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    Genesis
    Genesis
    Genesis
    Audiobook3 hours

    Genesis

    Written by Bernard Beckett

    Narrated by Becky Wright

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “Explain to us why you wish to enter The Academy.”

    Candidates for The Academy must endure a grueling entrance exam, and young Anaximander has chosen as her special subject the life of Adam Forde, her long-dead hero. She begins by telling Forde’s story:

    Late in the twenty-first century the island Republic has managed to survive a devastating worldwide plague by isolating its citizens completely from outside contact. For many years, approaching ships and planes are gunned down, refugees are shot on sight. No one is allowed in or out. The islanders are safe, but not free. Until a man named Adam Forde rescues a girl from the sea…

    “Anaximander, we have asked you to consider why it is you would like to join The Academy. Is your answer ready?”

    To answer that deceptively simple question, Anaximander finds she must struggle with everything she has ever known about herself and her beloved Republic’s history. What is the nature of being human, of being conscious? What does it mean to have a soul? And when everything has been laid bare, she must confront The Republic’s last great secret, her own surprising link to Adam Forde, and the horrifying truth about her world.

    Genesis is a provocative novel of ideas that forces us to contemplate the very essence of what it means to be human. You will want to finish it in one sitting, and you will want to listen to it again and again.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateApr 1, 2009
    ISBN9781423381549
    Genesis
    Author

    Bernard Beckett

    Bernard Beckett, born in 1967, is a high school teacher based in Wellington, New Zealand, where he teaches Drama, Mathematics and English. Genesis was written while he was on a Royal Society genetics research fellowship investigating DNA mutations. Genesis won the Young Adult Fiction category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2007 and the 2007 Esther Glen award.

