Elevated

Elevated Saga #1

by Daniel Solomon Kaplan

Rose doesn't want to be an Elevated. She refuses to have her power unlocked on Elevation Day, unlike her other classmates. The irreversible treatment reveals powers that range from a benefit or a nuisance. For her father, it transformed him into an Unsound, forcing him to a life of exile.

Her hand is forced after a chance encounter with a previously undiscovered power activates her ability. Living as an Undocumented Elevated, Rose needs the help of others who hide under the government's radar to learn to control her unwanted power. Among them, she unravels secrets about the treatment, the powers, and what happened to her father. Fed up with lies, Rose wants nothing more than to learn the whole truth--even if it means accepting her fate as an Elevated.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia, Amazon, Fiction, Superheroes

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2014

Reviews

[Rick Andreasen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book. It's not often you find a "new author" (new to me, not to writing) with as fresh a voice as D. Kaplan. As I read Elevated for the first time, I was able to create such a clear mental image of the characters and the events. The book is an original mixture of the dystopian and super-hero genres (IMO) and has a classy X-men vibe to it, with sprinkles of Divergent and Maze Runner vibes.
Finished Book 1 and immediately began Book 2. Have not been disappointed.

[NP_1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept me interested from start to finish even though it contained some distracting typos. (Such as Sad for Dad or extra words that weren't needed)

[Mimi Zane · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC from the author for free in exchange for an honest review*


1. Tell us about yourself?

I am a big sci-fi fan that decided after much convincing from my wife I had the chops to be a novelist. So here we are.

2. If you had the option to be Elevated would you?

I think I would be way too curious to find out what my secret power was to refuse the opportunity.

3. If so, what would you like to have as your super power?

Actually I would like a power that never made it in the first book. I'd like to be an Alerter, someone who never has to sleep. I would appreciate the extra time in my life to work on creative projects.

4. How did you come up with the cover? It reflects the plot of the story very well. I really like it!.

Thank you very much! It was tricky coming up with an image that was both eye catching and fitting for the story. As you know, the main plot doesn't involve a Flier, but I thought the iconic image of a Flier captured the spirit of Elevated technology. From there, I tried to use colors and font to make sure it was clearly a YA sci-fi novel. I have a bit of a background in graphic design and it was a lot of fun putting together.


5. If you could go back and change something in your book, what would it be and why would you do it?

Ask me once I finish the last book in the series, I'm sure there will be something I wished I had set up differently.

6. Did you always know you’d be a writer?

I've always enjoyed writing, but I started more on the theatrical side. My wife twisted my arm into trying prose and it turned out I enjoyed it. The nice thing about novel writing is I don't have to consider budgets or casting. No matter what I do, I have a huge passion of telling stories.

7. Aside from being an author, what other hobbies do you have?

I have written and directed three original musicals. I also enjoy graphic design. Oh, and I can do balloon animals. If that doesn't qualify me a nerd, I don't know what else I can do.


8. Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others?

Action sequences are very hard for me. Too much play by play and it reads like stage direction, too little and it's confusing or unimportant.

9. How important are names to you in your books?
Depends.
a. Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
I use both methods. I like villains with a harsh sounding name like Maddock. There are some names I choose based on meaning. Mostly sound though.
b. Do you have any name choosing resources (websites/Friends/Advice) you recommend?
Behind the Name is a great resource for checking name meanings.

10. Are you an outliner or a go-by-the-flow type of writer?

I have to start with a strong outline, but I often deviate as better ideas come into my head. The older ideas end up being red herrings or false endings, so they usually get used.

11. Where is one place you want to visit that you haven't been before?

Japan. So much culture and an awesome mix of new and old.

12. What secret talents do you have?

If I told you, they wouldn't be a secret.


Definition of Elevated: to be given an irreversible super power come Elevation Day. Rose the main character does not want to be Elevated.To Rose, some powers are not worth the trouble. Her father has been gone for most of her life unable to return because he's an Unsound. He's been replaced by a stepfather whom Rose isnt particularly fond of. Then all at once, Rose's world begins to take a fall. All she wants are answers, her father and everything to be back to normal. Elevated is her journey to do just that but is it too late?

