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The Last Book In The Universe by Rodman…
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The Last Book In The Universe (original 2000; edition 2002)

by Rodman Philbrick

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1,4708212,324 (3.78)21
After an earthquake has destroyed much of the planet, an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the Earth of a distant future.
Member:rgruberexcel
Title:The Last Book In The Universe
Authors:Rodman Philbrick
Info:Blue Sky Press (2002), Mass Market Paperback, 224 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:
Tags:grade 7, U-W, science fiction, dystopia, summer reading

Work Information

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick (2000)

  1. 10
    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Anonymous user)
    Anonymous user: Dystopian society, protagonist outside the privileged class takes risks to help loved ones.
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» See also 21 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 81 (next | show all)
Another good one for YA Lit ( )
1 vote allan.nail | Jul 11, 2021 |
The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick is a book far in a possible future, a thousand years after the great "shake". There are genetically engineered people who are designed for health and intelligence and live in a special lush area called Eden. Everyone else lives under grey skies, in a concrete world, trying to get by. Gangs control areas and it is deadly to cross the leader of the your boss or to cross into another zone. No health care, care for orphans, etc.
This is about a guy that gets word his foster sister is dying and he wants to see her one last time. The trip ends up with a orphan boy, an old man, an enhanced girl, and himself crossing many zones. Lots of suspense and action. A very terrifying look at what life could be like but with a glimmer of hope too. ( )
2 vote MontzaleeW | Aug 29, 2018 |
Very interesting story.
In a world where no one reads anymore and everyone gets information through brain probes there is Spaz, an epileptic boy that has lost his family unit, now survives by being an errand boy for the Bangers gang. "Stealing is my job" he says. But when he receives a secret message from his foster father informing him that his foster sister (whom he feels is like a blood sister to him) is deathly ill and wishes to see him, all bets are off. He must travel to the other side of the Urb across territories of three other gangs in order to get to her. With the help of an old gummy named Ryter and a proov named Lanaya and a little kid in tow, they set off for a greater adventure than they could have imagined.
Okay my first question has got to be who ripped off who exactly. This book parallels with verbiage aspects and storyline so close to the book Ready Player One that it is uncanny. considering this book has a copyright of 2000 where I was Ready Player One has a copyright of 2011 I would have to say that answers that question. Perhaps this book was the inspiration for the other, I don't know.
The book itself is written in a very easy to understand manner. It is obviously written to be read by young adults and teenagers as well as perhaps preteens. The plot is very to the point as the book really does not have the girth to go into too much detail. With that in mind the author makes up for it very well in their language and imagination. The names the author uses for things resemble names that we would use regularly but are slightly different and give it that extra feel love dystopian future.
All in all this was a very enjoyable read. This was referred to me by a very good friend (Hi Holly! 🤘🏻). I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who likes interesting dystopian novels and younger readers such as preteen and up. ( )
  SumisBooks | Aug 8, 2018 |
What an amazing book? So much to say about this. The Last Book In The Universeis about a guy named Spaz and an old man named Ryter going through lenches to go save Spazs' sister that is dying. Its a dystopian telling the tell of life after "The Big Shake" (a massive earthquake) it destroyed everything and life went to hell. It destroyed buildings, set off volcanos, killed billions during and after, there's nothing left of the old world. Its set thousands of years after the earthquake and the world is ash covered, acid rain, extremely poverty and buildings are hollow skeletons, and worst of all there's no book left. And then there's Eden, like all places. It separates the rich from the poor. What's worse of all I feel if the earth continues to be like it is that one day life will be just like the book. ( )
  Sam-Teegarden | Jun 2, 2018 |
Bellissimo questo libro perchè fa non solo volare la fantasia, ma la fa anche lavorare. Spesso ho pensato a chi avrà il merito, la fortuna, la sfortuna, il piacere o la disavventura di scrivere l'ultimo libro prima della fine dell'universo. Pensate a cosa potrà contenere un libro del genere: la somma di tutti i libri scritti? La sintesi di tutte le idee espresse dagli uomini nei millenni? Un pensiero unico? Un'idea trans-umana? Un testo fatto di tante pagine bianche leggibili solo da chi ne conosce la lingua? E quale sarà quella lingua?

In un mondo devastato, in cui secoli prima un cataclisma ha distrutto gli equilibri e le risorse del pianeta, la vita e ridotta a pura sopravvivenza. Le città sono divise in territori, contesi e difesi da bande armate, territori che nessuno può attraversare senza permesso, pena la morte. Nessuno più ricorda, nessuno più e in grado di leggere, non esiste niente di più prezioso di una sorta di sonda cerebrale in grado di riprodurre immagini direttamente nel cervello. A Spas è negata anche quell'effimera evasione. È nato "difettoso", soggetto a spasmi epilettici che hanno causato la sua cacciata dalla famiglia adottiva con cui viveva; tollerato a malapena dalla banda del potente Billy Bizmo, deve ripagare la generosità del capo con qualche lavoro sporco. Come per esempio picchiare e derubare il vecchio Tore, che non sembra avere niente di prezioso con sé, tranne una scatola in cui custodisce tanti fogli di carta che chiama "libro". Contrariamente agli ordini, Spas aiuta il vecchio, da cui e affascinato; e quando viene a sapere che la sua amata sorella Bean è malata terminale, è proprio a lui che si rivolge per osare l'impensabile: passare da una zona all'altra, da clandestini, per raggiungere Bean e aiutarla. Ma l'impresa è folle, e non basta il coraggio per compierla...

Rodman Philbrick, pluripremiato autore americano di fantascienza, ha scritto una fiaba noir dai toni apocalittici ambientata in un mondo alternativo e grottesco. L'ultimo libro dell'universo raffigura il nostro pianeta sotto il giogo del Caos, alla mercé di poche bellicose fazioni che si spartiscono il potere. Una catastrofe immane aveva prodotto intensi rivolgimenti, distruggendo in un sol colpo società e culture millenarie. I ricordi e le tradizioni si indeboliscono, il presente si confonde con il mito, mentre i libri scompaiono dalla faccia delle terra senza troppi rimpianti. Finché il giovane Spas, protagonista e voce narrante, non s'imbatte in un cumulo di fogli di carta di dubbia utilità e dal nome esotico di ”Libro“. Presagi? ( )
  AntonioGallo | Nov 2, 2017 |
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» Add other authors (1 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Rodman Philbrickprimary authorall editionscalculated
Davies, Jeremysecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Grebing, SabineÜbersetzersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
Dedication
For Lynn Harnett, always, and for everyone who keeps on reading.
First words
If you're reading this, it must be a thousand years from now.
Quotations
It's a very strange feeling, riding through a minefield.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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After an earthquake has destroyed much of the planet, an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the Earth of a distant future.

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