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Genesis Alpha
Josh worships his older brother, Max. They look alike, they talk alike, and they both have the same interests, including their favorite massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Genesis Alpha. But Josh and Max have an even deeper connection. Because Josh was born for a reason. It was Josh's stem cells, harvested when Josh was newly born, that saved his dying older brother's life.
Now that same beloved older brother is arrested, accused of the brutal murder of a teenage girl. Josh is bewildered. Is Max really a monster, or is all of this a terrible mistake? And if the worst is true and Max is guilty, does that mean Josh is guilty too? After all, Max wouldn't exist without him. But this is only the beginning. Before long, Josh will come to a number of searing revelations -- revelations that have dire implications not only for Max's future, but for Josh's as well.
Rune Michaels explodes onto the teen literature scene with this gripping, chilling debut -- a compelling picture of the intersection where science, family, and morality collide.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
9 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
Rune Michaels
8 books10 followersRune lives in Reykjavík with her husband, their daughter and their two cats, trying hard not to live a life out of one of her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 2, 2009
Josh and his brother Max have always been close. He was born to save Max’s life when cancer was killing him. Josh admires his brother and is similar to him in many ways. They look similar, they both share an interest in the same online video game, Genesis Alpha, they even meet online to play while Max is in college. Until one day when Max doesn’t show up in Genesis Alpha, and Josh finds out it is because his brother has been arrested for the brutal murder of a college girl. Josh can’t believe that his older brother could commit such a heinous crime, but as fact come forward Josh learns that everything isn’t always how it appears.
This book was a page turner. It hooks you from the beginning and draws you though the novel at breakneck pace. It raises some interesting ethical questions, and might make for an interesting book discussion. Josh is a likable character and you can see how he struggles with the idea that the brother he loves could be a vicious killer.
This book is well written and highly enterataining. I would recommend it to readers who like mysteries and thrillers. I especially found Rachel’s character interesting, and perhaps one of the scariest characters in the book.
Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some violence in the book, but no sex. I don’t remember any foul language in the book.
This book was a page turner. It hooks you from the beginning and draws you though the novel at breakneck pace. It raises some interesting ethical questions, and might make for an interesting book discussion. Josh is a likable character and you can see how he struggles with the idea that the brother he loves could be a vicious killer.
This book is well written and highly enterataining. I would recommend it to readers who like mysteries and thrillers. I especially found Rachel’s character interesting, and perhaps one of the scariest characters in the book.
Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some violence in the book, but no sex. I don’t remember any foul language in the book.
October 19, 2010
Genesis Alpha wasn’t that good of a book. It really had no action or any good parts to it. It was mostly just a story will no real plot. The story is just telling of what happened when one of the characters brothers gets sent to jail, for killing someone. The author could of added more events in the book. I feel that he should of also added some more action parts to it.
March 28, 2015
A really interesting book -- more idea driven than plot driven, I think it's interesting that it is subtitled "a thriller". It's really about what makes someone good vs. evil, and a has a lot of interesting ideas about genetics and choice vs. inherited traits. Very different and unusual.
January 14, 2013
Very disappointing read. I felt like it could've had so much more added to the story line and that it just felt incomplete.
October 19, 2021
https://songedunenuitdete.com/2021/10...
Ce titre se lit d’une traite. Déjà parce qu’il n’est pas très long, 220 pages, ensuite parce que la plume de Rune Michaels est fluide et agréable. On est vite happé par le récit qui est du point de vue de Josh. On assiste au moment où tout bascule pour lui et sa famille. De fait, le début fait penser à un simple thriller psychologique pour adolescent, mais très vite, ce que Josh va découvrir sur son frère et lui-même va bouleverser sa vie.
Le suspens est très bien amené et la tension (et les révélations) montent crescendo. Je me suis vite prise d’affection pour ce gamin qui va devoir gérer les horreurs que les médias vont lancer sur son frère accusé de meurtre. Cela dit, le pire ne sera pas tant de découvrir une part cachée de son frère qu’il n’avait jamais entraperçu. Il y a des secrets que Josh aurait préféré connaitre avant qu’ils ne lui soient balancés à la figure par les médias.
On assiste impuissant à la déconstruction de la vie d’un jeune garçon, un adolescent qui est en pleine recherche d’identité comme tout ado de son âge. Un devenir qui vont lui apparaitre de moins en moins certain. Je dois bien vous avouer que j’ai eu des moments de doutes sur ce titre et je me suis assez souvent retrouvée mal à l’aise. Mais là, c’est d’un point de vue personnel. Le passé de son frère Max qui était mourant enfant, atteint d’un cancer qui le tuait à petit feu m’a bouleversée. Mais également les questions d’éthiques qui se posent un peu plus tard dans le livre et qui me rappellent, par certains côtés, le film Minority Report ou encore The Island. Si l’on pouvait prévoir les assassins potentiels à l’avance, faudrait-il les éliminer avant qu’ils ne commettent l’irréparable ou les laisser mourir ?
Enfin bref, je n’entrerai pas dans les détails pour ne pas vous divulgâcher la découverte de l’intrigue si vous lisez ce roman. Sachez juste que j’ai eu beaucoup d’empathie pour Josh. Que même si je ressors mitigée de cette histoire, cela vient en grande partie de mon affect par rapport à certaines données des personnages et du côté SF qui a retourné en moi certaines choses. Et, bien sûr, je me suis mise à la place des parents bien plus que de celle des enfants.
Dans l’ensemble, c’est un bon roman de SF mâtiné de thriller. La plume de Rune Michaels est sympa et on entre facilement dans le récit avec le héros Josh, qui va aller de découverte en surprise sur sa vie et celle de son frère.
