Genesis (The Rosie Black Chronicles, #1)

Aug 15, 2011 Reynje rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, young-adult, sci-fi

3.5 stars

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve walked by this book without giving it so much as a second glance, so I’m a little late in making the discovery that this book is completely rad and excellent. (Yes, rad. I don’t give out that kind of praise easily! And shame on me for ignoring this book.)

Genesis was an ideal book to break out of my genre comfort zone, a smooth step into speculative / science fiction after a glut of contemporary and dystopian reads.

Lara Morgan’s depiction of “...more 3.5 stars

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve walked by this book without giving it so much as a second glance, so I’m a little late in making the discovery that this book is completely rad and excellent. (Yes, rad. I don’t give out that kind of praise easily! And shame on me for ignoring this book.)

Genesis was an ideal book to break out of my genre comfort zone, a smooth step into speculative / science fiction after a glut of contemporary and dystopian reads.

Lara Morgan’s depiction of “Newperth” was vivid – while the writing is not heavily descriptive, reading the book was quite a visual experience. Morgan has some seriously imaginative ideas for her future world and I loved the direction she took with the Melt and the division of Perth into the Old City, the Banks and Central, and the socio-economic repercussions for the residents. I particularly liked the portrayal of life for the Bankers: the squalor and the noise and the bustle really came to life on the page.

However, for me the real strength of this book lies in the pacing – it is tightly written and the tension mounts consistently. Even though Genesis weighs in at over 400 pages, it’s still quite a brisk read, with punchy chapters and cliffhangers drawing you quickly through the story. Morgan also weaves in some good twists and turns, keeping the plot engaging and the stakes high.

It also helps that the characters are well-drawn and interesting. Rosie herself is a resilient, inventive sixteen year old, who is still vulnerable and makes mistakes. I liked her blend of intelligence and street-smarts, while still being a relatable teenage girl.

Rosie’s dynamic with dreadlocked, blue-eyed Feral, Pip, is brilliant. Their interactions felt believable and true to their characters, and I couldn’t help but smile each time he showed up (except, of course, when bad things were happening. Pip!)

While I did read this book in a bit of a frenzy, flipping pages because I needed to know what was going to happen to next, I will say that I did prefer the setting of the first part of the book. (If you’ve read this, hopefully you’ll pick up what I mean here). While the latter setting was intriguing, I preferred the… believability… of the former, and found it easier to immerse myself in. During the later stages of the book I was more invested in the characters than particularly fascinated by the world they were in.

Also, I don’t feel qualified to comment here on the science used in the book, or how Genesis stands up against other young adult spec/sci-fi, but frankly, I was far too busy being entertained to care. I wasn’t distracted by questioning the world or the premise as I have done with other futuristic fiction. The story and the characters were strong enough to keep me thoroughly engaged in the prose.

Having now been suitably chastised for making a baseless assumption that this wouldn’t be the type of book for me, I will definitely read the second book without hesitation, and look forward to the next instalment in the Rosie Black Chronicles.
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May 07, 2013 Kauri Tree rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: english-book-reviews

Why I decided to read this book:
I decided to read this book because it was recommended to me by a friend and I thought it would be interesting to read as it ties into the topic we have been studying this term; social injustice. The cover also attracted my attention as it was black and white, contrasting the differences in society.

Category:
Despite the fact that I said that this book ties into the social injustice, I decided that his category fits in with 'a science fiction or fantasy book', becau...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

'Five Hundred Years Into The Future' and the world has changed. Society is segmented into the 'Centrals', those living with all the conveniences money can buy, the 'Bankers', those living on the banks of the river and barely getting by, and the 'Ferals', those who live wild with nothing but there wits to sustain them. Though different in many ways they all have one thing in common, anyone of them is susceptible to the deadly MalX, get bitten from the wrong mosquito and there is no cure only deat...more 'Five Hundred Years Into The Future' and the world has changed. Society is segmented into the 'Centrals', those living with all the conveniences money can buy, the 'Bankers', those living on the banks of the river and barely getting by, and the 'Ferals', those who live wild with nothing but there wits to sustain them. Though different in many ways they all have one thing in common, anyone of them is susceptible to the deadly MalX, get bitten from the wrong mosquito and there is no cure only death.

