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Idlewild #2
Edenborn
A microbial apocalypse called Black Ep has virtually wiped humanity from the globe. The few to survive the epidemic are now committed to the task of rebuilding a peaceful society, but not everyone shares this idyllic vision. And as the two factions clash, a new biological threat moves against them to finish what Black Ep began.
311 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
July 4, 2008
I bought this book on a whim because it had a biohazard symbol on it. I also like that it's blue; blue is statistically a poor selling color for dust jackets. I've had excellent luck with schlocky fiction books that have biohazard symbols, and it was on deep discount, so what was to lose. Surprise surprise, it was a pretty good read.
Second in a trilogy to which I've not yet read the first, Edenborn is a fractured fairytale in which the first iteration of doomsday survivors are raising children of their own. I say it's fractured as in terms of the delivery of the plot line; Sagan delivers several pages at a time from the perspective of different characters with an occasionally confusing lack of pronouns.
The story is endearing, complicated, inviting the reader to develop notions and partial understandings of what's going on, only to upend everything on the next chapter. I will not give this book the fifth star because I didn't quite like the ending. Strange, fascinating, horrifying. I think that sums it up.
Second in a trilogy to which I've not yet read the first, Edenborn is a fractured fairytale in which the first iteration of doomsday survivors are raising children of their own. I say it's fractured as in terms of the delivery of the plot line; Sagan delivers several pages at a time from the perspective of different characters with an occasionally confusing lack of pronouns.
The story is endearing, complicated, inviting the reader to develop notions and partial understandings of what's going on, only to upend everything on the next chapter. I will not give this book the fifth star because I didn't quite like the ending. Strange, fascinating, horrifying. I think that sums it up.
May 17, 2013
4 1/2
Efectivamente, una segunda parte que admite sin problema alguno la lectura independiente, aunque sin duda es tan bueno que uno se queda con ganas de saber lo que vino antes y lo que vendrá después. Una historia futurista y postapocalíptica contada con mucho ritmo y preñada de aventura, pero que al mismo tiempo aborda interesantes cuestiones éticas y morales. No obstante, puede considerarse más que nada una historia de personajes y relaciones familiares, si bien estos poseen un carisma único, en el que la narración a distintas voces ofrece una oportunidad inmejorable de conocer su psicología y personalidad.
Perfecto final con sabor a mermelada cuando la historia da un giro Shakesperiano del que no pienso mencionar nada para no estropear sorpresas.
Efectivamente, una segunda parte que admite sin problema alguno la lectura independiente, aunque sin duda es tan bueno que uno se queda con ganas de saber lo que vino antes y lo que vendrá después. Una historia futurista y postapocalíptica contada con mucho ritmo y preñada de aventura, pero que al mismo tiempo aborda interesantes cuestiones éticas y morales. No obstante, puede considerarse más que nada una historia de personajes y relaciones familiares, si bien estos poseen un carisma único, en el que la narración a distintas voces ofrece una oportunidad inmejorable de conocer su psicología y personalidad.
Perfecto final con sabor a mermelada cuando la historia da un giro Shakesperiano del que no pienso mencionar nada para no estropear sorpresas.
July 22, 2016
'Los hijos del paraíso' es la continuación de 'Código genético', aunque puede leerse independientemente, pero no lo recomiendo ya que se mencionan hechos y personajes que se entienden mejor si se ha leído con anterioridad el primer libro.
Si bien se nota que Nick Sagan ha crecido como escritor en esta su segunda novela, también es verdad que es un libro que no sorprende tanto como 'Código genético', ha perdido esa frescura de ideas que la caracterizaba. La historia se hace lenta y hasta repetitiva. Sigo pensando que Sagan es un autor que promete y espero que la tercera novela de esta serie así lo demuestre.
Si bien se nota que Nick Sagan ha crecido como escritor en esta su segunda novela, también es verdad que es un libro que no sorprende tanto como 'Código genético', ha perdido esa frescura de ideas que la caracterizaba. La historia se hace lenta y hasta repetitiva. Sigo pensando que Sagan es un autor que promete y espero que la tercera novela de esta serie así lo demuestre.
