Customer Reviews

Genesis

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I hate paying more than $10 dollars for a book. But I walked into Borders, saw this book sitting there, opened to the first page, and two minutes later I was out $20 dollars and happier than ever. From there I proceeded to read the book over a two day period, very dismayed every time real life asked me to put it down. Then I finished it. You should also know I also hate writing reviews on amazon (everyone else does such a good job, it's very intimidating). But this book was so good I felt like it'd be tantamount to sin not to go online and spend a few minutes giving it five stars and trying to convince the masses of their need to read it as well.

Not only is the quality of prose superb, but the style is elegant and the ideas hidden in the plot are both important and intelligent. I noticed another reviewer saying that the final plot twist was "out of the blue and not well built-up." That's generally one of my pet peeves when it comes to movies and novels, but fortunately for us, this book was not guilty of such a crime. I saw the elements leading up to the conclusion start appearing very early on and although I was happily surprised with the end, it all made perfect sense and fit nicely with the theories I'd had simmering in the back of my mind since before halfway through the book. It's not a very long book, so it deserves your attention as you read through the relatively small number of pages it asks of you.

All I can really say is that I really really liked this book. I'm not the pickiest of readers, but I do consider myself well read both in the sci-fi arena and in the literature of several countries. Still, I'd put this book among the best I've ever read. I feel like the ideas, plot, and prose are all individually good enough to merit a reading of a book this length, and together are so brilliant as to make not reading it nothing short of inexcusable laziness. You should really read this book.

This small book is inherently provocative as it plunges into the distant future, 2075, when the world as we know it has finally spiraled into paranoia and endless wars in an orgy of self-destruction. Even for the common good, countries have been unable to overcome their mutual distrust. The result is The Republic, an area separated from a disintegrating world by a great sea wall, intruders scarce after years of war and plague outside the barrier. The structured society of the Republic is based on a careful alignment of working principles, a combination of science and technology, four distinct classes meeting the needs of a secure environment: Laborers, Soldiers, Technicians and Philosophers.

In Genesis, Anaximander stands before a panel of examiners, applying for a place in the Academy that requires a four-hour oral question and answer session. Three years of intensive study with a mentor have brought Anax to this moment. Grilled by her impassive inquisitors, Anax recites her extensive knowledge of the history of the Republic, the evolution of her chosen subject and her careful dissection of the relevance of this subject to the formation of society. Anax's chosen topic is the subject of myth, a critical part of society's evolution.. Intimidated by the three examiners, Anax is nevertheless confident, replying to the questions with quiet authority.

Anax posits her theories through recorded dialog, focusing the distinctions between humanity and technology and the philosophy of man vs. machine, man's inherent superiority despite the advances of science and technology. In a brilliant exchange of ideas, logic dominates the discussion, with flashes of passion, even hubris. This is unfamiliar territory, the future in thrall to a carefully-orchestrated balance of science, technology and ideas.

Seduced by Beckett's persuasive prose, the reader gains access to an otherworldly future via Anax's responses to her inquisitor's questions and the significance of a shifting paradigm for survival. Like Anax, the reader is caught in the intricate web of plausible argument, a rejection of conspiracy and the vital energy of an engaged consciousness. All the more shocking then, the culmination of Anax's quest and the inherent flaws in the integration of individual and technology. Beckett's hook baited, the careful playing out of line draws the unsuspecting closer to an unexpected fate. Luan Gaines/2009.

Wow. What an interesting and unusual short novel!

To me, this has something of the feel of a classic early Isaac Asimov story (but with far more modern assumptions, challenges, and true emotional resonance). It is real, hard-core science fiction, a new and very original imagining of the future.

At less than 150 pages, this novel is short enough to encourage the reader to persist; the structure of the novel helps, too (it is divided into the 4 hours of Anax's "examination", with intermissions in the form of "breaks" she is given between hours). Still, this is an intellectually demanding book-- the reader has to pay attention and think about each paragraph.

