Origins

Missing Link #3

by Kate Thompson

"Origins" is written as two intertwined, parallel narratives. The first, which takes the form of a diary written by Christie at Fourth World around the year 2009, follows the fortunes of Maggie and Bernard and their assorted group of children and gifted animals. The stone which Christie has carried back from the yeti's cave (see Only Human) proves fatal. It releases an alien presence (the Yoke) which takes over the smallholding and laboratory of Fourth World and by its efforts to return to its own planet, destroys both human beings and the environment worldwide. There are few survivors but of those who do remain, two are newborn twins, Ogden and Atticus, who carry a dog and cat gene, the latest and last experiment by Maggie and Bernard in their genetic engineering research. The second narrative takes place far into the future, in a changed world where nuclear devastation and disease has reduced mankind virtually to the stone age scenario. Nessa and Farral from the warring Cat and Dog tribes are thrown together and eventually become tolerant of each other in their travels across wild mountains and nuclear waste. Terminating their journey among a small group of inhabitants in the very far north, they find that Christie's diary has survived and been preserved by this group of people. It is of course the key to the reader of this 'new world' set up. It is an extraordinary and compelling resolution to the story. Kate Thompson's final volume in the "Missing Link" trilogy is startlingly dramatic in construction and disturbingly thought provoking in content.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Childrens

Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Kate Thompson is an award-winning writer for children and adults.She has lived in Ireland, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson and Dorothy Towers. She worked with horses and travelled in India before settling in the west of Ireland with her partner Conor. They have two daughters, Cliodhna and Dearbhla. She is an accomplished fiddler with an interest in Irish traditional music, reflected in The New Policeman.

While Kate Thompson's children's fiction is primarily fantasy, several of her books also deal with the consequences of genetic engineering.

She has won the Bisto Children's Book of the Year Award four times, for The Beguilers, The Alchemist's Apprentice, Annan Water and The New Policeman. The New Policeman was also awarded the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children's Book Award and the Dublin Airport Authority Children's Book of the Year Award for 2005.

Reviews

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thompson, Kate Origins, 313 p. Bloomsbury - Language: G, Sexual Content: G, Violence: G -

Nessa is a cat that has been exiled to protect her from the war with the neighboring dogs. When she meets up with another exile, a dog named Farral, they set off to uncover the truth about the origins of dogs and cats. Meanwhile, a boy living in a secret community keeps a journal on how these secret genetic engineers may have found the missing link they were looking for.

This book was amazing. When I read the first one I was hooked on the series, and the ending to the series was breathtaking. Although I was lost when I first started the book, as the story started to fill out I couldn't put it down.

MS, HS - ESSENTIAL.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008...

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a freaky book I liked it well enough though . I wish I had known it was in a series so I could have read the other ones first , it would have made more sense then . I think only certain people will like this though , it's one of those kind of books . Either you're really into it and the story , or you can't even get through it . I find very intresting books at the library , lol .

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Excellent book thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Maeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I was pretty young so I don't know what it would be like to an older reader. I absolutely loved it at the time though and I would definitely recommend it.