October 4, 2015
This was a pick off the shelves. Pull quote fromGaiman, Neil sold me.
I didn't realize this is the second book - before I knew that I was pretty curious about the implied history.
I'm a little torn on my rating; the premise is fascinating, but, man, I struggled to read this because most of the characters are terrible, awful people and I didn't like them. The worst ones are teenagers, so they have some excuse for being narcissistic jerks. But it was still tough for me to plow through their diary entries. But I really, really wanted to know what happened.
I didn't realize this is the second book - before I knew that I was pretty curious about the implied history.
I'm a little torn on my rating; the premise is fascinating, but, man, I struggled to read this because most of the characters are terrible, awful people and I didn't like them. The worst ones are teenagers, so they have some excuse for being narcissistic jerks. But it was still tough for me to plow through their diary entries. But I really, really wanted to know what happened.
February 1, 2016
Really enjoyed this followup to Idlewild. I kept "reading just one more section". Very captivated by it.
January 23, 2018
This was just as good as the first one, maybe better actually. I really like the mix of philosophy and pacing of the plot. Going to start the final book in the trilogy tonight.
March 5, 2011
read the first book fairly recently and still felt like I needed a character synopsis to remember who was who. the major issue i have with this book is that it focuses on all the minor characters (some of who are barely mentioned in the first book). I had forgotten what distinguishes those minor characters and how the first book potrays them (with the exception of champagne). Halloween who was the main character of the first book only shows up in this book about 2/3rds of the way through.
Other than that this books takes place 18 years after the Idlewild. the remaining characters have all divided into factions. with Isaac raising human children that he preaches religion too in Egypt. and Vashti/Champagne raising all human 2.0 girls who are genetically superior to there cousins in Germany. Fantasia is absent and Halloween is holed up in North America. Pandora lives in Greece running the IVR and is the neutral party.
The book is largerly narrated by the children from each faction, Haji (Isaac), Penny (Vashti) and Duece (halloween) who we later find out is Halloweens son/clone. Pandora and Halloween are the two adult narrators.
Every year the two factions exchange children so they can see how there cousins live. we learn that Haji's older sister died during one of last exchange and they thought it was from Black Ep. While it was really Penny who decided to play a cruel joke and killed her by accident. Penny is extremely selfish and power hungry and later uses Deuce to do her bidding against her "enemies" (and almost killing Pandora). We learn that Isaac created his children and taught them religion because they are clones of Gaedotronics employees. he hoped that the children would allow the "soul"/neurons of those employees to use there bodies as a vessel to come back to life. we find out that Isaac doesnt believe in religion but by teaching his children it would make them more suspectible to the neuron transfer. Deuce who no one knew existed outside of Halloween, is the one who revealed all the secrets to his fellow cousins via IVR, mostly to gain there trust and acceptance. Pandora believes Halloween is the cause of the security breach and when she flies to north america she finds out about Deuce. She takes him back to Germany to account for his actions and to meet his cousins. He is a very social awkward but knows about this cousins because he has been watching them from afar most of his life. Duece considered Penny to be his "lady love" and Haji to be his "comrade in arms". Haji is a very stabilizing force in this book, who tends to provide a calm and realistic view point of everything that is going on. Unfortunately because of his sisters death his father Isaac starts overmedicated the children and this causes them all to become gravely ill by "end of the world" a new mutation of black ep. his 2 older brothers die, and in a last ditch attempt they freeze Haji and his younger siblings in hopes of finding a cure later on. Duece and Penny die at the end of the book, Penny gots shot by halloween as she tries to destroy her family's house in Germany and Deuce commits suicide when he realizes that penny is dead.
the book ends with Halloween joining forces with his former friends. during the course of the book we learn that he has accepted and moved on from the deaths of his older classmates.
Overall the book is well written considered it is narrated by so many characters. Sagan did a good job portraying each character and making them all have individual voices and personalities. especially in distinguishing the cold and strict world that Vashti's girls live in, and the freelancing calm world that Isaac raised his children it. the book was an easy and entertaining read, but i believe the first book is superior.