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is very simplistic and easy going. The story starts out slow but quickly unfolds to a faster paced sci-fi thriller. There is both mystery and romance but the action drives the plot. I had a hard time connecting to Rose sometimes because she is so head strong and it irks me a bit how much she hates the idea of Elevated; however, I understand where she's coming from. Reading this it felt predictable but it actually wasnt. This was refreshing.

This deserves a solid 4 star rating. I wouldnt recommend it to everyone but this will be enjoyable to sci-fi readers. I look forward to the sequel in hope to unravel new super powers.

[Peter Millane · Rating 3 out of 5]

~This review originally appeared on www.readplayreview.com~

When an author contacts me about reviewing a new book, I always give the first chapter a read and try to get a feel for the story. Elevated has a really snappy opening, one that left me wanting to know more, so I was very happy to agree to do an honest review.

Review

Having just completed the book, i've come away from it with some mixed feelings. I'm going to list these out for clarity.

Positives

I like the premise of the world, government stepping in and giving everyone a chance to have a super power. This was a nice touch, and could probably allow for a prequel type story about people using powers unchecked and causing mayhem.

The variety of abilities is great (Scanners, Eaters, Jumpers, Catalyst etc.) and I particularly liked that there are different designations within each power type e.g. some scanners are better at detail, others better at penetrating dense material.

Rose is actually an interesting main character, and I like that she has one of the stranger abilities and not a standard one like strength or flight.

Negatives

Unfortunately we do not get the same level of details across all the power types, and it would flesh out the world a little more with these small touches.

Dialogue flows in a way that leaves too many open opportunities for detail. This is probably the thing that causes the book to feel unpolished the most and skews the target audience down to Young Teen.

I found it a little unclear as to the exact motivations of the bad guys in the book. There seem to be a multiple end goals, but perhaps I missed something vital during my read.

Final thoughts

If I were to compare and recommend something else for fans of this genre, for older teens I would HIGHLY recommend Vicious by V. E. Schwab.

As a huge fan of super powered teen stories, I was really wanting to love Elevated. This is probably what caused me to be so critical, and therefore only award the book 3 stars.

On the plus side, Elevated is offered as part of the Kindle Unlimited plan, so it will cost you nothing to check out the book and see for yourself.


Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review.

[Stephanie Bibb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up a copy of Elevated when it was available for free, and I finally got a chance to read it recently. I really enjoyed this book (and it proved I could enjoy reading fiction on my phone).

I really liked how the powers worked, the "Russian Roulette" of the system. You never know what kind of power you might get, and once you have it, you're stuck with it. The main character, Rose, isn't so sure she wants to get zapped (the nickname for getting the treatment to have powers), especially since her father is considered "unsound." His power is dangerous to those around him, and he has to be kept apart from the rest of society. But there's more going on than meets the eye, and Rose seeks the help of her friends to find her answers.

The characters were relateable, and the world was just a shade away from our modern world, so it was interesting to see where the differences actually showed. Self-driving cars (with the ability to switch to manual... resulting in a few issues for a certain character who doesn't yet know how to drive), diners which have to choose whether or not to accommodate the needs of people with powers, and government control of unlocking a person's "full potential."

The powers were fun, the cheesy propaganda was fun, and the characters were fun (even at the times when they were annoying). Elevated is a quick, easy read with good pacing. There were moments where the plot points felt convenient when Shelly gets her power... that power felt particularly useful to the situation, but the overall story held my interest, especially to see if my suspicions about the story would be correct (some were, some weren't).

There are a few typos and formatting issues here and there, but not so many as to hamper the actual story.

If you like young adult fiction and super hero stories, I'd suggest giving Elevated a try. And if you read and enjoy this book, you might like Minder by Kate Kaynak (Young Adult Novel), or The Power Club by Greg Gildersleeve (Middle Grade Novel). Overall, I enjoyed this, and I'm curious to see what happens next. :-)

[Denae Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sky High crossed with Barcode Tattoo and Open Minds and How to Ditch Your Fairy

We have government conspiracy, hierarchy based on super powers, and one girl who doesn't fit the mold. Meet Rose.
To stay away from spoilers, I'll say this was handled masterfully. Was it a bit annoying that Rose hung out with three boys, and I could see her falling for any of them? Yes. Were the typos distracting? A tad ("Sad" for "Dad"?). Were there a couple times something wasn't fully explained? Yes (Did Jex's machine know which power? She never told, and he knew all along). Yet, the story was put together in a way that elevated the tension and characters just right.
I loved that Rose was into botany, though this could have come across more (comparing people to flowers might have been funny).
Secrets and super powers, my favorite! Oh, and moral dilemmas regarding discrimination and Lesser powers.

