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Veracity
Joshua has just been told the truth about the world. Namely that no one is left, except for a handful of young people and the last of the Elders, a sect of radical environmentalists who are determined to give the planet a chance to heal from human impact. They've chosen Joshua to lead a final expedition in search of remaining pockets of human life, and have trained him to sterilize anyone he comes across. But to ensure the mission's success, the crew supporting the expedition has been told a very different story. And as this group of young men uncover the truth, along with the incentive behind the lies, together they spiral into an unstoppable adventure of ethical struggle and survival.
414 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2007
3 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Mark Lavorato
5 books41 followersI'm a Canadian writer, based in Montreal. I also do work as a musician and street photographer. You can see some of my work at www.marklavorato.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 5, 2011
I downloaded this from Manybooks, where all the reviews were five-star, and, In short, it totally stands up to the highest ratings you can give. Really, it's one of the best books i've ever read i think. Mark Lavorato asks questions that all of us have asked, but that none of us really wants to anwser. I would put it together with 1984 or Moby Dick as a must-read. It is impossible to come away from it without having grappled with some wonderfully thorny questions.
Before i wrote my review, I read the one-star blurb below, and i think it sad that "Roberto" has utterly missed the point of this great novel. I read some of his other reviews (of a couple of my favourite books) and i can tell you, he misses the point of many others as well. Do not trust him. Read this. You won't regret it.
Before i wrote my review, I read the one-star blurb below, and i think it sad that "Roberto" has utterly missed the point of this great novel. I read some of his other reviews (of a couple of my favourite books) and i can tell you, he misses the point of many others as well. Do not trust him. Read this. You won't regret it.
April 2, 2011
An interesting twist on the end-of-the-world theme, where most of the human race has been deliberately wiped out to end millenia of war, hate, corruption, greed; where the small group of remaining survivors are set to finish what was started, to ensure that any more pockets of survivors cannot thrive, cannot reproduce.
There is some interesting prose throughout this book, some excellent reflections on the world. And though the narrator Joshua swings from wanting to save to wanting to destroy, changing more than once, he is able to recognize the complexity of the choice he has made.
At times, it feels almost easy to sympathize with Joshua as he seems to be surrounded by willing violence, by a sociopathic side-kick who epitomizes the very things that Joshua is set to end. At times, I want to push Joshua over the edge of his teetering decisions and make him think a little differently, or sometimes applaud how he thinks, or cringe as something pushes him back to thinking the Elders who taught him were right all along... but again he recognizes that the same situation can be read differently, that there are so many complex opinions and solutions for the very same thing, that the same situation can make one person want to save, the end to end.
This isn't a fast read, but it was a thought provoking read. Different.
There is some interesting prose throughout this book, some excellent reflections on the world. And though the narrator Joshua swings from wanting to save to wanting to destroy, changing more than once, he is able to recognize the complexity of the choice he has made.
At times, it feels almost easy to sympathize with Joshua as he seems to be surrounded by willing violence, by a sociopathic side-kick who epitomizes the very things that Joshua is set to end. At times, I want to push Joshua over the edge of his teetering decisions and make him think a little differently, or sometimes applaud how he thinks, or cringe as something pushes him back to thinking the Elders who taught him were right all along... but again he recognizes that the same situation can be read differently, that there are so many complex opinions and solutions for the very same thing, that the same situation can make one person want to save, the end to end.
This isn't a fast read, but it was a thought provoking read. Different.
June 6, 2012
I read this book cover to cover because as a novel it failed, for me, in so many interesting ways, from basic editing through sentence level construction right up through the framing of the plot to the premise of the book.
The author has some edge-of-the-cliff ideas to propose, all surrounding whether humanity carries evil around inside itself like a pathogen and if so, whether humanity has a responsibility to cease existing. The premise through which he proposes his ideas isn't original but it IS interesting. His passion for his material is obvious.
But besides the fact that he needed to polish before he published, I think Mark was barking up the wrong tree from the start. I don't think the novel form can serve his purpose without becoming a bad novel. IMO, good novels belong to their characters or their plots or even, in some cases, their settings. They are not the puppets of their authors, lip syncing words from his mouth (classic example: Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged.')
(Note: After rereading my own uncharitable review I read some others. Several people mention first-novel-style missteps but nobody seemed as put off by these flaws as I was. I'm realizing as I get older that a lot of people either don't notice or don't mind errors and flaws that make me want to toss a book across the room.)
The author has some edge-of-the-cliff ideas to propose, all surrounding whether humanity carries evil around inside itself like a pathogen and if so, whether humanity has a responsibility to cease existing. The premise through which he proposes his ideas isn't original but it IS interesting. His passion for his material is obvious.