Ce titre se lit d’une traite. Déjà parce qu’il n’est pas très long, 220 pages, ensuite parce que la plume de Rune Michaels est fluide et agréable. On est vite happé par le récit qui est du point de vue de Josh. On assiste au moment où tout bascule pour lui et sa famille. De fait, le début fait penser à un simple thriller psychologique pour adolescent, mais très vite, ce que Josh va découvrir sur son frère et lui-même va bouleverser sa vie.
Le suspens est très bien amené et la tension (et les révélations) montent crescendo. Je me suis vite prise d’affection pour ce gamin qui va devoir gérer les horreurs que les médias vont lancer sur son frère accusé de meurtre. Cela dit, le pire ne sera pas tant de découvrir une part cachée de son frère qu’il n’avait jamais entraperçu. Il y a des secrets que Josh aurait préféré connaitre avant qu’ils ne lui soient balancés à la figure par les médias.
On assiste impuissant à la déconstruction de la vie d’un jeune garçon, un adolescent qui est en pleine recherche d’identité comme tout ado de son âge. Un devenir qui vont lui apparaitre de moins en moins certain. Je dois bien vous avouer que j’ai eu des moments de doutes sur ce titre et je me suis assez souvent retrouvée mal à l’aise. Mais là, c’est d’un point de vue personnel. Le passé de son frère Max qui était mourant enfant, atteint d’un cancer qui le tuait à petit feu m’a bouleversée. Mais également les questions d’éthiques qui se posent un peu plus tard dans le livre et qui me rappellent, par certains côtés, le film Minority Report ou encore The Island. Si l’on pouvait prévoir les assassins potentiels à l’avance, faudrait-il les éliminer avant qu’ils ne commettent l’irréparable ou les laisser mourir ?
Enfin bref, je n’entrerai pas dans les détails pour ne pas vous divulgâcher la découverte de l’intrigue si vous lisez ce roman. Sachez juste que j’ai eu beaucoup d’empathie pour Josh. Que même si je ressors mitigée de cette histoire, cela vient en grande partie de mon affect par rapport à certaines données des personnages et du côté SF qui a retourné en moi certaines choses. Et, bien sûr, je me suis mise à la place des parents bien plus que de celle des enfants.
Dans l’ensemble, c’est un bon roman de SF mâtiné de thriller. La plume de Rune Michaels est sympa et on entre facilement dans le récit avec le héros Josh, qui va aller de découverte en surprise sur sa vie et celle de son frère.
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October 16, 2021« Le mal n’a pas de nom ni de visage ; il est sombre, sinistre et n’appartient pas à notre monde. »
L’univers de Josh s’écroule à la minute où il apprend que son grand frère, dont il est très proche, est arrêté pour le meurtre d’une adolescente. La descente aux enfers commence pour les parents, qui ne comprennent pas pourquoi leur fils est accusé d’un tel crime ; mais aussi pour le jeune garçon, convaincu de l’innocence de son aîné. Et, comme si la situation n’était pas assez critique, la sœur de la victime va chercher à approcher Josh.
Je ne sais pas quoi penser. En un sens, j’ai passé un bon moment de lecture et j’ai aimé la façon dont les thèmes étaient abordés. On parle notamment de deuil, de culpabilité, de morale, de relations humaines, de science (pour rester vague)..
Mais, je ne m’attendais pas à ça. Le côté enquête n’est pas mis en avant et on se concentre principalement sur les sentiments de Josh vis-à-vis de son frère. Aussi, les choses ne sont pas vraiment poussées et le récit est assez bref (dans sa construction, dans son développement).
Conclusion, je suis mi-figue mi-raisin. GA est à mon sens un thriller psychologique jeunesse sans action, donc plat, mais il amène le lecteur à se poser des questions. Bon point.
Merci aux éditions Milan/Page Turners pour l'envoi de ce livre et pour la confiance qui m'a été accordée. ♥
L’univers de Josh s’écroule à la minute où il apprend que son grand frère, dont il est très proche, est arrêté pour le meurtre d’une adolescente. La descente aux enfers commence pour les parents, qui ne comprennent pas pourquoi leur fils est accusé d’un tel crime ; mais aussi pour le jeune garçon, convaincu de l’innocence de son aîné. Et, comme si la situation n’était pas assez critique, la sœur de la victime va chercher à approcher Josh.
Je ne sais pas quoi penser. En un sens, j’ai passé un bon moment de lecture et j’ai aimé la façon dont les thèmes étaient abordés. On parle notamment de deuil, de culpabilité, de morale, de relations humaines, de science (pour rester vague)..
Mais, je ne m’attendais pas à ça. Le côté enquête n’est pas mis en avant et on se concentre principalement sur les sentiments de Josh vis-à-vis de son frère. Aussi, les choses ne sont pas vraiment poussées et le récit est assez bref (dans sa construction, dans son développement).
Conclusion, je suis mi-figue mi-raisin. GA est à mon sens un thriller psychologique jeunesse sans action, donc plat, mais il amène le lecteur à se poser des questions. Bon point.
Merci aux éditions Milan/Page Turners pour l'envoi de ce livre et pour la confiance qui m'a été accordée. ♥
June 5, 2020
*4.5
This was such a page turner, so hard to put the book down. The pacing is fast but it fits so well with the story. The writing is simply enough and the narration fits Josh perfectly.
All of the characters were written so well. You can see Josh's dad skill in behavioral science in his character, the way he talks the way he sees things. You can also see how Josh is struggling with all of these, with him questioning his own existence and who he is when he actually found out what he really is. Rachel's was another interesting character that I didn't expect to play such a big role in this.
The twist was something that I did not at all expected, but it fits so well the themed of this story. It discusses a lot about evil and good, how if its something inherented by genes and such. The discussions was not philosophical or very factual by any means, but it's through the eyes of these two confused teenagers that just trying to make sense of this cruel world. I really love that. Also, really like the fact how the game is a metaphor of what makes something evil and good.