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    Reviews for Genesis

    4/5

    63 ratings53 reviews

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    • 3/5
      As a fan of the genre, I stuck with this story until the end. It raises some interesting questions about human choices in the face of isolation from plague, generosity of spirit, educational excellence and the merits of human experience versus machine design, but in the end, the characters never really developed for me. Perhaps that was by author design, but it made it difficult to care in the end, which has a surprising twist. This is a relatively easy read for grades 8-10, although there are better examples in the genre that would possible interest them more.
    • 4/5
      Ok I'm impressed. Short. Like a magazine story from the 50s, or a Twilight Zone episode, but, of course, richer. The Examination is all. The only 'plot' is in the very last bit. Try to forget everything you've heard about this when you get around to sitting down to read it. And read it closely, carefully. Especially recommended to YA and NA.
    • 4/5
      I am finding it a little hard to summarize Genesis without totally spoiling everything - or making it completely complicated and boring. I don't know what I had been expected, but the story that I got was beyond intriguing and different from the usual YA or science fiction book. I did not prepare myself for an intellectual discussion on man vs robots, conscious vs artificial thought, or a twisted ending that completely caught me off-guard.I'll describe Genesis like a slow roast - a little dry on the outside, but full of savory food for thought on the inside. Anax's examination served as a medium to delivering the story of Adam Forde and his role in the development of artificial intelligence. I wish there had been more focus on Anax's character, that we got to know her a little bit better beyond her academic ambitions.Other than that, this was truly an unexpected treat from fluffy romances and reading slumps. A short but excellent science fiction read! If you liked Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, then you will most likely enjoy Genesis.
    • 5/5
      This is what I call an "experience" book. You may not find yourself inside the world like in an "escapism" story, instead you feel as if your viewing it from the outside. Another more well-known example of this type of book would be 1984.You breath on your own instead of with the characters. You are able to see the story more objectively, without having unhealthy attachments to the characters. You don't think "If something happens to the this character, I will never forgive the author." You are still invested, but not so much so that it clouds your judgement.An experience novel asks you to logically consider the story and it's implications. It asks you to experience. It asks you to think.Genesis is truly incredible! You will probably either be completely put off by it or you will be blown away by it. I was one of the latter. Either way, it WILL make you think about why we exist and the implications of that existence.Anaximander is on trial. She helps to tell the tale of a man named Adam and we watch his intriguing story unfold. To Adam's surprise he befriends a being infused with Artificial Intelligence that has developed a mind of it's own. How far will the AI go to protect itself? Will it obey it's creators?I usually go for longer books or series books but this is a unlikely exception. It makes me wish that there were more of these well thought-out, groundbreaking novellas. If anyone has a recommendation of something similar, well plotted short books, I would love to hear about it.I really think everyone should read it, especially considering it's a meager 150 pages and manages to raise philosophical arguments and tell a complete dystopian story in those few pages. You'll either love it or hate it, but either way, it will make your brain melt.I wouldn't exactly call this book fast-paced, but that is why it's short length is perfect! The overall experience of a book is sometimes what makes or breaks it's rating. And a lot of times the ending can make all the difference.I just want to make perfectly clear that the ending of this book is, without a doubt, the most impactful ending I have EVER read in any book. I am not exaggerating.Ever since finishing it, I have been aching for a book to send my mind spinning as much as this one did. I so want to experience another read like this or go back in time and experience this one again.Edit: It has been well over a year since I read this book and I still think about it constantly. It's so so memorable and it should only take a couple hours at most to read.If you are discouraged by the state of so-called dystopian books lately, I beg you to read this book. I don't care if you buy it, borrow it from the library, or sit down in the store and read it (which is totally fine, right?) - just READ it. Add it to your "must read now" bookshelf. If you don't have a bookshelf called that, create it now. :-) You know you want too.And please, please, please. If you are even a tad interested in this book, don't read anything else about it. Just go read it. It is so much better if you have no idea what to expect.
    • 5/5
      Wow. The oral examinantion with small breaks and holograms to break up the four one hour sections made this book with intense ideas a quick read. I wish I could have read it in one sitting, it would have been even more powerful. At no point did I even thin Anaximander was not a human girl, and the realization leaves you asking so many questions... I will be thinking about this book for a long time and will read it again in the future.
    • 4/5
