up again.

Overall, slow and dull. ...more

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Sep 08, 2017 Victoria Robinson rated it liked it

This book wasn't bad but it was straight-up weirder than an anesthesia induced dream. ...more

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Jan 09, 2019 Aubury:) rated it really liked it

AHHHHHHHH they should not have ended that like that....... it was a great book, but I dont have the next in series.

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Dec 20, 2012 Katrina Welsh rated it did not like it

Find more reviews at I Have Lived a Thousand Lives

This is a mess.

I've always thought it was harder to write reviews for Great books than for Bad ones but The Lost Code is the closest book to prove that assumption wrong. I don't even know where to start.

Ok. Fine. Let's just get this over with.

There are no likeable characters. They are all boring and annoying and I want to punch each and every one of them in the face for existing. The most annoying of them all is Owen, the main character, our narr ...more

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Aug 02, 2019 Mary Mimouna rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 29, 2012 Kt rated it liked it

Shelves: received-for-review

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

With the ozone all but gone, the world is completely ravished and the temperature only continues to soar causing the oceans to rise at astronomical rates. Unprotected sun exposure is deadly in even the smallest amounts. To survive, most people have moved underground, like Owen and his father, but life isn't easy. Then Owen is selected for a month long camp under one of the domes built to simulate how life and nature used to be, and he counts Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

With the ozone all but gone, the world is completely ravished and the temperature only continues to soar causing the oceans to rise at astronomical rates. Unprotected sun exposure is deadly in even the smallest amounts. To survive, most people have moved underground, like Owen and his father, but life isn't easy. Then Owen is selected for a month long camp under one of the domes built to simulate how life and nature used to be, and he counts himself lucky despite his worry for his father. Life seems easier for the people under the dome, but it holds it's own secrets and safety really is only an illusion. The creators have been searching for something, something ancient, and Owen may be the very key they need to find it. As revelations are made about exactly who and what he is descended from, he will quickly have to decide who to trust as the very fate of the world may just rest on his shoulders.

The Lost Code starts out very slow, and aside from the event that set some things in motion, I felt like there wasn't any progress at all until the last third of the book. Granted, I do realize that most first installments in a series are a little slower than the sequels due to setting up the mythology behind the world. Even so, I have a feeling I wouldn't have finished this book if I had not have know from the description that it would center around Atlantis. I just felt like a lot of the stuff with the rest of the campers was unnecessary filler to the story. I would have much rather have had an expansion on the reason why the world was falling apart, or more of the Atlantean aspect. There was so much unfulfilled potential to have foreshadowed things more, adding to the suspense or mystery behind what was happening that I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

There is a little romance in The Lost Code, but it didn't draw me in at it seemed two dimensional at best. I think a lot of that had to do with Owen's extreme awkwardness, and his inability to see himself clearly. I mean he had the queen bee girls fawning over him, so he has to be decent looking. I'm definitely not saying looks are everything, in fact in my opinion, they mean nothing compared to how a person acts. So I think his low place on the totem pole was really self-induced due to his lack of confidence. The actual love interest (name excluded to avoid spoilers) did seem to find Owen's behavior to be endearing, but the whole thing between them just seemed forced. Perhaps in time they will grow on me as a couple, but for now I can't help feeling rather indifferent towards the two of them.

My two favorite legends in mythology are the Greek Gods, and the mystery behind Atlantis. I've read several books with Greek aspects, but nothing to do with Atlantis, so I was extremely excited when I found out about The Lost Code, especially considering how great that description sounds. So, my expectations were probably a little high due to that excitement. Now that I've read it, I'm having a very hard time deciding how I felt about The Lost Code in the end. It isn't that I didn't enjoy the story, I did, there were just a lot of factors that caused me a good deal of frustration and disappointment. That being said, I have a feeling the next installment will be much faster paced now that it looks like the Atlantean aspect will be playing a much larger role in things. So in the end, I'm going to rate The Lost Code as a mediocre read, but a good foundation for the series, and hope the "wow" factor comes into play in the next installment.
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May 20, 2012 Ellen rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-tours