The ending was good, it fits the story perfectly but I wish I get more of what heppend next.
Really reccomend this, it such a damn good read. It's been a long time since a book got me engrossed emotionally.
This was such a page turner, so hard to put the book down. The pacing is fast but it fits so well with the story. The writing is simply enough and the narration fits Josh perfectly.
All of the characters were written so well. You can see Josh's dad skill in behavioral science in his character, the way he talks the way he sees things. You can also see how Josh is struggling with all of these, with him questioning his own existence and who he is when he actually found out what he really is. Rachel's was another interesting character that I didn't expect to play such a big role in this.
The twist was something that I did not at all expected, but it fits so well the themed of this story. It discusses a lot about evil and good, how if its something inherented by genes and such. The discussions was not philosophical or very factual by any means, but it's through the eyes of these two confused teenagers that just trying to make sense of this cruel world. I really love that. Also, really like the fact how the game is a metaphor of what makes something evil and good.
The ending was good, it fits the story perfectly but I wish I get more of what heppend next.
Really reccomend this, it such a damn good read. It's been a long time since a book got me engrossed emotionally.
August 14, 2014
http://lune-et-plume.fr/genesis-alpha...
Je crois que c’est le livre dont la chronique va me donner le plus de fil à tordre !
Je ne sais pas par où commencer, je vais essayer de structurer un minimum, mais je ne vous promets rien.
Premièrement je ne suis pas certaine d’avoir compris le but de l’histoire que le synopsis résume plutôt bien.
Je pense que l’auteur a voulu trop en faire. Quand on sait que le livre est destiné à un public jeune (Age du personnage principal, vocabulaire utilisé), je ne comprends vraiment pas. C’est trop dur, trop sombre, personnellement je ne laisserai pas ce livre entre les mains d’un adolescent.
Pourquoi ? Même si l’auteur a (je pense) voulu mettre en garde les dangers que peuvent représenter les jeux vidéos, il ne l’a pas fait de la bonne manière.
A la lecture du résumé on pourrait penser que le jeu Genesis Alpha tient une place importante dans l’intrigue et que c’est à cause de ça que Max a perdu la tête et assassiné quelqu’un. Mais pas du tout, c’est grâce au jeu que l’on va découvrir qu’il est le coupable (les messages qu’il a échangé avec sa victime qu’il a rencontrée en ligne sont sauvegardés), mais rien de plus.
Ensuite il y a cette histoire de clone. Rhooo que c’est dur à expliquer !
Pour que vous comprenez mieux :
Quand Max état enfant on lui a diagnostiqué un cancer. Sa mère, biologiste, a tenté l’impensable. Elle et ses collègues ont crée un «bébé-médicament».
Qu’est ce que ça peut bien être ? Pour faire simple ils ont grâce aux ovules de la mère et au sperme du père (logique, je sais !), donné vie a une multitude d’embryons.
Ils les ont ensuite étudiés pour chercher celui dont les gènes et l’ADN étaient le plus proche de celui de max.
Puis, par Fécondation In Vitro ils l’ont implanté à la mère. C’est comme ça que Josh a été créé.
Ils ont donc pu lui prélever des cellules saines qu’ils ont transplantées à Max, ce qui l’a entièrement guéri de son cancer.
Bon la science c’est pas mon domaine, donc je ne juge pas.
Mais là où ça se corse c’est qu’une fois Max qui est accusé du meurtre d’une jeune fille apprend que c’est son petit frère qui fourni les preuves de sa culpabilité il va avouer sur un plateau télé que Josh n’est pas un « bébé-médicament » mais son clone.
La j’ai étais perturbée, parce que je n’ai absolument pas compris les explications qui visaient à différencier la fabrication d’un clone à celle d’un « bébé-médicament ».
Le vocabulaire et les thermes utilisés sont vraiment techniques, et honnêtement je me suis sentie idiote à la lecture de ces passages. Je n’ai compris que la moitié.
Bon je suis consciente que ce que je viens e vous écrire ne donne pas vraiment envie de découvrir le livre, mais c’est la que je vous dis NON ne faite surtout pas cette erreur !
Parce qu’à coté de tout ça il y à quelque chose de beaucoup plus important.
Le débat que cela entraine.
Vu que Josh et le clone de Max, est-ce que lui aussi va se transformer en tueur psychotique ?
Le pauvre gamin qui d’abord n’ose même pas penser que son frère puisse être coupable va le défendre du mieux qu’il le peut, mais quand il va découvrir que son frère est bel et bien le coupable il va tout remettre en question.
Des étrangers, des journalistes, ses amis et même lui vont se demander si tout ça, ce n’est pas sa faute.
S’il n’avait pas sauvé son frère, alors la jeune fille ne serait jamais morte ?
Si il est vraiment son clone, alors lui aussi va devenir un meurtrier ?
Est-ce que tout est question d’ADN, où alors la conscience et l’âme d’une personne peuvent le différencier de « son double » ?
Tout un tas de question qui ne peuvent que nous faire réfléchir. Est-ce qu’on né mauvais ou est-ce que se sont nos actes et les décisions que l’on prend qui forgent notre personnalité ?
Il est impossible de rester serein quand on lit ce livre ! Des l’instant ou on le commence jusqu’à la dernière page, on est oppressé.
En fait, moi qui voulais structurer ma chronique, je me rends compte que je n’y suis pas parvenue, et ce pour une bonne raison.
Cette chronique reflète parfaitement l’état dans lequel je me suis trouvée après cette lecture.
Fébrile, révoltée, perdue, des questions existentielles plein la tête et une énorme boule aux creux de mon estomac.
Merci à Macadam pour cette découverte qui ne laissera personne indifférent j’en suis sûre.
