Emma Trevayne Books In Order

Publication Order of Coda Books

Publication Order of The Nova Project Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Emma Trevayne

Emma Trevayne is a British bestselling author of children’s fiction and young adult fantasy known for her Nova Project series and Coda book series. Her first novel Coda was first published on May 2013 and has received positive reviews from critics. It’s a young adult cyberpunk book that follows the story of Anthem, an 18-year-old boy living in a world where encoded music is the drug distributed by the corps and plays a different-faced role in society. He is a rebel, playing music in a hidden spot using his homemade instruments; he’s also a conduit feeding the power grid.

Trevayne Fights and Chimes and Mysterious, a middle-grade Victorian fantasy book, was released in 2014. The story revolves around Jack Foster, a 10-year-old boy, and his adventures through Londinium. The author has also co-authored The Cabinet of Curiosities dubbed as a collection of mysterious, eerie, engaging, and short stories with Katherine Catmull, Stefan Bachmann, and Claire Legrand.

Coda

There’s a documentary about the Nigerian Afropop legend Fela titled Music is the Weapon. Fela used his music as a channel to speak truth to power- his music was so powerful such that he was arrested multiple times by the government, and was once imprisoned for 20 months. The government also harassed his family. Like any other form of art, music is power and produces strong emotions that can make us think differently about the world. Consider how the legendary reggae artist, Bob Marley’s strong message of freeing the mind, of self-emancipation resonated with everyone around the world.

Coda is the first book in a two-book series by Emma Trevayne. It tries to answer the question as to what happens when the very art that refreshes the soul also poisons the body. It also explores what can happen when something universally enjoyed and loved as music becomes a weapon and controlled commodity to keep the population in check. An evil government called the Corp uses music to bring people into submission in a dark post-apocalyptic world. After the war that has left the entire United States in destruction, the doctors have discovered that music is one of the few medicines that can soothe wounded people. Over time, the Corp develops specially coded music as a drug, and its effects are similar to heroine and morphine.
In Coda, the series debut novel, the population of the Web- an island that was previously known as New York City- is addicted to the coded music and sometimes OD on the music. If these people stop listening to the music, they undergo a deadly withdrawal symptom, and hence the Corp enforces frequent listening to make sure the population is compliant.

We meet a young man named Anthem, upon discovering a plot to create music that not only makes the population compliant but also controls their thoughts and action; he embarks on a mission the government by replacing the addictive music with real music. Anthem and his friends are no strangers to the addictive power of music. They know how the music makes one feel alive. They would consider spending their few credits on a few more of the track they crave, and that’s how the tyrannical government wants it. The Corp manages everything from memories to leisure time. It doesn’t want to take the addictive mind-altering encoding out of the music that the people are so eager to hear.

Anthem belongs to the world’s lowest caste, addicted to the music, and expected to use his energy to power the Grid. But he knows that he won’t last long this way because the energy transfers weaken his body and have reduced his life expectancy and continue to push him down that destructive path which already has claimed his mother and almost killed his father too. But his situation isn’t without hope, and you will cheer him as he dreams of opening himself to love, making good on his promises, and alongside his friends break the most serious rules for a chance to enjoy music and feel free.

Coda is a tale of youthful rebellion against an overreaching and heartless government concerned with its survival. It’s fast-paced and the action is engaging, and its fueled forwards by the well-crafted likable characters and their conflicting interests. Young readers will find this a worthy read, as Anthem lives the life of an adult that includes nights with friends, a full-time job, and a makeshift family that draws together his two siblings and the girl he loves. But here’s a fair warning, Anthem isn’t all grown up, and in the conflict that arises, he faces dilemmas with simple solutions. Extreme measures are taken for justice and freedom, and Anthem, in most cases, is never troubled by the price that’s paid in the end. The ending of the story is sensational, and the reader won’t feel let down by the action here. The story itself relies on Anthem’s pursuit of revenge and selfless heroism, a blend that doesn’t leave much room for debate or nuance regarding the previously explored themes of power of music and personal expression.

Chorus

In Chorus, the second book in the Coda series, Anthem younger sister Alpha tries to escape the intricate world of the Web by escaping to Los Angeles. After the final events that happened in the first book in the series, the Web found out that two other cities remained- Los Angeles and Seattle. Alpha is seeking cure from addictive music. Even though the Web is now a democracy, many of the citizens are still addicted to music.

Alpha returns home when she discovers that her brother Anthem is dying, and once there she’s disturbed by the rumors that the Corp could be trying to get back to power. Her flashbacks grow worse and the temptations to listen to the encoded music become worse and irresistible. She soon finds herself betrayed by one person she never expected and this forces her to embark on a mission to destroy the Corp and bring salvation to everyone who wants freedom from the addiction