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Altered: 2nd Edition Hardcover – June 17, 2017

by D.L. Gardner (Author)

4.4 19 ratings

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In a dystopian future, the new government known only as the Privatol invades American soil, and crops propel the engine. Uncontrollable tyranny has succeeded in dictating where people live, what they do, and what they eat. When Abree, a spunky twelve-year-old is taken away to learn the process of modifying seed to Newly Constructed Food she discovers an evil plan that could alter the fate of the human race, and a way out if only she can escape to tell the others.

A fast paced tale of conspiracy and escape through the southwestern desert and northern Mexico as Abree, her older brother and his girlfriend defy an abusive government.

This second edition has gone through another round of edits and some of the content has been revised.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

With a passion for a good wholesome story D.L. Gardner also (Dianne Lynn Gardner) dives into the adult and young adult fantasy genres. She is both a best selling author and an award winning illustrator who lives in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Dianne loves a book that ignites imaginations, strengthens friendships, spurs courage and applauds honor. Though she targets her stories for young adults, her books are enjoyed by all ages. Dianne was born in Ohio and raised in southern CA. She attended Northern AZ University and later continued her education in the Pacific Northwest. She's an oil painter, book illustrator, screenwriter and filmmaker. Her novels have hit the Amazon best sellers list and she has won numerous awards for her screenplays. Her most recent accomplishments include numerous screenings of her trailer for Cassandra's Castle. She has gathered a team of filmmakers ready to film a pilot episode of a TV series based on her novel. The trailer has won numerous awards including screening at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, AMC Theater in Orlando, two trophies, and the Accolade Film Festival Recognition Award. Her screenplay for the pilot episode for Cassandra's Castle won a trophy at the Indie-Gathering in Ohio. Her book Pouraka won an Imaginarium Award and trophy as the Best Urban Fantasy. Her screenplay for An Unconventional Mr. Peadlebody, based on her novel, won Best Mystery at the Veers West Screenwriters Competition in Seattle WA.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ D.L. Gardner; 2nd ed. edition (June 17, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 196 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0692899766
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0692899762
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 15 - 18 years
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.56 x 9 inches

Customer Reviews:
4.4 19 ratings

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D.L. Gardner

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Hi! I'm D.L. Gardner - Author, screenwriter, storyteller.

I write Noble-bright fantasy fiction for those who like a tall tale and fast-moving adventure.

Come see my portfolio, videos, concept trailers, and more on my website. https://gardnersart.com

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De Ann Townes

A truly triumphant and inspirational read!!!

Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2014

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Welcome inside of a world that not only mirrors the reality in our world today, but also the world I myself am personally from being a Native American Indian. As I began to read I was touched by the incredible courage and strength of the main character Abree. Her determination to overcome her current hardships and to be a pivotal change through the horrible circumstances she finds not only herself, but of those who are closes to her.
It’s amazing how a story written with such eloquence and emotion can touch you. Author Dianne Gardner has done just that. I felt all the emotions of a little girl so long ago sitting and listening to the Native stories being told to me by my grandmothers, which were also my parent’s, and how even then those stories and circumstances could apply to the ever changing but still the same world we live in today.
Brilliantly and with such exceptional vision and ease, Author Dianne Gardner creates a visually alive world within the pages of her novel that you will find yourself so drawn in, that you will have to pause and question if it is not your reality. Perfection at its best, a truly awe inspiring and triumphantly amazing read!!! (WaAr)

Read and Reviewed By: De Ann Townes Jr. Author of (Peer Inside My Soul and See Me) and (A King Among Prince)

One person found this helpful

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abshepherd

Did I read the same book as everyone else?

Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2014

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This book has quite a few 5 star reviews, giving me high expectations. Maybe too high. Somehow I get the impression I did not read the same book everyone else did.

The premise is interesting. A young adolescent girl and her family caught up in a world where food has been genetically altered (Monsanto anyone?) so that crops no longer produce seed meaning only this new regime can produce crops AND a new military regime that has taken control of the USA essentially making everyone a working prisoner, or locking them up to die.