Extraits
«- Qu’est-ce que je deviens ? Qu’est-ce qui va se passer pour moi ?
- Qu’est-ce que tu veux dire mon chou ? Demande maman. Il ne va rien t’arriver, Josh. Nous ne laisserons personne te faire du mal.
- Mais je suis lui ! J’ai les mêmes gènes !
- Tu as nos gènes mon garçon, voila ce que tu as. D’un point de vue génétique tu es un mélange de ta mère et de moi. Mas en ce qui concerne ta personnalité, tu es toi.
- Je suis pareil que Max. Et Max est…
- Peu importe ce qu’est Max, ca n’a rien à voir avec toi.»
« - On ne peut pas prendre de risques. Une de nos filles est morte, l’autre a disparu. Karen est morte de la façon la plus horrible qui soit. S’il y a un risque que ce garçon puisse devenir un monstre comme son frère, nous devon agir.
- Mais il n’a rien fait, dit le reporter. Comment justifier l’incarcération d’un enfant innocent.
- On ne laisse pas les bébés tigres en liberté dans la ville non ? Il doit y voir un endroit pour les gens dangereux.»
« - Ce n’est pas parce qu’on a les mêmes gènes qu’on est pareil. Ce n’est pas l’ADN qui fait l’assassin.
Il ricane.
- On dit aussi que ce ne sont pas les fusils qui tuent.
- Toi, tu as tué quelqu’un. Ce n’est pas mon cas.
- Tu en es sûr ? Peut-être que toi et moi, on n’existe pas en tant que tels. Mais seulement en tant que nous.
Tu n’as pas pensé à ça quand tu m’as dénoncé. Maintenant tu ne l’oublieras plus jamais. C’est moi l’original. Tu n’es qu’une copie. »
Je crois que c’est le livre dont la chronique va me donner le plus de fil à tordre !
Je ne sais pas par où commencer, je vais essayer de structurer un minimum, mais je ne vous promets rien.
Premièrement je ne suis pas certaine d’avoir compris le but de l’histoire que le synopsis résume plutôt bien.
Je pense que l’auteur a voulu trop en faire. Quand on sait que le livre est destiné à un public jeune (Age du personnage principal, vocabulaire utilisé), je ne comprends vraiment pas. C’est trop dur, trop sombre, personnellement je ne laisserai pas ce livre entre les mains d’un adolescent.
Pourquoi ? Même si l’auteur a (je pense) voulu mettre en garde les dangers que peuvent représenter les jeux vidéos, il ne l’a pas fait de la bonne manière.
A la lecture du résumé on pourrait penser que le jeu Genesis Alpha tient une place importante dans l’intrigue et que c’est à cause de ça que Max a perdu la tête et assassiné quelqu’un. Mais pas du tout, c’est grâce au jeu que l’on va découvrir qu’il est le coupable (les messages qu’il a échangé avec sa victime qu’il a rencontrée en ligne sont sauvegardés), mais rien de plus.
Ensuite il y a cette histoire de clone. Rhooo que c’est dur à expliquer !
Pour que vous comprenez mieux :
Quand Max état enfant on lui a diagnostiqué un cancer. Sa mère, biologiste, a tenté l’impensable. Elle et ses collègues ont crée un «bébé-médicament».
Qu’est ce que ça peut bien être ? Pour faire simple ils ont grâce aux ovules de la mère et au sperme du père (logique, je sais !), donné vie a une multitude d’embryons.
Ils les ont ensuite étudiés pour chercher celui dont les gènes et l’ADN étaient le plus proche de celui de max.
Puis, par Fécondation In Vitro ils l’ont implanté à la mère. C’est comme ça que Josh a été créé.
Ils ont donc pu lui prélever des cellules saines qu’ils ont transplantées à Max, ce qui l’a entièrement guéri de son cancer.
Bon la science c’est pas mon domaine, donc je ne juge pas.
Mais là où ça se corse c’est qu’une fois Max qui est accusé du meurtre d’une jeune fille apprend que c’est son petit frère qui fourni les preuves de sa culpabilité il va avouer sur un plateau télé que Josh n’est pas un « bébé-médicament » mais son clone.
La j’ai étais perturbée, parce que je n’ai absolument pas compris les explications qui visaient à différencier la fabrication d’un clone à celle d’un « bébé-médicament ».
Le vocabulaire et les thermes utilisés sont vraiment techniques, et honnêtement je me suis sentie idiote à la lecture de ces passages. Je n’ai compris que la moitié.
Bon je suis consciente que ce que je viens e vous écrire ne donne pas vraiment envie de découvrir le livre, mais c’est la que je vous dis NON ne faite surtout pas cette erreur !
Parce qu’à coté de tout ça il y à quelque chose de beaucoup plus important.
Le débat que cela entraine.
Vu que Josh et le clone de Max, est-ce que lui aussi va se transformer en tueur psychotique ?
Le pauvre gamin qui d’abord n’ose même pas penser que son frère puisse être coupable va le défendre du mieux qu’il le peut, mais quand il va découvrir que son frère est bel et bien le coupable il va tout remettre en question.
Des étrangers, des journalistes, ses amis et même lui vont se demander si tout ça, ce n’est pas sa faute.
S’il n’avait pas sauvé son frère, alors la jeune fille ne serait jamais morte ?
Si il est vraiment son clone, alors lui aussi va devenir un meurtrier ?
Est-ce que tout est question d’ADN, où alors la conscience et l’âme d’une personne peuvent le différencier de « son double » ?
Tout un tas de question qui ne peuvent que nous faire réfléchir. Est-ce qu’on né mauvais ou est-ce que se sont nos actes et les décisions que l’on prend qui forgent notre personnalité ?
Il est impossible de rester serein quand on lit ce livre ! Des l’instant ou on le commence jusqu’à la dernière page, on est oppressé.
