Apparent Power

I actually had this book recommended to me. The cover basically shows a glowing light bulb, and when I first looked at it, to be totally honest I was a little unimpressed, but that changed when I read the blurb, which I found interesting enough for me to want to read the book. There is already another book within this series but was told I did not need to read that one first, and upon reading the blurb of Reactance I think I would like to read it, and personally think it will be a better read for having read Apparent Power first. The genres I have seen listed for this book are Sci-Fi, Dystopian and Post Apocalyptic which I totally agree with and would add the book also has futuristic elements within it too.

The main character of this book is a 35year old, wife and mother, Valerie Marie Russell who wakes up as normal, still tired, body aching etc. she feels every year of her 35 years, but things are about to change drastically. Valerie goes about her normal routine meaning she walks into the bathroom to have a shower. When she reaches toward the shower door handle electricity seems to shoot from her fingers to the shower door handle. Valerie naturally pulls her hand back to her. The shock she received didn’t hurt as much as it was more of a surprise than anything else. Then she looks at herself in the mirror and cannot believe what she sees. The image staring back at her in wonder is a much less tired and worn, there’s no skin blemishes, her pregnancy bumps, bulges and weight have also disappeared. She looks in the mirror with wonderment it’s as if her body has gone back in time, speaking of time she is running late so starts rushing, she will have to think of her physical changes later. Valerie is a medical nurse who fills in when hospitals are short staffed, today she is a two hour drive away. Valerie’s husband Scott comments on how good she looks and goes off to work himself, then Valerie gets their 2year old son Caleb ready for the arrival of the nanny, Gia.

As Valerie drives to work its clear something is horrendously wrong when people’s cars just stop, and airplanes begin dropping out of the skies. As she is almost at the small medical centre she is due to work in, she continues on foot. It is there she meets Dr August Wilkes, also a stand in Doctor who seems much older than his looks suggest. They attend the wounded with the help of the medical centre employees Betty and Roy. Naturally all Valerie can think about is whether Caleb is safe at home with Gia. All power has gone down meaning she cannot check in with Gia or contact her husband Scott. It is then Valerie decides she will walk home, but she will need some more supplies and a change of clothes for her journey. As she is in the neighbourhood of her brother Kevin and father Mike that’s where she heads first. Her brother Kevin, nor his wife are at home when she gets there so she lets herself in and goes straight for hiking equipment, backpack, medical supplies, food, weapons etc. Valerie is used to hiking so the walking doesn’t bother her at all. She used to go hiking regularly, it was something her father was very strict with his kids about. He believed they should know how to survive off grid and have survival skills. With some of the items she needs she heads off to her dads. Mike has a small amount of time to attempt to explain what is going on to Valerie and he cryptically keeps saying, “it wasn’t supposed to be you”. It soon becomes clear that Valerie and others like her are being hunted. She has to leave her dads home very quickly, and is to be helped on her journey back to her son by some military friends of her father.

The ”event” has uncovered a gene that had been laying dormant for years in human beings. There are “normal” people, then humans that are classed as conductors and then those with even more power who are called DiaZem. I don’t want to reveal a great deal more as this book is a fantastic read and you are told what details you need to know slowly within the book. Everything is revealed at the right time within the book for it all to make sense.

I really liked Valerie, I loved her morals, the fact she believes everyone to be equal. I also adored the way she stood up for herself, and those around her that she comes to class as friends. There’s a lot of rather, thought provoking material within the book, such as, why certain people should live and others considered inferior are to be wiped out. Valerie has her own strong ideas about what is right and wrong. Valerie has to fake acceptance a few times in the book as to be honest would mean the death of those she loves the most. The book has lots of action, suspense, betrayal and loss, all of which make it an exciting read that you will not want to put down. I managed to read the book in just two sittings. If I could have sat and read as long as I wanted (not being interrupted by chores, making food etc) I would have read this book in one sitting, it was that good”. I also came to adore the other strong female character in the book, Hyka. Hyka is a military medic and is part of SASQUATCH, which you will learn all about when you read the book. I thought the relationship between Valerie and Hyka was really well written. They seemed to start out almost hating each other but become great genuine friends by the end of the book. Valerie also has a fiery relationship with Major who happens to be Hyka’s dad. With Valerie and Major it’s more like a power struggle as well as Major making decisions with a military head whereas Valerie bases her decisions on what she feels to be right in her heart. There were of course other characters I liked such as Dr August Wilkes, Jack McGuire, Griff and Major.

Of course, when you have characters you love on the “good side”, you also have those you love to hate on the “bad side”. The characters that fall under this title and worth mentions are Dr Lucas Jarrett who will stop at nothing to ensure Valerie does his bidding. Then there’s Mike Burton who has kept a lot of information that he should have given to his daughter long before the “event” happened. Max who does have a difficult decision on which side to be on.

I was undeniably pulled right into this book, the world it was set in and its characters. I found the descriptions so good that they made it easy to viaualise whatever was being described. The book flowed well at a fairly medium pace and explained the whole genetic differences really well in a way I could understand it and work out which characters had the different genes quite easily. The book could be read by a YA audience but I honestly think this one will do really well with an older age range of reader also. The well written book style reminded of Steven Konkoly and a little like Grace Hamilton. It characters that you would say were preppers, ready for any possibility that could arise.
When I finished the book my first thoughts were, Wow! what can I say? Amazing read, looking forward to more!
To sum up I certainly wish to read more about books in this series. I would also wish to take a look at any other titles written by this author. When can I read more??