What do you think?
Rate this book
The Boy at the End of the World
This is what he knew:
His name was Fisher.
The world was dangerous.
And he was alone.
Fisher is the last boy on Earth - and things are not looking good for the human race. The carefully crafted survival dome where Fisher and dozens of other humans have been sleeping for millenia has been destroyed. Through a lucky accident, only Fisher survived.
The world Fisher wakes up in is a lot like ours - but it's changed, too. After the human race wiped itself out, nature took over, and wild creatures evolved into barely familiar beasts. Fisher must face them all as they set off on a journey that seems hopeless - at first. Then Fisher uncovers evidence that there may be a second survival dome far to the west. What was once a struggle for one boy's survival becomes a journey of hope.
With a broken robot and a friendly mammoth as his only companions, Fisher heads West. But something is watching them... something that wants to find the second survival dome just as badly as they do.
His name was Fisher.
The world was dangerous.
And he was alone.
Fisher is the last boy on Earth - and things are not looking good for the human race. The carefully crafted survival dome where Fisher and dozens of other humans have been sleeping for millenia has been destroyed. Through a lucky accident, only Fisher survived.
The world Fisher wakes up in is a lot like ours - but it's changed, too. After the human race wiped itself out, nature took over, and wild creatures evolved into barely familiar beasts. Fisher must face them all as they set off on a journey that seems hopeless - at first. Then Fisher uncovers evidence that there may be a second survival dome far to the west. What was once a struggle for one boy's survival becomes a journey of hope.
With a broken robot and a friendly mammoth as his only companions, Fisher heads West. But something is watching them... something that wants to find the second survival dome just as badly as they do.
212 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2011
51 people are currently reading
1706 people want to read
About the author
Greg Van Eekhout
60 books388 followersGreg van Eekhout writes books. Some are for kids, some are for adults. He lives in San Diego.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
May 3, 2012
Edited to add: Ok, you know what? I'm giving this another star. Because here we are, a month later, and my son is STILL playing "Ark Designer". He's reading books on engineering and robotics and genetics (and lecturing me on same. *sigh*). He's building Arks out of Lego and drawing pictures of them. He even occasionally jokes, "Hello! I'm going to kill you now! Hello!" (that makes sense if you've read the book).
C'mon, kid. Admit it already: this book rocked your world and changed your life.
------------
(original review below)
Contrary to our usual practice, I rated this book 4 and my son rated it 2. I found it dryly humorous and an interesting exploration of what makes one human. He found it scary. We had several hiatuses because he would get upset and start yelling, which makes it hard to read to him. I tried to discuss that with him, saying, "Surely you felt so strongly about what was happening to Fisher because you cared about him - and isn't that what a good book makes one do? And it did turn out okay, didn't it?"
But no, he's having none of it. In fact, I totally cheated by saying he rated this a 2. He told me to give it NEGATIVE SEVEN stars. But that's not really an option, and again, I think his intense fits of passion over this book are an indication that he did get into it, even if he says he didn't.
That said: sensitive eight-year-olds may find this book too intense. There are quite a few life-threatening situations, including evil gadgets and an even eviler Intelligence (ye gods, it actually gave him nightmares, The Intelligence). The dry wit eluded him entirely, which surprised me, but he was just too caught up in the peril I guess.
C'mon, kid. Admit it already: this book rocked your world and changed your life.
------------
(original review below)
Contrary to our usual practice, I rated this book 4 and my son rated it 2. I found it dryly humorous and an interesting exploration of what makes one human. He found it scary. We had several hiatuses because he would get upset and start yelling, which makes it hard to read to him. I tried to discuss that with him, saying, "Surely you felt so strongly about what was happening to Fisher because you cared about him - and isn't that what a good book makes one do? And it did turn out okay, didn't it?"
But no, he's having none of it. In fact, I totally cheated by saying he rated this a 2. He told me to give it NEGATIVE SEVEN stars. But that's not really an option, and again, I think his intense fits of passion over this book are an indication that he did get into it, even if he says he didn't.
That said: sensitive eight-year-olds may find this book too intense. There are quite a few life-threatening situations, including evil gadgets and an even eviler Intelligence (ye gods, it actually gave him nightmares, The Intelligence). The dry wit eluded him entirely, which surprised me, but he was just too caught up in the peril I guess.