Living on the banks, Rosie knows all to well the dangers of MalX.She watched her mother die from the disease, the mutated strain that Mother Nature threw down upon the world. That was why she was always careful in her expeditions to the old city, the dangers not being enough to keep her away from her explorations, besides the items she found she sold and they desperately needed the money. But when she found the box, the dark blue metal box with its distinct and somehow familiar icon stamped onto the lid, she knew what she had found was special, what she didn't know was just how many lives were going to be lost because of what she uncovers inside.

Pip wasn't always a feral, all but homeless with only his wits and a fear of the deadly MalX to drive him. He may be nothing but a feral now but was smart and he had a plan for the future, besides being a feral had its advantages too. He was all but invisible to the world and could therefore go places, find out things that others could not, and others were willing to pay for skills like that, others that were restricted by there place in society. Pip got by on the jobs his bosses gave him, but when asked to go after a girl and a box, he had no idea just how life changing that task would be, and not just for him.

Genesis takes you on a journey from the banks of Newperth through the blackness of space all the way to the Genesis colony on Mars. Having triggered a chain of events that will spark an explosive revelation, Rosie and Pip are drawn deep into a mystery that leaves death in its wake. Through the many layers of deceit and deadly encounters they will uncover a truth but at a great cost. For Rosie it was only ever about saving her family, for Pip is was about loyalty to the only family he had left, but when both are betrayed and hundreds of innocent lives become at risk it becomes about surviving long enough to expose the truth.(less)

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Nov 03, 2010 Bec rated it 3 of 5 stars

I will be reviewing this book in full in the first 2011 edition of Viewpoint journal, however in the meantime, here is a teaser!

I met Lara when I moderated one of her panels at this years AussieCon4 and she spoke about creating the world the The Rosie Black Chronicles are set in. Knowing nothing really about the book at the time (it wasn't out yet) I was intrigued by the concept of the world that Lara had created. This is a futuristic land, clearly set post global warming. Water is a precious co...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Shirley Marr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya

I'm not familiar with the speculative fiction genre, but if the aim is to provide a vision of what the world might look like in the future (500 years in this instance) then Lara Morgan has done a stunning job with the first 1/3 of this novel. She's taken into account environmental, social and political changes and I loved how it's set in "Newperth" as I live in Perth myself, and I really believed it. After the 1/3 mark the novel ups the pacing to become more of a fast-paced thriller. For lovers...more

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Oct 01, 2010 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, middle-grade

This review originally appeared on www.readinasinglesitting.com

If I were to give an elevator pitch of Lara Morgan’s new young adult trilogy, the Rosie Black Chronicles, it would go something along the lines of: it’s JG Ballard’s The Drowned World meets Make Room, Make Room!, with some Bladerunner thrown in for atmospheric good measure, and all topped off with a kick-butt Australian Kiki Strike. I’m quite the lover of dystopian fiction, and I have a soft spot for gutsy heroines, so it’s no wonder...more This review originally appeared on www.readinasinglesitting.com

If I were to give an elevator pitch of Lara Morgan’s new young adult trilogy, the Rosie Black Chronicles, it would go something along the lines of: it’s JG Ballard’s The Drowned World meets Make Room, Make Room!, with some Bladerunner thrown in for atmospheric good measure, and all topped off with a kick-butt Australian Kiki Strike. I’m quite the lover of dystopian fiction, and I have a soft spot for gutsy heroines, so it’s no wonder that this book made its way quite promptly to the top of my to-read pile.

The Rosie Black Chronicles takes place in a future that’s chronologically distant from ours—by a good five hundred years—but whose context is only a mere imaginative jump or two away. In Morgan’s world, our current efforts towards global and environmental citizenship have come to nothing, and the earth is slowly drowning as a result of The Melt, which has seen much of Australia, a place not known for its dizzying altitude, become lost beneath the increasingly encroaching tides. Needless to say, this has had devastating economic, ecological, and sociological effects, with society as we know it becoming increasingly stratified and stultified. Gone is our longed-for egalitarian future of opportunity and harmony: in its place is a world of desperation, hunger, and a choking caste system that as time goes by becomes more entrenched, increasingly dividing the haves from the have nots.