      Well, considering that this is an extremely short book with only 190 pages this was an unexpected treat. Maybe although, I ought to add that the book itself didn’t work for me, so I listened to the unabridged audiobook version. The story is set about 100 years in the future, where most of the world is destroyed by plaque and disease. We are in Plato’s Republic an Island founded by a rich man, exceptionally well secured against the outside world. The founders of The Republic sought to deny the individual, and in doing so they ignored a simple truth.Here, we meet Anaximander who is being examined on her historical knowledge of the world and the history of the Republic, in order to gain entrance to the Academy. The entire exam takes place over five hours and is presented in the form of a philosophical dialogue and a discussion on Anax own perspective and her opinions on the events in the past. I was immensely surprised that I got sucked in so easily into this story. The dialogues are overflowing with concepts, theories and enthralling ideologies about ethics, humanity, the meaning of freedom, what is consciousness and about trust and betrayal. Bernard Beckett managed to explore a multitude of critical themes in a brilliant and intensely enjoyable style. If you don’t mind pages filled with dense philosophical themes this is certainly the book for you. The ending of the story was most disturbing of all because I didn’t expect it at all. I felt like someone beat me with a sledge hammer on my head, that’s how surprised I was by it.“Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism. It is the belief that problems can be solved, differences resolved. It is a type of confidence. And it is fragile. It can be blackened by fear, and superstition.““Which came first, the mind or the idea of the mind? Have you never wondered? They arrived together. The mind is an idea.”
    • 2/5
      Read on the strength of Tyler Cowen's review. Maybe more of a puzzle than a novel. And it gets the Chinese room wrong, or at least, not right enough. I suspect I am too steeped in the topics to be a good reviewer. Were one not exposed to Searle, and to Yudiekowsky style AI-in-a-box discussions, this might be a highly enjoyable book. As is, I read it in two solid hours and more or less enjoyed in.
    • 4/5
      Bernard Beckett’s Genesis is a fast-paced read – for science fiction fans it will prove to be too short at 150 pages. Personally, I am not a science fiction fan, not by any stretch of the imagination but I found Beckett’s narrative to be engaging and thought-provoking. Though Genesis is great reading for pure enjoyment it is also a stimulating novel for classroom discussions. Its major themes of totalitarianism, dystopian worlds, political and social orders will compliment studies of world governments and history.I am eager to recommend this to anyone looking for science fiction as well as ‘reluctant readers’. Additionally, I will look for more from this New Zealand writer as I think he will prove a big hit with my high school students.
    • 5/5
      Post apocalypse book with an interesting structure. Anax is taking an exam to enter the academy that leads her society. Her chosen subject is the man who kickstarted the revolution leading to life as she knows it. I very much enjoyed this book and the ending is excellent, totally unexpected so I won't spoil it.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating, thrilling, intense, thought-provoking book. Deep questions of what it means to be conscious, to be human. I'll need to read it another time or two (or three) to absorb it. Powerfully shocking ending - wow.
    • 3/5
      Reason for Reading: I love dystopian literature and will read pretty much anything I can get my hands on as long as it sounds interesting to me.The year is 2075, an island society lives behind a Great Sea Fence and is modeled after Plato's Republic. The society is Utopian to all those within, but watching over society very carefully is The Academy where the Original Sin has been concealed very carefully from this Brave New World.Written in a unique format, we meet Anaximander as she begins her four hour oral exam to gain entry as an historian at The Academy. The book's chapters are divided into the four separate hours of Q & A followed by a stretch of break time between each where Anax is left to her thoughts. Anax's project is based on Adam Forde a great cultural hero who died before the Great War. Through her telling of his story and the questions asked of her we learn the history of this world: the global disasters, the Last War, the seclusion of The Republic behind the Great Sea Fence, the plague that destroyed much of mankind and The Republic's response to killing any who sought asylum with them, and finally, the beginning of the Great War which tore down the old Republic and established the New Platonic Republic. We are mostly exposed to Adam and his world, along with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) device that has been left with Adam after he ends up in jail, as all true great people's hero's eventually do. It is through Adam's and Art's relationship and lack of such that we really get to know this man and his society and eventually back to Anax's. The surprise reveal at the ending was a shock to me but now that I've thought about it I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. The book is unusual. It wasn't a page-turner for me and took longer for me to read 185 pages than it should have. But it was interesting and never did I consider putting the book away, or *not* continuing on with it. The story lingers with me. The ending is certainly what makes the book worth the read and leaves one to ponder on many levels. Readable.
    • 4/5
      In a not-too-distant dystopic future, a student takes an oral examination in hopes of joining the elite Academy which runs her society. Her area of expertise is the study of a magnetic historical personage named Adam, whose actions changed the development of the society in ways which are revealed only in the last few pages. Memorable, disturbing, and thought-provoking (and that's an inside joke which only a reader of the book will get).
    • 4/5