May 21, 2011
For all that dystopias are now the #1 hot genre amongst children and teens (having supplanted vampires for the moment) I’ve yet to have a kid actually ask me for one. It wouldn’t take much. If even one ten-year-old walked up to my reference desk in the library and said, “I want a book set in the future” I’d be satisfied that this is a genre with staying power. Kids don’t ask for that kind of thing, though. They’ll specify mermaids or vampires or mysteries or ghost stories, but never future stuff. That’s where Greg van Eekhout’s The Boy at the End of the World has an advantage, however. Because even if the kids aren’t asking for post-apocalyptic wonders, they are asking me for adventure stories. I’ve even had kids hold up Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet and ask, “Do you have anything else like this?” Well, it’s not exactly the same as throwing a kid in the middle of the Canadian wilderness with only a single hatchet but if you were to replace the words “Canadian wilderness” with “post-apocalyptic hellscape” and “hatchet” with “talking robot” then I think we’d be on the same wavelength. Mr. van Eekhout pens for us a fast-paced, engaging, and sometimes horrifying glimpse into one of our possible futures. A place where if the evil sentient robots don’t get you, the talking prairie dogs might.
He wakes up to a world destroyed. Something has gone wrong. Created with an abundance of fishing knowledge, young Fisher emerges full formed from his pod to find that he may well be the last human being on earth. Thousands of years ago humans created bunkers called “Arks” and placed a variety of species in there asleep until they could be wakened. A good plan, until someone sabotages Fisher’s Ark leaving him, by chance, the only creature alive. Determined to seek out other Arks, wherever they might be, Fisher finds himself in a hostile new world where there’s everything from rampaging birds to mechanical killers. Fortunately he has Click, a helper robot of limited means, a mammoth he names Protein, and a native prairie dog with rudimentary English skills called Zapper to help him in his quest.
Of course the book that this reminded me the most of right off the bat was the recent Tony DiTerlizzi novel The Search for Wondla. There are several similarities. In both books a kid, tended by a robot, is forced out of a safe underground existence by a mysterious threat. With the robot in tow the human befriends a big beningn creature and a native creature with the gift of speech, in an attempt to find other humans. There are, however, some distinctive dissimilarities as well. While DiTerlizzi’s book is meant to read more as a quest novel, van Eekhout’s is a survival tale wrapped in a mission. What’s more, while DiTerlizzi’s novel rolls in at 496 pages, van Eekhout’s comes in at a slim 224. That’s part of what I liked so much about this book, actually. I’ve been reading so many novels recently that need a good 50 to 100 pages cut out of them that to encounter something this tight and fast comes as an enormous relief. Here, at last, is a book with which to entice young readers who would balk at books with the roundabout thickness of a loaf of bread. The story begins with a bang, it keeps running even when it’s thinking, and little time is spent kvetching or meandering. The result is a novel that could never been considered dreamy, particularly poetic, or descriptive. It does, however, fill the needs of kids that like their books fast and furious. No objections here.
The writing is a lot of fun too. You’ve got a hero who has been essentially programmed to know certain things. Amongst them is the knowledge of how to swear. That’s fabulous. He also has a wry sense of humor, almost macabre, that serves him well over the course of the tale. For example “If he died, nobody would be around to ask what had finally killed off the human species. Which was a little bit of a good thing, because the answer – ‘They were eaten by parrots’ – was not the kind of legacy he wanted to leave behind.” That’s great stuff. Fits the feel of the kind of novel this is perfectly.
Now I love me a good post-apocalyptic middle grade novel. Periodically the publishing industry will rediscover this genre and go whole hog for it, which I appreciate. It happened in the mid to late-1970s and it’s happening again today all thanks to The Hunger Games. However, dystopian novels tend to be written for teens. Kids are too often left out in the cold, so whenever I see a book that fits I make sure to snatch it up, right quick. That way I get to read great books like Raiders’ Ransom and Fever Crumb with impunity. Unfortunately, most futuristic middle grade fare suffers from one common problem; The authors just can’t resist referencing something contemporary. For the previous two books I just mentioned, there are sly Harry Potter references snuck in there. Ugh. Mr. van Eekhout, to his credit, avoids the Harry Potter trap, but he does put in one McDonald’s reference that threw me out of the story for an unfortunate moment. Ah well. It’s not as if he name drops the current president or anything.