Rosie Black is one of the latter, something she is reminded of daily by her grudging forays into the world of the former. A ‘Banker’ (a term that is only ironically linked to money and that instead refers to her residence in a grimy, overpopulated floating shanty-town) by designation, Rosie spends her days at a posh Central school, and her evenings in a desultory abode with her father, a man broken by the recent death of his wife and the weight of his unforgiving social circumstances. The daily collision of these two worlds only emphasises the impenetrable glass ceiling above Rose, who desperately wants to step into the high-flying shoes of her Aunt Essie, a vivacious and headstrong woman who is well looked after in her role as a pilot for Orbitcorp. But balancing her dreams with the exigencies of her day to day life is no easy task for Rosie, and things are about to become rather more complicated.

Exploring the Old City one day, Rosie and her friend Juli chance upon an item whose discovery, unbeknownst to the two of them, will have life-changing, devastating consequences. When a young Feral accosts them, demanding that they hand it over, Rosie determinedly holds her ground, wary of giving up her find, but it’s not long until she begins to question the wisdom of this decision. Rosie’s find is no mere trinket: rather, it’s an item so incriminating that it could result in the demise of the powerful Helios corporation–and Helios will stop at nothing to ensure that this doesn’t happen. After a series of tragic events, a desperate Rosie finds herself on the run, but from whom, and towards whom, she’s not entirely sure. Can she trust Pip, the shifty Feral with his piercing eyes and carefree manner, or his boss Riley, a conflicted man who may not be at all who he says he is, and who seems to be working at cross-purposes with his protege? Rosie’s paranoid, abject world becomes increasingly so, until it’s all she can do to hang on for dear life.

Genesis is our first introduction to Rosie Black, and it’s an impressive one. Morgan writes a fabulously breathless thriller, thrusting us from page one into a nightmarish dystopia that’s truly haunting in its implications. Morgan does a good job of depicting her drowned future, and it’s chilling to see a familiar landscape rendered in such a way, particularly given that Australia is often a country that gets off fairly light in dystopian novels. Consider Neville Chute’s On the Beach, for example, where Australia becomes a lone outpost for humanity after a devastating nuclear holocaust, or John Wyndam’s The Chrysalids (see our review), in which the Antipodes are the last remnants of civilisation in a ravaged world. Morgan’s depiction of this drowned, backwards Australia, then, is pointed, particularly given that its tragic circumstances are shown as being the result of inaction and a lack of desire to take responsibility rather than the outcome of an out-of-our-hands event such as a war. Morgan’s integration of Asia into her world, too, is intriguing, given that all too often the influence of Asia is ignored in speculative fiction (perhaps given the fact that much SF is geographically centred on the Northern Hemisphere), but its influence is dealt with in a circumspect manner that raises the reader’s curiosity about the political status quo. There’s a plethora of Asian characters, mostly, it seems, from Chinese (or potentially Malaysian Chinese) backgrounds, but refreshingly, these characters’ presence is not a sort of maligned ‘otherness’, but is rather unquestioned and matter-of-fact, as is the ubiquity of Malaysian- and Indonesian-style food, which is suggestive of the large shifts in Australia’s economic position as an agricultural power. I love that Morgan has allowed the possibility of a multicultural future.

Overall, it’s a beautifully rendered setting, and although there are elements that seem anachronistic given that we’re supposedly 500 years in the future, one can perhaps look at these inclusions as a suggestion that Australia has become both an economic and technological backwater (and presumably still without a National Broadband Network…)

However, there are occasions where Morgan’s spare, suggestive style results more in confusion than it does in clever ambiguity, and I found myself a little lost as the plot progresses and Rosie finds herself increasingly embroiled in the nefarious plottings of the rather creepy Helios. Morgan touches only lightly on Helios and its background, and given that it’s the company’s wrongdoing with regard to a horrific, incurable illness that forms the crux of the plot, this results in the antagonists’ motivations seeming a little weak and shaky. I struggled with some of the antagonists, too, at times, as they seemed to be manoeuvred to act as archetypal baddies just for the sake of being bad rather than acting in a way that adhered to some sort of internal logic. In my mind, very few antagonists see themselves as bad: rather, their goals simply diverge from or contrast with the protagonist’s. This issue, combined with the ineffectively elucidated motivations of Helios and its employees, undermines the stability of the plot somewhat, an unfortunate weakness that remains in evidence despite Morgan’s fabulous sense of pacing and her apparent love of pyrotechnics.