I particularly valued one aspect of this book: it is almost unique in combining both deep emotional awareness and very complex ideas about ethics, philosophy, and technology.

******* A caution: this book will be absolutely wrecked by any spoilers. If you sense once coming in another review, stop reading! The twist in the final portion of this book is the essence of the book, and it would be soooooooooo sad if the reader knew it was coming in advance.

Overall, an absorbing, not-light, orginal, complex, fascinating, and emotionally engaging novel, written by a scientist who is clearly a passionate person who cares deeply about the dilemmas humanity faces. If you can appreciate a very unique story-telling style and unique imagining of the future you will enjoy "Genesis". (And as an aside, the cover of the book is brilliant-- provides clues to the puzzle of the book.)

Bernard Beckett's Genesis is set in an island nation that cut itself off generations ago from a world that eventually was destroyed by plague. The island has gone through several incarnations of political rule and the current one involves rule by the Academy. Young Anaximander is taking the entrance exam, judged by three Examiners, who question her on her specialty: the life of Adam Forde, the nation's long-dead hero who disobeyed orders by saving rather than killing a plague refugee whose ship reached the island. Forde was sentenced to be the companion of an early-version android AI, to help the AI grow.
The entire book (really a novella rather than a novel) is Anaximander's 4 hour exam, told via the question/answer dialogue between her and her examiners, a lot of "presentation-style" dialogue as she makes her case for her interpretation of history, and reconstructed (via Anaximander's memory or hologram) scenes between Adam Forde and Art (the AI).
This is not at all a plot-driven book. Mostly it's an examination of consciousness, of what it means to be "human" or "alive", the focus of the several discussions between Adam and Art. It's also a question of interpretation of history and its uses. The theme is captivating and the dialogue between Adam and Art is a compelling, concise look at the question. The writing as a whole is quite tight and focuses, reminding me of LeGuin's economy of language (if not her poetic style). As a first entry into this sort of book: a little mix of dystopia (Brave New World, especially in how labor is divided), of Asimov (especially his Robot stories/novels), of Serling (especially the latter part), it does its job well. If you haven't read anything like this, then I'd recommend it happily, despite a few flaws. The major one being the narrative structure bleeds it a bit of emotion, based as it is on either a highly structured/academic presentation or a pretty erudite Socratic dialogue. And he does get a bit cutesy with the names--Adam, Art, Eve, etc. And finally, as mentioned, it is a bit brief--more a novella or even a long short story (I think it would have worked better as such) than a full novel).
But the biggest problem with genesis will come with readers who have had some exposure to this type of story before. For those readers, it will seem a bit derivative here and there, a bit obvious here and there, and the ending will be guessed at well before it arrives.
Now new generations of readers need to be reintroduced to these ideas, and this is an especially apt introduction for younger readers, and ideas are always recycled of course, so I can't call this a major fault in the book, just a fair warning. Even as such, it's a quick, enjoyable, and somewhat thoughtful read if not all that surprising.
So a strong 3 as a rec for its taut writing and thoughtfulness, knocked down for not being wholly original, for a somewhat disappointing close, and perhaps for a bit of padding. But round up for new readers to this genre and round down for more familiar readers.

I spent less than ten hours reading this little gem. Okay, it's only 150 pages long, but this doesn't happen often to me.

Imagine Brave New World and similar dystopian novels. Add I, Robot and similar books on AI. Wrap this up in Socratic dialogues that will erode your deepest beliefs. That and much more is Genesis.

That much goes for the book itself. Others have reviewed it better, so I will not attempt to be better than them here.

Unfortunately, the ebook is not so great. Although its product page has a cover image, the ebook does not. The book is divided in seven sections, yet the ebook has no Table of Contents to navigate easily between them. Fortunately, I found no typos, although I did find many missing fullstops at the the end of a paragraph and some closing quoting commas are missing, too. Some paragraphs are justified, as they should, but many others are aligned to the left for no apparent reason. Granted, the DTP could be much worse, but there is lots of room for improvement.