Kids don’t really know what they mean when they ask you for an “action book”. They’re basically just craving something that doesn’t bore them to sleep. It’s what catapulted the Alex Rider series to fame and fortune, and what keeps kids coming back to books when they’ve a host of digital distractions at their beck and call. The Boy at the End of the World is very much of that ilk, but it has more brains than your average airport thriller. Here’s a dire future that looks bad, but has a hero you can emotionally attach yourself to easily and a plot that moves like river rapids. Throw in what may be the world’s creepiest villain (let’s just say it gives the term “earworm” a whole new meaning) and you’ve got yourself a great little book. One that knows what it wants to do and then does it. Just fun.
For ages 9-12.
He wakes up to a world destroyed. Something has gone wrong. Created with an abundance of fishing knowledge, young Fisher emerges full formed from his pod to find that he may well be the last human being on earth. Thousands of years ago humans created bunkers called “Arks” and placed a variety of species in there asleep until they could be wakened. A good plan, until someone sabotages Fisher’s Ark leaving him, by chance, the only creature alive. Determined to seek out other Arks, wherever they might be, Fisher finds himself in a hostile new world where there’s everything from rampaging birds to mechanical killers. Fortunately he has Click, a helper robot of limited means, a mammoth he names Protein, and a native prairie dog with rudimentary English skills called Zapper to help him in his quest.
Of course the book that this reminded me the most of right off the bat was the recent Tony DiTerlizzi novel The Search for Wondla. There are several similarities. In both books a kid, tended by a robot, is forced out of a safe underground existence by a mysterious threat. With the robot in tow the human befriends a big beningn creature and a native creature with the gift of speech, in an attempt to find other humans. There are, however, some distinctive dissimilarities as well. While DiTerlizzi’s book is meant to read more as a quest novel, van Eekhout’s is a survival tale wrapped in a mission. What’s more, while DiTerlizzi’s novel rolls in at 496 pages, van Eekhout’s comes in at a slim 224. That’s part of what I liked so much about this book, actually. I’ve been reading so many novels recently that need a good 50 to 100 pages cut out of them that to encounter something this tight and fast comes as an enormous relief. Here, at last, is a book with which to entice young readers who would balk at books with the roundabout thickness of a loaf of bread. The story begins with a bang, it keeps running even when it’s thinking, and little time is spent kvetching or meandering. The result is a novel that could never been considered dreamy, particularly poetic, or descriptive. It does, however, fill the needs of kids that like their books fast and furious. No objections here.
The writing is a lot of fun too. You’ve got a hero who has been essentially programmed to know certain things. Amongst them is the knowledge of how to swear. That’s fabulous. He also has a wry sense of humor, almost macabre, that serves him well over the course of the tale. For example “If he died, nobody would be around to ask what had finally killed off the human species. Which was a little bit of a good thing, because the answer – ‘They were eaten by parrots’ – was not the kind of legacy he wanted to leave behind.” That’s great stuff. Fits the feel of the kind of novel this is perfectly.
Now I love me a good post-apocalyptic middle grade novel. Periodically the publishing industry will rediscover this genre and go whole hog for it, which I appreciate. It happened in the mid to late-1970s and it’s happening again today all thanks to The Hunger Games. However, dystopian novels tend to be written for teens. Kids are too often left out in the cold, so whenever I see a book that fits I make sure to snatch it up, right quick. That way I get to read great books like Raiders’ Ransom and Fever Crumb with impunity. Unfortunately, most futuristic middle grade fare suffers from one common problem; The authors just can’t resist referencing something contemporary. For the previous two books I just mentioned, there are sly Harry Potter references snuck in there. Ugh. Mr. van Eekhout, to his credit, avoids the Harry Potter trap, but he does put in one McDonald’s reference that threw me out of the story for an unfortunate moment. Ah well. It’s not as if he name drops the current president or anything.
