ZB5

The book starts with Jennifer Sharifi getting out of jail after a 27 year old sentence for treason.

She wastes no time in resuming multi-front hostilities with the rest of the Sleepless.

However, a lot of this deals with the rest of humanity - with lots of them having modifications to allow them to live a long time, not get sick, and eat whatever - what happens when that runs out, and Super Sleepless tech can't bail you out?

Some brain alterting conflict begins.

Worst of the sleepless books.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2009/01... ( )

This is the last book in a loose series that began with Beggars In Spain. On a general level it concerns moral choices available to us when people are created radically "not equal". Specifically, Kress postulates a future world where we have made some of the population sleepless through genetic modification and then begin to despise them for their unfair learning advantages. They become the next hated race. The main conflict in the group of sleepless comes between those who want to protect themselves and the group at any cost (Jenifer Sharifi) and those who would like to live in contact with "sleepers" and assimilate and assist (Leisha Camden). This conflict forms an undercurrent in this final book, as this is more a story of the other segments of society - the gene modified "donkeys" who run the government, have financial security, and live in protected enclaves and the "livers" who enjoy free food and do no work. The second book explains more fully the "Change" which fragmented these sectors even more completely, even while it provided long, disease free life and freely available food from any source of dirt or properly prepared organic material. This book details the breakdown of this dichotomy as "Change" needles run out and more children are susceptible to disease and death. It also combines a plot by the protective sleepless to render earth sleepers harmless by releasing an inhibiting protein which permanently affects the brain and causes fear of anything new or different. It's a rather dark vision of humanity with a small light at the end of a tunnel. This book could be read freestanding but it will make more sense if you've read Beggars In Spain and Beggars and Choosers first. ( )

http://talesofarampaginglibrarian.blo... ( )