Code Name Komiko

Scarlet Voyage Single Titles 2014

by Naomi Paul

On the surface, sixteen-year-old Lian is a serious student and dutiful daughter, destined for a fine career as a concert violinist. But Lian has a secret identity. She is part of 04/06a band of cyber-investigators who work to expose injustice and corruption. In this virtual world, Lian goes by the code name, Komiko.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Fiction, Adventure, Asian Literature, Thriller, Fantasy

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Brooke Janser · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such an emotional rollercoaster

[Merrick]

I liked the book it was very good

[Annie Oosterwyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Komiko (code name) is the only daughter of a wealthy Chinese businessman. She also has a conscience and is part of a cadre/chat group that engages in cyber espionage for the purpose of social justice. This thriller follows Komiko as she and her friends uncover a clothing company's trail of murder and chemical pollution. Her father's position allows her access to classified information and she uses it to inform her research.
Knowing whom to trust is made difficult because Komiko and her friends have never met or exchanged any personal information in order to keep each other safe. The intrigue is countered by Komiko's ordinary life as a student with normal family obligations and homework.
This story had many interesting elements: Chinese culture, class/economic stratification, government corruption and hackers. It reminded me at first of a Doctorow story, but the romance and high school story changed the feel. Some of the plot events seemed unrealistic, but overall the book kept my interest and I enjoyed it.

[Jordan Funke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elementary writing style combined with very western cultural lens on Chinese life made this really disappointing. The premise is amazing, but poorly executed. Try Tokyo Heist for a better Asian mystery.

[Aude · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a re-read for me; I had enjoyed it a lot when I first read it, and since I had never finished reading the series, I wanted to re-read the first book.
Even though the writing-style is not as polished as I remembered/like it to be, Code Name Komiko is easy to read and will appeal to a large public. Fast-paced, with a strong main character and set in a refreshing décor (always glad to read something that is set in a different culture), this book has just the right amount of "wake-up calls" about society injustice to make it interesting without it being heavy or boring, even more because of it being a "younger read".
Glad I took the time to re-read it, and am now intrigued by the rest of the series!

[Ralex Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is very interesting and filled with action. I would recommend this book because this book has a lot of action and it feels like it is movie and makes you imagine that you are in Lian’s shoe.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to see whether it's science fiction -- it's not, and it doesn't have anything to do with virtual worlds, despite the publisher's description. It is a decently written mystery, and I enjoyed reading it.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so, so, soooo good. I'm having a hard time thinking about what to write.

So, I guess I'll just start at the beginning.

Code Name Komiko starts with sixteen-year-old Xiao-Lian "Lian" Hung and her best friend, Mingmei, hanging out at the beach, a few days before the start of their senior year. What started out as a relaxing day soon turns into something else entirely(something sinister, sorry I was watching Castle) when Lian discovers the body of a young girl. Lian decides to enlist the help of 04/06(named for the Tiananmen Square Massacre), a team of cyber-investigators, of which she is a member, to help her find out who the girl is and what her connection was to the Harrison Corps, a popular clothing manufacturer.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. All of the characters were fantastic:

Lian, the main protagonist, was excellent. It was refreshing to have a main character who didn't whine and feel sorry for herself, just because her best friend was moving in on her potential love interest, or because said love interest's father was trying to kill her. Everyday teenage problems, basically. Lian always stayed open-minded and clear-headed when a situation got rough. She knew when to use her team and always treated them as equals.

Matt, the sort-of love interest. I kept going back and forth between whether Matt was good or bad. Was he working for his father of completely oblivious? What a shock it was to find out that he was Torch. I kind of figured he was American, because of how he wrote. But, I pictured him older (25-30) wearing business suits and glasses. It was a nice surprise, though Also, it was great seeing Matt and Lian stay just friends. A relationship could have easily turned this book in a different direction.

