Genesis by Bernard Beckett

Anaximander, with the help of a tutor, has been studying in order to take the four-hour exam she must pass in order to become a member of The Academy. This book is mostly a transcript to her oral exam before a three judge panel.

I found Mr. Beckett's writing style unique as the whole story is told mostly through Anax's interview with The Academy elders and through several flashbacks. Through this interview we learn what has become of the world after wars and a deadly plague have ravaged the planet and its inhabitants. Behind the great sea fence, the people who reside on her island keep it safe by shooting any vessel that comes within sight. We also get a lot of detail on how their precious island came to be, the forefathers who had the knowledge to create their walled-in sanctuary, a man named Adam and how history was changed when a young woman named Eve washed ashore.

As you read Anax's story you quickly become immersed in the history of this post-apocalyptic world and you become just as intrigued by Adam and his interactions with a robot named Art. But Anax slowly begins to suspect that the history she knows so much of might not be as correct as she once thought... making you, as the reader, wonder if the truth will set her free.

I have become quite the fan of dystopian / post-apocalyptic novels recently. And,this is, by far, one of the best I've read. Although it's really a short read (only 208 pages), it is packed full of philosophical ideas - from living in the ideal society to what it is to be human. I was pretty awed that this would be considered YA fiction - since it is so philosophical, but do not let that stop you from reading it. This can definitely be a cross-over into adult fiction. Oh, and have I mentioned that surprise ending that I was caught totally unaware by and left with a big "O" on my mouth. Love when that happens! This one will definitely appeal to science fiction and philosophy lovers.