      This was an intriguing book, and another one that I think fits into sci-fi for those who don't normally read sci-fi. It's also got a generous dollop of philosophy, which I think almost all great sci-fi has, and is about the only way I want to read anything that has to do with philosophy.Genesis is the story of Anaximander's entrace exam for The Academy. It is a four-hour exam in which she with be questioned by three examiners on the subject of her choice. Anax's speciality is a man called Adam Forde, who we know is connected with the creation of Anax's society, but other than that, we learn about him and this new society as the Anax answers questions. We also discover what came of our current world, how The Republic was created, and how Adam challenged society and changed it. Of course, things are not what they seem and Anax has a tenuous connection to Adam of which she is not aware. The idea of humanity, of thoughts, ideas, and feelings, are called into question throughout the test, and the reader is often exposed to layers of story all at once, from Adam's perspective to Anax's interactions with the examiners to her private thoughts and fears.I spent the majority of the story wondering what the swerve would be, and enjoyed it when it was revealed. Even flipping back through the book, there are wonderful clues and hints at how the exam and Adam's story will end. However, I think this story ends up being more about the philosophy than about science fiction. Anax's story's ending is good but felt just a bit predictable. Adam's story felt like the strong point of the book, and I think the connection, particularly between Anax and Adam could've used some more development, since the reveal comes so quickly.Overall, an interesting book that creates interesting discussion points and would make for a few good reads. It's a fast-paced story and a compelling story-telling technique.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      Anax is a young scholar taking the entrance examination for The Academy, but she's about to learn things she never knew about the subject of her study who helped shape her society.I was surprised at how short this book was, but I was also surprised that it managed to suck me in so quickly since it's in a transcript format. I read it in a single sitting. I was able to figure out some of the surprises in store but not all of them. Fun to think about and very rewarding.
    • 4/5
      Plot: Anax is a bright young history student who wants to be admitted to the prestigious Academy that guides her society. In order to succeed, she must pass a grueling 5 hour oral exam to test her knowledge of her chosen subject, the controversial and charismatic Adam Forde. Through her words we learn about the relationship between Adam and the android art and how it changed the world forever.This is a short novel, I read it in one sitting, but a very thought provoking one. It reminds me of novels such as Brave New World and 1984. The frame used to tell the story is very effective and leads to some truly shocking revelations whereas the story of Adam and Art makes you think long and hard about your ideas of consciousness, history, ethics and the state.
    • 4/5
      Huxley meets Plato meets Lowry in this new novella imported from New Zealand. Anaximander is an amazing scholar – she’s studied history and has been invited to take an exam that could lead to an amazing career. Her specialty is the life of Adam, a legendary hero of her post-apocalyptic culture. Told almost entirely in dialogue – between Anax and the examiners – Genesis is a uniqe work of fiction that recalls a possible future, one that is terrifying to imagine. You will be easily lost in Beckett’s fast-paced narrative and, as each twist and turn unravels, you will find yourself emotionally invested in Anaximander’s plight. Genesis is an important book that fans of dystopian literature will devour.
    • 3/5
      Bernard Beckett takes the novel of ideas and crystallizes it as a novel of Idea. Working with the conceit of a final oral examination, Beckett presents Anaximander — Anax for short — in dialogue with her three examiners on her specialist subject, the life of Adam Forde. The examination takes place over five hours with brief intermissions when Anax is let out into another room. It opens with Anax being asked about pre-history, how the world was before the arrival of Adam. It was a world rigidly ordered, a Plato’s Republic, cut off from the rest of world, which was disintegrating due to fractious wars and plagues, by huge sea fences and eternal vigilance. Adam is a problem for this world — intelligent enough to be of the Philosopher class, physically robust enough to be of the Soldier class, and definitely with a will of his own. Adam’s actions precipitate a massive transformation which eventually leads to the Great War and the peace that followed, a peace which Anax does not take for granted.Although the first section of the novel seems stiff in its presentation of history and explanation of a society based on Plato’s imagined republic, thereafter it becomes more philosophically interesting. Adam, captured after his early action, is forced to spend his remaining days in the company of Art, the first serious contender for Artificial Intelligence. Their argument lasts for months. In the process they canvass much of the philosophical history of debate around AI, from the Turing test to the Chinese Room to the role that mortality plays in making us human. It is a lively journey and Beckett deserves praise for never letting it seem well trodden. Readers of this novel who have not yet encountered serious philosophical discussion of these issues (which I imagine would be true of much of the intended YA audience) will find Adam and Art fascinating. And any teacher using the novel to spark discussion in her class might find herself overrun with the enthusiasm it might engender.Does it work as a novel? Yes and no. As a speculative fiction that turns on one central idea and culminates in a well-concealed twist ending, it is thoroughly enjoyable. But it doesn’t really rise above its initial conceit. Enjoyable, for the most part, thought provoking (and not embarrassing in its presentation of the philosophical arguments), and surprising in its ending. Well worth passing on to a young person seeking a bit of mental stimulation. Or enjoying yourself when they aren’t looking.
    • 4/5
      So there's been a huge run on dystopian (young adult) stuff for the last few years. As a huge fan of dystopian works, I'm both thrilled (at the push for my favorite sub-genre) and disappointed (at how many of them suck). This book is not only awesome, but manages awesome in just 150 pages.