[Kenya Starflight · Rating 3 out of 5]

What kid or teen hasn't wanted to wake up one day to find they have superpowers? "Elevated" takes that hypothetical situation and ramps it up even further -- what if we lived in a world where EVERYONE had the opportunity to gain a superpower? Daniel Kaplan sets out to answer that question and to explore the implications of a world where everyone is given superpowers, and whether that'd be as awesome as it sounds. While the story is fairly fun and the world Daniel has built is interesting, however, it needed a better editor, and the characters are curiously flat.

Rose lives in a world where the government allows everyone to gain a superpower on Elevation Day... but Rose doesn't want her future decided for her by a randomly assigned superpower, and just wants to be herself. But when a freak accident gives her sonar powers, she finds herself struggling to keep her new abilities secret from her family and friends. When her father, who was imprisoned for possessing an especially dangerous power, is killed in prison, Rose decides that just hiding her powers is no longer enough, and she joins an underground group dedicated to exposing the secrets behind the superpower program. As Rose digs deeper into the conspiracies surrounding her father and the Elevated program, she uncovers dangerous secrets... ones that could get her and her friends killed.

The world Kaplan has built is a fascinating one, one that explores some of the implications of a world populated largely by superpowered individuals. It shows how ordinary people and people with lesser powers are discriminated against by people with more impressive powers, how badly the "superpower lottery" can serve people, and how certain powers predestine people to jobs and careers they may not necessarily want. I enjoyed the universe of this book, and am glad some thought went into the implications of superheroes on an otherwise ordinary world.

Unfortunately, the characters in this book are very flat. Rose herself is barely defined as a character, with her only personality traits being her dislike for super powers and her supposed talent for botany (which we never see and are only told of). Other characters are fairly one-note and boring -- the quirky best friend, the dueling love interests (one dorky but cute and the other brooding and mysterious), the nasty bully, the even nastier stepfather, etc.

The story itself is fairly predictable but still entertaining, though there are some odd leaps in logic. I find it hard to believe that teenagers can pull off some of the sneaking around and breaking in that these characters did, even if some of them had super powers. And there were some distracting grammar mistakes, including the use of "pommel" instead of "pummel," and even replacing "Dad" with "Sad" in one unfortunate instance.

I enjoyed the premise of this book, and the story itself was entertaining, but it just didn't hook me deeply enough to encourage me to read the rest of the series. Still, if you enjoy superhero movies and books, you'll probably enjoy "Elevated" as well.

[Michael Thal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Solomon Kaplan wrote his YA science fiction novel, Elevated: A YA Sci-Fi Fantasy Superhero Series (Elevated Book #1), based on a premise: If you could have a super power, what would it be? Since life isn’t that simple, and not all of us will fly, the characters in this book only hope for the best.

Elevation Day is when millions of kids, who just turned sixteen, like Rose Williams, have the opportunity to be zapped to uncover their hidden super power. Rose can’t decide if having a power is what she really wants, for powers range from amazing to a nuisance.

Rose’s friend, Elliott is introspective. He says, “I can’t control which system I was born in. I can only control how I cope with it.” Elliott believes this is his true power, and anything else is purely an illusion.

Rose eventually refuses to let GEMO, the government arm of the Elevated Program, zap her. Her father was declared an Unsound and forced into exile, and her mother has super hearing, which can be quite annoying. However, after Elliott’s zap experience produces no tangible results, he’s labeled a Basic. But when he becomes angry and touches Rose, he zaps her with a new found energy that turns Rose into a Scanner, a person with the ability of surveillance.

Rose decides to keep her ability secret, because who likes a peeping Tom? And if the government found out, she’d be drafted into the armed services or forced to do police work. Rose wants to become a botanist. Since the authorities think Elliott is a dud, he too decides not to let anyone know he’s a Catalyst, an Unsound power that could put him in prison for life.

Elevated is book one in Daniel Solomon Kaplan’s new series. Rose is the central character telling her story in the first person. The novel follows her and her friends’ decisions to become or not become elevated and the results of those decisions. There’s also a government conspiracy lurking in the shadows Rose uncovers as she quietly investigates her father’s mysterious death.