There are instances, too, where the characters don’t quite act as one might expect given the rather extenuating circumstances, and I found myself jarred a little every time Rosie stopped to admire Pip’s startling blue eyes whilst in the midst of some gratuitously dangerous shoot-out or somesuch, as well as by Rosie’s rather dismaying willingness to put her trust in relative strangers. It seems odd that a girl who has grown up in such a claustrophobic, mistrustful environment would be willing to act in a way that could so easily have dire consequences. These actions/reactions don’t feel like the sort that arise organically when developing characters are thrust into untenable situations; rather they feel like authorial intervention, an issue that is also evident in the occasional overt aside pointing out a subtlety that might otherwise not be grasped.

Still, despite these shortcomings, this novel is a fabulous introduction to an eerie dystopian world that touches neatly on some pertinent issues worthy of discussion. Morgan gives us some fabulously strong female characters, a beautifully rendered multicultural society, and a thoughtful consideration of the social and economic issues that might result from our current environmental sacrilege, and adds a twisty plot and some fabulous pacing on top of these already strong foundations. Readers will emerge from Genesis with more questions than answers, and no doubt they will, like me, be more than intrigued to see where the second and third volumes in this promising trilogy will take us.(less)

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Nov 13, 2010 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christina

Life’s not easy in Rosie Black’s world.

The Melt has devastated the earth and sunken all the coastal cities and forced society into a crippling caste system of the haves, “The Centrals” and the have-nots, “The Bankers”. As a Banker, Rosie and her dad struggle to survive after the shattering loss of Rosie’s mother to the MalX disease.
The world as Rosie Black knows it is very different from the one we know today, and the contents of a seemingly harmless little box are about to turn that world upsid...more Life’s not easy in Rosie Black’s world.

The Melt has devastated the earth and sunken all the coastal cities and forced society into a crippling caste system of the haves, “The Centrals” and the have-nots, “The Bankers”. As a Banker, Rosie and her dad struggle to survive after the shattering loss of Rosie’s mother to the MalX disease.
The world as Rosie Black knows it is very different from the one we know today, and the contents of a seemingly harmless little box are about to turn that world upside down.

The box contains a secret, one so incriminating that the powerful Helios corporation will stop at nothing to get back in their possession. But they’re not the only ones who want to get their hands on it. As it becomes clear that Rosie and her family’s safety is in jeopardy she finds herself on the run without knowing who exactly she’s running from or to where. As she falls into the web of the schemes and plots of others, Rosie must put her trust in Pip, a shady and much too attractive Feral (the outcasts of society) and his boss Riley, a man who keeps his cards, and true identity, close to his chest.

Rosie soon realizes that the situation is bigger than all of them as they race to Mars to put a stop to actions that could have devastating consequences.

Genesis is the very impressive first book in the Rosie Black Chronicles, Lara Morgan’s first foray into young adult fiction. Morgan’s dystopia paints a bleak picture of a society where the people are on the one hand, living in gleaming skyscrapers, making progress in medicine, technology and the colonization of Mars, yet at the same time the other half are struggling in poverty and desperation.

The story is gripping and complex as we uncover the layers of conspiracy and hidden agendas within Helios and to what extent each character has played a part in these schemes. Genesis at times had a very Hunger Games feel, not just with a strong female like Rosie but also with the author’s no holds barred approach to certain characters.

Like all good villains the one in Genesis is not only not apparent at first, but also has motives that sound logical but are obviously misguided. Our villain is also cold and ruthless, but needed a bit more explanation into what made him so, which will hopefully be seen in the next book.

To balance out the breathless action, we see Rosie as well as Pip battle with their emotions as they come to terms with their pasts and the current circumstance they find themselves in. The relationships between characters felt very organic and believable, and not just in the romantic sense. But, behind Pip’s demeanor and endless, obnoxious flirting could there be real feelings?

Genesis is fabulous novel that takes on the dystopia/sci fi concept and does it well. We have a strong female lead in Rosie and plenty of unresolved issues (and feelings) to take us through to the next book.(less)

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Oct 03, 2010 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

★★★★☆ I loved it
Five hundred years into the future, the world is a different place. The Melt has sunk most of the coastal cities and Newperth is divided into the haves, the “Centrals”; the have-nots, the “Bankers”; and the fringe dwellers, the “Ferals”.

Rosie Black is a Banker. When Rosie finds an unusual box, she has no idea of the grave consequences of her discovery. A mysterious organisation wants it – and will kill to get it.