Kids don’t really know what they mean when they ask you for an “action book”. They’re basically just craving something that doesn’t bore them to sleep. It’s what catapulted the Alex Rider series to fame and fortune, and what keeps kids coming back to books when they’ve a host of digital distractions at their beck and call. The Boy at the End of the World is very much of that ilk, but it has more brains than your average airport thriller. Here’s a dire future that looks bad, but has a hero you can emotionally attach yourself to easily and a plot that moves like river rapids. Throw in what may be the world’s creepiest villain (let’s just say it gives the term “earworm” a whole new meaning) and you’ve got yourself a great little book. One that knows what it wants to do and then does it. Just fun.
For ages 9-12.
May 15, 2012
The story of Fisher, a boy whose "Ark" has been destroyed causing him to become born without the rest of his community. The world has evolved while Fisher was sleeping and one thousand years have passed. Lots of things have changed, including the machines that kept him alive in the Ark. Something has attacked his Ark and killed all the other humans and creatures that were in stasis. Fisher manages to escape with a custodian robot who he names Click. Click has been programmed to do everything in his power to aid in the success of the new humans. Failure equals death, and Fisher knows enough to know he does not want to "fail".
This is more a middle-grade book than YA, and I think it's a great introduction for kid who leans toward sci-fi. I really enjoyed it!
This is more a middle-grade book than YA, and I think it's a great introduction for kid who leans toward sci-fi. I really enjoyed it!
August 6, 2016
For the most part, The Boy At The End Of The World is a quiet tale, the story of one boy trying to make his way through a hostile environment in the hopes that he isn't the last of his kind. While he runs into various animals, the dialogue is between himself and his overprotective robot, who he names Click. This is not a book driven forward on inter-character connections. Instead, we have Fisher's desperately working not to be the end of his species, and underneath that there's a bit of mystery to fill in history. What happened to wipe man out? Who attacked Fisher's ark? What happened to the safeguards intended to protect all the species being taken care of in the pods?
In spite of his newborn status, Fisher is developmentally an adolescent. There's a really interesting balance between innocence and knowledge, since at birth he was imprinted with a specific skill set and a head full of the basic things he'd need to know for survival. There are several different skill sets available, meant to work together as a community, so there are gaps in what he knows and what he can do, but he's competent enough when it comes to everyday issues like keeping himself fed. While he knows how to catch a fish, though, he doesn't have the experience to back that up, so his struggle is a bit like someone who's read a book on wilderness survival trying to fend for themselves for the first time.
The prose is very straight-forward, not the sort of thing that calls much attention to itself, settling comfortably in the background to let the reader focus on the story being told. Unfortunately at times the story is in fact being told (rather than shown) and the big climax suffers for it. Certainly pacing is a difficult thing to achieve, and even more so when your protagonist spends the vast majority of his time without other people around. Still, when I'm informed something has changed and then a short while later given the reason, there's no impact, as there would be if I was given the chance to witness the changes for myself.
In spite of his newborn status, Fisher is developmentally an adolescent. There's a really interesting balance between innocence and knowledge, since at birth he was imprinted with a specific skill set and a head full of the basic things he'd need to know for survival. There are several different skill sets available, meant to work together as a community, so there are gaps in what he knows and what he can do, but he's competent enough when it comes to everyday issues like keeping himself fed. While he knows how to catch a fish, though, he doesn't have the experience to back that up, so his struggle is a bit like someone who's read a book on wilderness survival trying to fend for themselves for the first time.
The prose is very straight-forward, not the sort of thing that calls much attention to itself, settling comfortably in the background to let the reader focus on the story being told. Unfortunately at times the story is in fact being told (rather than shown) and the big climax suffers for it. Certainly pacing is a difficult thing to achieve, and even more so when your protagonist spends the vast majority of his time without other people around. Still, when I'm informed something has changed and then a short while later given the reason, there's no impact, as there would be if I was given the chance to witness the changes for myself.
June 24, 2012
this was a very unsettling book, of survival in a post apocalyptic wasteland, with a clueless and amusing yet touching robot and a couple of surprisingly anthropomorphic animal companions... darkly humorous, and occasionally horrific...
I may have nightmares about the Two melded species encountered in the river...
4.5 stars! thanks Deb!