But besides the fact that he needed to polish before he published, I think Mark was barking up the wrong tree from the start. I don't think the novel form can serve his purpose without becoming a bad novel. IMO, good novels belong to their characters or their plots or even, in some cases, their settings. They are not the puppets of their authors, lip syncing words from his mouth (classic example: Ayn Rand's 'Atlas Shrugged.')
(Note: After rereading my own uncharitable review I read some others. Several people mention first-novel-style missteps but nobody seemed as put off by these flaws as I was. I'm realizing as I get older that a lot of people either don't notice or don't mind errors and flaws that make me want to toss a book across the room.)
February 21, 2014
Veracity raises a lot of questions, and will make you reflect on lots of issues regarding human nature, human achievements, human worth.
It all starts with Joshua who were raised in the future, in a small community who has a special view on human kind. He was taught to embrace this view, and prepare to live in accordance to this. Obviously, events will challenge his beliefs, but at no point the book takes a decision for you.
I really liked Veracity for multiple reason. First, the book does rise interesting questions (which is what we used to expect from SF novels). Secondly, Mark Lavorato's style is beautiful. English is not my mother tongue but I really appreciated the careful choice of words, the precise description of people's attitude and atmosphere. He makes it so easy to just dive into Veracity's world and sympathise or identify with most of the characters.
However, I only put 4 stars and not 5 because the middle of the book is somewhat long. There's a part where it is a bit predictable, more "adventure-like", and feels a bit more like other books I read about how a small group of humans behave, especially regarding the fight for power.
This being said, I really loved this book and I was never bored reading it. I highly recommend it!
It all starts with Joshua who were raised in the future, in a small community who has a special view on human kind. He was taught to embrace this view, and prepare to live in accordance to this. Obviously, events will challenge his beliefs, but at no point the book takes a decision for you.
I really liked Veracity for multiple reason. First, the book does rise interesting questions (which is what we used to expect from SF novels). Secondly, Mark Lavorato's style is beautiful. English is not my mother tongue but I really appreciated the careful choice of words, the precise description of people's attitude and atmosphere. He makes it so easy to just dive into Veracity's world and sympathise or identify with most of the characters.
However, I only put 4 stars and not 5 because the middle of the book is somewhat long. There's a part where it is a bit predictable, more "adventure-like", and feels a bit more like other books I read about how a small group of humans behave, especially regarding the fight for power.
This being said, I really loved this book and I was never bored reading it. I highly recommend it!
August 30, 2011
Full disclosure: Mark is a good friend of mine. I promised him, however, that I'd leave an honest review, from my critical, literary science fiction reader's perspective.
In a nutshell, this is an enthusiastic, philosophic and ambitious psychological thriller. Mark uses a post-apocalyptic scenario ( a small group of scientists have killed off most humans for environmental reasons and are sending theit children off to find any remaing pockets of humanity, ostensibly to save them but perhaps for other reasons) to explore ideas about human morality and ethical extremism. He has his hero realize what is actually going on, but then puts him in charge of a small group where he is alternately their leader, their scapegoat and their prey.
This is definitely a first novel (occasional false notes) but a remarkably tight one. Mark builds an intimate, intense story, and does a fantastic job of teasing out small group dynamics and life in a cult-like community, all the while throwing in some decent philosophizing.
Bottom line: a satisfying psychological thriller that explores unusual territory.
In a nutshell, this is an enthusiastic, philosophic and ambitious psychological thriller. Mark uses a post-apocalyptic scenario ( a small group of scientists have killed off most humans for environmental reasons and are sending theit children off to find any remaing pockets of humanity, ostensibly to save them but perhaps for other reasons) to explore ideas about human morality and ethical extremism. He has his hero realize what is actually going on, but then puts him in charge of a small group where he is alternately their leader, their scapegoat and their prey.
This is definitely a first novel (occasional false notes) but a remarkably tight one. Mark builds an intimate, intense story, and does a fantastic job of teasing out small group dynamics and life in a cult-like community, all the while throwing in some decent philosophizing.
Bottom line: a satisfying psychological thriller that explores unusual territory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2014
I've been reading dystopian novels for a few years now, I'm just one of the many humans attracted to the fear and restless hope of the collective consciousness. Can we start over? Can humans stop destroying? Will we survive ourselves? By now I've come across the habit of authors to use a formula in these tales, that I become quickly bored with while reading.
