Amped

by Daniel H Wilson

What is in Owen Gray's head … and who is trying to kill him for it? Twenty-nine-year-old Owen Gray always believed the miraculous device in his brain had been implanted for purely medical reasons, as a way of controlling the debilitating seizures he suffered in his youth. But when the Supreme Court rules that "amplified" humans like Owen are not protected by the same basic laws as pure humans, his world instantly fractures. As society begins to unravel and a new class war is ignited by fear, Owen's father, a doctor who originally implanted the "amp", confides something that will send him on a harrowing journey - his "amp" has hidden potential to do so much more than he imagined … and he is now in grave danger. All roads lead to a dusty community in rural Oklahoma, where Owen must find the one man who can explain what is really in his head. There he also meets Lyle Crosby, a dangerous and unpredictable leader of the fast-growing "amp" movement, someone whose stunning physical abilities and ruthless ideas show Owen how to harness his own startling gifts - but threaten to draw him into a world from which there may be no moral return.

• ISBN10: 1471102025
• ISBN13: 9781471102028
• Publish Date: 7 June 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 16 April 2014
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kelly]

3.5 Stars
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/01/amped-by-daniel-h-wilson.html
Amped was really surprising and not my usual favoured read, but the synopsis was too intriguing to resist. My first Daniel H. Wilson novel was an experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Essentially, Amped is a science fiction thriller, a touch of romance, but far to fleeting to mention. Perfect for the mature young adult reader, due to Owen being just shy of thirty years old. Society is crumbling, once a celebrated invention, now those with the Amp implants are hunted and there is no biding laws to protect them. Religious groups and Pure Pride advocates want them expelled from society, believing those with the fitted devices are taking their jobs, homes and lives, as their children suffer in the shadow of fellow students who are smarter, faster and bounds ahead.

It's legal vigilantism at it's worse, Amps are less than nothing in the eyes of the new America that is on the horizon. Fight, and the Amp population will only justify the violence against them, do nothing and they run the risk of being killed, and Owen is torn between the two.

I enjoyed Daniel H. Wilson's style of writing. It's to the point, unemotional and allows the reader to form their own opinions, being far removed from my usual young adult reads. I would have liked to see the characters more animated and developed. Although Owen was the main character, it was Nick who stole the show. Nick is a child who lives within Eden, intelligent beyond his years. He and Owen form a friendship, but Nick has it tough. His implant due to being blind, his parents wanting their child to thrive, only to abandon him. My heart bled for him and a few of the scenes involving Nick are truly heartbreaking. Regardless, I really enjoyed Amped, and looking forward to checking out Daniel H. Wilson's other releases.

[elvinagb]

Daniel Wilson understands what he is writing about with the technology in this story. How we use technology and deal with the consequences is the backbone of this book. A great read.