En fait, moi qui voulais structurer ma chronique, je me rends compte que je n’y suis pas parvenue, et ce pour une bonne raison.
Cette chronique reflète parfaitement l’état dans lequel je me suis trouvée après cette lecture.
Fébrile, révoltée, perdue, des questions existentielles plein la tête et une énorme boule aux creux de mon estomac.
Merci à Macadam pour cette découverte qui ne laissera personne indifférent j’en suis sûre.
Extraits
«- Qu’est-ce que je deviens ? Qu’est-ce qui va se passer pour moi ?
- Qu’est-ce que tu veux dire mon chou ? Demande maman. Il ne va rien t’arriver, Josh. Nous ne laisserons personne te faire du mal.
- Mais je suis lui ! J’ai les mêmes gènes !
- Tu as nos gènes mon garçon, voila ce que tu as. D’un point de vue génétique tu es un mélange de ta mère et de moi. Mas en ce qui concerne ta personnalité, tu es toi.
- Je suis pareil que Max. Et Max est…
- Peu importe ce qu’est Max, ca n’a rien à voir avec toi.»
« - On ne peut pas prendre de risques. Une de nos filles est morte, l’autre a disparu. Karen est morte de la façon la plus horrible qui soit. S’il y a un risque que ce garçon puisse devenir un monstre comme son frère, nous devon agir.
- Mais il n’a rien fait, dit le reporter. Comment justifier l’incarcération d’un enfant innocent.
- On ne laisse pas les bébés tigres en liberté dans la ville non ? Il doit y voir un endroit pour les gens dangereux.»
« - Ce n’est pas parce qu’on a les mêmes gènes qu’on est pareil. Ce n’est pas l’ADN qui fait l’assassin.
Il ricane.
- On dit aussi que ce ne sont pas les fusils qui tuent.
- Toi, tu as tué quelqu’un. Ce n’est pas mon cas.
- Tu en es sûr ? Peut-être que toi et moi, on n’existe pas en tant que tels. Mais seulement en tant que nous.
Tu n’as pas pensé à ça quand tu m’as dénoncé. Maintenant tu ne l’oublieras plus jamais. C’est moi l’original. Tu n’es qu’une copie. »
May 19, 2023
Genesis alpha:
- sujets intéressants (qui est vraiment coupable ? Qu'est-ce que l'amour ? Est-ce que notre destin est déterminé par nos gênes ?)
- sentiments bien retranscrits (notamment lorsqu'il rend visite à Max pour la première fois)
- Rachel (soeur de celle qui est morte) pas mal résumée à son physique alors que ca n'a pas vraiment d'importance/male gaze
( « elle est jolie. Plus jolie que la plupart des filles de ma classe. » p51 « ses cheveux ont l'air doux et soyeux » p99)
- maladies mentales utilisées comme des insultes/banalisées
( « t'es complètement taré » p45) mais infos intéressantes sur la psychopathie p193 ( Tous les psychopathes ne choisissent pas de tuer. À l'inverse, un grand nombre de meurtriers ne sont pas des psychopathes)
- stéréotypes liés aux filles (« les filles font plus attention au désordre » p101, « je ne me bats pas avec les filles » p52)
- sujets intéressants (qui est vraiment coupable ? Qu'est-ce que l'amour ? Est-ce que notre destin est déterminé par nos gênes ?)
- sentiments bien retranscrits (notamment lorsqu'il rend visite à Max pour la première fois)
- Rachel (soeur de celle qui est morte) pas mal résumée à son physique alors que ca n'a pas vraiment d'importance/male gaze
( « elle est jolie. Plus jolie que la plupart des filles de ma classe. » p51 « ses cheveux ont l'air doux et soyeux » p99)
- maladies mentales utilisées comme des insultes/banalisées
( « t'es complètement taré » p45) mais infos intéressantes sur la psychopathie p193 ( Tous les psychopathes ne choisissent pas de tuer. À l'inverse, un grand nombre de meurtriers ne sont pas des psychopathes)
- stéréotypes liés aux filles (« les filles font plus attention au désordre » p101, « je ne me bats pas avec les filles » p52)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2018
I read this book and the word I thought of most was potential.
Are we potentially just a sum of our parts? Are we potentially what we are made of and where we came from?
The fact is that I see a lot of potential in the ideas of this book. It just wasn't fully realised for me. The ideas potentially could have made a book with a lot of ethical and moral dilemmas. It just didn't work as such.
I feel that the potential motivation of more than one character is not explained enough. It just didn't work as a story for me.
It is definitely readable and short enough to read in a few hours. It just didn't live up to its potential.
Are we potentially just a sum of our parts? Are we potentially what we are made of and where we came from?
The fact is that I see a lot of potential in the ideas of this book. It just wasn't fully realised for me. The ideas potentially could have made a book with a lot of ethical and moral dilemmas. It just didn't work as such.
I feel that the potential motivation of more than one character is not explained enough. It just didn't work as a story for me.
It is definitely readable and short enough to read in a few hours. It just didn't live up to its potential.
July 19, 2025
The book had great plot potential, but the way it was written, it wasn’t as good as it could have been. It would randomly hand you information, and it would be written in very sloppily. This could have been a great book if more time and more paged were put into it.
January 3, 2018
this book is ore for gamers and sadly i loved it just the way the twist was was that max wasn't even a murderer
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2021
The climax had be on the edge of my seat and not wanting to put it down.
November 3, 2021
Plot was good, but it could have been developed further.
March 16, 2024
it’s a really interesting book about science fiction
May 23, 2025
mind boggling experience
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
There's a quote on the front of GENESIS ALPHA from author Kenneth Oppel: "Dark, dangerous, and utterly riveting." I couldn't agree more. The words "a thriller" are what convinced me to pick up the book; the fact that I was so deeply engrossed in the story and superb writing were what kept me reading for the next few hours as I devoured it in one sitting.
