SHADOW OF DECEPTION
Sophia L. Johnson
Outskirts Press (2015)
ISBN 9781478742845
Reviewed by Ben Weldon for Reader Views (07/15)
“Shadow of Deception” by Sophia L. Johnson is the story of Kazumi, a nineteen-year-old amnesiac who is thrust into a world of clashing powers and deception. After being found as the sole survivor of a mysterious plane crash, Kazumi is left with no memories, not even her own name. Following recovery in the hospital, blood tests reveal that she has a certain genetic mutation that grants her access to an underground society of super-humans, known as the Sarcomeres. However, the Sarcomeres are locked in a secret war with their counterparts, the Neuronics. The Sarcomeres’ key to winning this struggle rests with Kazumi, but only if she can recover her memories.
As Kazumi begins training with the Sarcomeres, her hidden genetic potential surfaces, accompanied with hints of her past. However, some of these memories carry darker secrets. Some of these secrets might threaten Kazumi’s ties to the Sarcomeres and reveal her origins, however insidious. Can Kazumi balance her loyalties and her past, or will she be torn apart by a dark history?
In “Shadow of Deception,” the author had a very clever and intricate web of various plot twists. However, these plot twists were unfortunately easy to spot approaching. In addition to the transparent plot developments, the setting seemed somewhat inconsistent. For two warring factions in the year 2153, it would have made more sense for them to be using weapons besides swords and simple firearms. Despite these shortcomings, it was an engaging read.
I would recommend “Shadow of Deception” by Sophia L. Johnson to people who like action books. It was a relatively quick read and I finished it within two days. The book was the first in The Kazumi Chronicles and I cannot wait to read the next.
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