Eva, Crowbar, a member of 04/06. I don't want to write too much about Eva, except to say that she's flippin' awesome. Oh, my gosh! She has got to be my favorite character, even though she only appears in the last, like, fifty pages. She was just so damn cute and intelligent, and she and Lian made a kickass team.

Zan, Jiao's(the dead girl) brother. Lian meets Zan after she sneaks into the Harrison Corps sweatshop production factory. She learns that he was the older brother of the dead girl. Upon discovering what happened to his sister, Zan decides to help Lian find out what really happened, by going undercover at the sweatshop factory. I knew from the moment Zan was introduced that he was going to be a villain. I didn't, however, peg him for being Blossom.

Mingmei, Lian's best friend. Despite this book only being a couple hundred pages long, I really felt the friendship between these two characters. I like that Lian never really dragged Mingmei into the action, she wanted to protect her friend.

Rand Harrison, CEO of the Harrison Corps/main villain. Rand Harrison was an awesome villain. He didn't need to brandish a weapon to scare the hell out of Lian, he was just..... himself. He never really came off as being too movie villainish. Except for a brief scene towards the end when he tries to kill Lian and Eva by burning a building down. Plus, his name is Rand. 50 points to Gryffindor.

The story moved at the perfect pace:

Not too fast or too slow. Just perfect. Lian collected information progressively throughout the story, and with the help of 04/06, Matt and Zan, figured out what to do with that information. Nothing came to her too terribly easily. The ending was well timed too, the team had various obstacles to get through, before they could take down Harrison. Although, I was a little confused at the end. Eva, Lian and Matt confronted Harrison(in a room full of people), and after playing the tape of him confessing(also kind of cheesy), he was arrested. How come none of them were taken in for questioning?

The writing was excellent, too. There were so many great moments. Here are a few of my favorites:

"What are you doing?" Mingmei asked her.
"Pretending to tie my shoes," Lian said, sliding her cell phone out from the towel in which it was bundled.
"But you're wearing flip-flops," Mingmei protested.
"Hence the 'pretending.'"

The decoy music was just loud enough to sound like she'd returned to her practice (and become a much better violinist).

"You brought your lucky rabbit's foot, right?"
"I never commit corporate crimes without it."

I'm not sure if this was a standalone novel or if it will be part of a series. Either way, it was amazing. And if it does become a series, the next book will be at the top of my reading list.

"The dragon's back is broken."

Later Days.

An advance copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty awesome book! I received it through Goodreads' Giveaways, eventually got it, and started reading it right away. I finished it after just two nights of reading!! I became very engrossed, and couldn't put it down, especially once I got into the second half of the story. I especially liked this book because it is set in Hong Kong, which is a place I haven't visited much in previous reading. The characters were engaging, and Lian (the protagonist, aka Komiko) is an interesting, complex and believable girl. I felt that the beginning was a bit slow, still a good read, but the second half was better written and had so many plot twists that I just couldn't wait to get to the next page!
I only wish that this book had been developed more, I think the author could have taken the story to another level with more detail and depth, especially in the second half, which, although it is very exciting, went way too fast for my liking. I wanted there to be more in the book, and I often wondered how the story would be finished by the time the pages stopped. I feel that the ending remains open for a sequel, which I would absolutely read, and that I hope will soon appear! After getting to know the characters, I don't want to leave them behind, and I think there's a lot of their tale left to be told.

For a little summary (I'll try not to reveal any spoilers): Lian is the perfect daughter of a rich family, but she struggles with the fact that her family has so much when she sees so many others who can barely afford to live. Her father works a high-power job, and has the opportunity to be promoted, but only if he makes a deal with a big American company, Harrison corporation. Lian is part of a secret investigative group that watches out for corruption and other illegal practices within the government and large corporations. When a body washes up on a beach near where Lian is sunbathing, she and her group connect the body to Harrison Corporation. Now Lian must choose whether to stay true to her feelings, and investigate the company's practices but hurt her father's chances at the promotion and possibly reveal her alternate identity, or ignore Harrison Corp's shady dealings and inhumane worker conditions but prevent her life from going topsy-turvy.