Josh is a typical teen who isn't actually, well, typical. Although he's like any number of teen boys in that the better part of his day is spent playing an online computer game named Genesis Alpha, and that he aspires to grow up to be just like his older brother, Max, and even has a pretty normal home life, there's one thing that sets him apart from everyone else - Josh is a "designer baby."
Specifically created in the hopes of saving his brother from a deadly form of cancer, Josh was once a small group of cells that were chosen because of their genetic makeup. When he was born, the healing cells from his umbilical cord were transplanted into his brother, and Max eventually became cancer-free. So the bond between these two brothers is stronger than most.
Except now Josh's world is falling apart. Where he once thought everything about his life was, if not routine than at least normal, now he's discovering that things are never really what they seem. Max has been accused of a horrible crime - murdering a college girl. His father, a psychologist, and his mother, a biologist, are just as shocked as Josh is when they learn the charges against their oldest child. After all of the years of watching Max fight for life, and the tears and turmoil of waiting to see if Josh would be his cure, now he's sitting in jail, facing murder charges? The entire family is in shock.
Josh, though, more than any of them, is finding out things that he wishes he had never known. There's a strange girl hiding out in the cat shed behind their house, and the story she has to tell him is one he at first rejects outright, and later has no choice but to take as fact. And it all revolves around Genesis Alpha, the game that both Josh and Max devoted so much time to. How is it that something that brought Josh so much joy could be the very thing that will show him the horrors of the world - and the deceitful double life of his brother?
Rune Michaels has written a chillingly good thriller with GENESIS ALPHA. With action that never stops, a storyline that is all too believable, and flawless writing, she has managed to write a story that will captivate you from the first page. With Josh and Max, she has created a bond that was created by science and will be tested with pure human compulsion - and the existence of evil. This is a great read for anyone who loves a good thriller. I personally can't wait to read more stories in this vein from the very talented Ms. Michaels.
There's a quote on the front of GENESIS ALPHA from author Kenneth Oppel: "Dark, dangerous, and utterly riveting." I couldn't agree more. The words "a thriller" are what convinced me to pick up the book; the fact that I was so deeply engrossed in the story and superb writing were what kept me reading for the next few hours as I devoured it in one sitting.
Josh is a typical teen who isn't actually, well, typical. Although he's like any number of teen boys in that the better part of his day is spent playing an online computer game named Genesis Alpha, and that he aspires to grow up to be just like his older brother, Max, and even has a pretty normal home life, there's one thing that sets him apart from everyone else - Josh is a "designer baby."
Specifically created in the hopes of saving his brother from a deadly form of cancer, Josh was once a small group of cells that were chosen because of their genetic makeup. When he was born, the healing cells from his umbilical cord were transplanted into his brother, and Max eventually became cancer-free. So the bond between these two brothers is stronger than most.
Except now Josh's world is falling apart. Where he once thought everything about his life was, if not routine than at least normal, now he's discovering that things are never really what they seem. Max has been accused of a horrible crime - murdering a college girl. His father, a psychologist, and his mother, a biologist, are just as shocked as Josh is when they learn the charges against their oldest child. After all of the years of watching Max fight for life, and the tears and turmoil of waiting to see if Josh would be his cure, now he's sitting in jail, facing murder charges? The entire family is in shock.
Josh, though, more than any of them, is finding out things that he wishes he had never known. There's a strange girl hiding out in the cat shed behind their house, and the story she has to tell him is one he at first rejects outright, and later has no choice but to take as fact. And it all revolves around Genesis Alpha, the game that both Josh and Max devoted so much time to. How is it that something that brought Josh so much joy could be the very thing that will show him the horrors of the world - and the deceitful double life of his brother?
Rune Michaels has written a chillingly good thriller with GENESIS ALPHA. With action that never stops, a storyline that is all too believable, and flawless writing, she has managed to write a story that will captivate you from the first page. With Josh and Max, she has created a bond that was created by science and will be tested with pure human compulsion - and the existence of evil. This is a great read for anyone who loves a good thriller. I personally can't wait to read more stories in this vein from the very talented Ms. Michaels.
February 20, 2024
read this as part of an assignment when i was younger. re-read it and it's still a good, decent book.
June 6, 2013
Josh's whole world changes when his brother, Max, is arrested for murder. Then the younger daughter of the murder victim shows up in his house taunting him. As Josh digs through the RPG his brother would play with him, he tries to figure out if his brother could be guilty and come to terms with his life.
TW: Do not read this book if depictions of self harm trigger or disturb you.
SPOILERS BELOW
The book had a lot of potential plotwise. Josh's best friend sees him more as a news story and the media is everywhere. All the similarities Josh finds in common with Rachel and conversations with Max and his parents could make this a great story of coping.
However, this was not.
So many things came out of left field- Josh being a clone, runaways, self harm, cat breeding... All would be good stories, but there were too many different subjects for the book not to feel disorganized.
I also felt Rachel was a very flat, one dimensional character. She is portrayed as ruthless, angry, and depressed to the point of self harm, but we never see a true display of emotion or a break from her anger. She merely serves as a device to make Josh think about his brother, cloning, or what have you. I don't feel it was realistic to have her be so obsessed with harming herself and enjoying the pain she caused to herself and Josh.
As a child of invitro fertilization, I hoped that the story would portray the science and ethics of it in a positive light. I feel there was too much focus on the big "is it immoral?" debate and didn't include anything that helped get rid of myths about Invitro.
TW: Do not read this book if depictions of self harm trigger or disturb you.
SPOILERS BELOW
The book had a lot of potential plotwise. Josh's best friend sees him more as a news story and the media is everywhere. All the similarities Josh finds in common with Rachel and conversations with Max and his parents could make this a great story of coping.