This dystopian story takes place in a world where it is no longer safe to be outdoors because of danger from the sun due to ozone damage. Owen Parker finds himself the winner of a contest to participate in a summer camp in one of the exclusive domes that have been built for people to live in safely, which recreates the feel of the real world before the earth was damaged. Owen is from the hub, an underground community for those not fortunate enough to live in the domed community of Eden. He prett This dystopian story takes place in a world where it is no longer safe to be outdoors because of danger from the sun due to ozone damage. Owen Parker finds himself the winner of a contest to participate in a summer camp in one of the exclusive domes that have been built for people to live in safely, which recreates the feel of the real world before the earth was damaged. Owen is from the hub, an underground community for those not fortunate enough to live in the domed community of Eden. He pretty much tries to keep to himself and stay inconspicuous. Owen finds himself at the lake for swimming testing. Normally, he wouldn't participate in this strenuous test, but he finds himself quite taken with the instructor, Lilly, who is one of the other girls at the camp. Despite his better judgement he jumps in and does pretty well for a while. The next thing he knows he has cramp, he's sinking to the bottom, and no one notices that he isn't there. As he slowly begins to lose consciousness, he hears a strange voice begin to speak to him telling him that what is oldest will be new and what was lost shall be found. That is the last thing Owen remembers before he drowns.

The next thing he knows he wakes up to Lilly giving him CPR. When Lilly whispers to him not to tell them (meaning the camp leaders) how long he was under the water, he was shocked to find that he had been under more than 10 minutes. From this point on the world as Owen Parker knows it is forever changed. Destined to unlock the code that will help save the world, Owen finds himself no longer a follower, but an emerging leader, under the close observation of the leaders of the camp, and in the beginning of a budding relationship with Lilly. He discovers new friends that have undergone the same changes that he has experienced, and he finds that there are those who would do anything to stop him. Owen must decide whether to give in or stand up for what he knows is right. The future of humanity just might depend on it.

This dystopian story also incorporates some mythology, centered around the lost city of Atlantis, which was interesting and fresh. I liked the main character Owen. I am not sure how old he was, but he seemed to be one of the older campers. Lilly, who I really liked, was a little older that Owen and had a great personality. There are several other characters in the book who also play important roles, one being Leech, who was quite the bully. The story line was interesting, though a little slow-paced in the beginning, but by the end of the book there was quite a bit of action, and the Atlantis mythology comes more into play. The love interest was sweet also. The Lost Code is a book that I think would appeal mainly to the middle grade age group and some older teens, and I would definitely recommend it to that age group. It reminds me somewhat of Percy Jackson, though not as fast paced. With that in mind, if you enjoy dystopian stories and mythology, then The Lost Code is something you or your children might enjoy. ...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Amanda rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2012-releases

I didn't finish this book. That's probably the best way to start this review -a confession. I didn't finish The Lost Code, because it was just too darn painful, and there are so many things sitting on my shelf right now that I'd rather spend my time with right now. Honestly, I tried to give this book a chance. I read half of it because I had to toss it aside. Why, you ask?

Let's see, where do I start?

The Lost Code is billed as some sort of YA Dystopian novel that's built on the classic myth of At ...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Jovy rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It took me a long time to read this book because of the other 2 "I-regret-I-ever-started" books...

WARNING: If you're NOT an intellectual or you hate research or long explanations, PLEASE DONT try to read this because it will frustrate you (like the people who gave this a bad rating and review...I feel sorry for them)

This book was slow for the first 20 or so pages then it got interesting...as I've first stated on my first update, I reserve the option to change my opinion on how I feel about this ...more

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About Kevin Emerson

Kevin Emerson

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Author of sixteen novels for children and young adults, most recently LAST DAY ON MARS, BREAKOUT, and the ATLANTEANS series. His books have been published in ten different countries. Formerly a science teacher and a creative writing teacher, Kevin is also a singer and drummer. He has won a spelling bee, lost a beauty pageant, and once appeared in a Swedish TV commercial.

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The Atlanteans (3 books)

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Quotes from The Lost Code

“History is always written to serve the powerful.” — 15 likes

“The night felt like it had gone by so fast, yet every second of it was bright and burned into my mind, and I felt sure I would never forget any of it, almost like I'd left some part of me back there on that island, a piece carved out that wouldn't travel into whatever came next. It would just stay behind, living that night over and over.” — 6 likes

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