The Last Book In The Universe

Book Description

It's the story of an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz, who begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the planet. In a world where most people are plugged into brain-drain entertainment systems, Spaz is the rare human being who can see life as it really is. When he meets an old man called Ryter, he begins to learn about Earth and its past. With Ryter as his companion, Spaz sets off an unlikely quest to save his dying sister -- and in the process, perhaps the world.

Customer Reviews:

Maybe some technology advances only reveal our barbarity.......2007-10-08

This book takes a number of ideas from classic science fiction novels, such as books being rendered obsolete by a higher technology (Farenheit 451), a group of particular beings who are way above and beyond the rest of humanity and live in a paradise (The Karma Machine, Oath of Fealty), humans being destroyed by a technology of illusion (The Talosians of Star Trek TOS), but I didn't think of them as obvious borrowings as I read the book.

One reason I'm not giving this book five stars is because as I was reading it, I was thinking about the other books this book could become. This book could launch a number of other books that delve further into the topics mentioned in the book, such as the promise and peril of human genetic engineering, whether a technology that shoots the ideas and emotions of a book into your brain is a good thing, virtual reality, etc.

The other reason I'm not giving this book five stars is because both the Masters of Eden and the future Master Lenaya didn't call the citizens of Eden on their barbarity towards the genetically unimproved "normals." Lenaya was a genetically engineered future leader, and for her to accept the snooty superiority of the "proovs" was unacceptable, given what was shown about her.

It should be noted that I read this book on the recommendation of my 14-year-old son, who read this book of his own volition, and would give it five stars if he were to review it.

Review of editorial review.......2007-09-27

The title of this book piqued my interest. The first editorial review piqued it further. The second editorial review (above, Susan L. Rogers, from Chestnut Hill Academy, PA) needlessly spoiled the ending and several major plot points. Please do not publish spoilers in the main section of the main page for a book. If you must, please give some sort of warning.

Thanks.

Interesting Story With Some Holes.......2007-06-05

Far, far in the future, civilization has been ruined by a huge earthquake--The Big Shake, they call it. It killed much of the population and the damage caused by it led to the deaths of many more. Now people live in communities of fear, each ruled by a gang leader who will kill anyone at the drop of a hat. There is no longer any running water or any modern luxuries. People are always hungry and life is generally miserable. This is the world in which Spaz, a teenaged epileptic, lives. He used to have foster parents and a little sister, but then one of his fits scared his foster father so badly, he banished Spaz from their home and sent him far away to live on the streets.

Spaz does have one advantage over many others living around him. He is allergic to hypodermic needles and therefore is unable to experience the mindprobes, wonderful images like movies that are sent through needles directly into the brain. Some people get addicted to the feelings of security and happiness that mindprobes bring, and those people's brains are slowly rotting away. Spaz seems to be one of the few people who can think and who can remember things. Then he meets an old man who thinks even more than he does. This man is actually writing something, with marks on paper. He says it is a book, which people used to have back before the Big Shake. Spaz thinks he is strange but is drawn to him.

Then Spaz gets a message that his beloved sister, Bean, is very sick and may even die. She has been asking for him to come to her. Disregarding the danger that lies in crossing through the territories of several other gang leaders, Spaz sets off to see her, with the old writer trailing along.

I liked the part of the book about Eden, although it was infuriating that something like that could happen. I also liked Spaz's devotion to Bean, and I liked the other characters who helped him as he traveled to her.

The part about Spaz's foster parents throwing him out didn't seem to make much sense, if they had seen him have fits before. I didn't like the twist at the end with Billy; I didn't see it coming and it didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story. I also found it hard to get used to the way Spaz spoke, and he didn't explain himself very often at the beginning. I didn't understand some of his terminology.

The Last Book in the Universe review by H.J.H.......2007-03-02

This book can be a real eye-opener. It gives a great chance to appreciate trees, grass, even the sky. It takes place way ahead in the future. I thought it COULD be a good prediction of what things COULD turn out to be. I enjoyed reading this Sci-Fi novel, and think many other readers will, too.