Basically, this is a really great read (only minor problems), I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries, investigations, some danger and suspense, YA novels, and modern-setting fiction. And to Naomi Paul: Please, please, please!!!! Write a sequel!!! Develop the story, I want to know more! Thanks for writing such a wonderful book!

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy from Goodreads First Reads.

Awesome! That's the first thing I think when I finished this book. I'm also desperate for a sequel, because this book seems quite unfinished.

Code Name Komiko is a good book, for me because I haven't read anything so delightful in a long time. (I'm going to reread this if another bad book comes up to or I accidentally pick up a bad book). Anyway, Code Name Komiko is not a book like Code Name Verity. It's a book about bloggers who go around and reveal the true sides of corporations.

Got that so far? I hope so because I'm moving on.

The plot is amazing. With a conflict of Lian that hits so close to home, the book is guarantee to go insane. What's the conflict? Or shall I say conflicts? 1) There's a dead girl who is discovered by Lian and may have a connection to Harrison Outfitters, one of the largest and probably multi-billion money making machines. 2) There's a new member in the small group of bloggers. 3) Matt Harrison, the son of the Harrison, who might know too much about the business. Did I mention that he's the new classmate of Lian? 4) Lian's father is in trouble. 5) There's more problems.

I think I talked too much about the book. I hope I didn't reveal any major spoilers.

It's insane, but Code Name Komiko is amazing. I love how the author manage to fit all those puzzle pieces together. I hope the author writes a sequel, because I have a feeling that Code Name Komiko is just warming up. The ending seemed unfinished, destined to become something even greater. Maybe it's a tiny cliffhanger, a tiny jump, to something deadlier. (And there's a small possibility that love might come in the next book!)

Naomi Paul's writing is so addicting. I stayed up all night trying to finish the book. The truth is, I finished it in math class because I fell asleep at night, failing to complete the book. I love how Paul portrays Lian.

Lian is a smart girl, obviously. She's torn from doing what she always believes in versus doing what her parents want her to do. She's loyal to the core, especially to the people she tries to help, her family and friends, and her fellow bloggers. She's deadly when it comes to the people who wants to hurt her, kill her, and like her (yeah, I know that it is hilarious).

One thing I would like for Lian is a love interest. In the next book. That haught American boy, please. (Author should know what I'm talking about. I hope).

Rating: Five out of Five

-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free copy courtesy of Enslow Publishers and Goodreads First Reads, which in no way influences this review

This book took a long time to get through. Not because it was dense, and not because I disliked it particularly either. It was just okay, and surprisingly easy to set aside for what I think is supposed to be a thriller.

Code Name Komiko is about a hactivist group, 06/04, and centers around Lian, a girl whose chat handle is the titular Komiko. She's an affluent high schooler in Hong Kong with connections, but she wants to help the down-trodden by taking down evil corporations and government corruption and stuff. She's the kind of person that China would arrest in a heartbeat. Lian finds a girl washed up dead on the beach and brings the case to her group of justice-warriors. A boy connected to the case comes to her school. She has to balance activism with school and being the perfect child for her parents.

I know what you're thinking. "Wow, that sounds like every YA series out there, just substitute in Hong Kong for dystopian regimes." You'd be half-right. This feels a little more grounded than the average YA crime-stoppers, but it still has copious amounts of teenagers going up against insane odds that should not work out in their favor.

Ultimately, though, this was the kind of book that I was invested in only as long as I was reading it. It was easy to set down and walk away from, and walk away from for long periods of time. I never felt an intense need to know what was going to happen next, and and the big twists didn't wow me or surprise me too much.

It's a decent read, but not a "wow" of a read.

[aem · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book - an Asian Nancy Drew... although in this story, the parents have absolutely no clue about their daughter, Lian's "secret" life.