      It's written in a different format than most books, as a history lesson as the main character is being tested. Young Anax wants to earn entry into the Academy, which is some sort of think-tank philosophical governing body. The future is a beautiful place, where all of the problems of society have been solved after a long era of war, plague and general horror. She's undergoing an all-day oral exam by members of this group.

      That exam, Anax explains how the world came to be through her studies of a pivotal character in her society's history. We also get glimpses of her thoughts, her feelings, and her memories. Using this format is unconventional and allows us to learn a whole lot, very quickly. It's dense, but not overly thinky, which is nice.

      In the end, she learns more than she ever thought she would about her society, its true history, and what price it pays to keep its utopia.

      It's very well done, it's original, it's unexpected. I highly recommend it, and at 150 pages, there's no reason not to read it.
    • 4/5
      Intriguing, thought-provoking, entertaining, fast-paced--what more would we want from a novella? The less you know about the plot going in, the more you'll enjoy your experience, especially the jarring end. While it is classified as science fiction, it is more in the realm of The Giver and 1984 with echoes of Socratic discussions. The plot hums along as ideas are treated like tennis balls on a fast court. For the reader, it's like watching a champion match at Wimbledon, to torture that metaphor further--polite but intense and determined.The format of a teenage girl undergoing an oral examination to enter The Academy, THE elite institution of this society, allows a retelling of the history of this post-apocalyptic world. Sound dry? NOT. It's more like the dance of the 7 veils, because you think you can see through to the ultimate image but with each reveal comes a shape-changing surprise.Because this is a novel of ideas, it begs to be discussed and it would be especially interesting to share with 'sentient teens' if you're lucky enough to know any. A great choice for book groups, school discussions, family vacations. I really enjoy being forced to question basic assumptions, and the aptly named Genesis does that in a increasingly challenging manner, but it never forgets to entertain, and occasionally, force a brief hoot of laughter to escape.Stop reading reviews, and go read the book.
    • 5/5
      In Plato’s Republic, an island nation in the future where no one from the outside is allowed in, Anaximander begins her four-hour-long examination for entrance into The Academy. She has researched the life of Adam Forde, a well-known soldier who made history when he rescued an outsider girl from the sea and changed the course of the Republic forever.As Anax tells the Examiners what she knows about Adam’s life and the subsequent events that followed, she begins to question the existence of humanity, the purpose of the Republic, and the safety of her own future, ultimately making a discovery that turns her life—and the readers—upside down for a shocking conclusion.How can I describe GENESIS in a way that will do it justice? It’s a chilling piece of dystopian literature, a psychological thriller that terrifies even though it takes place entirely in a four-hour-long conversation. It’s not light reading, for sure, and will force you to think long and hard about it days after you’ve finished the book.On that note, though, I think that all the time you’ll have to put into thinking about this book and the issues it raises is completely worth it. There are long conversations that delve into questions of the worth of humanity and the dangers—and advantages—of artificial intelligence. The ending in particular was so unexpected, so original and yet so appropriate that once you’ve read it you can think of no other way to end the book. I would read this book again and again just to understand the circumstances that led up to the fascinating ending, an ending that will stay with you forever.All in all, don’t miss GENESIS. It’s not a typical young adult read, that’s for sure, and will be difficult for many people to comprehend, but if you put the effort into it, trust me, it will be very worth it.
    • 4/5
      Anax wants to become a member of The Academy. In order to be admitted, she must endure a four hour interview in front of a three member panel. Anax has been working with a tutor in order to prepare herself.It is through this four hour interview that the reader learns the history of the world after a devastating plague killed most of the people on the planet. Safe behind the Great Sea Fence, her people keep their island safe by shooting any plane or boat that comes within sight. The society is based on rigid rules like: men and women living separately, parentage being kept from children, and at one year of age children are tested to determine what class they will be placed in based on their genomic reading (Laborers, Soldiers, Technicians, or Philosophers).History is not what it seems. Anax learns more about her world during the interview than she did during all her days of preparation. She realizes The Academy isn’t what it appears to be, but is it too late to change her current path?GENESIS is a fast-paced story. It is interesting to read about the post-apocalyptic world Anax lives in. Bernard Beckett does a great job of building the story without revealing too much too soon. The ending will leave you stunned.
    • 4/5
      This was a short, interesting little book. Set in a not-so-distant dystopian future, the novel centers around Anaximander, a young student, who is being questioned by the members of the Academy, in order to gain a place among their ranks. It is through this interview that we learn the history of the society Anax lives in. I don't want to give too much away, but it's all about the nature of humanity and freedom, with a great twist at the end. I'm not sure about the style of the book, it almost reads like a play, with pages of dialogue, and I'm not sure it wouldn't have worked better that way. Still recommended, especially for fans of dystopian literature, or people who are interested in artificial intelligence. Three and a half stars.
    • 2/5
      In order to enter the prestigious academy, Anax must endure a grueling oral exam with three examiners. Her topic of special research was Adam Ford, through whose like we learn the history of Anax's society. The story would have been much more compelling had it been told by actions and real dialog rather then this academic and philosophical question and answer session. It really dragged in the middle. And the surprise ending may have been a surprise, but by that time this reader was beyond caring.
    • 4/5