A really good book!.......2007-02-27

This book is about a kid named Spaz that lives in the future! He is one of the people that they call The Bangers and the Bangers go out and take other people's things. He doesn't have a family because he was raised by foster parents. They sent him away because his foster father thought that he was doing things to his little sister Bean. Bean gets sick and he goes to her because she wants to see him. Will people still be reading books anymore in the future? I like this book because it had bizarre and cool events that happened! I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and action! This book is like nothing that I've ever read before!

Average customer rating:

Not his best, but still engaging
The Last Universe
The best book ever!
A good read, even if not amongst Sleator's best efforts
William Sleator, The Man Who Will Rule The World

The Last Universe
William Sleator
Manufacturer: Amulet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0810992132

Book Description

Sleator is at his sci-fi best with this quantum thriller, now available in paperback

In this gothic, sci-fi thriller from a master storyteller, Susan and her wheelchair-bound brother, Gary, discover a mysterious maze in the vast gardens of their isolated home. Planted by a scientist uncle who disappeared long ago, the maze offers seemingly endless routes and choices. The teenagers discover that each turn they take alters their world in some way. Sickly Gary sees a chance to change his fate; Susan sees that they may both be lost forever. Sleator keeps readers guessing right up to the shocking ending.

Praise for The Last Universe

"Sleator is a master of suspenseful science fiction and that mastery is evident here...entirely shocking." - School Library Journal

"Science fiction fans, science nerds, and random readers alike will appreciate this latest offering." - Voya

"Sleator has fashioned a perfect 'what if' story." - Kliatt

"Will keep readers turning the pages until the very end." - Kirkus

Customer Reviews:

Not his best, but still engaging.......2007-08-13

William Sleator's evident fascination with quantum physics and different universes is on display again in this novel, which (like Strange Attractors before it) deals with bifurcations in the timeline. In "Strange Attractors" the characters actually used a time machine to visit these alternate timelines. This time around, all it takes is one sick boy and a maze.

There are several problems with this book. One is its attempt to be "modern". Sleator evidently wants to reach today's youth by incorporating their technology into his new books. This one begins with his main character instant messaging her friend, and he writes their conversation out exactly as he evidently imagines a teen would write an instant message. Maybe it's unfair to peg him for this one, but to me the entire effort seemed strained. He abbreviated some things but not others, and it didn't sound like a teenager, it sounded like an adult trying to sound like a teenager. It was also frustratingly vague at times. He never gave any specifics about what illness the sick boy actually has, though it would have taken only a hour's worth of internet research to find a disease or syndrome of some kind that had the symptoms he needed for his plot.

I was very disappointed by the ending. There are so many promising leads -- the fascinating probability clouds, the ever-changing vases, the hints at the other worlds -- that I could scarcely imagine all the places he could take the book in the end. But instead of something really fantastic, the ending is very ho-hum, and the "twist" at the end isn't handled well enough to really be a shocker. It's also not particularly scientific, or logical. And it's frustrating that so much is left unexplained in the book -- his explanation of illness "triggering" the garden's quantum effects, for example, or even giving some hints as to how the maze was built in the first place. Did the garden inherently possess quantum properties, or were they brought there by some magic-like science? Even little things in this book failed to impress. Each chapter has a little maze at the heading, but the maze always stays the same. Since the maze in the garden changes, it would have been interesting to see that one change too, kind of like the chapter-heading pictures in one of Michael Crichton's books. He also has an "Afterward" in the book, and for the life of me, I cannot understand why it's even there, since all it does is repeat what his characters have already said about quantum physics in the book. It's great that he wanted to have a solid lesson on the concept for his readers, but I'm sure his readers were smart enough to understand it without a repetitive and frankly condescending "explanation" at the end.

Still, there's a lot of great imagery here, especially with the descriptions Sleator gives of the garden. It's almost as if he's really been to such a place. :-) And he does manage to create an atmosphere of creepy tension, as always. I'm just disappointed that the pay-off wasn't better. Overall, it's definitely not one of his best books. Check out "Strange Attractors" The Boy Who Reversed Himself and The Boxes for more dazzling examples of how this amazing writer can handle the concepts of time travel and alternate universes. It may not sound like it from this review, but he's one of my favorite writers of all time, and since I know what he's capable of, I'm inclined to be harder on him when he doesn't meet his potential. I know he still has great stories to tell, so I look forward to reading those.