Forced to rely on two strangers, Rosie is on the run. But who can sh...more ★★★★☆ I loved it
Five hundred years into the future, the world is a different place. The Melt has sunk most of the coastal cities and Newperth is divided into the haves, the “Centrals”; the have-nots, the “Bankers”; and the fringe dwellers, the “Ferals”.

Rosie Black is a Banker. When Rosie finds an unusual box, she has no idea of the grave consequences of her discovery. A mysterious organisation wants it – and will kill to get it.

Forced to rely on two strangers, Rosie is on the run. But who can she trust? Pip, the too attractive Feral, or the secretive man he calls boss?

From Earth to Mars, Rosie must learn the secrets of the box – before it’s too late.

I love anything to do with futuristic space travel and dystopian worlds, so when the publisher contacted me about reading this I got straight to it. I am so glad I had the opportunity as this novel is a fantastic story following the journey of a 16 year old girl living 500 years into the future where the human population is slowing dying due to a mysterious disease carried by mosquitoes. It goes by the name MalX which seems to be a reference to the widespread Malaria disease. Not much is known about how it was born but when Rosie finds a unique box, things are put into motion which travels the planets and takes away everything she has ever known or cared about. And it looks like MalX is the cause of it all.

I like Rosie. She's honest and most of the time, smart. She is a typical teenager in that she feels things she wishes she didn't and the lines between right and wrong are a little blurred. She's defiant almost to the last and then when the walls break, everything comes flooding out. Her life isn't easy and she doesn't make excuses, just tries to deal with it the best way she can. Pip, her "friend" is caught up in the game being played as much as she is, probably more so. We don't learn a lot about him until later on in the piece which adds great suspension to a lot of the scenes. There are feelings that grow between them and being the sucker for a good love story this was the only place I felt Genesis was lacking. Give me more awkwardness! Give me more butterflies! There was still enough there to keep me happy though.

The supporting characters were great also. Aunt Essie would have to be the coolest Aunt around. She's a pilot, has short spiky hair, listens to what Rosie has to say and understands what she's feeling. I'm glad that it seems we'll be seeing a whole lot more in the sequel. Riley was someone I wish we'd gotten to know a bit better. His past actions don't reflect too well on him though his most recent ones were commendable. Yuang was the perfect baddy. Let's just leave it at that. So if you can't tell already I'm looking forward to the sequel Equinox. No idea when it's to be released but I'm wishing for it not to be too far away. Hopefully this series will be released internationally so everyone out there will get a chance to go on this journey also. If you can get a hold of Genesis make sure you do. It looks like it's going to develop into an amazing series!

The Rosie Black Chronicles

1. Genesis
2. Equinox (date T.B.A.)(less)

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Apr 03, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Expecting a dystopian novel, I read this only to discover that is basically a futuristic one. Not that this is a bad thing - it isn't. In fact, it's the opposite. I really enjoyed this. I think that if the world goes on for another five hundred years, then it would probably share some similarities with this book.
Set in Newperth - which is the Perth of the future - people are divided into three categories: Centrals - people with money; Bankers - people with little money; and the Ferals - people...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Scarlett added it

Being a huge fan of all things dystopian I absolutely adored Genesis. It is such a great read.
I loved Rosie and she is such a kick-butt chick. I could definitely read more books about her, which I look forward to doing so.
I loved Pip, he was a very cool guy and I just loved him too.
I think the idea that global warming has already happened in Genesis was a really interesting twist and just the entire idea about water being scarce seems kinda scary and completely new.
I think it was also nice to re...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Ingrid Jonach rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loved this book! And was thrilled to learn she is a fellow Australian (I assumed it was an American novel for whatever reason).

From the title and the promotional tagline (The first gripping volume in the Rose Black Chronicles) I was worried the book would not work as a stand-alone novel. In fact, I was kind of reluctant to start reading in case I was committing myself to a series. And while I would happily read on, I was relieved the ending tied up enough to make for a satisfying read.

If you l...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, young-adult

Genesis is a very nice opening novel for a series by Aussie Author Lara Morgan.

