Aqua

The Elements #1

by Tracy Korn

Hold your breath...

The future is five miles underwater. And Jazwyn Ripley's time has come.

Only the best get into Gaia Sur, the elite academy on the ocean floor. But something is wrong in the interviews.

Jazz's evaluation is too easy compared with those of her soul-rattled classmates, and now, Arco Hart is desperate to protect her from something he won't talk about.

Cryptic messages coming from the earth's core. A charming, but infamous rival who knows why.

There is every reason to walk away, but it takes 12 years to earn a chance to escape the polluted topside world. At the bottom, there really is nowhere to go but down.

The road to everything the cadets ever wanted now leads somewhere they never intended to go, and at the bottom of the sea, one decision will change the course of their lives for good...

Continue on the scripted path, or chase something deeper?

✔ Adrenaline rush action.
✔ Heart-stopping romance.

Dive into the first book of The Elements series and find out why readers are calling it "The adventure of Hunger Games, the scope of Maze Runner, and the heart of The Selection, all under one ocean!"

CHECK OUT THE NEW SECOND EDITION WITH BONUS CONTENT! 

From the inside flap:

The State estimates the atmosphere will only sustain a handful of generations before overcrowding, air quality, and economic hardship make it nearly impossible to survive, let alone thrive in an ever-shrinking topside world. Government buildings and the global elite have already relocated several miles underwater where Gaia Sur has led the way in biodesign, omnicoding, astronavigation, and diplomacy careers, just to name a few of the futures available to those who have what it takes to make a difference for themselves and their families. For everyone else--the Seaboarder working class, the Tinkerers, the Fishers, the Fringe, even the domed Skyboard mountain pseudo-elite-- time is running out. Fifteen students will beat the odds only to find themselves in over their heads with one way out: going deeper.

Fast-paced, character-driven, and full of plot twists you'll never see coming, take a deep breath and get ready to dive into AQUA, the first book in The Elements series.

First published as a five-part eBook serial, AQUA is now available as a full-length novel as Book 1 in The Elements series.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy, Young Adult

502 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

Tracy Korn is a USA Today bestselling YA / Speculative Fiction author and all around science geek who may or may not have a "Lip Smackers" chapstick addiction. When she’s not inventing dystopian worlds (and subsequently saving them or wrecking them more), she reads about other people doing it, practices her newbie cinematographer skills, and dreams of someday meeting James Cameron.

To be the first to hear about new releases, giveaways, and if Tracy ever really does meet James Cameron, sign up for her VIP list at bit.ly/TracyKornNL. Also, follow the platforms below for impromptu giveaways and bonuses!

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Reviews

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever read a dystopian... underwater?

First, take the underwater world of The Little Mermaid (minus actual fins). Second, take the dystopian aspects of Divergent. You would end up with something quite similar to Aqua by Tracy Korn.

I think the dystopian aspects of an underwater world were pretty damn cool. I’ve read a few siren books, a few seaside books, a few dystopian books... but nothing that quite combines all three. Most undersea books I have read have been fantasy, and usually end up involving merfolk or sirens, so I think the human dystopian aspects were cool as hell, and *definitely* unique. And the whole “humans underwater” thing kind of reminds me of the episode Fish Out Of Water from BoJack Horseman (gurgle-glub-glub-blub-blub).

However, as with the books in the other series I have read by this author, I think the sciencey terms went a little over my head. That, and, I didn’t quite connect with Jazz, the narrator and main character. The writing of her narration itself was *not* bad, I just couldn’t quite connect with the character herself — there’s a review on Goodreads for this book that says that “nothing quite drew me in” and I think the same could be said for me, too. There was nothing, to me, that really stuck out about her as a character, and I almost think this story could have potentially been better told in third person narration. Perhaps that’s just me, though. I am only one reader’s opinion.

There was a whole love triangle subplot to this book, too, but honestly I... didn’t really follow it at all? I couldn’t tell you a single thing about either of the guys in the love triangle, nor whom Jazz ended up with. Which I guess is better than a love triangle being so terribly rip-your-hair-out unbearable, but... yeah, I didn’t quite care about the guys in this particular read, either.

As I’m typing out this review, I’m very surely realizing that I liked the world and world-building, but not so much the characters... which I think is accurate. I’m glad I can put it into words now because before I started this review I wasn’t quite sure where it was going to go. World-building: absolutely excellent. Characters: Ehhh, could have definitely been better.