The Last Universe.......2006-10-26

The Last Universe is a book about two siblings, Gary and Susan. Gary has an illness that has put him in a wheelchair and is making Gary weaker by the day. Gary loves being in the huge mysterious garden behind his house. Even though Susan is afraid of her family's garden, she must push Gary on its paths every day. The garden was made by Susan and Gary's great-great grandparents. In the couple acre garden, there is a maze that can only be seen from the upper floor bathroom window created by Susan's Great-Uncle Arthur. Great-Uncle Arthur also won the Lebon Prize for quantum physics. While Gary is more and more sick, mysterious flowers are sprouting and growing at abnormally fast rates. What makes the flowers even more mysterious is the fact that they grow in are found growing in Cambodia, halfway across the world. When the children tell their dad about this, he tries to avoid the topic. Did something bad happen in the garden?
William Sleator used a style of writing that had me hooked from the beginning of the book until the end of the book. He also was very descriptive and made characters with very credible actions. There was a great plot wasn't confusing. The part that was confusing to me was the quantum physics used in this book. Quantum was hard topic for me to understand.
I enjoyed this book because the plot had me hooked. I also liked the topic he chose for his book. Although this is an excellent book, the quantum is very confusing. I would recommend this book to people who like science fiction, people who can understand difficult concepts, and like a plot that moves at a fast pace.

The best book ever!.......2006-10-18

The main character is in a wheelchair because he is sick and can't walk any more. He is depressed because he can't go anywhere without his sister. Susan takes her brother to the garden every day so he can get some fresh air. After they start going to the pond weird things start to happen. The paths started to move and flowers started to grow there that where impossible to grow there.
I liked the characters and plot of this book because they are always changing. The characters are friendly and cheerful and the plot is always changing like the price of gas. It is a really good book. You should go and read it.

A good read, even if not amongst Sleator's best efforts.......2006-09-24

Imaginative, thought-provoking, & suspenseful sci-fi is the hallmark of all Sleator's works, and this one does not disappoint. The concepts of quantum physics which drive the story are intriguing and Sleator has done a good job of explaining them to his audience. The action is slow at the beginning, but the story picks up pace as Susan & Gary begin to visit the maze and to comprehend its effects. The ending was completely unexpected, as is typical of Sleator.

As for negatives, the characters of both Gary & Susan are annoying, especially Susan for her fearful personality. In fact, I didn't feel that I would like ANY of the characters in real life. Also, the plot didn't contain as many characteristic Sleator twists as the other books of his that I've read.

In my opinion, "The Boxes," "Singularity," "Rewind," "Among the Dolls," and "The Green Futures of Tycho" were all much, much better, but, as a previous reviewer pointed out, even a "weak" (all things being relative) effort by Sleator is worth reading.

By the way -- my 5th-grader loved it.

William Sleator, The Man Who Will Rule The World.......2006-06-05

i first read William Sleator when i picked up The Green Futures of Tycho i fell in love, then i read the Boxes then i read this, this is the best book by William Sleator. Its creepy, it makes you think, its funny, and overall amazing. You learn all about Quantum Physics and fun stuff like that, so pick it up and read away

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The Last Book of the Universe
Rodman Philbrick
Manufacturer: Listening Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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The Last Book In The Universe

ASIN: 0807261823
Release Date: 2001-01-23

Book Description

Read by Jeremy Davies
4 hours, 24 mins.
3 cassettes

Civilization has been destroyed, except for the forbidden place called Eden. There are no longer books in this world, but one old man named Ryter is writing one—even though he knows the possible terrible result of his actions.

Both chilling and inspiring, the story is ultimately about those who have the courage to become conscious in a world that instead invites us to choose illusion and denial.

The Last Prophet's Book: The Truth of Our Universe

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Outstanding read!!
Sci-fi action and a Christian worldview together
A Great Book

The Last Prophet's Book: The Truth of Our Universe
Calvin Oliver Wilson
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595407102

Book Description

A prophet dreams of two other planets and writes his visions of these two opposite planets. Although he sees many things of these other peoples, God sees more. God sees below into the hearts of men. The prophet finally sees his visions become flesh as the three worlds come together to battle upon Earth. And in the smoke of the already ongoing World War III, a victor is found. Who shall emerge?