May 22, 2011
The most fun book I've read in quite a while. The book has serious things to say about evolution, ecology, and humanity-- but those messages never get in the way of this zippy, witty adventure, with a real hero you cheer for. My full review is here.
February 12, 2018
This book maybe would be interesting if it had anything new in it. It's full of much-used tropes, and it doesn't do anything new or unusual with them. It skims over important parts in Fisher's evolution--how he finally figures out how to get food, why his same clothing lasts through all the messy calamities he has. Plus, the author doesn't manage to build much empathy for Fisher (at least in me). I think of how, for example, Clifford Simak would have written (and probably did) this same story; he would have had the reader much more involved. All this makes his journey seem kind of flat to me.
The world-building is also done shallowly. It's hard to tell whether it's been hundreds or thousands of years. Sometimes the artifacts are fairly fresh (a readable highway sign, usable ropes), sometimes they seem ancient. If the atmosphere was too polluted for people to breathe, so they all died, how did such a variety of other animals survive and evolve, and how long did that evolution take? Yes, some were genetically manipulated, but if humans could do it for animals, wouldn't they have done it for themselves?
Maybe the book would be good for a middle-schooler who's never been exposed to science fiction of any sort. It has a lot of action and a colorful mixed-species cohort journeying on a mission; I can imagine it as a movie: intrinsically flawed setting, characters, and plot, but good special effects.
The world-building is also done shallowly. It's hard to tell whether it's been hundreds or thousands of years. Sometimes the artifacts are fairly fresh (a readable highway sign, usable ropes), sometimes they seem ancient. If the atmosphere was too polluted for people to breathe, so they all died, how did such a variety of other animals survive and evolve, and how long did that evolution take? Yes, some were genetically manipulated, but if humans could do it for animals, wouldn't they have done it for themselves?
Maybe the book would be good for a middle-schooler who's never been exposed to science fiction of any sort. It has a lot of action and a colorful mixed-species cohort journeying on a mission; I can imagine it as a movie: intrinsically flawed setting, characters, and plot, but good special effects.
April 5, 2017
This was such an amazing book. The part I liked the most was in the beginning. It drew me in with the amount of suspense when the robot came out. The robot was very mysterious especially when it was spinning around an umbilical cord. There wasn't a part I liked the least. An overall review about this book would be one that was hard to put down. I would recommend this book to my Literacy teachers and anyone who likes mysterious and adventure books.
May 10, 2023
Eh. A decent book that might interest students in the science fiction genre. As always, I am game for end-of-times books, or dystopian future stories. In this one, the robot, Click, who accompanies Fisher, the last human alive, makes the story much better. The other animals/creatures they come across on their journey to find others are kind of one-dimensional and not interesting. I can see why this book was withdrawn from our school library, though. Not enough pizazz.
July 16, 2016
Fisher is born with all of the knowledge he needs to survive as the last of humankind. Unfortunately for him, his knowledge was supposed to include the knowledge of the other humans that were supposed to be with him. He is the sole survivor of an attack on his survival dome, he has hope and evidence that there is a second one that hasn't yet been attacked in the West. He, along with a protective robot and a friendly mini-mammoth, must traverse the dangerous land in hope of finding the other humans.
Plot
What happens in The Boy at the Edge of the World is that Fisher, the protagonist, is seemingly the last human in a post-apocalyptic United States of America. His goal is to travel around in search of other humans that were preserved like he was. I don’t read a lot of post-apocalypse books, but even then the plot was a little bland. There’s nothing about Greg van Eekhout’s story that stood out in the “last of my kind” niche. The antagonists were interesting, but they took a bit of a back seat to Fisher’s biggest threat: nature.
I’d say it was an interesting enough concept, but not nearly interesting as it could have been.
Writing
Ignoring some dubious science, the writing was alright. Emotional encounters were not van Eekhout’s strong point, and there were a few in the book that just fell flat. The first third of the book felt like it took forever to get through. It also takes a long time to get to one of the main antagonists. Pacing was not one of the finer points in The Boy at the End of the World. Neither was developing relationships between characters. That should have been written a lot better. There’s was a lot of “something told Fisher” or “Fisher didn’t know how he knew, but…” lines in the book. Thoughts don’t come out of nowhere! Fisher knew that he was programmed with the information he had in his mind. There was no need for the narration to continue to inform the reader that these thoughts were subconscious and did not organically come from Fisher through his own experience. This is such a pet peeve for many readers, I’m sure!
