“You’ll be surprised to see how quickly the world can change…”

Orginal Syn coverSYNOPSIS

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Fifty years after an epic event called The Singularity, the entire world is divided into just two categories: The powerful, age-defying Syns (“synthetic citizens,” human-computer hybrids with extraordinary enhancements) and the dying, oppressed Originals (those who did not merge their bodies with machines). A decades-long war between Original and Syn is almost at an end, because after an attack on their reproductive systems, the Originals are on the verge of extinction.

But then Ere, one of the world’s last teenage Originals, meets a beautiful, powerful Syn girl called Ever, and suddenly questions everything he’s ever been told about his lifelong enemies. Meanwhile Ever realizes there’s a dark side to the world she’s always taken for granted. And unbeknownst to either of these star-crossed lovers, there’s a revolution at hand…

Original Syn is a rich, dangerous world of family secrets, free will, forbidden love, and the sparks that fly when aggressive technology collides with stubborn humanity. The love story of Ere and Ever is just one piece of a fascinating, multi-layered, dark and sometimes surprisingly funny puzzle; a world of diverse characters, tough choices, and constant temptation.

REVIEW

Okay, for starters – I love books. Love, love, love books. But when this book becomes a movie or TV show, I am going to be all.about.it.

Now let’s get into the riveting world of Original Syn.

I devoured The Hunger Games when those books came out, and yes, I’m also one of those people who also read the books BEFORE Game of Thrones was a huge HBO hit, and this book reminds me of both of those series. Like The Hunger Games, this dystopian world is set in the not-too-distant future. The characters talk and think like we do, which makes them immediately relate-able. Like the Game of Thrones books (technically, the Song of Ice and Fire series… NERD ALERT), the chapters alternate narrators. So you get lots of different perspectives on what’s going on, and build sympathies for different characters, and constantly get little insights and flashbacks that make the whole world come alive.

Without any spoilers, let’s dive in: 50 years before the story begins, there’s something called The Singularity, where the most powerful people merged their bodies with machines and became “enhanced” and possibly immortal; they stopped the aging process, and amassed all the wealth and power. They are the Synthetic Citizens, AKA Syns. Those who didn’t merge with machines are now called Originals… and because the Syns don’t want them around, they came up with a slow but sure death sentence by tampering with the water systems and rendering all Original women infertile.

Out in the wilderness, Ere and Cal are two of the last remaining young Originals. Ere is eighteen, his older cousin Cal is twenty-one, and otherwise their entire tribe is old and dying. Even Ere’s mother, the fierce warrior Ruth Fell, seems to be slowing down. Ere and Cal have no idea what the future will hold, but they both really hope it will involve someday meeting girls their own age.

And then, Ere does meet a girl his own age. Sort of.

He meets Ever, who appears to be his own age—but she’s a Syn.

Ever is complicated, spoiled-but-misunderstood… and can you blame her? She’s been living as a teenager for fifty years (usually only vampires have to put up with crap like that). Ever has run away from her boring, repetitive life with her mother, and to try to get the attention of her always-absent father, who happens to be the most powerful man in the Syn world.

When Ere’s mother Ruth and cousin Cal discover him with Ever, s*** starts getting real. Ruth is furious, and terrified—and somehow, Ever seems to know her; Cal is jealous, enraged—and also incredibly attracted to Ever.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Ruth is keeping a secret from Ere; Ever’s father, Dr. Felix Hess, has a plan in the works that just might destroy Ever’s life; a mysterious prophesy has the Syn leaders on edge; and an even more mysterious figure called Shadower is tracking strange events in the Syn world and communicating with a clandestine network preparing for an uprising…

Tons of plot twists, strong female characters, diverse characters, messed up family dynamics, secrets, lies – Y’ALL. SERIOUSLY. READ THIS BOOK SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT!