False Memory [Hardcover]

Dan Krokos (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 14, 2012 | Series: False Memory

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.

 

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving.

 

Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter...when there may not be a future.

 

Dan Krokos' debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-"I don't know who I am, but I might be a badass." So says Miranda North when she wakes up on a park bench with no memory of who she is or where she came from. When she visits a mall, people react to her with stark fear, and in their haste to get away, they end up killing themselves. Peter explains that she is a Rose, a genetically enhanced human with super-soldier abilities and the power to inflict psychic fear on people. The purpose behind the Roses is to wield a new weapon in war, one that attains peace through chaos. Meanwhile, the creators of the Roses have a nefarious plan in mind; they want to release the Roses on Cleveland to see how much havoc can be wreaked. Peter is abducted by members of the Beta team-all clones of Miranda and her friends-and a rogue Rose named Rhys has plenty of unpleasant secrets up his sleeve. A love triangle adds to Miranda's confusion in this fast-paced sci-fi adventure. After a clunky beginning, the story picks up, and the stakes are heightened with the appearance of the cloned Beta team. A plot twist two-thirds of the way in, however, throws readers off and makes for a bit of confusion. Miranda is somewhat of an ambivalent character who handles her memory loss with remarkable acceptance. For fans of surface-level fast-paced stories.-Jamie Kallio, Orland Park Public Library, ILα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

After pumping gas for nine years to put himself through college, Dan Krokos, now twenty-six, became a full-time writer. He enjoys watching TV, playing MMORPGs, and drinking coffee. Currently, he's hard at work on the next book in Miranda's journey. Follow his antics on twitter (@DanKrokos) or visit his Web site, www.dankrokos.com. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH; First Edition edition (August 14, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423149769
• ISBN-13: 978-1423149767
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #312,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After pumping gas for nine years to put himself through college, Dan Krokos, now twenty-six, became a full-time writer. He enjoys watching TV, playing MMORPGs, and drinking coffee. Currently, he's hard at work on the next book in Miranda's journey. Follow his antics on twitter (@DanKrokos)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A non-stop thrill ride August 15, 2012

By The Book Muncher VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

When Miranda North wakes up alone on a park bench, she can't remember anything. Confused and panicked, she releases a strange energy that causes everyone around her to run--in sheer terror. The only person who understands Miranda's strange abilities is Peter, a boy Miranda supposedly knows but can't remember and maybe the only person she can trust. It turns out that, like Peter, Miranda is part of an elite group of teens who have all been genetically enhanced so that they possess a unique and incredible destructive psychic ability. Miranda and Peter have never had a reason to question their lives or their powers--until they discover that they may be center of a deadly plot with international repercussions. It's a race against time, and both the past and the future are equally important as Miranda struggles to save the world as she knows it.

False Memory is a fast paced and action packed thriller of a story with plenty of exciting action sequences, surprising twists, and general suspense to keep every reader thoroughly engaged. I found myself completely sucked into Miranda's story as she tries to find her place in a foreign world she doesn't remember, one that involves hand to hand combat, strange medications, and psychic abilities to incite fear in others; her internal struggles to figure out who she is were just as riveting as the more physical threats she must fight. I've always been interested in science fiction, so Krokos's unique world was just irresistible to me, even if his biological and psychological explanations didn't always make the most sense. Fortunately, I was able to suspend my disbelief of any nonsensical science so I could fully appreciate this story's exciting plot; you can be sure that I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel to False Memory.

This novel will be enjoyed by fans of The Lab by Jack Heath and Skinned by Robin Wasserman.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Do NOT Miss This Explosive Debut! August 14, 2012

By Lovey Dovey Books

Format:Hardcover

False Memory is an expressive and beautifully written novel that encompasses all the best qualities of the science fiction genre for young adults. Dan Krokos' debut is a prime example of what keeps readers reading. . . period!

Miranda North is seventeen years old and missing memories of her life before waking up alone on a bench in an unfamiliar place. Nothing could be worse than amnesia, but when amnesia turns out to be a complete loss of memory caused by her genetic makeup Miranda has more reasons to worry. Discovering the dangerous psychic power she has and the loyal team that comes along with it, Miranda gets back pieces of who she may have been.

The journey that takes Miranda and her team of Roses into the fight for their lives is believable and filled with action, action, and yes, more action! Krokos delivers explosive revelations and thought-provoking themes along with demanding suspense and adventure. False Memory has a plot that will invade dreams and make impossible to forget the world Krokos draws readers into with effortless precision.

*Novel provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review*

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Whoa...Just...Whoa. August 14, 2012

By RJDoesBooks

Format:Hardcover

Miranda wakes up not knowing who she is, or why she is alone. This sudden realization causes her to release a wave of fear that impacts those innocent bystanders around her and sends them into a sudden panic that has tragic results. A single person is left after this unfortunate disaster. A handsome young man by the name of Peter. Just Peter, for now. Joining this stranger, Miranda and a group of individuals she used to know with powers like hers discover the secrets of why they were created and what use they were meant to serve, all while unlocking Miranda's memories from the past, and overcoming the eminent problems of the present (including a separate group of other exceptional individuals and the creators who wish to sell them as weapons of mass destruction) so that they can secure a life in the future.

Whoa. That is what I said, aloud, as I turned the last page. Just, whoa. Nothing more. Nothing less. This was, without a single doubt, a phenomenal read--that while a little silly at times, was no less exciting or thrilling than one could expect such a novel to be. I was able to connect to some characters immediately, others not so fast, if not at all. Of the whole cast, I think I most liked Peter. He was such a charming, misunderstood, and incredibly secretive, yet sexy Rose. (The name given to the individuals with this special power) I really hope there is more of him to be read of in the sequel. No novel is without fault. There were few in False Memory. Some that I chose to overlook, and others that made it a little difficult to ignore. The overuse of some specifics (i.e. "...with my left hand. His right ear....My left foot...) did seem to scratch back, causing awkward moments when reading. I feel that as a reader--imagining along and playing out these artistically ordered words on a page into a motion picture that runs in my head--these specifics threw a wrench into that for a short moment and threw off that fantasy/escapism and cinematic groove, or flow. As if saying, "No. THIS is exactly how it has to be," which I'm sure is not what the author intended at all. Why should it matter which hand a character uses to pick up a glass? Though once over those small bumps, the majority of this novel was smooth sailing.

The novel, though the first in a series, is wrapped up nicely. It is its own complete story, and the sequels will only further add to that overall plot. Dan Krokos has made a fantastic debut with False Memory, and has me anxiously, if not, impatiently waiting for the sequel. Though I read this novel in ARC form (which does not affect my honest review), I will definitely be buying a finished copy. That being said, please keep in mind that several things may have been changed between the time the ARCs were printed, to the time the finished book is released for purchase on August 14th.