Customer Reviews

The Last Generation

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Post-apocalyptic novels are almost their own genre. Almost all follow certain conventions already well established in the well known entries in the field like The Stand, The Postman, Lucifer's Hammer, and so on. The Last Generation honours some of those basic conventions (for instance, a very large cast of characters who initially seem completely disconnected from each other, but who turn out to be bound together in some way) but departs from the pattern in some very innovative and interesting ways.

The most significant is that the disaster in question is a condition which suddenly arose that prevented any pregnancy from being carried to term. So, rather than a story about civilization being almost instantaneously wiped out, we have the story of a group of folks from the last generation that was born trying to find some meaning in life as the human race slowly grinds down to an inevitable end and culture unravels with no future upon which to pin its hopes.

The novel is gen-X literature through and through. The chapters are mostly short, and consist of the sort of short declarative sentences and sentence fragments that typified Hemingway's writing. Whether intentionally or not, the bleak gen-X view of the world is blatant, and the way in which the characters deal with the problem is mostly an expose of the banality of post-modern life. References to current pop-culture, filtered through the viewpoint of the last generation are replete. This works surprisingly well, but I think it will impair the ability of the novel to speak to future readers.

As someone else has pointed out, this book doesn't have the usual happy ending. With few exceptions (I am Legend, Soylent Green), postapocalyptic fiction generally has a happy ending. Postaer follows his premise through to its dismal end.

A minor gripe is that the editor failed to catch a number of minor factual errors in various descriptions and comparisons.

In the end, this tale is full of sound and fury, but signifies nothing. Then again, I somehow think that was the point. I can't imagine re-reading it, but it was worth the time and money first time around (I got it last night and finished it this morning).

I was very impressed with Mr. Postaer's first book. He took a very simple 'what if' concept and explored the idea in a number of different intelligent ways that all rang true. His main focus on the individual characters really kept me invovled in the story and the little snippets that looked at society in the bigger picture were all very clever and evocative.

The writer is inventive, articulate and lots of fun.
I highly recommend the book.

For those who love people watching in real life, this is a great character book. The scenario is so believable, that you can not help but imagine yourself in similar situation. What would you do? How would you live the rest of your life? This book is thought-provoking, fun and easy to read. Get it. You'll love it.

Steffan Postaer's long awaited novel is searingly brilliant in its provocative yet poignant depiction of the fading fizzle of life. Never before has the mirror been turned so starkly upon the beating heart, making each of us ask the most compelling questions of life and death. Truly a must read. If Mr. Postaer is indicative of the last generation, we can all take heart in knowing we're going down with wit, style and aplomb.

For those who love people watching in real life, this is a great character book. The scenario is so believable, that you can not help but imagine yourself in similar situation. What would you do? How would you live the rest of your life? This book is thought-provoking, fun and easy to read. Get it. You'll love it.

I loved your book! I can't believe you killed that couple with a rattlesnake--Goodbye Walt Disney endings!! I am most amazed by your adeptness at exposing the female thought process. I can usually tell when a man writes a female character, but in this case, your women read like a woman wrote them. As you most likely already know, your book fits into the Dark Romantic or Anti-Transcendental genre as well as science fiction. The book feels like Edgar Allan Poe's little brother wrote it.