Sulan by Camille Picott: A Book Review

Sulan
by Camille Picott
Publisher: Pixiu Press, June 4, 2012
296 Pages

It isn't very often that upon opening one the review copies coming by snail mail or email that I end up dropping everything for the rest of the day, forgetting to eat, to sleep, to post, to check my email, fb, twitter, feed the cat...

But that's what happened the day I found Sulan in my inbox.

In spite of the fact I had several ARCs in line ahead of it including several scheduled blog tour reviews for which I still needed to finish if not begin the books, and although as is my practice, I'd opened the book in my Kindle for PC just to test it so I could let the author know I had it and it was working, I didn't stop reading after one or two or three screen flips as usual.

Now tho, I'm wishing that I'd written the review immediately after because it has been two months and a dozen novels, several reviews, my August Camp NaNo noveling and sixty odd blog posts have gone under the bridge since then and I'm having trouble remembering the details of the story necessary for a proper review--character names, order of events, author's voice--and there is no time to reread it.

But I can still remember the sense of being enthralled,  I can still remember the 'flavor' of the story world and much of its premise.  I can still remember the personality of Sulan herself and I can still remember the final cliff hanger leaving me yearning for the next episode of this YA cyperpunk, dystopian, near-future, sci-fi story.

If you need to know more about the plot read the publisher blurbs below but take it from me if you are at all into YA, cyperpunk, dystopian plots, near-future plots, or sci-fi you are bound to enjoy this one.

rom the Publishers:

Sixteen-year-old Sulan Hom can't remember life before the Default-the day the United States government declared bankruptcy. As a math prodigy, she leads a protected life, kept safe from the hunger and crime plaguing the streets of America. She attends the corporate-sponsored Virtual High School, an academy in Vex (Virtual Experience) for gifted children.

Beyond the security of Sulan's high-tech world, the Anti-American League wages a guerrilla war against the United States. Their leader, Imugi, is dedicated to undermining the nation's reconstruction attempts. He attacks anything considered a national resource, including corporations, food storage facilities-and schools. When Sulan witnesses the public execution of a teenage student and the bombing of a college dorm, she panics.

Her mother, a retired mercenary, refuses to teach her how to defend herself. Sulan takes matters into her own hands. With the help of her hacker best friend, Hank, Sulan acquires Touch-an illegal Vex technology that allows her to share the physical experience of her avatar. With Touch, Sulan defies her mother and trains herself to fight.

When Imugi unleashes a new attack on the United States, Sulan finds herself caught in his net. Will her Vex training be enough to help her survive and escape?

What they are saying: 

"This is a smart book, combining cyber-punk elements with a dystopian future. I really enjoyed Picott's world-building and hope for a sequel to fill out the pieces we get. This is a fast-paced, smart young adult read that I think anyone interested in teen, dystopian, or cyber lit will enjoy."- AliBird, Amazon Reviewer

" I'm not a huge fan of cyberpunk, but Picott's highly entertaining and witty YA novel completely won me over. Every chapter springs its own surprise and ends with a perfect cliff hanger that won't let you put the book down. Sulan's character is also a real gem. Her tenacity in the face of adverse circumstances - from being vertically challenged to dealing with villains - makes you root for her every step of the way."- Arlene Ang, Amazon Reviewer

Camille Picott has been writing books since the age of twelve. She specializes in science fiction and fantasy stories with Asian-inspired settings and Asian main characters. She is the author of two middle grade fantasy books, Raggedy Chan and Nine-Tail Fox.

In her spare time, Camille loves to read books and write reviews. Her reviews are written from a writer's perspective, highlighting various aspects of craft found in the books she reads.

www.camillepicott.com


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