Elevated will keep most YA and sci-fi readers entranced until the very end; and the beginning of Book 2, Catalyst, that I may read real soon.

[Gerard Rinaldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elevated roulette

I'm used to superhero novels. I thought I would try something different. Rose is the main character and the story is good primarily through her. It is a mystery that unfolds throughout the story. I did have my suspicions as I read. I thought there could be a lot more powers that could have been used in the book.

At seventeen you are given a choice to become an Elevated. Undergo a procedure to unlock an unknown power. Some powers unlocked could get you out away for life. To have a successful life it helped to undergo the GEMMA procedure. If you stayed a basic then you lived a mundane life. A basic is someone who chose to not undergo the procedure. There were definite consequences of you chose to undergo the procedure. I would be reluctant. Rose has to make the choice. I read this in six days. I will read the next volume Catalyst. If you are into sci-fi and super powers that aren't necessarily superhero then give it a shot.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! Can’t wait to read the next one

[Bookworm12 J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Description on goodreads-

Rose doesn’t want to be an Elevated. She refuses to have her power unlocked on Elevation Day, unlike her other classmates. The irreversible treatment reveals powers that range from a benefit or a nuisance. For her father, it transformed him into an Unsound, forcing him to a life of exile.

Her hand is forced after a chance encounter with a previously undiscovered power activates her ability. Living as an Undocumented Elevated, Rose needs the help of others who hide under the government’s radar to learn to control her unwanted power. Among them, she unravels secrets about the treatment, the powers, and what happened to her father. Fed up with lies, Rose wants nothing more than to learn the whole truth–even if it means accepting her fate as an Elevated.

Elevated is the first book in a young adult sci-fi series, which takes its inspiration from comic book adventure stories.

Favorite Quotes from the book-

“What bothers me is the idea of someone can tell me that being human,being simply the way I was born,isn’t good enough.”

“I don’t believe in giving up,And I don’t believe in living a lie.”

WOW!I haven’t read such a captivating book in a really long time.It kept me entertained the whole way and it was a really fun read.I actually felt connected with the characters and I actually liked the protagonist – which for some reason I have a problem doing.Mr.Kaplan’s style of writing was really smooth and fast-paced and also had some witty humour. My favorite punchline would be-

“I collapse into the chair.I haven’t felt this tired since my algebra exam last year.”

Since I am not the best at maths myself,That shade tickled my ribs.

The book is narrated by Rose Williams ,a girl living in a post-apocalyptic world where every one who is the age of 17 has the choice to unlock their “full potential”.The abilities can be jumping,flying,scanning,eater etc.This ability is unlocked by the GEMO technology.Rose’s father is an unsound which usually means that the person’s ability is dangerous and causes harm to other people or is a criminal.The government allows Rose to talk to her father periodically.Rose decides that she won’t give the GEMO test after seeing everything that happens to her father.She goes to the GEMO centre on the day of her ‘exam’ but doesn’t give it anyway,there she meets a boy called Elliot who she has a fight with and as Elliot gets angry unknowingly he zaps her and gives her an ability.So the story goes on from there there’s a lot of fun characters my favorite being the waiter and then Aaron who is Rose’s best friend followed by Elliot who is third on the list because he keeps walking out on Rose which is so annoying for someone who is on Team Elliot.Like really annoying.

I absolutely loved the book,but no book is without a flaw and this book’s flaw is the cover,I mean such a brilliant book but that cover is not the best cover ever!It does the book no justice and makes me want to kill whoever made it.

The characters are so well-developed and they act like any normal human would if they were in their shoes.I don’t like when characters act really perfect because they are not the best role-model if they are truly perfect.Characters should make mistakes,laugh at lame things and not Walk out,get that eliott!

So all in all I am telling you guys to grab a copy of this book right now,If you are a fan of dystopian fic you are going to love it , if you are a fan of strong protagonists you are going to love it too.Basically you ARE going to love it.

Bye

Keep reading and having fun

SSJ

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free advanced copy of Elevated from the author in return for a review of the book.

Elevated is a young adult book that will keep you guessing about what will happen next.