Characters
There’s three main characters, two of which aren’t human: Fisher the human, Click the robot, and Protein the mini mammoth. Fisher was a little annoying at first, and while I can’t say he exactly grew on me, I did come to dislike his character less. He was as resourceful as he could be and courageous despite all odds. I didn’t like him all that much, but he was a good character, especially in a book for children. Protein was basically a large dog that constantly defecated and was there pretty much to help get Fisher out of tough situations. Click was there to help Fisher survive, and that’s it. It takes a lot to make readers care about a robot character, and unfortunately I did not.
Things I Liked
I thought Fisher was a very good protagonist. He’s everything that a good main character should be in a children’s book. He also didn’t spend the entire book beside himself with the fact that he might be the last human. He was proactive and wanted proof that he was the last before he lost hope.
Things I Didn't Like
I didn’t like the science that was presented in van Eekhout’s world. It’s extremely dubious at best and outright wrong at worst. Anything that seems impossible is explained away by “humans intervened”. This is really lazy. For example, insular dwarfism and insular gigantism are used to explain the small whales that now live in the Mississippi and the rats the size of large dogs. But these processes take millions of years to happen. Yet that bridge is lazily gapped by the “humans helped” excuse. This is a boring and cheap explanation and should be avoided unless the author can actually explain how humans did what they did.
I also didn’t like the “emotional” end of the book. I’ve cried at character’s deaths before, so I’m not immune to it. But with the characters that died and I cried, there was a much stronger bond between them and other characters, and it was better written.
Diversity
As there is but one human in the novel, he is our entire basis for diversity. The only diversity that can be counted is Fisher’s, and perhaps the other humans’, non-white status. Click explains that Fisher is dark because “[Fisher’s] skin is darkly pigmented to give you some protection from sun exposure”. Based on the covers, and van Eekhout’s own racial background, I’d assume that Fisher is supposed to be a dark-skinned Indian boy. But as this is his only physical description, one can picture him as some other race that can be dark-skinned, like someone of African descent.
Overall
I read The Boy at the End of the World in a day to keep me occupied. It’s pretty short, only around two hundred something pages, and worth a look at. I can’t say I actually enjoyed the book. It was alright, but it wasn’t anything horribly unique or interesting. Despite all this, if The Boy at the End of the World were to be made into a movie, I think it would be very successful.
Here is a link to my notes.
Plot
What happens in The Boy at the Edge of the World is that Fisher, the protagonist, is seemingly the last human in a post-apocalyptic United States of America. His goal is to travel around in search of other humans that were preserved like he was. I don’t read a lot of post-apocalypse books, but even then the plot was a little bland. There’s nothing about Greg van Eekhout’s story that stood out in the “last of my kind” niche. The antagonists were interesting, but they took a bit of a back seat to Fisher’s biggest threat: nature.
I’d say it was an interesting enough concept, but not nearly interesting as it could have been.
Writing
Ignoring some dubious science, the writing was alright. Emotional encounters were not van Eekhout’s strong point, and there were a few in the book that just fell flat. The first third of the book felt like it took forever to get through. It also takes a long time to get to one of the main antagonists. Pacing was not one of the finer points in The Boy at the End of the World. Neither was developing relationships between characters. That should have been written a lot better. There’s was a lot of “something told Fisher” or “Fisher didn’t know how he knew, but…” lines in the book. Thoughts don’t come out of nowhere! Fisher knew that he was programmed with the information he had in his mind. There was no need for the narration to continue to inform the reader that these thoughts were subconscious and did not organically come from Fisher through his own experience. This is such a pet peeve for many readers, I’m sure!
Characters
There’s three main characters, two of which aren’t human: Fisher the human, Click the robot, and Protein the mini mammoth. Fisher was a little annoying at first, and while I can’t say he exactly grew on me, I did come to dislike his character less. He was as resourceful as he could be and courageous despite all odds. I didn’t like him all that much, but he was a good character, especially in a book for children. Protein was basically a large dog that constantly defecated and was there pretty much to help get Fisher out of tough situations. Click was there to help Fisher survive, and that’s it. It takes a lot to make readers care about a robot character, and unfortunately I did not.
