Atoma and the Blockchain Game

by G.M. O'Neill

In 2050 Earth Inc. controls every aspect of life on a frozen planet at the tail end of a mini ice age.

It's my 16th year, just as it is for everyone in my class of Space Engineers, and that means our Citizen Celebration Day fast approaches. I am not looking forward to it, and as it happens I don't have to. The world as I know it comes to a shattering end when our air-shuttle crashes and I awake in hospital.

The AI treating me announces my DNA is banned. Then, my mother tells me about my biohack that she hid from the state as well as from me.

Not that any of that matters anymore. I am not a citizen. I have no rights. I'm a Zero.

When Earth Inc. catches up with me, they give me a choice. A labor camp, where I am worked to death within a few short years, or I train with other Zeros at a secretive research base for a high-risk expedition?

I have to discover why I was made a Zero. I have to live and that means surviving the mission.

______________

Attaapa, Book II in the Atoma series is coming out soon.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2019

About the author

G.M. O’Neill was born and raised in New Zealand. He now lives across the great ditch in Sydney, Australia. Which may explain the odd sense of dislocation that drives him to write science fiction thrillers.

Also found here: https://www.facebook.com/GMONeillAuthor

Reviews

[Sean Randall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say I was overly impressed. I know a lot of Ya books try and get the parents out of the way quickly, but this was done rather extremely. The chapters were incredibly short and in at least two places whole sentences were literally repeated verbatim. Quite a few plot issues, not to mention a rather strange writing style (perhaps an attempt at teen-styling?) and I came away feeling that the book had been rushed to little benefit.

[A. Yukutake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book told a story of a 15 year old girl who finds out that she no longer has any human rights or is considered human. I really enjoyed this read as it implied a possible, dark and realistic future, warning society. I liked the humour used in the novel even though it falls under the category of science fiction and distopia. This is a YA, however, the parents are likeable, which is a little different for the genre, and are not killed off right away. The main group of girls in the story play a significant role, and their personalities feel real and relatable. The main character, Atoma, has a strong and determined mind, and makes the readers root for her the whole time. These aspects bring out what a YA book really needs to me.

[Lynn Hallbrooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

You never know what life will throw your way.

Things to know up-front: This is the first book in an on-going series. This Young Adult Science Fiction book contains some violence as well as adult language.

Atoma loves school especially math and science, her career path was practically laid out in front of her. That is, until, an accident revealed the secrets of her origin - one that she didn't even know. Now in a society where certain things are not tolerated, she has a decision to make.

Most of the book is seen from Atoma's point of view. I really liked this. As a reader, it gave me the opportunity to feel and experience her emotions as events unfolded. This made her become a real person in my mind.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book. I voluntarily read it and above are my honest thoughts.

[Ronald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great story with a medium reading pace. It is about a girl named Atoma who, as a genetic outcast, is promised instatement into society by a secret organization in return for participation in a non-disclosed assignment that requires intense physical training and direct mind infused learning. Unfortunately for Atoma, the assignment, an alternative to a lifetime of hard labor, is not what she expected.

The true nature of Atoma’s assignment does not become evident until the end of this first book in the Atoma trilogy. No reading satisfaction is possible in this book, however, as the rest of the story is in the two sequels, neither of which are available. Cutting off the story the way the author did in this first book left me feeling a little betrayed. My preference is for books in a series to stand on their own thus providing the reader with a sense of completion.

[Goldilocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atoma was a delightful surprise. (Spoilers ahead) The main character is a teenage girl, who finds out that her life has no value on Earth. She and others like her, called Zeros, are recruited for a mission they know nothing about. So much training, so much to endure, to succeed in a mission they don't understand. They are thrust into a world so unfamiliar to them, and must stay alive for a year, still not knowing what their purpose is. There are some fun characters in Atoma, and the plot was quite unique. I loved the group dynamics and how these teenage girls had to band together for a mission no one will tell them anything about. I look forward to Book 2, and finding out where this story is going.

[Maaia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atoma and the Blockchain Game is an exceptional book for young readers like me, ticking off all my boxes. Starting with the lonely themes when she discovers she is not human, Atoma is accepted by a research centre into a group of girls preparing for an expedition to an unknown place. The fact that the main character is a young teenage girl, realistically living in the dark near future, made it very fun and easy to connect with. The characters in this novel had personalities and feelings that made it realistic and real. I recommend this to all dystopian, science fiction and adventure lovers. Cannot wait for book 2!

[Kerri Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for letting me read this book in exchange for a review. I have just finished reading this book. I found it fascinating enough to want to read the next one desperately. I only found two errors: one was a spelling error- borders instead of boarders. The second was incorrect punctuation-- a question mark where a period should have been. Everything else was pretty great. It is easy to figure out what the girls were being used for, but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of this book. I recommend for anyone with a liking for YA and science fiction novels. I will be watching for book two with impatient anticipation

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good ya story that at times got lost in proofreading issues.

[Andy Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but a lot of duplication (words/sentences were duplicated in a lot of places). Was also quite short.