So I arose and looked in the Crystal Sea and saw darkness. And the Lord said, "Unto you, man, do I now reveal the last book of history, showing you what has come from the beginning. In the beginning, I did create the Heaven and the Earth as My Word has been written, but among the heavens I created only two other inhabited worlds. Earth was not alone. One planet's name was Plenarius and the other Hamartia. I gave the inhabitants, My first man and woman on each planet, the chance to have a free will to do what they wanted. I wanted to see if they would follow Me willingly. In the first year, all three planets fell into sin."

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding read!!.......2007-01-26

The Last Prophet's Book puts a whole new twist on a story thousands of years in the making. When war between Hamartia and Plenarius breaks out, the strain on Plenarius is too much. They fight armed with a prophecy, which is about to unfold on a lesser, meaningless planet, called Earth.

The Last Prophet's Book is one of the most intriguing books I have read. This book is so jam-packed with biblical names and hints that you can't help being caught up in the words of Calvin Oliver Wilson.

Sci-fi action and a Christian worldview together.......2007-01-04

While it may begin slowly, the book has exploding action! The first couple of chapters set the scene for the rest of the book. The action doesn't end before the last chapter.

The book is sci-fi and yet tries to hold to certain components of Christianity. There are quite a few aspects of the sci-fi following in the book. Ships, planets, and futuristic technology all find their place, even within a Biblical worldview.

Wilson mixed different languages into the book, making hidden meanings in many of the names. For example, Hamartia, the name of the evil planet means sin from Greek. Or the name of Zaragiah's adoptive parent, "An" is from the Chinese for peace.

A Great Book.......2006-10-30

Wilson crafts a space saga where the universe is not devoid of God but created and centralized around Him. While much of the story borders on a Star Wars type novel, the protagonists in this book use the power of God instead of the "the force'. Fortunately, it pulls this off without being too cheesy or preachy.

Jim is the last living prophet on our world, who works out a very meager living on a ramshackle farm. His prophetic visions tell a story of two other inhabited planets created by God and their inevitable encounter with our planet.

The blending of science fiction and religion makes for an entertaining story. The development of the main character hero Wesley, who overcomes immense obstacles and plot points, keeps the pages turning.

Although I enjoyed the compelling story of the hero, I would have liked to have found more history and information about some of the items and technology used (but thats just me, I'm a geek).

If you enjoy fantasy or science fiction stories such as Lord of the Rings or Star Wars this book will have you racing to the end.

The Last Three Minutes: Conjectures on the Ultimate Fate of the Universe.: An article from: The Futurist

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The Last Three Minutes: Conjectures on the Ultimate Fate of the Universe.: An article from: The Futurist

Manufacturer: World Future Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Futurist, published by World Future Society on March 1, 1995. The length of the article is 673 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Last Three Minutes: Conjectures on the Ultimate Fate of the Universe.
Publication: The Futurist (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 1995
Publisher: World Future Society
Volume: v29 Issue: n2 Page: p44(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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THE LAST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE
PHILBRICK RODMAN
Manufacturer: THE BLU SKY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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LAST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE
RODMAN PHILBRICK
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

THE LAST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE
PHILBRICK RODMAN
Manufacturer: BLUE SKY PRESS / SCHOLASTIC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The last days (A reflection book)
John Edward Hilburn
Manufacturer: Carlton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Arms Control | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007F4CCU

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The Last Prophet's Book: The Truth of Our Universe
Calvin Oliver Wilson
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7EH3G

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Asia the Beautiful Cookbook: Authentic Recipes From Japan, Korea, China, the Phillipines, Thailand, Laos, and Kampuchea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, India, Burma, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka

Manufacturer: Stonehenge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0867066253

Product Description

Beautifully illustrated over-size cookbook with numerous color photographs of dishes and the countries of their origin.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful to look at, decent recipes
A Great Thai Cookbook!
Delicious, beautiful, less than authentic
Awesome Thai cookbook
Great book, but there's still one better

Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook
Panurat Poladitmontr
Manufacturer: Beautiful Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0002550296

Book Description

Thailand the Beautiful Cookbook is a joyous celebration of Thailand its people, and its cuisine.

The range and diversity of Thai cooking is showcased in this magnificent collection of authentic recipes from each of the four regions of Thailand.