Other than that this books takes place 18 years after the Idlewild. the remaining characters have all divided into factions. with Isaac raising human children that he preaches religion too in Egypt. and Vashti/Champagne raising all human 2.0 girls who are genetically superior to there cousins in Germany. Fantasia is absent and Halloween is holed up in North America. Pandora lives in Greece running the IVR and is the neutral party.
The book is largerly narrated by the children from each faction, Haji (Isaac), Penny (Vashti) and Duece (halloween) who we later find out is Halloweens son/clone. Pandora and Halloween are the two adult narrators.
Every year the two factions exchange children so they can see how there cousins live. we learn that Haji's older sister died during one of last exchange and they thought it was from Black Ep. While it was really Penny who decided to play a cruel joke and killed her by accident. Penny is extremely selfish and power hungry and later uses Deuce to do her bidding against her "enemies" (and almost killing Pandora). We learn that Isaac created his children and taught them religion because they are clones of Gaedotronics employees. he hoped that the children would allow the "soul"/neurons of those employees to use there bodies as a vessel to come back to life. we find out that Isaac doesnt believe in religion but by teaching his children it would make them more suspectible to the neuron transfer. Deuce who no one knew existed outside of Halloween, is the one who revealed all the secrets to his fellow cousins via IVR, mostly to gain there trust and acceptance. Pandora believes Halloween is the cause of the security breach and when she flies to north america she finds out about Deuce. She takes him back to Germany to account for his actions and to meet his cousins. He is a very social awkward but knows about this cousins because he has been watching them from afar most of his life. Duece considered Penny to be his "lady love" and Haji to be his "comrade in arms". Haji is a very stabilizing force in this book, who tends to provide a calm and realistic view point of everything that is going on. Unfortunately because of his sisters death his father Isaac starts overmedicated the children and this causes them all to become gravely ill by "end of the world" a new mutation of black ep. his 2 older brothers die, and in a last ditch attempt they freeze Haji and his younger siblings in hopes of finding a cure later on. Duece and Penny die at the end of the book, Penny gots shot by halloween as she tries to destroy her family's house in Germany and Deuce commits suicide when he realizes that penny is dead.
the book ends with Halloween joining forces with his former friends. during the course of the book we learn that he has accepted and moved on from the deaths of his older classmates.
Overall the book is well written considered it is narrated by so many characters. Sagan did a good job portraying each character and making them all have individual voices and personalities. especially in distinguishing the cold and strict world that Vashti's girls live in, and the freelancing calm world that Isaac raised his children it. the book was an easy and entertaining read, but i believe the first book is superior.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2013
Este livro de Nick Sagan continua a história desenvolvida em Ameaça Virtual, e desenrola-se 18 anos volvidos sobre os acontecimentos finais do primeiro livro, num cenário pós-apocalíptico causado por um vírus mortal que aniquilou a espécie humana, à excepção das personagens desta história. Neste segundo volume, o autor modifica a estrutura narrativa que adoptara em Ameaça Virtual, e passa a contar a história do ponto de vista dos vários intervenientes. O leitor rapidamente se apercebe que esta é uma das grandes mais-valias do livro, e que prende a atenção, uma vez que permite ilustrar de uma forma muito vincada o que de melhor e pior existe na personalidade das personagens, permitindo, em simultâneo, ilustrar muitas das virtudes e dos defeitos da espécie humana.
Continuando a recorrer a conceitos de realidade virtual imersiva, a história neste livro é, no entanto, muito menos voltada para tecnologias e muito mais virada para a vida interior das pessoas, para as respetivas emoções e para auto-reflexões das personagens sobre os seus atos. No início não se vislumbra muito bem qual é o fio condutor da história, mas o verdadeiro drama acaba por nos ser revelado aos poucos, à medida que vamos lendo os acontecimentos pela perspetiva dos vários intervenientes. É um livro que retrata duas gerações da vida após o apocalipse da espécie: a geração dos pais que viveram o apocalipse e a geração dos respetivos filhos que nasceu num mundo estranho, onde a própria definição de ser humano é posta em causa.
