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The Perception Trilogy: young adult dystopian romance
Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically. He's not sure why he's agreed to help her, but what he finds out when he does, will change his life forever. PERCEPTION is a near-future mystery that can be read alone (no cliffhanger!) Praise for PERCEPTION : "Wow, what a GREAT book!" "The story hooked me and kept me engaged from beginning to end." "Sci Fi, Mystery and sweet love story, all in one!" ***
Zoe Vanderveen is on the run with her captor turned rescuer, Noah Brody.
They're in love.
Or at least that's what he tells her. Her memories have returned but her feelings are dreamlike ~ thin and fleeting. Can she really trust Noah? Should Noah trust her? Noah Brody thought he did the right thing by running away with the beautiful and endangered Zoe Vanderveen, but now he's not so sure. Zoe's changed, and not necessarily for the better. Taken in by an off-the-grid religious sect, their sense of safety is short lived. These people are crazy, but are they dangerous? Senator Vanderveen's new team of cyborg agents are in hot pursuit and a reward for Zoe and Noah's capture is broadcast nationwide. Once again they need to escape his grasp or at least die trying.
***
What readers are
"Loved it! So much anticipation and drama!"
"Though it was utterly heartbreaking, I loved how the author, Lee Strauss, did the romance in this book. It was ... backward, kind of an anti-romance."
"Lee Strauss portrays what life could be like when humanoids have all the jobs and humans have to do any and everything just to get by!...THIS SERIES IS A MUST READ!!" *** The exciting conclusion of the Perception Trilogy.
Zoe and Noah and the others have survived a crash landing in the Arizona desert, but that doesn't mean they're safe. Having escaped President Vanderveen's henchmen, Zoe and Noah find themselves stranded in the Arizona desert with no one to lean on but each other. The stakes are high and emotions run wild. A rogue soldier comes upon the sanctuary of their hideout. Will he help the survivors, or expose them? More danger lies ahead, and even off the grid, Zoe can't quite escape her grandfather's evil clutches. Noah Brody will do anything to keep Zoe safe ~ battle cyborgs, robots and the annoying playboy member of their small group ~ but he's helpless when Zoe's own body fights against her. He's promised never to leave her. It's a promise he might just have to break. *** What readers are
"I love this book series. It is a great love story that taps into some ethics problems that we face today in regard of artificial intelligence."
"I really enjoyed this book and the others, it keeps you guessing and holding out hope that Zoe and Noah will get their HEA!"
"Book 3 did not disappoint!"
"Lee Strauss brings these characters to life in a big way. Though futuristic, so many scenarios parallel what is going on now.
Zoe Vanderveen is on the run with her captor turned rescuer, Noah Brody.
They're in love.
Or at least that's what he tells her. Her memories have returned but her feelings are dreamlike ~ thin and fleeting. Can she really trust Noah? Should Noah trust her? Noah Brody thought he did the right thing by running away with the beautiful and endangered Zoe Vanderveen, but now he's not so sure. Zoe's changed, and not necessarily for the better. Taken in by an off-the-grid religious sect, their sense of safety is short lived. These people are crazy, but are they dangerous? Senator Vanderveen's new team of cyborg agents are in hot pursuit and a reward for Zoe and Noah's capture is broadcast nationwide. Once again they need to escape his grasp or at least die trying.
***
What readers are
"Loved it! So much anticipation and drama!"
"Though it was utterly heartbreaking, I loved how the author, Lee Strauss, did the romance in this book. It was ... backward, kind of an anti-romance."
"Lee Strauss portrays what life could be like when humanoids have all the jobs and humans have to do any and everything just to get by!...THIS SERIES IS A MUST READ!!" *** The exciting conclusion of the Perception Trilogy.
Zoe and Noah and the others have survived a crash landing in the Arizona desert, but that doesn't mean they're safe. Having escaped President Vanderveen's henchmen, Zoe and Noah find themselves stranded in the Arizona desert with no one to lean on but each other. The stakes are high and emotions run wild. A rogue soldier comes upon the sanctuary of their hideout. Will he help the survivors, or expose them? More danger lies ahead, and even off the grid, Zoe can't quite escape her grandfather's evil clutches. Noah Brody will do anything to keep Zoe safe ~ battle cyborgs, robots and the annoying playboy member of their small group ~ but he's helpless when Zoe's own body fights against her. He's promised never to leave her. It's a promise he might just have to break. *** What readers are
"I love this book series. It is a great love story that taps into some ethics problems that we face today in regard of artificial intelligence."
"I really enjoyed this book and the others, it keeps you guessing and holding out hope that Zoe and Noah will get their HEA!"
"Book 3 did not disappoint!"
"Lee Strauss brings these characters to life in a big way. Though futuristic, so many scenarios parallel what is going on now.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2013
45 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Lee Strauss
129 books2,342 followersFor fans of Golden Age who-dun-its ~ from a USA TODAY Bestselling author!