The lack of justified paragraphs was very annoying, especially when they are mixed with left-aligned paragraphs. I am afraid I have to take one star off from the review for the poor DTP.

An unexpected surprise, Bernard Beckett's "Genesis" is a compellingly simple novella debating some refreshingly complex ideas. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, "Genesis" presents a society known as the Republic. This isolated community has survived the plague years by being vigilant in its defenses and, in many ways, is thriving under a structured world order. Owing a lot (perhaps a tad too much) to Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," individualism has been sacrificed for the good of the whole and the nature of humanity is being redefined.

A young student, Anax, hopes to find a place in The Academy. To secure her position, and thus establish her career/life path, she must first present herself to the board for a final test. Structured as an oral examination, the narrative of "Genesis" is every bit as intriguing as the actual story. As Anax is questioned, we learn about the history and philosophy of the Republic. But her main thesis revolves around Adam Forde, a significant hero or a dangerous rebel depending on who you ask. She idealizes what she believes Forde represents, but within the context of the interview--she must face some darker truths.

At the core of "Genesis," Beckett has crafted a number of philosophical arguments that play out within exam that Anax must undertake. "Genesis" pits the individual against the society, free thought against rules and order, even humans themselves against technology. Beckett has done a terrific job balancing these thought-provoking notions into an enjoyable and entertaining read. "Genesis" captures your mind, which is rare enough, but it manages to accomplish so much more. With so many big ideas crammed into such a slim volume (you could literally read "Genesis" in one sitting), I feel compelled to sing its praises--if not for me, than for the good of society! It's as if my mind is not my own.

This is a short (150 pp) and engaging-enough book that establishes and builds an interesting view of some powerful questions. It is masked as a novel of sorts but to me that felt like a very thin veneer overlaying a longish lecture - albeit an often fascinating one. I'm afraid, though, that if it had run much longer in its current form I would not have stuck with it.

The book explores the notions of "mind" and consciousness and "self" in a thought-provoking manner. These are built upon an underpinning of evolutionary theory expanded beyond the biological. If you have read some Dawkins or Dennett you will feel comfortable.

This "novel" is presented primarily in the form of a "dialogue" interspersed with shorter storyline asides. Insofar as it is presenting philosophical ideas I suppose it harks back to a primal form for the genre - but it often seemed forced to me. When the limits of mere dialogue were inadequate to the task the author moves to the device of presuming that one speaker presents a video/movie to her questioners. This allows for a a dip into prose description.

In the reading I was repeatedly brought back to my experience of Jostein Gaarder's "Sophie's World". This book was widely acclaimed as a "novel" but also felt to me like a thinly-disguised monologue.

As a "novel of ideas" I was hoping more for a Neal Stephenson-type of book and as I am currently reading his fantastic "Baroque Cycle" trilogy with it's ripping and multi-stranded storylines I suppose that colored my impressions.

In tone the book's protagonist employs a rather high-church diction with a reverential approach to the ideas expressed - appropriate to her task of being examined for "the academy". This was, for me, jarringly contrasted with the language and tone of the deceased cultural hero ("Adam" !) whose life is the nominal focus of her examination. I came to assume that this contrast was intended to make some sort of second-level point on the author's part (you can see how the persistent teachy/preachy tone infected me). Nevertheless, I found it simply odd. Neither character develops in any meaningful way - both functioning as roughly-sketched props for the (mono)/dia-logue.

The book has an interesting twist at the end which I will not give away and which I have to say I anticipated but was nevertheless satisfying. I went back and looked at the front jacket and had a chuckle. (hint).

Your mileage may vary.

Dystopia is the new cool kid on the block of young adult genre literature. Readers of this genre are familiar with the storylines and themes: teenagers struggling to survive in a scary society that sets kids against each other for entertainment; a creepy society sets kids against each other in order to determine the characters' roles and jobs in the world; the collapse of society by disease, zombies, or natural disaster and the survival during the anarchy of the collapsed society. Genesis is not that, but in a way all of those.