Things I Liked
I thought Fisher was a very good protagonist. He’s everything that a good main character should be in a children’s book. He also didn’t spend the entire book beside himself with the fact that he might be the last human. He was proactive and wanted proof that he was the last before he lost hope.
Things I Didn't Like
I didn’t like the science that was presented in van Eekhout’s world. It’s extremely dubious at best and outright wrong at worst. Anything that seems impossible is explained away by “humans intervened”. This is really lazy. For example, insular dwarfism and insular gigantism are used to explain the small whales that now live in the Mississippi and the rats the size of large dogs. But these processes take millions of years to happen. Yet that bridge is lazily gapped by the “humans helped” excuse. This is a boring and cheap explanation and should be avoided unless the author can actually explain how humans did what they did.
I also didn’t like the “emotional” end of the book. I’ve cried at character’s deaths before, so I’m not immune to it. But with the characters that died and I cried, there was a much stronger bond between them and other characters, and it was better written.
Diversity
As there is but one human in the novel, he is our entire basis for diversity. The only diversity that can be counted is Fisher’s, and perhaps the other humans’, non-white status. Click explains that Fisher is dark because “[Fisher’s] skin is darkly pigmented to give you some protection from sun exposure”. Based on the covers, and van Eekhout’s own racial background, I’d assume that Fisher is supposed to be a dark-skinned Indian boy. But as this is his only physical description, one can picture him as some other race that can be dark-skinned, like someone of African descent.
Overall
I read The Boy at the End of the World in a day to keep me occupied. It’s pretty short, only around two hundred something pages, and worth a look at. I can’t say I actually enjoyed the book. It was alright, but it wasn’t anything horribly unique or interesting. Despite all this, if The Boy at the End of the World were to be made into a movie, I think it would be very successful.
Here is a link to my notes.
May 18, 2017
The boy at the end of world is about henry he is the last kid in the world and his friend sparky is the protector of him. and he has to beat this alien to be the emperor of this place called free zone. and the alien no one has beaten him with 3 people even, and he can use his powers in the fight. so it makes it hard for henry and sparky.
Then they have to fly a spaceship to get to him he 400000 light years away (miles). when henry and sparky get there they have to find at least,
Sparky has a canon and he has to charge up to use the cannon. it takes a minute to charge up.and they get there to find a prisoner, and they take her to fight him and soon they find out that she has magic powers. Her powers are that she can get someone else's powers to fight them. And she tried to fight him before and she was with her husband, and he killed her husband and kept her as hostage. When they get there they…
(If i was u i would read this book right when u see it)
At last they got there, and they see all woman hostages and powers attacking them. They tried to get them out, and they can the barrier is to
Strong. Finally they got to the boss, and the boss was waiting for them,
Sparky shot a rocket at him. But he juked it and valkova took his powers,
To be continued...
Then they have to fly a spaceship to get to him he 400000 light years away (miles). when henry and sparky get there they have to find at least,
Sparky has a canon and he has to charge up to use the cannon. it takes a minute to charge up.and they get there to find a prisoner, and they take her to fight him and soon they find out that she has magic powers. Her powers are that she can get someone else's powers to fight them. And she tried to fight him before and she was with her husband, and he killed her husband and kept her as hostage. When they get there they…
(If i was u i would read this book right when u see it)
At last they got there, and they see all woman hostages and powers attacking them. They tried to get them out, and they can the barrier is to
Strong. Finally they got to the boss, and the boss was waiting for them,
Sparky shot a rocket at him. But he juked it and valkova took his powers,
To be continued...
August 17, 2016
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
The Boy at the End of the World by Greg van Eekhout has languished on my TBR for the longest time. A few weeks ago Sarah Prineas asked on Twitter if I had read it (I can't remember in relation to what). I almost responded, "No, but I plan to get to it someday." I stopped and thought, "Why wait though?" I then put it immediately on hold. I'm very happy I did because it is a wonderful adventure and I'm kicking myself for not having picked it up earlier.