You'll adore Lady Gold from the acclaimed Ginger Gold Mysteries series, and the spin of series, Higgins & Hawke.
Look for the connected 1950s era Rosa Reed Mysteries.
NEW ~ The Velvet Spy ~ The Wartime Journal of Ginger Gold
For more info visit: leestraussbooks.com
You'll adore Lady Gold from the acclaimed Ginger Gold Mysteries series, and the spin of series, Higgins & Hawke.
Look for the connected 1950s era Rosa Reed Mysteries.
NEW ~ The Velvet Spy ~ The Wartime Journal of Ginger Gold
For more info visit: leestraussbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 25, 2022
The Perception Trilogy
A perfect world, where there is more privilege, longer life, perfect bodies, and the imperfect live outside the boundaries and are excluded. Yet the perfect still desire more and accidents happen. Two young people from opposite ends of the spectrum struggle to find common ground.
A perfect world, where there is more privilege, longer life, perfect bodies, and the imperfect live outside the boundaries and are excluded. Yet the perfect still desire more and accidents happen. Two young people from opposite ends of the spectrum struggle to find common ground.
December 27, 2016
Book 1 – Perception (rating 4 stars)
This part was a re-read for me. I read Perception earlier and jumped at the chance to purchase the rest of the series when I saw it on sale.
In a futuristic world, people have the option of having surgery for themselves or their children to make them GAP’s – genetically altered persons. Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP. In fact, her grandfather was one of the pioneers in the process. Being a GAP allows a person to be free of most diseases and slows the aging process down by at least half. GAPs can live considerably longer than regular people.
But even being a Gap can’t keep you from being murdered. Apparently, that is what happens to Zoe’s brother, Liam when he fails to return home from his lab at the University one day. The police don’t appear to be able to find out much. So Zoe decides to investigate on her own.
To help her navigate the world of regular people in Los Angeles, outside the protected area of Sol City where she lives, she turns to Noah Brody, the son of the family maid. It turns out that Noah’s grandfather partnered with Zoe’s grandfather in the original GAP research. But unlike Zoe’s grandfather, Noah’s grandfather declined to have the GAP procedures done for himself or his family. His descendants have become unalterably opposed to GAPs and the wealth and privileges they enjoy.
Eventually, Noah and Zoe do uncover what happened to Liam, and it is worse than they could have suspected. Along the way, they discover some unsettling information about Zoe herself. And they also discover that they have fallen in love.
Book 2 – Volition (rating 3 stars)
This book suffers from the probably almost unavoidable problem of a middle book in a trilogy; it is in the middle, and its primary purpose is to get from the first part to the last part.
In this book, Zoe and Noah are on the run from Grandpa Vanderveen’s goons. Earlier, Grandpa and Zoe’s former boyfriend Jackson had taken her back home and erased all her memories of Noah using drugs and some kind of mind wipe. And nano-bots. Noah got her back, but for a long time, she seems to be unsure whether she can trust him, and whether he still loves her. They spend this entire book running and trying not to get caught, but the goons find them at least twice.
They stay at an anti-technology religious commune for a while, where they have a rough time, and where the inmates also have a rough time once the goons show up. Later they hole up in a deserted factory with a brother and sister who run an illegal virtual fighting ring of some sort. In between, they are on the road or staying in hotels the whole time. Very depressing.
And in the middle of all this, when they hear the news, and it isn’t about the ongoing manhunt for them, the news it that Grandpa Vanderveen has been elected President. And the next thing is that there is some sort of incident happening with China that triggers Grandpa’s government to rush cyborg warriors into production.
Book 3 - Contrition (Rating 4 stars)
In this last installment of the Perception series, Zoe discovers that, because she is a clone, her status as a GAP has been neutralized, and it turns out that she can get sick after all. And she has. She has some kind of heart disease that can kill her at any moment. Noah decides he must take her back to her parents in Sol City to save her life.
The collection of rebel cyborg soldiers, religious cultists, and other friends who have attached themselves to Noah and Zoe melts away rather suddenly after the humanoid Taylor Blake has programmed to help them suddenly turns on the cyborgs killing three of the four of them. Noah manages to successfully return Zoe to her parents, but her request to have him stay with her is thwarted by her mother who makes it impossible not to refuse the bribe money she offers him to stay away. Zoe is returned, against her will, once more to the world of GAP privilege.
But then, in a surprising final twist, everything blows up in everybody’s face, and humanity is almost eliminated completely. And it all has to do with the initially unobtrusive humanoids. Very exciting, but it’s a near thing.
This part was a re-read for me. I read Perception earlier and jumped at the chance to purchase the rest of the series when I saw it on sale.
In a futuristic world, people have the option of having surgery for themselves or their children to make them GAP’s – genetically altered persons. Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP. In fact, her grandfather was one of the pioneers in the process. Being a GAP allows a person to be free of most diseases and slows the aging process down by at least half. GAPs can live considerably longer than regular people.