No 1º livro, o autor desenvolve um thriller que envolve a investigação de um crime, ao passo que aqui o autor nos apresenta um drama psicológico. Neste livro, gostei em particular de algumas reflexões que nos são oferecidas no que diz respeito à tradicional dicotomia ciência-religião, sendo defendida de uma forma bem vincada a importância da ciência no desenvolvimento da espécie humana, por oposição à religião que é encarada como um obstáculo e tratada de forma instrumental. Tendo a concordar com esta perspetiva, não sendo de admirar que ela seja aqui apresentada e defendida. Igualmente interessante, é a oportunidade que nos é dada de reflectir sobre a própria existência humana, incluindo a sua fragilidade e a sua grandeza que nos é revelada pelo poder que uma relação entre pais e filhos, ainda que não geneticamente aparentados, tem para modificar por completo muitos aspectos da personalidade de uma pessoa.
Ao longo do livro existem vários momentos em que as reflexões se sucedem com alguma profundidade. Destaco por exemplo as seguintes citações "A religião provoca um tipo de dado mental! Não somos anjos caídos! [...] Queres uma palavra? Experimenta "evolução", "Aceleração". "Entropia". "Imortalidade". Porque rezar a Deus se nos podemos tornar deuses?[...] Até podemos tornar-nos a própria Natureza!.
Continuando a recorrer a conceitos de realidade virtual imersiva, a história neste livro é, no entanto, muito menos voltada para tecnologias e muito mais virada para a vida interior das pessoas, para as respetivas emoções e para auto-reflexões das personagens sobre os seus atos. No início não se vislumbra muito bem qual é o fio condutor da história, mas o verdadeiro drama acaba por nos ser revelado aos poucos, à medida que vamos lendo os acontecimentos pela perspetiva dos vários intervenientes. É um livro que retrata duas gerações da vida após o apocalipse da espécie: a geração dos pais que viveram o apocalipse e a geração dos respetivos filhos que nasceu num mundo estranho, onde a própria definição de ser humano é posta em causa.
No 1º livro, o autor desenvolve um thriller que envolve a investigação de um crime, ao passo que aqui o autor nos apresenta um drama psicológico. Neste livro, gostei em particular de algumas reflexões que nos são oferecidas no que diz respeito à tradicional dicotomia ciência-religião, sendo defendida de uma forma bem vincada a importância da ciência no desenvolvimento da espécie humana, por oposição à religião que é encarada como um obstáculo e tratada de forma instrumental. Tendo a concordar com esta perspetiva, não sendo de admirar que ela seja aqui apresentada e defendida. Igualmente interessante, é a oportunidade que nos é dada de reflectir sobre a própria existência humana, incluindo a sua fragilidade e a sua grandeza que nos é revelada pelo poder que uma relação entre pais e filhos, ainda que não geneticamente aparentados, tem para modificar por completo muitos aspectos da personalidade de uma pessoa.
Ao longo do livro existem vários momentos em que as reflexões se sucedem com alguma profundidade. Destaco por exemplo as seguintes citações "A religião provoca um tipo de dado mental! Não somos anjos caídos! [...] Queres uma palavra? Experimenta "evolução", "Aceleração". "Entropia". "Imortalidade". Porque rezar a Deus se nos podemos tornar deuses?[...] Até podemos tornar-nos a própria Natureza!.
August 15, 2010
The second part in this science fiction trilogy by Nick Sagan describes a similar path to that of its first generation of protagonists, from a cool and exciting adolescence into a rich maturity.
This time around, the tentative relationships between different characters are at the forefront, set against the backdrop of a world completely depopulated of humans by a virus. Except for the handful of survivors and now their children. Each has different views on life and on how to build up an existence for humans again, and some have just disappeared or are not on speaking terms. All this creates room for tension and discussion, from topics ranging to science, religion, and child-rearing.
The best part about this novel and series is that Sagan has a strong affinity for personalities, and that rare gift in writers to really have you live along with his characters. Even the two main antagonists in this story, or the villains, if you will, are portrayed believably, and with as much mercy and humanity as they deserve. They are more tragic than anything else, which is a testament to the nuance Sagan brings to a genre that all too often depends on black-and-white brush strokes when it comes to morality and personality.
Nick has also inherited from his father Carl the ability to treat issues of and clashes between religion, spirituality, science, and rationality with grace and understanding. Another one of those rare and undervalued talents.
In short, with the second instalment, this series has made a strong progression, and I can't wait to read the third.
This time around, the tentative relationships between different characters are at the forefront, set against the backdrop of a world completely depopulated of humans by a virus. Except for the handful of survivors and now their children. Each has different views on life and on how to build up an existence for humans again, and some have just disappeared or are not on speaking terms. All this creates room for tension and discussion, from topics ranging to science, religion, and child-rearing.
The best part about this novel and series is that Sagan has a strong affinity for personalities, and that rare gift in writers to really have you live along with his characters. Even the two main antagonists in this story, or the villains, if you will, are portrayed believably, and with as much mercy and humanity as they deserve. They are more tragic than anything else, which is a testament to the nuance Sagan brings to a genre that all too often depends on black-and-white brush strokes when it comes to morality and personality.
Nick has also inherited from his father Carl the ability to treat issues of and clashes between religion, spirituality, science, and rationality with grace and understanding. Another one of those rare and undervalued talents.
In short, with the second instalment, this series has made a strong progression, and I can't wait to read the third.
April 10, 2015
Having trouble deciding whether I liked Idlewild or Edenborn more. Liked the varied cast of narrators in Edenborn, and about halfway through, the plot managed to hook me completely -- I had to read the last few chapters in one flurried sitting to find out oh my god what's going to happen, even though it was late and I was tired and so much reading gave me a Gedaechtnis-related nightmare. Thank you, Sagan!
Seriously though. Solid sequel to Sagan's first novel. And now, of course, I have to track down the third.
Seriously though. Solid sequel to Sagan's first novel. And now, of course, I have to track down the third.
May 1, 2012
Not as good as the first book, and doesn't really go into why the protagonist from that book has distanced himself from the rest of the world (or what happened to the other girl...). There's definite parallels with Romeo and Juliet, except Shakespeare's characters are at least somewhat likable (dumb, but likable), as opposed to annoying and petty. (Okay, the guy was dumb and likable, but I was quite happy that she was finished.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2013
Forced to skim read due to my curiosity. A stronger person would have cut their losses.
November 6, 2020
My first impressions of the book were less-than favorable, but it proved to be a fairly enjoyable read. Edenborn is written such that, from chapter to chapter, the narration switches between characters—each chapter varying in length from just over a handful of pages to being as short as a single page. For me, this worked well, as typically it would not be long before I was once more reading the inner thoughts of my favorite character. The story moved along well, and the perspective switches felt very organic. However, I could easily imagine this turning out very poorly for some.
This book is highly focused around the characters and their development. Several, many, maybe most of the characters have severe personality defects, which felt fairly true to the world and their situation. For some readers, if enough of the characters get under your skin—becoming the objects of your contempt—this may well quickly become unenjoyable to read.
For myself, this did not happen. One character I started out liking, until they began to fall deeper into... Well, I'd rather not spoil it. Another character, whose identity is unknown for a fair portion of the book, had soliloquies that seemed absurd to imagine any real person saying with any conviction in their words. However, for both, these characters, their flaws, and their developments, fit very well into the story. So, though I may have had issues with them at points, once all was said and done, these issues did not feel like artificial flaws in the author's writing, but rather essential elements of the story.
For context, I've not read Idlewild, as Edenborn made it into my hands through none-too important means, and one night I chose it as the book on my shelf I should get around to reading. In all honesty, the book didn't make it immediately clear that it was a sequel (on the cover, etc.), and though it actually works fairly well as a stand-alone, reading through it, I did eventually pick up that this is not the first book.
To close off, I'll circle back to my poor first-impressions, which, upon looking at the cover and reading the opening chapter, were that this was a young adult novel—by which I mean in a way which is perhaps less than favorable. This was an incorrect judgement, as I think this is well fitted for adults and young adults alike to read. This could be quite an enjoyable read for many, and though my warnings may be overblown, keep in mind that there is also a chance that this is not the book for you.
This book is highly focused around the characters and their development. Several, many, maybe most of the characters have severe personality defects, which felt fairly true to the world and their situation. For some readers, if enough of the characters get under your skin—becoming the objects of your contempt—this may well quickly become unenjoyable to read.
For myself, this did not happen. One character I started out liking, until they began to fall deeper into... Well, I'd rather not spoil it. Another character, whose identity is unknown for a fair portion of the book, had soliloquies that seemed absurd to imagine any real person saying with any conviction in their words. However, for both, these characters, their flaws, and their developments, fit very well into the story. So, though I may have had issues with them at points, once all was said and done, these issues did not feel like artificial flaws in the author's writing, but rather essential elements of the story.
For context, I've not read Idlewild, as Edenborn made it into my hands through none-too important means, and one night I chose it as the book on my shelf I should get around to reading. In all honesty, the book didn't make it immediately clear that it was a sequel (on the cover, etc.), and though it actually works fairly well as a stand-alone, reading through it, I did eventually pick up that this is not the first book.
To close off, I'll circle back to my poor first-impressions, which, upon looking at the cover and reading the opening chapter, were that this was a young adult novel—by which I mean in a way which is perhaps less than favorable. This was an incorrect judgement, as I think this is well fitted for adults and young adults alike to read. This could be quite an enjoyable read for many, and though my warnings may be overblown, keep in mind that there is also a chance that this is not the book for you.
September 18, 2017
I give this one 4 stars or maybe 4.5. Set 18 years after Idlewild, this book starts out rather fragmented. Halloween remains a hermit in North America while Champagne and Vashti have joined forces in Europe and have created and genetically modified a brood of "post human" female children that are supposed to be as immune to Black Ep as they are themselves. Meanwhile, philosophical differences have kept Isaac in North Africa, cloning "traditional" humans from the DNA of frozen Gedaechtnis employees, and Black Ep is being kept at bay in them through some creative pharmaceutical chemistry. Pandora tries to keep the peace between the two camps and maintains the IVR system which is both entertainment and a tool to teach the next generation.
Whereas Idlewild was told in the first person of Halloween, he doesn't make an appearance in Edenborn until more than halfway into this book. Instead this story is told from the point of view of Pandora and a few of the children they have artificially created because Black Ep has rendered Hal, Pan, Vashti, Isaac and Champagne all sterile.
Hal's fragmented memory and his journey to find out what is really going on, made Idlewild engaging and compelling so the slow reveal throughout the novel worked well and kept the story flowing more organically than it does here. By contrast, the different vignettes told from differing points of view in Edenborn made it feel like the story was dragging at times and things didn't start to get interesting in my opinion until Hal returns center stage in part 3. I would have rated this lower than 4 except that the last half of the book more than makes up for the chaotic and dragging pace of the first half.
Whereas Idlewild was told in the first person of Halloween, he doesn't make an appearance in Edenborn until more than halfway into this book. Instead this story is told from the point of view of Pandora and a few of the children they have artificially created because Black Ep has rendered Hal, Pan, Vashti, Isaac and Champagne all sterile.
Hal's fragmented memory and his journey to find out what is really going on, made Idlewild engaging and compelling so the slow reveal throughout the novel worked well and kept the story flowing more organically than it does here. By contrast, the different vignettes told from differing points of view in Edenborn made it feel like the story was dragging at times and things didn't start to get interesting in my opinion until Hal returns center stage in part 3. I would have rated this lower than 4 except that the last half of the book more than makes up for the chaotic and dragging pace of the first half.
January 27, 2018
And time passes
I wasn't sure what to expect out of the second book. Honestly I was perfectly satisfied with Hal peacing out with both middle fingers raised at the end of the first, leaving humanity to just die out entirely.
But that is not the case.
Many of the characters are one note, but it's a good story and I enjoyed following it.
I wasn't sure what to expect out of the second book. Honestly I was perfectly satisfied with Hal peacing out with both middle fingers raised at the end of the first, leaving humanity to just die out entirely.
But that is not the case.
Many of the characters are one note, but it's a good story and I enjoyed following it.
March 21, 2025
Bought it because it is Carl Sagan’s son. I didn’t realize this is the second book in a trilogy. It is a bit confusing if you didn’t read the first book. Good ideas and action. All the characters are awful people, especially the teenagers.
June 22, 2017
enjoyed the 1st bk and waited too many years to do this one, would have been more enjoyable had i done it right away- but can't wait to do the next one to see what happens,!
April 27, 2018
Teenagers are evil.
May 8, 2019
Not quite as good/original as the first but well worth the read.
August 1, 2019
was getting batter as we fallowed the adults. the went back fo focusing on the teens.
August 8, 2019
I didn't like it as much as the first, but I highly enjoy Sagan's style of writing. Worth reading. I'm excited to finish the trilogy.
August 14, 2020
Not as good as the first book in the series but still fun to see the world built out.
Read
September 27, 2022DNF.
August 26, 2023
Interesting second book...onto the third!
September 5, 2024
Continuing the adventures of the post-apocalyptic post-humans & featuring the next gen; who raised a psychopath? Both did!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2025
An interesting take on the end of the world. It was a little confusing at the start, but riveting enough that I'll read the next 2 in the trilogy.
July 1, 2023
It was a good read and just as addictive as its predecessor, but it felt almost rushed at the end. It felt like there could have been more to the young one's stories. Something to make us more attached to the younger characters.
December 4, 2012
What happened?
I think, for me, Edenborn is the vegetable after the delicious main course but before the yummy dessert. You gotta get through it, make the best of it, find what you can enjoy from it, but you're not thrilled during, and you're super glad when you're done. Let's move on to cake!
First, let's talk about this book.
Edenborn is the second installment of Nick Sagan's Idlewild series. Set 18 years after the kids were released from their pods, we are immediately introduced to the first children created after the apocalypse (via Black Ep) completely wiped out every last gasp of humanity. I use the word "created" because these aren't natural-born children ... they are clones. Some cloned yet engineered with genetic variance (aka, imperfections) and others cloned yet engineered to be as durable as possible. All iterations are required to take daily medications to continuously fight the enduring (and constantly mutating) Black Ep.
The original Kids (now all 36 years old) are split up around the world, yet are able to keep in contact with pretty useful high-tech gadgets. Video phones, airplanes, (heli)copters, constant access to IVR ... this is no post-apocalyptic world where back-to-basics reigns. High-level medical equipment appears to be available, and everyone does a pretty good job at staying connected. We're still minus Halloween and Fantasia, but not for very long.
The first half of the book is tortuously slow-paced. We learn in fits and starts who this new generation is made up of .. their hopes, dreams, desires, beliefs... Some are massively disappointing cliches, some are a product of their upbringing and massively religious, and others still are exactly who their "parents" wanted them to be (clones of themselves). We learn about the minutiae of their days, the drama of their interactions, and the futility I imagine one might feel in the face of the End of the World.
At the end, however, I found myself missing the slower pace. I found myself yearning for what "used to be" merely 100 pages ago. I realized what I had that I was losing in the span of a chapter. Life as we knew it was turned upon its ear and chaos took hold. The ending is dramatic and nauseating and confusing, and had I not been teased with the first chapter (ish) of the next installment, I would have been scratching my head asking, "Wha...? the hell just happened and how do I reconcile it?"
There is no reconciliation. There is no good explanation. Shit happens, and it happened in Edenborn.
The snippet of the next book looks to be really good, though. I may need to take a break for a bit to recover and renew.
I think, for me, Edenborn is the vegetable after the delicious main course but before the yummy dessert. You gotta get through it, make the best of it, find what you can enjoy from it, but you're not thrilled during, and you're super glad when you're done. Let's move on to cake!
First, let's talk about this book.
Edenborn is the second installment of Nick Sagan's Idlewild series. Set 18 years after the kids were released from their pods, we are immediately introduced to the first children created after the apocalypse (via Black Ep) completely wiped out every last gasp of humanity. I use the word "created" because these aren't natural-born children ... they are clones. Some cloned yet engineered with genetic variance (aka, imperfections) and others cloned yet engineered to be as durable as possible. All iterations are required to take daily medications to continuously fight the enduring (and constantly mutating) Black Ep.
The original Kids (now all 36 years old) are split up around the world, yet are able to keep in contact with pretty useful high-tech gadgets. Video phones, airplanes, (heli)copters, constant access to IVR ... this is no post-apocalyptic world where back-to-basics reigns. High-level medical equipment appears to be available, and everyone does a pretty good job at staying connected. We're still minus Halloween and Fantasia, but not for very long.
The first half of the book is tortuously slow-paced. We learn in fits and starts who this new generation is made up of .. their hopes, dreams, desires, beliefs... Some are massively disappointing cliches, some are a product of their upbringing and massively religious, and others still are exactly who their "parents" wanted them to be (clones of themselves). We learn about the minutiae of their days, the drama of their interactions, and the futility I imagine one might feel in the face of the End of the World.
At the end, however, I found myself missing the slower pace. I found myself yearning for what "used to be" merely 100 pages ago. I realized what I had that I was losing in the span of a chapter. Life as we knew it was turned upon its ear and chaos took hold. The ending is dramatic and nauseating and confusing, and had I not been teased with the first chapter (ish) of the next installment, I would have been scratching my head asking, "Wha...? the hell just happened and how do I reconcile it?"
There is no reconciliation. There is no good explanation. Shit happens, and it happened in Edenborn.
The snippet of the next book looks to be really good, though. I may need to take a break for a bit to recover and renew.
August 13, 2007
I didn't realize that this is actually the second book set in a post-apocalypse future Earth, which is why I'm reading them out of order. It has strong cyberpunk leanings (with the internet as IVR), but the tale is not so technically heavy that the casual reader can't enjoy it. Perhaps the science isn't 100% perfect, but the author's skill with characters and plot pacing would far outweigh any scientific nitpicking to me. The size is appealing as well, as Sagan has divided the tale into three reasonable chunks (Idlewild, Edenborn, Everfree) rather than overwhelming a reader by releasing it as one huge 1000 page novel as too much of science-fiction seems to prefer.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints, primarily peacemaker Pandora from Idlewild's generation and two second generation teens: gentle religious Haji and an unravelling psychotic Penny. AI Malachi pops up and skillfully fills in some of the gaps for a new reader who hasn't read the first novel (without feeling like an infodump), and in the latter portions of the book, two other viewpoints creep in to round out the story, one first generation and one second. None of the characters, narrator or otherwise, feel flat or lifeless, and even the "villains" are worthy of sympathy.
There are many ways to revive mankind, and the characters here seem to be trying them all. One branch thinks testosterone played too big a role in Earth's disaster, so they are breeding genetically engineered Amazons (dubbed Waterbabies). Another branch believes that regular humans should find another way around the Black Ep plague that wiped out humanity and tries medications to curb its return and religion to soften its conscience. Still a third brings a child into the world as an experiment of nature versus nurture. The all-too-human mistakes all three theories entail made me hope for them to somehow pull through, and I read the book in one single day, absorbed in the lives of these characters.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints, primarily peacemaker Pandora from Idlewild's generation and two second generation teens: gentle religious Haji and an unravelling psychotic Penny. AI Malachi pops up and skillfully fills in some of the gaps for a new reader who hasn't read the first novel (without feeling like an infodump), and in the latter portions of the book, two other viewpoints creep in to round out the story, one first generation and one second. None of the characters, narrator or otherwise, feel flat or lifeless, and even the "villains" are worthy of sympathy.
There are many ways to revive mankind, and the characters here seem to be trying them all. One branch thinks testosterone played too big a role in Earth's disaster, so they are breeding genetically engineered Amazons (dubbed Waterbabies). Another branch believes that regular humans should find another way around the Black Ep plague that wiped out humanity and tries medications to curb its return and religion to soften its conscience. Still a third brings a child into the world as an experiment of nature versus nurture. The all-too-human mistakes all three theories entail made me hope for them to somehow pull through, and I read the book in one single day, absorbed in the lives of these characters.
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