You meet Rose, our main character. She is 17 and she has made the decision to not go through with the procedure that will make her "Elevated". Being Elevated means that the scientists have you go through a procedure that will either unlock the inner potential you have...or kill you. In this book everyone has something special inside of them; you can fly, slip your body through cracks, have super hearing, sonic powers, spit far, other lesser powers...or some powers that are "Unsound". The Unsound powers are ones that can kill other people, be used to commit crimes, or even just powers that the scientists/government don't approve of. Rose's best friend, Aaron, believes that there are government conspiracies and has also made the choice to not become Elevated. That is a major choice to make since people who are Basic (have not unlocked their special power) are deemed to be of a lower class of citizen. Unless they have a very high score in some category during placement tests, they cannot go to college and are relegated to taking those jobs that are more undesirable.

Rose's father is missing from most of the story because he had a power that was Unsound and was locked away for the safety of the society....we are told. Rose tries very hard to make her mother happy and decides not to tell her about not becoming Elevated. While at the center where the procedure is done, she meets an interesting boy. He goes through with the procedure while she takes the exit door. What happens next is the beginning of lots of excitement, learning more about the conspiracies, seeing life through the biased points of both the Elevated citizens and Basic citizens. Just when you think you know where the book is taking you, there is a twist and you are led down another interesting path.

I enjoyed the book and will look forward to the next in the series.

The only criticism I have is that I would have liked to know a little more about the world the story takes place in. Was this something that only happened to just that city or was it all society in general?

[Denise Kawaii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose doesn't want to find out her special power, but I do. Daniel Kaplan's new novel, Elevated, follows Rose and her friends as they each decide whether or not to unlock the hidden powers within them. Dangerous, unpredictable and downright amazing, the powers "enhance" their possibilities for college, jobs, and ultimately the rest of their lives.

A series of mishaps and accidents leads the varied characters in Kaplan's book into the grips of a government conspiracy that exposes some unlikely villains. Manipulation, blackmail and heroism weave together until you can't tell who is really working toward the good of mankind, and who is trying to unravel it.

Kaplan has written a YA Sci-Fi that left me hungry for more. This is definitely a novel to share with the young adult in your life, or for adults to enjoy as light reading themselves. I am certainly logging Daniel Kaplan as an author to watch, and you should too.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book served me well when life was particularly stressful for me. It helped me forget and that's all you can ever ask a good book for.

Its pretty cool to read about all the different abilities that Daniel has created and the struggle to work out if characters should go through with genetically modifying themselves or not.

Rose didn't do things the way I personally would have and my brain was telling her the answer to riddles well before she figured them out but I guess thats the beauty of reading, you immerse yourself in another world and another person. This story is as good as any.

Who doesn't love to read about people with super powers. The government doing their best to crush rebellion and destroy those that dont fit in their little boxes.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teenage superpowers

What if you could chose to get super powers?
That is the big question the book tries to cover which it does a pretty good job with the discrimination issue unlike x-men or other books with super powers this one deals with the people with super powers discriminating against those who do not which is pretty revolutionary.
It is a young adult novel so the parent issues and teenage romance was of course there so not too revolutionary on that part.

[AuroraBlaze · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb got me super excited about this book, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. It was still an interesting read, but I couldn't help but be a tiny bit disappointed in the plot. I know there's a second book, but I still feel like I'm missing something. That said, I was really engrossed in this book, wanting to find out what happens.

[Amanda White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

This book is not the genre I usually read but I liked it quite a bit . Its something different , it has an easy flow and the characters are each unique. I its called a super hero story but it doesn't have that cheesy feel of typical super hero books with the same basic theme. I am looking forward to reading the next one!!

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Loved the book. The story was well written and very entertaining. Couldn't put it down. The characters were very easy to understand and there weren't any weird jumps in the book.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of people being free not to choose, but is there much freedom in that choice?

Intriguing. A few minor typos, but it kept my attention and Im about to read the sequel.

[M.T. DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a neat concept and take on super heroes. I loved the range of powers.

[Deanna Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a neat concept! I love all the powers and the setup and the characters. Looking to reading more of this series!

Geek rating: 5/5

[bex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parts were interesting. BUT wrong number, misplaced character in a crucial scene, misunderstanding of electrical fencing... Other minor things showing need for copy editor.

[Senthil Supramaniam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome.

Awesome. I liked everything about it. I would recommend this to everyone. I chose this because it is really full of completely random suprises. Awesome.

[Patricia Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reading. recommend this. Thank you Daniel now on to the next.