However, this was not.
So many things came out of left field- Josh being a clone, runaways, self harm, cat breeding... All would be good stories, but there were too many different subjects for the book not to feel disorganized.
I also felt Rachel was a very flat, one dimensional character. She is portrayed as ruthless, angry, and depressed to the point of self harm, but we never see a true display of emotion or a break from her anger. She merely serves as a device to make Josh think about his brother, cloning, or what have you. I don't feel it was realistic to have her be so obsessed with harming herself and enjoying the pain she caused to herself and Josh.
As a child of invitro fertilization, I hoped that the story would portray the science and ethics of it in a positive light. I feel there was too much focus on the big "is it immoral?" debate and didn't include anything that helped get rid of myths about Invitro.
January 19, 2014
Genesis Alpha is an amazing book!The genre is science fiction and ***spoiler alert**** Max is actually the murder i was like no way i thought it was someone else but yes it was Max who murder Karen Cross
Josh wanted to be like his older brother Max,but then his mom gets a call saying that he's in jail for the murder of Karen Cross which he denied and said it wasn't true.Josh then met this girl named Rachel Cross sister of Karen Cross.Josh and Rachel went to Genesis Alpha and type in the characters name and password to see if it was really Max who murder her they then find out that he did over Genesis Alpha and Josh told he's dad and told the police later Max said he did murdered Karen and Josh also found out that he was a clone of Max and he didn't want to be like him because he wanted to be his own person which he did.
I thought this book was great because it gave so much details that i can image what was going in my head and because of the story i thought the story Genesis Alpha was great i really thought there was going to a sequel to the book.
This book reminded me to the movie "My Sister's Keeper" because Josh was created to save Max from his Cancer and in "My Sister's Keeper" Anna was brought into the world to save her sister from her Cancer,but she didn't end up like Max as a murder-er but instead ***spoiler alert if you haven't seen the movie!*** she dies in the end and is very sad.
Overall this book is really great i recommend this book to 12-15 year olds and on a scale from 1 to 10 i give it a 8.5 because i feel like the book should have given more to the story.I hope you guys check this out and hope you enjoy it!
Josh wanted to be like his older brother Max,but then his mom gets a call saying that he's in jail for the murder of Karen Cross which he denied and said it wasn't true.Josh then met this girl named Rachel Cross sister of Karen Cross.Josh and Rachel went to Genesis Alpha and type in the characters name and password to see if it was really Max who murder her they then find out that he did over Genesis Alpha and Josh told he's dad and told the police later Max said he did murdered Karen and Josh also found out that he was a clone of Max and he didn't want to be like him because he wanted to be his own person which he did.
I thought this book was great because it gave so much details that i can image what was going in my head and because of the story i thought the story Genesis Alpha was great i really thought there was going to a sequel to the book.
This book reminded me to the movie "My Sister's Keeper" because Josh was created to save Max from his Cancer and in "My Sister's Keeper" Anna was brought into the world to save her sister from her Cancer,but she didn't end up like Max as a murder-er but instead ***spoiler alert if you haven't seen the movie!*** she dies in the end and is very sad.
Overall this book is really great i recommend this book to 12-15 year olds and on a scale from 1 to 10 i give it a 8.5 because i feel like the book should have given more to the story.I hope you guys check this out and hope you enjoy it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2009
Josh and his brother Max have always been close. He was born to save Max’s life when cancer was killing him. Josh admires his brother and is similar to him in many ways. They look similar, they both share an interest in the same online video game, Genesis Alpha, they even meet online to play while Max is in college. Until one day when Max doesn’t show up in Genesis Alpha, and Josh finds out it is because his brother has been arrested for the brutal murder of a college girl. Josh can’t believe that his older brother could commit such a heinous crime, but as fact come forward Josh learns that everything isn’t always how it appears.
This book was a page turner. It hooks you from the beginning and draws you though the novel at breakneck pace. It raises some interesting ethical questions, and might make for an interesting book discussion. Josh is a likable character and you can see how he struggles with the idea that the brother he loves could be a vicious killer.
This book is well written and highly enterataining. I would recommend it to readers who like mysteries and thrillers. I especially found Rachel’s character interesting, and perhaps one of the scariest characters in the book.
Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some violence in the book, but no sex. I don’t remember any foul language in the book.
This book was a page turner. It hooks you from the beginning and draws you though the novel at breakneck pace. It raises some interesting ethical questions, and might make for an interesting book discussion. Josh is a likable character and you can see how he struggles with the idea that the brother he loves could be a vicious killer.
This book is well written and highly enterataining. I would recommend it to readers who like mysteries and thrillers. I especially found Rachel’s character interesting, and perhaps one of the scariest characters in the book.
Cautions for sensitive readers: There is some violence in the book, but no sex. I don’t remember any foul language in the book.
January 26, 2012
What an intensely disappointing story line, such great potential totally drawn out with a terrible conclusion. The story consists of Josh and Max, two brothers who share some interesting connections (I won't spoil it for you) and involves a taste of murder and conviction. The two share time together on a popular RPG called "Genesis Alpha" (role-playing game) Max is taken into custody and on trial for the murder of a girl he claims never to have known. With ethical subjects regarding bio-scientific boundaries and personal emotional ordeals such as cutting, this story leads its reader into a crazy world that is more than just online gaming. The plot twists and yanks you in a direction you never saw coming then ultimately concludes with little or nothing to offer. I was very upset the story didn't turn out better.
If you want a story with great scenarios that ask "what would I do in this situation", this is the book for you. But be ready to be thrown off the horse unexpectedly.
If you want a story with great scenarios that ask "what would I do in this situation", this is the book for you. But be ready to be thrown off the horse unexpectedly.