Not sure I would call Lian, alias Komiko a cyber-investigator, as the book was not really rich with detail about her investigative skills, which sounded pretty simplistically just surfing the 'net, although I am not condoneing hacking into restricted databases, etc. And how was it so easy for Torch to hack into a multi-billion dollar corporation's secure database(s)? These seemed a bit unrealistic.

But it was interesting to read about Lian's attempts to balance her school life and social life and "secret life" and watch her development as she develops her friendships and realtionships.

Might have been more interesting if there were more descriptions about the geographic scenes and locales of Hong Kong. After all, what's the point of different settings if the reader cannot "see" them vicariously through the character's eyes. It would have been ideal to have Torch being shown around by MingMei, for example; a good way to expound on the beauties of the island and contrasting, decriptive views of the poorer areas. Also, not much in terms of cultural enlightenment presented in the book.

Still, all in all, an enjoyable mystery.

DISCLOSURE: received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Nicole West · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface, sixteen-year-old Lian is a serious student and dutiful daughter, destined for a fine career as a concert violinist. But Lian has a secret identity. She is part of 04/06a band of cyber-investigators who work to expose injustice and corruption. In this virtual world, Lian goes by the code name, Komiko.

This book was sent to me by the publisher after winning a Goodreads contest in return for providing an honest review. I really liked this book. I felt like the main character was very well developed. My only problem was with the beginning of the book. I felt like there was a lot of information thrown out there that might could have been streamed into the story about the character a little better..... i.e. She is a concert violinist, she has this best friend that is her complete opposite, she is a member of 06/04, she is a high school student, she comes from an affluent family, etc.... Once the information is there, it flowed well, and I liked the story. I actually loved the story. I can see this story being great for a 5-6th grade-junior high.

This is a great book for parents looking for something clean for their children to read, but also for children who like to read action, suspense, and mystery!

[Belann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting of Hong Kong gives this book an authentic feel, as we are introduced to Lian, a Chinese girl, who has relocated in a business move for her father to Hong Kong. Lian is the perfect Chinese daughter. She does well in school and on the violin. Her parents lovingly call her “Little Panda.” But, she has another identity as Komiko, a part of an undercover online group 06/04, which has a mission to expose corruption in business and government. Their work becomes more personal when Lian is witness to a girl washing up on the shore of the beach when she is with her friend. Through her investigative work, she finds out the girl used to work for the Harrison Corporation, a huge clothing manufacturer that has just opened in Hong Kong. Harrison Corp, is also one of Lian’s dad’s clients. Lian works with her online friends to find all she can about Harrison Corp, and the findings are not good. The story is action packed as the group tries desperately to reveal the corruption found in Harrison Corp before someone else is killed. The book is perfect for readers 6th grade and up, especially those who love a good mystery.

[Yen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the Goodreads giveaway.
At first, I was a bit doubtful how the book would turn out, but I was soon sucked into Lian's world. (Had to pull an all-nighter for this one.)
Let's say there are various problems (and a few good twists too for that matter) woven into the plotline in a way that actually makes sense and doesn't seem like there are random problems/twists popping up and clues appearing with no apparent reason.
The characters were developed in my opinion and not flimsy.
Kept me guessing 'till the end, but at points felt it was a teensy bit slow. That was probably just me not being able to read fast enough, but my doubts about Zan proved close enough!! (Eureka! But then that was me jus guessing.)
Would recommend this book and looking forward to the sequeal.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I put off reading this advanced copy for awhile because I just looked at the cover and I got more "futuristic/space" than "code/hacking." I'm glad I read this because it is an overall good story. Occasionally the writing didn't flow right, or seemed to drag when the interesting story should've been pulling me in. There were some problems in continuity-- Komiko's cell phone, her friend MingMei-- some predictable plot twists-- you knew who the bad guy was right away, and there are a few more let's just say "identities" that I guessed correctly-- and some general problems-- for a hacker, Komiko's online skills were portrayed mostly as logging on, uploading, and off-loading documents... That said, I loved the female protagonist, that the kids were smart and proud of it, the naive mother. It was a fun read.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. Though I wasn't sure I would like it, I could not put the book down. The story is about a 16 year old girl who on the surface seems to be an obedient daughter. On the side, she lives her life as part of an online group that tries to take down big businesses that are illegally harming the environment with chemicals or mistreating their workers, etc. As I said, I loved the book and couldn't put it down. There were a few gaps in the plot, which is why it's not a 5 star rating. It was a little confusing at the end too-I don't understand why the characters put themselves in some situations where they could easily be harmed. However, it is a faced paced novel that I was able to finish within a few hours, and if you're looking for a YA/mystery type book this is the book for you!

