Scan barcode
A review by hakimbriki
Genesis by Bernard Beckett
4.0
I rarely find myself doubting whether I enjoyed a book or not after finishing it. I suppose I've never experienced anything quite like Genesis before. The closest thing I can compare this book to is going beachcombing somewhere new, feeling the excitement, finding nothing for most of the day, and then hitting the jackpot at the 11th hour. Genesis shows a lot of promise at first, exposing a dystopian new world brought about by realistic, true-to-life geopolitical conflict. But then... too many things happen in a very short period, which makes it more and more difficult to suspend disbelief as the chapters unfold.
Anax, the main character, shares her interpretation of a number of historic events at what appears to be an interview for a role at "The Academy", a mysterious entity which may or may not be a world government. She introduces us to a bunch of highly obnoxious characters whose motives are never clear. Halfway through the book, two of said characters, a curmudgeonly young man and a smartass AI, engage in a mind-numbing "philosophical" discussion about the nature of consciousness. This part of the book felt unsubstantial and superfluous, and I almost gave up. But once the twist is revealed, the story falls into place bewitchingly. It is then, and only then, that the dialogue, though very poorly written, makes a bit more sense. All in all, Genesis is an interesting take on the Man V. AI debate. The book is short, but very uneven. 3.5 stars.
Anax, the main character, shares her interpretation of a number of historic events at what appears to be an interview for a role at "The Academy", a mysterious entity which may or may not be a world government. She introduces us to a bunch of highly obnoxious characters whose motives are never clear. Halfway through the book, two of said characters, a curmudgeonly young man and a smartass AI, engage in a mind-numbing "philosophical" discussion about the nature of consciousness. This part of the book felt unsubstantial and superfluous, and I almost gave up. But once the twist is revealed, the story falls into place bewitchingly. It is then, and only then, that the dialogue, though very poorly written, makes a bit more sense. All in all, Genesis is an interesting take on the Man V. AI debate. The book is short, but very uneven. 3.5 stars.