Overall, I do think this work has some great qualities — such as, as said above, the world-building. I didn’t connect with any of the characters much at all, BUT maybe that is different for somebody else. The writing is great, I’m just not the right fit for the characterization. But I do think there is appeal for other readers, so if you think the characters sound at all interesting, I would still give this book a shot!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always a little leery of books that are described by likening them to a bunch of other books/series thrown together seemingly at random that have little to nothing in common with either each other or the book in question other than the genre and intended target group... this one being a prime example. There were a lot of interesting elements (pun not intended) here, but ultimately the book didn't really come together for me and didn't manage to fully draw me in. I just... don't get this world. The worldbuilding is weird and incongruous, contains too many at best half explained concepts, and needed far more background to seem plausible. The characters lacked depth and I found most of them rather irritating. Fewer characters, more deeply developed, would have done this book a world of good. The love triangle subplot I could have done entirely without. Basically, this turned out to be one of those YA books that make me feel like yep, there's such a thing as "too old for YA" and I'm it.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I read this series a while back and being able to experience it again through Dana Dae's narration was fantastic! She does a great job narrating for Jazz's POV and was incredibly consistent in her tone and pitch for each character when they spoke. I highly recommend this!

[Prismseven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aqua

Enjoyable dystopian young adult story. The characters have great potential for growth. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[K.M. Herkes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thumbnail: a solid, engagingly-written entry into the YA dystopian arena, well worth a look.

Aqua has the feel of the best Heinlein juveniles, where personal courage, teamwork, and science win the day. It has interesting scientific and societal underpinnings, and action-driven plot, and a cast of liable and hatable characters. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh new SF voice or a series that promotes a positive outlook towards science and problem-solving the way to a better future.

The descriptions are sharp, the world is intriguing, the protagonist is relatable, and the supporting cast fall into easily-recognized archetypes without hitting any big red stereotype buttons. Formatting concerns and some discomfort with the premises prevent me giving it four stars. I enjoyed the character interplay enough for 3.5 stars, which would round up to 4, but presentation affects my enjoyment. The format had some issues, and as the plot advanced, the science got a little murky for me.

I read Aqua soon after the ebook was released on Amazon, so there's hope the formatting issues have already been addressed, but I can only review what I saw. And the scientific development issues aren't going to bug most people as much as they did me. In books I prefer either full hard explanation or hand-wavy acceptance, and this one fell in the gap between.

There are lots of explanations, and certain technologies are critical to plot, but..well. To avoid throwing spoilers in the mix, I'll say only that some advances were so far ahead of others that it felt like the implications either not considered, or not explained away enough to help me dismiss them. That might seem minor, but it jars me out of the narrative when I can immediately see applications for something that would totally change the society that came up with it.

Entertainment mileage will likely vary based on reader tolerance for (1) formatting oddities like random changes in line spacing and paragraph structure and (2) cinematic presentation of science in their science fiction. Last but not least: cliffhanger alert.

In summation: I liked Aqua, I can recommend it to certain audiences (and I will grab the next one because I'm hooked) but it didn't fully satisfy me as much as I think future books by the writer will.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Seriously, I didn't realize how much I was missing a good undersea-based adventure!

The main cast was varied and felt real. Jazz and Jax have a great sibling relationship where they can read each other but are so different. Arco is the guy you can always count on. Liddick is the friend who seems to be completely carefree at first glance. Vox was just such a badass - I hope we get more if her in the second book!

The world TK builds is full of technology that doesn't exist, but she described it in detailed ways that actually make sense. Cloning, submarines, mini-subs/stingrays, details about the glass itself, holograms, physically transporting bodies through virtual waves, hacking, coding, deep emotion-reading, nanites, navigation,medical scanners that are just ridiculously cool, and more.

The action builds as the book goes on and the way she builds relationships, trust, teams, suspense, understanding, and attraction feels so natural. When talking about or facing loss, injury, death, she keeps things feeling real even though many of these situations are completely beyond our realm of reality.