Veracity brought me awake and kept me so as I eagerly sat up reading and reading, unable to put it aside! A new perspective! And judging from a few of the negative reviews, a frighteningly raw one. Lavorato dares to say through his characters what the new world doesn't feel comfortable hearing, but if one is open, the resonance of the story will touch the readers' humanity more deeply than many stories may have.
The book actually has character development that leads the reader through the storyline expertly. The protagonist takes one's emotions on a twin journey of duality and ambiguity. It reads like the best of the coming of age classics, beloved by readers over the years!
Veracity brought me awake and kept me so as I eagerly sat up reading and reading, unable to put it aside! A new perspective! And judging from a few of the negative reviews, a frighteningly raw one. Lavorato dares to say through his characters what the new world doesn't feel comfortable hearing, but if one is open, the resonance of the story will touch the readers' humanity more deeply than many stories may have.
The book actually has character development that leads the reader through the storyline expertly. The protagonist takes one's emotions on a twin journey of duality and ambiguity. It reads like the best of the coming of age classics, beloved by readers over the years!
March 30, 2011
A strange post-apocalyptic book which explores the nature of humanity, as told through the eyes of the leader of an expedition sent to wipe out all of humanity's last traces. Parts of it feel like "Lord of the Flies," and its philosophy and underlying assumptions were disturbing, to say the least. I'll admit I found it to be pretty depressing, overall, though there were brief glimpses of hope here and there.
The prose was decent, but not great. I think it was Lavorato's first novel, so he can be forgiven for that much. I did enjoy sections of the novel, particularly a few encounters with an elusive primate known as "the Creature," as well as the protagonist's relationship with the raven. Overall, however, the characters felt unreal somehow, and I felt little real connection with or understanding of any of them.
I might be interested in some of Lavorato's more recent works, as he certainly showed a lot of promise in this one, but I can't recommend "Veracity."
The prose was decent, but not great. I think it was Lavorato's first novel, so he can be forgiven for that much. I did enjoy sections of the novel, particularly a few encounters with an elusive primate known as "the Creature," as well as the protagonist's relationship with the raven. Overall, however, the characters felt unreal somehow, and I felt little real connection with or understanding of any of them.
I might be interested in some of Lavorato's more recent works, as he certainly showed a lot of promise in this one, but I can't recommend "Veracity."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2011
Imagine a book written completely from the point of view of a misanthrope. Now imagine said misanthrope is prone to sophomoric mental ramblings. Add some endearing features such as believing he is smarter than anyone else. Add a lot of other varied misanthropes as characters. Now make them completely unidimensional, so you can define each of them in one line ("Onni is nice and makes music"). Put those characters in a brief, not very interesting journey where not much happens except that they are all destructive morons.
Now, take those ingredients and use them to write a book. That book is Veracity by Mark Lavorato.
Now, take those ingredients and use them to write a book. That book is Veracity by Mark Lavorato.
August 25, 2011
An amazing read! You can take your pick from this book - you'll find stimulating questions that prompt reflection on humanity, passion, hunger, our environment, yourself...but you're also in for a captivating, exciting, wonderfully-written fiction novel, written very poetically.
Lavorato's writing balances edge-of-your-seat action adventure with philosophical insights and questions for readers interested in enjoying them.
Lavorato's writing balances edge-of-your-seat action adventure with philosophical insights and questions for readers interested in enjoying them.
August 26, 2011
For a 'first' book this is a revelation. Whilst having connotations of
'Lord of the Flies' and '1984' it sets us further into a very dark
future and will leave you thinking long after the book is finished. Some
aspects of the book shows a new author finding his feet the overall effect
is of an absorbing read.
'Lord of the Flies' and '1984' it sets us further into a very dark
future and will leave you thinking long after the book is finished. Some
aspects of the book shows a new author finding his feet the overall effect
is of an absorbing read.
September 4, 2011
I enjoyed Mark's book, "Veracity". I put it in the same league with Silence of the Lambs. The science was good, the structure was good, everything about the book was good.
I'm extremely hard to please when science fiction is this deeply combined with Philosophy.
It's rare I pick up a book and read it nonstop to the end. This is one of those books.
I'm extremely hard to please when science fiction is this deeply combined with Philosophy.
It's rare I pick up a book and read it nonstop to the end. This is one of those books.
May 1, 2013
Mark is a friend of mine, so I felt I should read it. It was a slow start for me, hard to get into the book, but I found towards the end, my heart was actually racing as the main character was in "difficulties". I guess the slow build had a profound affect on my attachement to this character.
Worth the read.
Worth the read.
November 5, 2011
Thought-provoking perspective on the nature and development of belief from a main character who questions but doesn't understand it himself. Great read, I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews