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TITLE: The Sowing (The Seeds Trilogy, #1)
AUTHOR: K. Makansi
GENRE: YA/NA Science Fiction
PUBLISHED: 2013, Layla Dog Press
FORMAT: Paperback, 281 pages
The Famine may be over, but the Resistance has just begun.
When Remy Alexander is fifteen, her older sister is murdered in a cold-blooded classroom massacre. When the Okarian Sector hides the truth behind the attack, Remy’s family goes underground to join the clandestine and growing Resistance movement. Now, three years later, Remy is beginning to find clues about why her sister was murdered. But at the same time, Valerian Orlean, the boy Remy once loved, is put in charge of hunting and destroying the Resistance. As Vale fights to protect his people and Remy seeks justice for her sister, the two are set on a collision course that could bring everyone together – or tear everything apart. (From Goodreads)
The Sowing takes place in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by environmental collapse and a series of devastating wars that has caused a severe population decline. There is safety and prosperity to be found in the Okarian Sector, but these things come at a terrible price: freedom. Almost everything is dictated, beginning with specialized diets tailored to every individual’s needs and station. Everything is ruled by science and the Okarian Agricultural Consortium, which is responsible for the breakthroughs in artificial agriculture that ensure its citizens are fed and provided with the best medicine. Not everyone is happy with the way the Consortium handles things; a growing rebellion alleges that what appears to be nurturing is actually manipulative and oppressive.
I have to start by praising the intricate world building in this novel… it’s so detailed and well constructed. You can tell that it was a labor of love for the three authors credited with this story — that’s right, “K. Makansi” is a pen name for three authors, a mother-daughter team that came together to craft the trilogy. I loved that the world building was so in depth, even though a lot of the scientific lingo was honestly over my head. (I’m totally more of an artsy, right-brained type so I’ve never been very good with science… err…) The bad thing about this overabundance of technical detail: I had no idea what was really going on with that most of the time and kind of glossed over those parts. The good thing about it: you can tell that these ladies really know what they’re talking about. The Okarian Sector’s obsession with the science of food is obviously well researched. It’s brilliant concept that also serves to be rather frightening as more and more is discovered about the level of control the Consortium has been exercising over the populace.
The narrative switches back and forth between Remy, now living outside the Okarian Sector among the rebel forces, and Vale, the Okarian Sector’s brightest star. Upon graduating from the Academy with the highest honors, Vale embarked on a mission to bring down the Resistance effort. This makes for some awkward times, since there is a history between the two characters that dates back to the days when Remy and her family were still citizens of the Sector themselves. As far as the narration goes, I liked Remy and Vale equally. To Remy’s credit, despite the brewing romantic subplot going on (and the looming love triangle…), she was pretty focused on the more important task of making sure the rebellion didn’t tank and burst into flames. I always really dislike it when romance takes precedence over fundamental, legit concerns i.e. surviving in a desecrated world, being part of an outgunned, outnumbered resistance faction, and essentially trying not to get killed every 2 seconds. You know, those things. So props to you, Remy.
I liked both main characters’ voices and the first half of the book had terrific pacing. I think it did kind of lag towards the end, though. My main concern with the writing style was that it did feel rather like an info dump at times, with Remy and Vale both handing out heavy doses of world building early in the story. I felt like I was being told what was happening more than I was experiencing what was happening alongside them. Granted, there is A LOT to cover since, like I said, this is a very intricate setting and there’s so much to learn about it. Still, I was impressed with the writing for the most part and it’s certainly a readable narrative. I loved the banter between the characters, especially Remy’s group of fellow rebels. As a geek, I also liked all the technology, even though I couldn’t tell you how on earth any of it worked. Whatever, it was still awesome stuff. /disappears into realm of nerdiness
Another thing I loved: the diversity in the book’s cast of characters. Definitely refreshing!
RATING: 3.5/5
I think one of the most compelling things about The Sowing is how closely this bleak future could resemble our own. There’s a lot of talk about genetic enhancements, modifications, and the like nowadays. The concepts brought forward in this book could very well be in the cards for us someday. It’s well worth pondering the possible outcomes. Fans of science fiction will be happy with this one, but it will be even more of a treat for anyone as fond of political intrigue as I am. (It’s got tons of it! Conspiracies galore! *happy dance*)
We received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to TLC Book Tours for inviting us to be a tour stop for The Sowing! It’s available on Amazon and you can get more info on the trilogy at theseedstrilogy.com!