September 10, 2010
5 out of 10
Genesis Alpha is an interesting story of a boy named Josh dealing with an overwhelming discovery about his brother and himself. It is a story of good and evil with a twist of modern technology. As new issues arise about his brother, Max, Josh is forced to choose to believe whether Max is guilty of the murder of a young girl, Karen Crosse. Josh tries to make himself believe Max is innocent but finds it difficult when the evidence is proving him to be guilty. He also discovers Karen’s sister, Rachel, hiding in the barn out back, who knows more about Max than Josh knows. While dealing with the issues of his brother, Josh also has discovered that Max and he are more than just brothers, they are more like twins. Since Josh was created to help cure Max’s cancer its discovered that there’s a deeper connection between them. Throughout this story Josh relates the obstacles he faces to Max and his favorite video game, Genisis Alpha.
Genesis Alpha is an interesting story of a boy named Josh dealing with an overwhelming discovery about his brother and himself. It is a story of good and evil with a twist of modern technology. As new issues arise about his brother, Max, Josh is forced to choose to believe whether Max is guilty of the murder of a young girl, Karen Crosse. Josh tries to make himself believe Max is innocent but finds it difficult when the evidence is proving him to be guilty. He also discovers Karen’s sister, Rachel, hiding in the barn out back, who knows more about Max than Josh knows. While dealing with the issues of his brother, Josh also has discovered that Max and he are more than just brothers, they are more like twins. Since Josh was created to help cure Max’s cancer its discovered that there’s a deeper connection between them. Throughout this story Josh relates the obstacles he faces to Max and his favorite video game, Genisis Alpha.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2009
I missed this one when it came out, and just stumbled across it. The novel's premise is deceptively simple, and that's a theme...nothing is quite what it appears to be.
A young teen adored his older brother, and they shared a fascination with a popular online game. The younger brother had been born for the purpose of saving the older brother's life, with a stem cell donation, and it had worked. The older brother survived, and everyone lived happily ever after...until the older brother was arrested for murder.
At that point, the story takes a turn for the weird and twisted, with subjects ranging from cutting as self-punishment to the birth of kittens. For a first novel, it was extremely good.
A young teen adored his older brother, and they shared a fascination with a popular online game. The younger brother had been born for the purpose of saving the older brother's life, with a stem cell donation, and it had worked. The older brother survived, and everyone lived happily ever after...until the older brother was arrested for murder.
At that point, the story takes a turn for the weird and twisted, with subjects ranging from cutting as self-punishment to the birth of kittens. For a first novel, it was extremely good.
September 27, 2010
Ages 11+ 13-year-old Josh's college-age brother Max has just been arrested for the vicious murder of a beautiful co-ed. Even though he's older, the brothers have always been close, spending lots of time together in the online RPG Genesis Alpha. Their connection is especially strong because Max's life was saved by Josh, a "designer baby" whose birth was planned so that his stem cells could be used to cure Max's cancer. If Max is really a murderer, does this mean Josh is somehow responsible? When the sister of the murdered girl reaches out to Josh, will she bring answers? And will the answers exonerate Max - or condemn him? Fast-paced and exciting! Older readers, try Double Helix and My Sister's Keeper.
February 17, 2008
Yes, it's science fiction, but as others have noted, it's also a first class thriller. Like all good science fiction, it's driven by a larger than life question. The author neither answers this question nor does she get too didactic with her characters.
Mom and Dad in particular are well drawn. They are parents first and foremost, but they are also quite competent in their professional lives. That means they are able to act both emotionally AND logically in the story. That seems far more realistic to me than many other science fiction stories where the parents become raving idiots to add "action" and "conflict" to the story.
Mom and Dad in particular are well drawn. They are parents first and foremost, but they are also quite competent in their professional lives. That means they are able to act both emotionally AND logically in the story. That seems far more realistic to me than many other science fiction stories where the parents become raving idiots to add "action" and "conflict" to the story.
December 15, 2009
TCL Call #: YA MICHAELS
Although this is a Young Adult book, I would highly recommend it to any reader who loves the “what if this happened to me?” questions. It’s a dark and disturbing look into one kid’s struggle with good and evil. But this isn’t just some out-there in the big bad world idea of good and evil, this is in his face and in his family and in his genes. Or is it? That’s the fascinating twist on ethics and family. Not to be missed.
Madeleine
Posted in Madeleine, Fiction, Reader's Advisory
Although this is a Young Adult book, I would highly recommend it to any reader who loves the “what if this happened to me?” questions. It’s a dark and disturbing look into one kid’s struggle with good and evil. But this isn’t just some out-there in the big bad world idea of good and evil, this is in his face and in his family and in his genes. Or is it? That’s the fascinating twist on ethics and family. Not to be missed.
Madeleine
Posted in Madeleine, Fiction, Reader's Advisory
April 19, 2008
This book is great!!! I couldn't drop it once i start especially when Josh finds out about Rook and Rachel. It was annoying when Max started bad talking about Josh saying he was a clone of Max and they have the same mind, looks, and maybe thoughts; technically they are twins that are a few years apart. It was a great thriller!! And pretty understandable. I would recommend this to anyone. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 3, 2008Great title. The book is about a guy named max and his brother. Max is sent to jail because he was thought to kill a girl that you later find out stalked on an RPG (Role-playing game). At the end his brother finds out that he is an illeagal clone of Max. Also he meets the girl Max killed's sister who runs away from home and stays in the cat house, who scars herself with a pocket knife and abuses herself so she can tell the police he did it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2008
In the era of cyberstalkers, this book is an interesting read. The author takes on other issues as well, including the cloning of humans to be used for cures. I perpetually felt sorry for the main character, who is one of the few truly "innocent" parties in the book, but even he has his secrets. The story sometimes got a little esoteric, but it's relatively short and should appeal to sci-fi and fantasy fans.
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