The first thing that struck me: the writing. I loved Morgan's descriptions! They painted an image right in my head and I never lost the image, either. It flowed well and the plot itself was not only original, terrifying (based off Global Warming slightly), but also rather brilliant. I felt Rosie's pain and her happiness. Though sometimes I didn't feel or understand her emotions; but hey, what can you do when ya disagr...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Laila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very entertaining, constant action and while it doesn't keep you at the edge of your seat, it keeps you interested the whole way through. The only thing I didn't like was the romance - I felt it was kind of forced and too perfect. Until the end, of course. The end was great. The whole thing was great for that matter - just the romance. The characters were pretty good - Rosie isn't my ultimate favorite in the whole wide world. But I guess she's your slightly above average teen. But the surroundin...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thorughly enjoyed reading this book as rosie (the female protagonist) has a brain in her head, although lacks some common sence at times (this is understandable given the circumstances). the description and Quality of whriting are good but not fabulose, meaning there is some description but not really enough to paint the ful picture in you head, this could be considered a good thing as most character apearence is left up to the reader.
this book is overall an intereating and unpradictable read...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Triv S. rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA Sci-fi/Action fans who want less romance

Shelves: dystopia-sci-fi, aussie-aussie-aussie, written-review

A refreshingly realistic book in a genre that is anything but realistic

I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I decided to read this book. I was expecting some sort of Hunger Games rip off or something similar to 1984. Instead I was surprised to find that this book, Genesis by Lara Morgan, is a hardcore sci-fi. And by hardcore I mean, jetting to mars, wearing space suits and using awesome technologies with strange names. I can’t remember the last time I’ve read a book as refre...more

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Jun 17, 2011 Prodigious...? rated it 3 of 5 stars

Before reading this review please take into account that I finished reading this book a while ago (come on, it was ages ago) so this review probably isn't as fresh as it should be.

3 stars on Goodreads means 'I liked it'. I did like this book. I did. But for some reason I seem to be having this inability to write a review on it. I'm one of those people who can read your average 400ish page YA fiction book in under a day and still remember almost every single detail that I read about. Though for...more

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May 22, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Genesis is quite an interesting book. It definitely wasn’t what I had expected in reading it but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
I thought that Genesis would be a mystery with a dystopian/post-apocalyptic twist. I had thought that there would be a lot of world building and explanations for what had happened over the 500 years between now and then. You’re actually not given that much information on it. In reading the description I thought that quite a main part of the plot would be that water is s...more Genesis is quite an interesting book. It definitely wasn’t what I had expected in reading it but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
I thought that Genesis would be a mystery with a dystopian/post-apocalyptic twist. I had thought that there would be a lot of world building and explanations for what had happened over the 500 years between now and then. You’re actually not given that much information on it. In reading the description I thought that quite a main part of the plot would be that water is scarce but it actually wasn’t.
Genesis is actually more of a getting into the action with a little bit of character building sort of book. You get little bits of clues about the world and you’re told about some of the things but there isn’t a lot of background into the world and its aspects. It doesn’t detract from the story any either.
Rosie is a pretty kick-ass character and I loved that she was tough and didn’t let people push her around or stop her from doing whatever it takes to rescue her family. I also liked Essie. I have to say that Lara Morgan does an awesome job at writing strong, independent female characters. Not to say that there weren’t some great male characters too; because there were. Pip was one such character, he was quite mysterious and I wondered about him quite a lot. I also liked Riley. I loved how both Pip and Riley were characters that you aren’t sure about for quite a lot of the book.
On a completely different note, I’m not sure if it was just my copy of the book or the edition of the book I had but I kept getting distracted from reading the book because it smelt so good! Maybe I’m just a little odd but the paper smelt amazing.
I’m really interested in reading the next book in the series because I want more Rosie, more Essie, more Riley, more Pip and more of their world. So I will definitely be on the lookout for Equinox which I believe may be out later this year. Not too sure though. Fingers crossed I’m right though.
Needless to say, Genesis is a really interesting book. If you’re a fan of dystopian sorts of novels then I think this one might be right up your alley. Not to mention that Lara Morgan is an Australian author so it adds a little bit of something different. So definitely check it out!
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Nov 19, 2010 Nomes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya, mutli-pov, i-own, my-kind-of-awesome, 2010, covers-i-love, kick-arsery-abounds

I loved this.

There's a great vibe to this book - which doesn't sag in momentum - the plot kept moving forward making it an energetic and captivating read. The prose is just lovely, clean and fresh, I'm a fan.

