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The Future We Left Behind

by Mike A. Lancaster

Series: Human.4 (2)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
10310262,371 (4.02)4
Thousands of years in the future, the divide between humanity and technology has become nearly unrecognizable. Each thought, each action is logged, coded, backed up. Data is as easily exchanged through the fiber-optic-like cables that extend from fingertips as it might be through ordinary conversation. It's a brave new world: A world that the Straker Tapes say is a result of many human "upgrades." But no one is sure whether the Straker Tapes are a work of fiction or an eerie peek into an unimaginable past. Nearly sixteen-year-old Peter Vincent has been raised to believe that everything that the backward Strakerites cling to is insane--an utter waste of time and potential. Since his father is David Vincent, genius inventor of the artificial bees that saved the world's crops and prevented massive famine, how could Peter believe anything else? But when Peter meets Alpha, a Strakerite his own age, suddenly the theories about society-upgrades don't sound quite so crazy, especially when she shows him evidence that another upgrade is imminent. And worse, there may be a conspiracy by the leaders of the establishment to cover it up. A conspiracy spearheaded by Peter's own father. Gripping and full of unexpected twists, The Future We Left Behind takes the unsettling questions raised in Human.4 and flips them entirely. What if we knew that the very way we live was about to be changed in an instant, and we could stop it? And what if everything we are sure we know is entirely wrong?… (more)
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Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
I didn't read the first book in this series, 4.0, but was able to follow the story just fine. I think the author did a good job working the back story in without taking away from this book.

I don't know how to describe this book without giving away too much, so I'll be brief. This story takes place thousands of years in the future and technology is hugely advanced, as would be expected, But did it advance too quickly, perhaps with help, or did the human race just evolve to this point organically?

I loved the format of this book, in the form of a link diary that explained everything that happened from the point of view of Peter, the son of a brilliant scientist, who doesn't exactly want to follow in his father's footsteps, as he learns things about his father and his beliefs that turn his world upside down. He and his friend, Alpha, investigate, and what they find out is way beyond what they thought they would find. I loved Peter and Alpha and their friendship and budding romance. I thought the pacing was excellent and the world building was spot on.

5/5 stars - highly recommend!

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Egmont USA, and Mike A Lancaster for the opportunity to read and review this book. ( )
  jwitt33 | Jun 26, 2022 |
The Straker Tapes were recorded nearly a thousand years ago and although the record has survived, although there are those who believe in these events with increasing numbers, the sad truth is that this is nothing more then a hoax, a dream with no scientific proof to back up these claims. This is what Peter Vincent believes because it is what his father has taught him to believe. But what if everything he believed was a lie?

The Link has existed for as long as anyone can remember. It connects us all to each other with little more then a thought, it stores our memories, records our thoughts, contains our history, it defines who we are and the world we live in. But the Link is not limitless, not infallible, and not unable to be hacked. Memories can be altered, thoughts can be stolen and history can be rewritten. When who we are can change in an instant, all we can do is tell our story and hope we are remembered.

1.4 is an upgrade from the Straker Tapes to the Vincent Files. Although set in the future where the people are different, the story is essentially the same. The frightening truth behind our very existence, behind the evolution of humans and the next stage to come is as thought provoking and compelling to learn as it was the first time around. An exceptional science fiction story every bit as extraordinary as 0.4. ( )
  LarissaBookGirl | Aug 2, 2021 |
Very interesting storyline. ( )
  Rempala | Dec 3, 2019 |
Published in the United States as The Future We Left Behind, 1.4 by Mike A. Lancaster is the sequel to 0.4. The events of the original human upgrade described by Kyle Straker on his cassette tapes are years in the past.

Peter Vincent, the son of a man who designed a robotic bee after the original bees died. He lives in a world where everything can be personalized through the threads living inside everyone. People can record and live blog with just a thought. They can change how the world looks to them.

At the fringe of all of this are the Strakerites, the ones who don't or can't embrace the technology. Through a high school friendship, Peter has his eyes opened to their way of life, and possibly a more sinister truth, both past and future.

Normally I shy away from sequels that essentially revisit the same story. But Peter Vincent's voice is so different from Kyle's that it was fascinating to get inside the mind of someone who is a Human.4, and the son of someone famous, thus giving him privilege and access to things that Kyle didn't.

Lancaster's next book .wav looks at mind control through subliminal messages in music. Sounds like fun. It's being released in 2015. ( )
  pussreboots | Nov 23, 2014 |
After reading 0.4, which I enjoyed with it's different writing style, I decided to take a leap into the world of 1.4.

I delightfully found this book just as entertaining as the first and read to whole thing from back to front in a short amount of time. I found the lists and notes a fruitful addition to the diary entries of the main character.

I was however confused a little by the ending as it left everything open in my opinion. That may have been the authors intention. Needless to say, if a follow-on to this was published I would indeed to reading it. ( )
  Pinniped23 | Sep 19, 2014 |
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Thousands of years in the future, the divide between humanity and technology has become nearly unrecognizable. Each thought, each action is logged, coded, backed up. Data is as easily exchanged through the fiber-optic-like cables that extend from fingertips as it might be through ordinary conversation. It's a brave new world: A world that the Straker Tapes say is a result of many human "upgrades." But no one is sure whether the Straker Tapes are a work of fiction or an eerie peek into an unimaginable past. Nearly sixteen-year-old Peter Vincent has been raised to believe that everything that the backward Strakerites cling to is insane--an utter waste of time and potential. Since his father is David Vincent, genius inventor of the artificial bees that saved the world's crops and prevented massive famine, how could Peter believe anything else? But when Peter meets Alpha, a Strakerite his own age, suddenly the theories about society-upgrades don't sound quite so crazy, especially when she shows him evidence that another upgrade is imminent. And worse, there may be a conspiracy by the leaders of the establishment to cover it up. A conspiracy spearheaded by Peter's own father. Gripping and full of unexpected twists, The Future We Left Behind takes the unsettling questions raised in Human.4 and flips them entirely. What if we knew that the very way we live was about to be changed in an instant, and we could stop it? And what if everything we are sure we know is entirely wrong?

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