From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

Genesis

Bernard Beckett

Start date: January 16, 2012

Finish date: February 1, 2012

Discussion: AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

Why we're reading this: “What does it mean to be human?” The answer lies within the mystery of Genesis. Set in a post-apocalyptic…more
[close] “What does it mean to be human?” The answer lies within the mystery of Genesis. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the novel takes the form of an examination undergone by young Anaximander as she prepares to enter an enigmatic institution known simply as The Academy. For her subject she has chosen the life of the philosopher-soldier Adam Forde, her long-dead hero. It is through Anax’s presentation and her answers to persistent questioning by her examiners that we learn the history of her island Republic, along with the rules and beliefs of their society. At the completion of the examination, when everything has been laid bare, Anax must confront the Republic’s last great secret, her own surprising link to Adam Forde, and the horrifying truth about her world.

Like the great writers Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick, Bernard Beckett explores the relationship between humans and technology in a brilliantly rendered novel that will keep readers guessing until the final page.

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AW BOOK CLUB (spoilers)

* What is a good book for AW discussion? (Nominations pool)
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* AW Book Club: what we've read
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What Members Thought

Apr 16, 2009 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: post-apocalyptic, 2009-books-read, dystopia, young-adult, amazon-vine, favorites, plague, robots

This is the best post-apocalyptic novel I've read since The Road. I started reading it the moment it arrived in my mailbox and was not able to put it down until I'd finished it. It's an intensely cerebral and philosophical read for a young adult novel. And just when I thought I'd discovered the secret of the book, I was completely caught off-guard by the true secret.

A girl named Anax has been given the chance to take a 4-hour oral exam to interview for entrance into The Academy. The book is the ...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Gertie rated it really liked it

Shelves: apocalypse, inspiring-covers

When I began this book I was really enjoying it. The format of unravelling the story through the questions and answers of an applicant's examination to enter an academy was interesting, and not just used as a gimmick but as part of the story.

I also think this book was well written, not just because there were a few words that required checking a dictionary, but because of the flow and the way the story was laid out.

Ultimately, it fell kind of flat for me though - frankly I think some of it simp ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 31, 2011 Cheer Papworth rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopian

3.5 Stars, but I got to give it 4 with Goodreads rating system. Genesis is one of those books that really makes you think and challenge human ethics. The purpose of this book is to answer one question: What does it mean to be human? Beckett answers this question from several points of view, including the reader's point of view (which is cleverly challenged); however his technique is a little over-the-top, "cheeky" and is revealed in the twist at the ending of the story. In the end, the story was ...more

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May 08, 2009 Ashley FL rated it really liked it

This is a book which is very hard to review. It is deceptively simply written -- spare to the point that, in retrospect, I actually wish there had been more fleshing out of things (something I never thought I'd say in this era of under-edited thick books!). But this is also one of its greatest strengths. (See? I said I was confused!)

Parts of it didn't make sense to me, and seemed forced for the sake of the points the author is trying to make. But this book has really made me think about "self" a ...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Jayda rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this little book. I read it in a day. At first, I found the format to be really strange. You're basically listening to a long series of examination questions and answers. But hang on! Allow for the first few pages the pass. Although you might not escape into the sci-fi fantasy world you're expecting, it's worth the read.

I will say what happens in the ending crossed my mind, so I wasn't as blown away as a lot of these other reviews, but it was still awesome nonetheless.

Very cool ...more

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