      When I started reading, I didnt realise this was a New Zealand author, and even when the book talked of Aotearoa, I just though, oh cool, someone is thinking globally. Duh. But yes, this book is set in future New Zealand. And the world has gone to the dogs.Plagues have wiped out everyone bar the lot inside the safe sea walls surrounding Aotearoa/New Zealand. Sentries guard the coast and shoot any stray survivor refugees on sight. Society is pleasant. Everyone behaves and accepts the place they are assigned and the duties that go with it. Until Adam Forde starts to question things.This book is set at various points in the future. So Adam Fordes actions and their consequences are being discussed as past events by our hero, Anax. She is delivering a spoken assignment on her take on Fordes life and the event that is to shape all their lives. It raises, and discusses, a lot of existential issues. Consciousness, societal roles, philosophy all play a big part in the dialogue. All intertwined with artificial intelligence and its role in this new world. All this and a cracker ending. A pretty good, short read overall.
    • 3/5
      ‘Genesis’ was a very short novel, though this says nothing about its depth and the amount of thinking it will leave you to do. It is an incredibly layered novel, with many different aspects to think about. The strangest part, for me, was that I was rather bored throughout reading it, but came to a far better understanding and appreciation of ‘Genesis’ a few hours after I had finished reading it.The story is an unusual one, set in a post-apocalyptic future. The world has recovered from some sort of mass warfare, economic and social collapse and straight out confusion. From what I gathered, a third world war had basically broken out, decimating Earth’s population. A virus was also introduced, which played a major part in the downfall of the world as we know it. Those who were left began their own colony of sorts, where they rejected refugees out of fear that the virus would return. People were sorted into class systems according to their intelligence and physical form at birth. Adam Forde, a main focus of the novel, is born into the highest class, but after several attempts at rebellion he is demoted to watching for refugees that he is instructed to gun down. Adam, however, saves a young girl that he sees. This results in him being put in a facility as a companion to the secret artificial intelligence program that had created Art, a robot.The story is told from the perspective of Anaximander, or Anax. She is in an exam to enter the famous Academy, with her topic being the life of Adam Forde.The writing style is interesting, with the story being conveyed in the form of questions from the examiners, and answers from Anax. This format, however, I found to be quite dry and emotionless. It was all straight facts from practically the first page, and for me, it was information overload. Info-dump isn’t good at the best of times, and I admit, I was tired when I started this, but it was all too much to take in. There was facts about the world flying left right and center and there was just too much at one time to retain. The format was a new and interesting way of presenting the novel, but in the situation where a lot of information needs to be conveyed (especially in a novel as short as this) I felt that it didn’t work all that well.Anax might have been an interesting character, though I feel that we really didn’t get to know much about her. Again, this comes back to the style of the novel, which made my relationship with Anax impersonal. We didn’t get enough internal monologue, and so there just wasn’t enough of Anax’s feelings and opinions being conveyed. Sure, we got what she told the examiners, but that really wasn’t enough.Adam, however, was another story. From the reports of him conveyed by Anax, I felt we got to know Adam quite well. He was a likeable character, with real feelings and the sort of rebellious hero personality that you expect from post-apocalyptic novels.Art was also an interesting and creative character. His design was innovative and intriguing, and his conviction was admirable. I did, however, have mixed feelings about Art. I’m not sure whether I like him or I don’t!The plot of the novel was complicated, and although the language wasn’t hard for me, I found the book a little confusing. This probably stemmed from all the philosophical ‘humanity’ talk that came about from Adam and Art’s conversations. This got pretty deep, and required a lot of thought. At the time, I found these conversations pretty dull, and put the book down several times. After finishing, however, I couldn’t get the novel out of my head and just kept thinking about them. There was something about the ‘humanity/conscience’ debate that just pulled me in, long after I had put Genesis down.I’m not sure where the Adam, Eve and Genesis references really fit into the book, however.The twist and ending of the novel came as a surprise for me, though I was quite confused towards the end and had to read things several times – and I’m still a little lost! At one stage, during the real climax of the novel, I think I was (and you should be shocked) almost about to cry…and then it was gone. Seriously, the moment it hit an emotional moment, it went straight back to being flat. I was a little annoyed at that – OK, maybe I was just tired and emotional, but the moment was just gone in a flash. Bummer.Still, the ending was pretty confusing.Genesis puts forward a lot of ethical dilemmas, which are relevant even now. When I read it, I found the novel dragging and it had a bit of info-dump at times, but it’s after I finished the novel that it really hit home for me. It’s a heavy book, in the way that it leaves you thinking about it, but light in that it’s pretty short.I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something short, but questioning, and anyone interested in post-apocalyptic YA literature. While the character and the plot are a little dry, the novel will leave you thinking long after you’re done.
    • 1/5
      A good idea, lazily executed.
    • 2/5
      This novella is a quick read, and is thought-provoking, especially with its twist ending that the reader may or may not see from the first 50 pages. The format - that of a four-hour Socratic Dialogue - is interesting, but might feel feel a bit gimmicky to some readers, and the ideas discussed (put simply: what, if anything, distinguishes human consciousness from artificial intelligence) have the potential of sparking a short discussion with other readers, but I found the author's presentation of the ideas to be prescriptive, and not altogether unique.

      In the end, I'd say to read this book if you have a strong interest in artificial intelligence or the technical essence of humanity, but if that's the case then you might already have been exposed to similar discussions to those in this book, and ones that have been more fully developed.
    • 5/5
      Bloody brilliant!! Don't read any reviews. Just read the book.
    • 5/5
      Direct, simple yet surprisingly thoughtful, uncluttered and enjoyable.