Looking forward to more adventures for sure!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Ms. Korn at a convention where she gave me an introduction to the book and characters. I normally do not read books focused on late teens but I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. The characters were described in great detail and after reading the book I really feel and I know them personally. Ms. Korn did a great job mixing teenage pressures and science fiction. I did however find it hard to follow the slang but I blame that on my age. I love how much detail she uses to explain the surroundings. It really made me feel I was there with the characters. There were a couple things that felt like they were forced which is why I did not give it 5 stars. I think this book is actually 4.5 stars but amazon will not let me put that. Over all,I think this is an excellent read and I highly recommend it.

[Kathleen Mowrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Tracy at Indiana ComicCon where we talked and I bought the book. She's now a friend on facebook and it's pretty awesome. For me, it seemed like the pacing was a bit off. Some parts moved along quickly and others really slowly, but seeing as it's the first book in a series, that makes sense. Taking time to introuduce characters, describe places and set a foundation for more books isn't always easy. Overall the story is amazing and I can't wait to read Terra! Friendships, teamwork, science and more help make this a wonderfully interesting story.

[Caley Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

[I was given a free copy of the book by the author in exchange for a review through Voracious Readers Only]

I picked up this book with the expectation that it would be reminiscent of previous YA dystopian series and for the most part I was right but this didn't bother me at all! There are a lot of elements in the story that are very similar to those books (particularly The Testing but also The Giver, Uglies, The Hunger Games, and Divergent), but the underwater world setting adds a lot of uniqueness and prevents the story from starting out as a complete rehash. Around the first quarter of the book, the plot ramps up and begins to develop the story into something more distinct from the usual formula for the genre and made me want to keep reading to find out why Jazwyn's interview was different from the others' and what dark secret Gaia was hiding.

Right from the prologue, Korn's rich descriptions of the character's terrestrial and marine surroundings and particularly the high-tech futuristic features of Gaia in contrast with the Topside immersed me into the story immediately. The story also had great world-building with all the characters having interesting and unusual names, slang, and cultural rituals that contributed even more to making them as well as the setting feel real and tangible. I thought they were fleshed out well and all the love triangles that get set up among them added even more drama on top of the already suspenseful plot. I also liked how the story was driven by dialogue and emotional introspection (mostly from Jazwyn and is pertinent to the plot) without slowing down its pace. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I would recommend it to fans of the series mentioned above.

[Ashlee Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second series I’ve read by this author. I had no idea I was missing anything in life until I read this book! It reminds me of the Hunger Games but so much more!

First off, these characters! On. My. God. Tracy Korn has a way of creating characters that literally tug at your heart. They become friends that you can’t help but fall in love with and root for. She’s done it again with Jazz, Liddick, Arco, Jax, Vox, and the rest of their gang. I love watching them grow not only together as a group but individually as well. They grow and mature as they learn the ins and outs of their new home.

Then there’s all they twists that are being thrown at them. When they get to Gaia Sur it’s a completely new world for the bunch. With teachers that hide things, technology more advanced than what they know, and gifts they didn’t know they had. Friendships grow with unlikely students as they try to make sense of what’s true and what’s not. Experiments that are out of this world, kidnappings and fake deaths, monsters you couldn’t possibly dream of.

When I first started reading there was so much information and things that don’t exist today that I was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up, but I was completely wrong. This author has a way of writing that not only keeps you turning pages for more but also is easy to comprehend throughout the story. The world that she has come up with is both amazing and scary at the same time. While you are reading you can see yourself right there alongside the characters. It’s like a literal movie playing out right there in front of you. The author had you literally laughing out loud, biting your nails, gasping out loud in shock, and even shedding a tear or two. What an adventure this book takes you on.

I highly recommend this books and the ones after! I know I’ll be reading the rest of this series. If I could I’d give it more than just 5 stars!!

[Philleys Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complex story with a very different take on the over populated and heavily polluted world of ours.
For the past twelve years Jazwyn and her friends have prepared for the chance to be selected for admission to Gaia Sur, a high honor indeed, instead of remaining behind in the dystopian and dying Earth that they lived in. But this group of highly intelligent young adults quickly realize that things are not as they seem. And uncovering these deadly hidden secrets will only lead to death. A really well written story that keeps you hooked to the very end. An intriguing adventure to be continued in book two. Can hardly wait for it!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok....so that was rather amazing! I love the characters and the chemistry between them. I only wish that Jazz was a little more kickbutt but I'm holding out hope that she will get there. They all have so much room to grow and I expect them to do just that going forward into the next book. The world that the author has created has me in awe. The underwater school is hard to wrap your mind around but once you do.....! And The technology??!!! Unreal! This is science fiction at its best. The love triangle.... I love them both and can't decide who I would like to see Jazz end up with. That ending gutted me even though I saw it coming it still gutted me and I'm chomping at the bit to get to book 2. GREAT read!!!