But even being a Gap can’t keep you from being murdered. Apparently, that is what happens to Zoe’s brother, Liam when he fails to return home from his lab at the University one day. The police don’t appear to be able to find out much. So Zoe decides to investigate on her own.
To help her navigate the world of regular people in Los Angeles, outside the protected area of Sol City where she lives, she turns to Noah Brody, the son of the family maid. It turns out that Noah’s grandfather partnered with Zoe’s grandfather in the original GAP research. But unlike Zoe’s grandfather, Noah’s grandfather declined to have the GAP procedures done for himself or his family. His descendants have become unalterably opposed to GAPs and the wealth and privileges they enjoy.
Eventually, Noah and Zoe do uncover what happened to Liam, and it is worse than they could have suspected. Along the way, they discover some unsettling information about Zoe herself. And they also discover that they have fallen in love.
Book 2 – Volition (rating 3 stars)
This book suffers from the probably almost unavoidable problem of a middle book in a trilogy; it is in the middle, and its primary purpose is to get from the first part to the last part.
In this book, Zoe and Noah are on the run from Grandpa Vanderveen’s goons. Earlier, Grandpa and Zoe’s former boyfriend Jackson had taken her back home and erased all her memories of Noah using drugs and some kind of mind wipe. And nano-bots. Noah got her back, but for a long time, she seems to be unsure whether she can trust him, and whether he still loves her. They spend this entire book running and trying not to get caught, but the goons find them at least twice.
They stay at an anti-technology religious commune for a while, where they have a rough time, and where the inmates also have a rough time once the goons show up. Later they hole up in a deserted factory with a brother and sister who run an illegal virtual fighting ring of some sort. In between, they are on the road or staying in hotels the whole time. Very depressing.
And in the middle of all this, when they hear the news, and it isn’t about the ongoing manhunt for them, the news it that Grandpa Vanderveen has been elected President. And the next thing is that there is some sort of incident happening with China that triggers Grandpa’s government to rush cyborg warriors into production.
Book 3 - Contrition (Rating 4 stars)
In this last installment of the Perception series, Zoe discovers that, because she is a clone, her status as a GAP has been neutralized, and it turns out that she can get sick after all. And she has. She has some kind of heart disease that can kill her at any moment. Noah decides he must take her back to her parents in Sol City to save her life.
The collection of rebel cyborg soldiers, religious cultists, and other friends who have attached themselves to Noah and Zoe melts away rather suddenly after the humanoid Taylor Blake has programmed to help them suddenly turns on the cyborgs killing three of the four of them. Noah manages to successfully return Zoe to her parents, but her request to have him stay with her is thwarted by her mother who makes it impossible not to refuse the bribe money she offers him to stay away. Zoe is returned, against her will, once more to the world of GAP privilege.
But then, in a surprising final twist, everything blows up in everybody’s face, and humanity is almost eliminated completely. And it all has to do with the initially unobtrusive humanoids. Very exciting, but it’s a near thing.
March 6, 2017
Permafree? Rest seem to be on Kindle Unlimited, PREQUEL to 3 set consists of Perception, Volition, Contrition Books can be gotten separately as well of course. Dystopian/futuristic/scifi/romance, bit too much romance for me and at times the female parts seemed stereotypical but since that is a personal boggle no reason to take stars.
Also author of Nursery Rhyme suspense stories including the short story I Spy with my Little Eye, as well as Clockwise books. Not only are the books available individually but also in various sets. Enjoyed the other stores more, but that again is a personal preference not an indication of any writing issues.
Also author of Nursery Rhyme suspense stories including the short story I Spy with my Little Eye, as well as Clockwise books. Not only are the books available individually but also in various sets. Enjoyed the other stores more, but that again is a personal preference not an indication of any writing issues.
August 1, 2016
These were very interesting and easy to read books.
The four books tell the story of how in the future our world becomes changes by climate changes, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions--both financially and philosophically. The world creates a class of GAPs who are superior to others.
This is a classic Romeo and Juliet story of young people from different cultures/classes who fall in love when it is forbidden.
The four books tell the story of how in the future our world becomes changes by climate changes, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions--both financially and philosophically. The world creates a class of GAPs who are superior to others.
This is a classic Romeo and Juliet story of young people from different cultures/classes who fall in love when it is forbidden.
December 12, 2014
UTOPIA OR DYSTOPIA?
Everyone wants progress but there is a disagreement as to what that entails and whether it is worth the price that must be paid.
Everyone wants progress but there is a disagreement as to what that entails and whether it is worth the price that must be paid.
August 16, 2015
Good series
I enjoyed all 4 books in this series. Would recommend to those who like science fiction. Also a good action story.
I enjoyed all 4 books in this series. Would recommend to those who like science fiction. Also a good action story.
September 16, 2015
Great Collection
Great series for sci-fi lovers. It is a romantic sci-fi series that keeps you reading. I like how the characters come to life.
Great series for sci-fi lovers. It is a romantic sci-fi series that keeps you reading. I like how the characters come to life.
January 24, 2017
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