A bit grim for a YA novel perhaps.

I really had high hopes for this, especially because the author touches on the Hopi legends of The Ant People. Sadly she really doesn't explore that legend at all. Althought The Ant People are referenced several times there is no real explanation of what The Ant People are or why they are important, except that a few of the characters use them as inspiration to keep fighting. Similarly, the Mexican diety Quetzalcoatl was referenced - actually in conjunction with The Ant People references, but again with no real exploration of any related legends. I'm not sure why the author chose these two legends to combine in this way because as far as I can tell they are unrelated, but it is fiction after all.

So with those dissapointments aside I'm afraid I have to add a few more. Some of the other reviews I've read on this book rave over how well written it is. I'm afraid I must disagree. I found it severely in need of a content editor. I have never seen, or heard, so many people sneer, snicker or get red in the face. It got to be very annoying. And twice the author said that a character's ears hurt because of the silence. Huh? The characters often seemed bi-polar, laughing and high spirited when the situation was serious. It just felt off. The dialogue also didn't feel realistic to me at all.

The story itself wasn't bad. It had heart. It had adventure. It had some characters you wanted to care about. But.

Sadly, for me this was a book that had a ton of promise, but it just didn't live up to it.

3 people found this helpful

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Erin Danzer

A fantastic dystopian

Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2014

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This book will make you think... if you want to. The premise of the story revolves around something that could very well happen in our future: food contamination. The Grays (military officials, basically the people running the country) mess with the genetics of food to make people stronger, faster, complacent, calmer, etc. Pretty much, whatever they want you to feel or do, they can manipulate you through the food.
That's a scary thought. A very real thought. This could happen.
Dianne's writing is fluid, the action in the book is nonstop, and the characters are very real. I feel like I've been to Mexico with Ivana, Jose, Nate and Jerry; that I've been to first the Lab and then prison with Abree. There are so many things that happen in this novel, which also has a strong line of mythology in it, based around the Quetzacoatl and the Ant People. Everything about this book is captivating. I recommend it to anyone looking for a great YA Dystopian to read!

2 people found this helpful

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C. Koepp

What Could Be

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2014

A foreign corporation takes over the United States and puts it under martial law, controlling the population through a combination of military might and mutated food supply that makes those who eat it physically or mentally different. The story follows a group of teenagers who become separated then meet back up again later in their efforts to get unmodified seeds from the company to farms in Mexico.

Pros:
1) The characters are all very interesting and quite different from each other. They are recognizable as US teenagers in various forms.
2) The story line is timely, what with growing concerns about companies that genetically modifying or treating food.

Cons:
1) About two-thirds of the way through, suddenly part of the cast can’t speak without an expletive for a few pages. This is a personal pet peeve of mine. Do real teenagers curse? Sometimes, but I don't think it belongs in a book aimed at MG/YA audiences.
2) The ending felt rushed and unsatisfying. If this is Book 1 of a series, though, that can still work.

Overall:
This is a good tale with interesting characters. With some parental guidance for younger readers, I think this would work well to generate some discussion about the current events around genetically and chemically modified food.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

J.R. Barker

Altered

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2015

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Altered has a great premise, it has plenty of action, characters I cared about with habits that annoyed me (popping gum).
There are a few errors in it (shock horror), but it's still very well written and, all in all, a fabulous read that I would recommend to just about anyone who loves dystopian or a story with a moral.

The only thing thing that threw me off keel was the legend. Fine that it was mentioned, and fine that it inspired the characters, but when

**spoiler*** Quetzalcoatl began communicating with the characters it threw me, **spoiler end**

it then became a religious adventure of sorts, which changed the whole feel of the book. This is personal taste though and I guess it's just not my bag, mind you where the legend will lead I don't know, so perhaps I shouldn't whinge about it so soon.

I still definitely want to read the next one regardless of what role Quetzalcoatl takes; so if you take anything away from this review that should be it.

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