[Joey Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up having read another book by Korn, and was delighted to fall into a new world with her at the helm. Jazz has always believed she knows what she wants, but then she gets it and is thrown into a world more dark than she thought. I was hooked from the first word, and right there with Jazz as she learns the new world for herself. Korn's writing is engaging, beautifully crafted and makes you want to keep reading. The only reason I didn't finish this in one sitting is my need for sleep, but at the first chance, I was back into the Aqua world. Overall an amazing book and one I recommend!

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aqua is a YA dystopian novel that is fairly well written. I think the author did a great job with the world-building, the tension between the different groups of people as well as the haves and have-nots are well scripted. The characters are well-fleshed out and our main protagonist, Jaz, is a compelling character to follow around. I could have done without the love triangle, but it was mostly lowkey so I can live with it. Other than that, there were a few things that irked me but not enough to keep me from reading the next book in the series. Overall, Aqua is a very readable story that moves at a fairly fast clip it is over 500 pages but felt shorter. I look forward to the next one.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The earth surface will only support life for a few more generations. There is a place they could go to but things will not be so easy. She is training to get to the city under the sea. Things are not as they seem but she knows she needs to carry on to save the others. What is really going on? Will she find out?.Will she suceed? See if she is

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was interesting. I liked the characters, well most of them. The world building was really interesting. A lot of the tech was really interesting and at first it was really neat learning about it. But some just seemed odd and I either wanted more or less explanation. I just felt some things were overly simplified and others way too complex. Overall, I do think that it was really well thought out.

Happy reading!

[Staci Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we all plan so carefully for the future...

Goals and dreams motivating each step of the way. Yet shouldn't we be asking towards what really? Is it our dreams? Have we just be following the corporate plan? What will be found upon achieving the big ticket? As in this story one never really knows. More importantly what didn't we see on the path?

[Lynn Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really hard to get into, but once I did I couldn’t put it down. The tech and the possibilities were pretty amazing and other things that I don’t want to spoil them. There is a typical love triangle that does intrigue me but I’m not sure if I’m going to continue on. I’d read it for sure..

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a story that grabs you by the imagination and takes you for a ride. From the beginning to the end, it is an intense thrill ride. The characters are portrayed so clearly that you can imagine them and see them doing the things throughout the book.

I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.

[Trinity Waddell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review through Voracious Readers Only

This was an interesting book. I enjoyed it but found a lot was completely over my head. Had a lot of potential and perhaps reading other future books in the series, I'll get to understand more and tie it all together more. The characters were fine but I didn't really feel connection with any of them. A great concept but didn't quite come together for me.

[Amy Harman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series would make a great movie series. Better than the Hunger Games. The characters are edgy the story is action packed and the author really gives each character life. Hope there is more where this came from.

[Elizabeth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was so awesome!! The characters were so intense and strong and the story was unique and had me on the edge of my seat! I can’t wait to read the next book!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very original dystopian story that completely grabbed me and held me through the book. This is fast-paced book that had the most awesome characters and I cannot wait for the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather Bane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aqua is a good book. I thought the story was good and the characters well written. I’ll be getting the next book in the series and I recommend reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man. This story sucked me right in. Some of the technical jargon was a little confusing in the middle. I definitely want more. Can't wait to find out what happens next.

[AJ Flannery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[BluJade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found book 1 enjoyable. You can definitely tell the Author put a lot of thought into creating this world. Looking forward to the next book. I also appreciate the poc main characters.

[Araelynn Monet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing

[Lisa P · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this book is fascinating. There are characters you are immediately drawn to and others you enjoy because they annoy the others. The nanites concept reminds me of something similar in Hugh Howey's "Wool" series which offer a level of tech creepiness on its own. I'm inclined to rate this a 3.5 due to some formatting issues, which honestly don't detract from the story it's just noticeable. However, there's a catch phrase that is somewhat overdone after a while. This series has potential.

[Kim Shank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced, interesting read

Loved the world building and the characters. Fast paced plot held my attention. Ended on a cliffhanger, though, so the story felt almost incomplete