I adore Rosie. Mostly, I love that she stuffs things up a fair bit. She does things she's not supposed to - she's not always thinking straight. I love teens (and people) who have the best of intentions but somehow still manage to screw up and fudge their way along. Ultimately, she's one toug...more

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Dec 10, 2010 Kate Forsyth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, sf

A gripping, suspenseful science fiction tale for young adults with a strong Australian feel, I’m betting this one will be a winner. Set in what feels like a future-day Perth (Lara grew up in Western Australia and now lives in Geraldton), with a sidetrip to Mars, Genesis is filled with lots of lovely neologisms like pyroflex and digibook which I can see entering the popular lexicon. I’m putting this on my son’s pile to read – I think he’d enjoy it too.

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Feb 17, 2013 GSGS rated it 3 of 5 stars

The plot and setting was excellent but the charries and style let it down majorly. I could not identify with Rosie. At one point it says, "Rosie bit back the smart reply that sprang to her lips" or something. Really? Did Rosie have something smart to say?
And Pip was just weird. The kissing scene right after finding the bodies of his dead parents was just random / gross.
Anyways. Might read the next one if I have nothing better to do. Too long.

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Jan 21, 2012 Mae rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really loved this book (i know i say that a lot but it is true). this is a great book about a girl who goes on a crazy ride to save her dad with a boy named Pip. the book follows them as they try to take down Helios.
This is a great book and no matter how many times this has been said i could not put it down :D
READ IT!

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Jan 10, 2012 Taylah rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'll be honest, it took be three goes to try and complete this book. The first time, I only got about 100 pages in and got distracted by the Hunger Games, the second time I got to around 300 pages and got distracted by Looking for Alaska. The third time I finished it. I even had to tell myself "No new books until you finish". I hate buying books and never finishing them.

I didn't really find myself getting excited and interested in this book until just over half way, which was way too slow for me...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Julianne Haines rated it 5 of 5 stars

I did very much enjoy this book.

The Thrill, The adventure, the romance, the characters, and not javing a clue what's going to happen next makes this one of the best i've ever read.

I cannot wait for number two.

I recommend this book strongly to anyone look for a very good read.

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Jan 31, 2013 Patrick rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was a great book if there weren't so many try-hard YA comments that made the book awkward and laughably funny. Indirect Quote (I can't be bothered finding it) "I bet he (Pip) was putting on all that hand-holding stuff anyway" Now, who would say that at the age of 16? Also, if you're reading this book to read about a futuristic society, don't bother because you won't find anything past the blurb.

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Oct 22, 2012 Danielle added it

Shelves: ya-fic

This book was so much fun. Kind of Hunger Games meets Doctor Who meets Mad Max. I loved the fast pace of the action as well as the fact that it was set in my beloved favourite state of Western Australia -- oh, and Mars, too! Lovely to see some dystopia with an Australian flavour.

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Aug 19, 2012 Simone rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, favourites

This was a really great book. It's kinda like the Hunger Games, so if you enjoyed them you may want to try reading this. It's more of a girl's book, but that doesn't mean boys can't read it too...!
It's set five hundred years into the future, so it's a dystopian, and it's also sci-fi, since they spend a lot of the story in space. It's filled with adventure, action, and a little bit of romance ;)
This is a great book, and I can't wait until I read the next book after this!

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Sep 01, 2011 Jamison rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young adult.

Recommended to Jamison by: my friend

Probably one of my favourite books so far. By far the best I have read in a while. Great storyline with lots of action and a bit of romance. Plus the occasional humour. This book is amazing.

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Jan 25, 2011 Fiona rated it 4 of 5 stars

Set in the future, this book gives a different idea of what the world might be like in the days to come. Compelling and well written, this book is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!

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Sep 25, 2012 Catherine Vercoe rated it 4 of 5 stars

i decided to read this book because the cover looked interesting and when i read what happens in the book i really wanted to read it for myself. this completes my male is the main character. " would u prefer to sit on my lap u spolt brat?" i liked this line because it was something i didn't expect happen, because the guy pip seemed so calm all the time.something new i learned from this book is never judge a book by its cover because it looked like quite a boring book and then i couldn't put it d...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great fantasy trilogy set in Western Australia! Books were given to my pre-teen daughters and have been devoured by whole family including a grand-father!

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title link	preview: Genesis
avg rating	preview: Genesis Goodreads rating: 3.87 (406 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9303291-genesis?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1284469683l/9303291.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9303291-genesis?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Genesis by Lara Morgan[/url]

Genesis (The Rosie Black Chronicles #1)

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Genesis (The Rosie Black Chronicles #1)

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