It is a short book, only 150 pages. The story unfolds in a very unusual format. It is told through an interview of a young student who is attempting to prove herself to the society's upper crust Academy in a sort of dissertation or thesis defense. The society described and the world lived in is not our society or our world. History is the topic of the student's "interview" and through her exploration of the topic to the examiners, the reader learns about the world and the society in Genesis. We hear of the society's history, focusing on the life of one key man "Adam". His story, because it is being told by the main character, Anax, the reader "hears" Adam's story almost as we would hear a story sitting around a camp fire. The interview set-up is a difficult manner in which to deliver a fully fleshed out history. In a way it is a huge info-dump, but unlike many information dumps the telling of the history of this world is not at all painful, it is intriguing. Mr. Beckett delivers the story of "Adam", so well that I typically forget that I was not reading about Adam from his point of view.

Fans of dystopian and post-apocalyptic genre, will not be disappointed with Genesis. It has everything we love - disease, war, starvation, authoritarian governments, resistance, and a hint of passion. But, even this is not what the story is really about. Though the examination of the breakdown of a world is not what the book is about, the telling of it is done better than most dystopias. I would love to dive back into this world and read more about its evolution.

So what is the story really about? The author examines what is artificial intelligence; what makes a human being human? How do humans learn? How do we progress? What is thought? If you want to ignore the philosophical nature of the book and just read about the collapse of the world, then no worries you can do that with this book because the story is so darned fantastic. But if you want to think about these topics in a very light and out of the box way - well you can do that too. Here are some little tidbits of interesting thoughts from this book, none contain spoilers.

"They had embraced change uncritically, forgetting the most fundamental law of science, that change means decay."

"History has shown us the futility of the conspiracy theory. Complexity gives rise to error, and in error we grow our prejudice."

"For a society to function successfully perhaps there needs to be a level of empathy that cannot be corrupted."

"It is in conflict that our values are exposed."

"The very fear of dying ... breathes life into me."

If you have read any other reviews for this book then you probably know there is a huge WHAT THE HECK ending???!!!!! Let it happen. Let the ending surprise you. Do not get spoiled by synopses of this book. Let the author tell you his story. Every step of the way it is fascinating and a great ride.

An interesting piece, meager in its conclusions in certainly way but makes good use of its innovative structure and offers a number of interesting conclusions. The book--really more of a novella--takes the form of an historian seeking entry to the Academy giving her oral defense of an innovative approach to history, in the form of a back and forth dialog that recalls Plato with a lot more contextual exposition. Through this format the book slowly spreads details of the Academy, the society, it's background and the ultimate fate of the protagonist. Has some major but well-grounded twists in unfolding the state of things, and in the process offers a very basic AI element with some well thought out ambiguities. The main story depends more on the final revelation than most stories I enjoy, which does inhibit discussion of the work.

Centering the book on the actual processes of writing and debating history is an interesting work, and makes good use of a major and often under-utilized subtlety of science fiction. It's not exactly ideal in this element--for one thing the basic format of the story requires that four fifths of the history detail be basic facts that would be familiar to everyone in the society, rather than the actual history dispute that actually demonstrates the protagonist's analytical abilities. As well, the way the arguments play out feel rather simplistic at points, and there remain underexplored aspects in the worldbuilding and the main elements. Still, it's ultimately a very interesting, relatively unique tale. Not much for characterization, but given the format of the story as well as the Big Twist that's fairly well justified by the end.

I really thought I would enjoy this more than I did. Rather than restating the plot which has been done already by numerous reviewers I will simply say that the end becomes apparent fairly early as you read this novel. Some of the ideas presented are worth considering. It seems to be well written and is relatively short. If not for these factors I would have given it a much lower rating. While I tend to enjoy post apocalyptic literature this failed to engage me as much as I had hoped.