From the South, where the cooking reflects a Malay influence, comes a tantalizing array of curries and delicious seafood dishes. The Central Plains region, with the huge vibrant city of Bangkok as its focus is the most fertile, part of the country and is rich in fresh produce. The North has a very distinctive cuisine based on glutinous rice, and the dishes that accompany it are generally milder than those of the Central and Northeastern regions In the Northeast the influence of nearby Laos is felt and dishes tend to be highly spiced.

Thai-born chef and culinary expert Panurat Poladitmontri and his partner, Judy Lew, have prepared this superb collection of authentic, recipes, each of which has been individually photographed by leading food photographer John Hay and beautifully styled by Ann Creber. Internationally renowned photographers Luca Invernizzi Tettoni and John Hay present a spectacular collection of photographs to show Thailand's great scenic diversity, from the beaches and jungles of the South to the misty mountains of the North, and the varied lives of it's people. William Warren, who has spent many years in Thailand, writes with an insider's knowledge. He takes the reader on an absorbing trip around the country discussing the various influences--historical, physical, racial and cultural--that have formed the distinctive culture of the Thai people.

An extensive glossary ensures that any cooks who are unfamiliar with oriental ingredients and presentation will have no difficulty in bringing this wonderful selection of Thai dishes to their tables.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful to look at, decent recipes.......2006-08-22

This isn't my favorite Thai cookbook for recipes. There are several good recipes, and many that are not terribly authentic. But, if you love a cookbook with outstanding pictures, this is a wonderful book. There are so many terrific pictures of places I visited in Thailand, I had to get the book.

A Great Thai Cookbook!.......2005-03-18

I have lived in Thailand and this book is the best cookbook I have found in the US. It made me very happy to be able to see Thai foods that are not offered in Thai restaurants in the US and not seen in other Thai cookbooks. Now I can finally have my Nam Gabi and Soup No Mai. (The spelling is different in the book.) I was happy to see both the Roman lettering and the true Thai word for the dish. It helps me figure out what the dish is and jogs my memory when reading the Thai. Thai food is great and I'm happy to see the recipes and the Thai regional information included.

Delicious, beautiful, less than authentic.......2005-01-01

The recipes in this wonderfully illustrated book will give the reader a delicious taste of Thailand. It will not, however, give a 100% authentic taste of it. That may be good news to people who don't live near an Asian grocery where hard to find items necessary for authentic Thai cooking are to be found. Some of the recipes also save the reader time at the expense of authenticity. But unless you are obsessed with making something that tastes exactly as it does in Thailand, the recipes are close enough. This is one of the few books that break all recipes down by region, and that is important. I lived in Thailand for 3 years, with my in-laws for 1 year, and during that time I picked out tell-tale signs of authenticity. I've concluded that the most authentic Thai cookbook is "Thai Food" by Thompson (can't remember his first name.)

In sum, lovely pictures, delicious recipes, authentic enough but not absolutely authentic.

Awesome Thai cookbook.......2003-05-20

This book is great. The first dish I made (Ginger Chicken - p133) was simple to prepare, and tasted wonderful, with those subtle, yet distinctive Thai flavours that I have come to adore.

The only drawback is its physical size - unless you have a Heap of kitchen bench space, the book will need to be placed a good distance away to avoid the inevitable splatters...

Great book, but there's still one better.......2003-04-21

This is definitely a great book to have, both because of the recipes and the beautiful pictures, but the best Thai food I've ever made is from True Thai by Victor Sodsook. However, this book doesn't have any pictures and is for people who like it spicy. It does go into more detail about Thai cooking tips but has less about the culture of Thailand. Both are great to have and I use them both often.

Asia The Beautiful Cookbook - Authentic Recipes From Japan, Korea, China, The Philippines, Thailand, Laos...

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Asia The Beautiful Cookbook - Authentic Recipes From Japan, Korea, China, The Philippines, Thailand, Laos...
Jacki Passmore
Manufacturer: Knapp Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RIYX1M

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Thailand the Beautiful Cookbook
Panurat Poladitmontri
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEU8UO

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Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook
Panurat Poladitmontri
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NP3CMK

Average customer rating:

Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook
Panurat Poladitmontr
Manufacturer: Beautiful Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8SI20

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