[Andria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me as an advanced reader copy by the publisher at the aasl convention in Connecticut last fall. There was quite the potential to lose me during the scientific information or the technology type information. However, it was all handled well, great explanations without it seeming to be an explanation. Not too much information overload to drown out the story. It all seemed pretty plausible just on the edge of unbelieveability. It was smartly written without being overbearing. I was able to connect with the characters and look forward to seeing where this is going in the next book.

[Bookworm007 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I felt that the writing could have been better; the sentences flowed together awkwardly and made everything sound below the YA standard. Also, there were a few errors overlooked during the editing process, (if that process had ever happened at all.....)

I did, however, feel that this book was a bit like a female Alex Rider. Although predictable at times, there's so much potential for this to expand into a series; the world could always use more stories that revolve around mysteries and espionage, let alone ones that take place in Hong Kong!

[Paula Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed reading Code Name Komiko. Komiko is the code name of a Chinese girl named Lian. The story takes place in Hong Kong and involves four teen cyber sleuths who are concerned with social issues. Lian is very different from her alter ego, Komiko. Lian is the very dutiful daughter. Komiko is a social radicial who wants to right social wrongs. She is embarrassed by the wealth of her family.
The best aspects of the book for youths is the message that you don't really know who you are online with..... you only know what and who they tell you they are.

A definitely addition to the school library.

[Indigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story of a Hong Kong high school girl, Lian, who manages to be an A student, take violin, have outings with her friends and somehow manages to be a part of a secret online cyber-investigation group attempting to fight corruption and injustice. All without her parents knowing the latter. It was an interesting read that kept me enthralled throughout the whole book. Very much enjoyed and I'm hoping there will be a sequel in the future.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lian is a high school senior in Hong Kong. Her parents believe she is a dutiful, daughter, hardworking and studious, but Lian has a secret. She is a member of 0604, a small group of activists who have only met online, dedicated to taking down unjust corporations in China. I enjoyed the spy action and the strong female characters. Some if the coincidences were a little hard to swallow and at times I thought Lian was too prejudiced, or too trusting.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sent by the Junior Library Guild as part of the mystery collection to which AMS is subscribed. Set in Hong Kong, Lian, code name Komiko, is a sixteen year old fighting injustice and corruption. She is part of a secret team that connect via the internet and share information in an attempt to expose corporate crime. It was good, but not great. I do have students who will like it.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I had a couple of the surprise twists pegged from the beginning, but it was a good story overall. Romance was (pleasantly surprisingly) not a main factor, the action scenes were actiony, and the internet chat conversations were well done.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was one of the winners of this book here on Goodreads and I am glad I got the chance to read it. I enjoy it and I can't wait for the next one.

[Michael Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

while it was a good story there wasn't that much that made this stand out amongst all the other stories out there. this is a really good casual read though.

[Lynette ~ Talia's Tomes ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. A bit predictable, but still a LOT of fun. It was a great book. Haven't had a one-day read for a long time. Review to come.

[Chin-Ning Chong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Lian is a strong character. So much better than other characters I've read about.

[Margarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think I would like this book and I loved it!!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book, with numerous surprises and twists. I didn't trust Zan once we found out the girl wasn't listed as Jiao, though I guessed Zan and Matt had been part of their online chat.