Fisher wakes up covered in goo emerging from a birthing pod. He is aware he is newly born. He knows the world is dangerous. He realizes he is also in imminent danger and it is his duty to survive. Shortly after his emergence into the world, Fisher is found by a robot whose job it is to keep him alive. Fisher is part of the Ark-a place designed to preserve the human species so that they may survive following the devastation they wrought on the planet. The robot, who Fisher names Click, downloaded the Fisher profile into Fisher and activated his birth when the Ark was attacked from an unknown source. Fisher is the only survivor of the Ark's devastation. After exploring his world and discovering how much has evolved, Fisher learns there was more than one Ark and sets off to find if there are any other humans. He travels with Click and a wooly mammoth who acts like a giant dog. Fisher discovers that animals have changed in strange and unpredictable ways and that these organisms aren't the only things evolving. There is something far more sinister out there that is convinced it knows exactly what is right for Fisher-whether he agrees or not.
Whoa boy. This book has so much going for it. It is short, fast paced, full of adventure, and has a sly humor. We all know how I feel about survival stories and I LOVED this book. That should say something. Part of that is due to Fisher not completely being alone as he survives. For a robot, Click is a pretty fantastic foil. Their interactions and the eventual relationship that develops between them is wonderful. Fisher as a main character is wonderful. He is "born" as a tween and is naturally endowed with all of the snark, inquisitiveness combined with caution, and longing for a place to belong that is trademark of the age. Click for his part is quite the snarkbot himself. The banter between the two is excellent with Click acting as teacher, parent, mentor to the confused Fisher.
The world Fisher is exploring is new and different enough to make for fascinating reading too. Eekhout uses his words well. He uses them economically while still providing enough imagery to convey the world Fisher inhabits. He changes things just enough that they are familiar to the reader yet come with a new type of danger and edge. I really liked the way he made the safe not quite so safe anymore too.
The plot is fast paced and moves from one problem Fisher encounters to another as he journeys to find a human companion. In many ways this is the familiar hero-quest story except in the future with robots as companion instead of bards. It works incredibly well. The peril in the book is incredibly real. There is an insidious force at work trying to stop Fisher from accomplishing his goals and this culminates in a spectacular battle in the end.
I am so glad I finally read this because my son is now almost exactly the right age for it and this is exactly the sort of story he goes for. YAY! (And thank you for the prompting, Sarah.)
The Boy at the End of the World by Greg van Eekhout has languished on my TBR for the longest time. A few weeks ago Sarah Prineas asked on Twitter if I had read it (I can't remember in relation to what). I almost responded, "No, but I plan to get to it someday." I stopped and thought, "Why wait though?" I then put it immediately on hold. I'm very happy I did because it is a wonderful adventure and I'm kicking myself for not having picked it up earlier.
Fisher wakes up covered in goo emerging from a birthing pod. He is aware he is newly born. He knows the world is dangerous. He realizes he is also in imminent danger and it is his duty to survive. Shortly after his emergence into the world, Fisher is found by a robot whose job it is to keep him alive. Fisher is part of the Ark-a place designed to preserve the human species so that they may survive following the devastation they wrought on the planet. The robot, who Fisher names Click, downloaded the Fisher profile into Fisher and activated his birth when the Ark was attacked from an unknown source. Fisher is the only survivor of the Ark's devastation. After exploring his world and discovering how much has evolved, Fisher learns there was more than one Ark and sets off to find if there are any other humans. He travels with Click and a wooly mammoth who acts like a giant dog. Fisher discovers that animals have changed in strange and unpredictable ways and that these organisms aren't the only things evolving. There is something far more sinister out there that is convinced it knows exactly what is right for Fisher-whether he agrees or not.
Whoa boy. This book has so much going for it. It is short, fast paced, full of adventure, and has a sly humor. We all know how I feel about survival stories and I LOVED this book. That should say something. Part of that is due to Fisher not completely being alone as he survives. For a robot, Click is a pretty fantastic foil. Their interactions and the eventual relationship that develops between them is wonderful. Fisher as a main character is wonderful. He is "born" as a tween and is naturally endowed with all of the snark, inquisitiveness combined with caution, and longing for a place to belong that is trademark of the age. Click for his part is quite the snarkbot himself. The banter between the two is excellent with Click acting as teacher, parent, mentor to the confused Fisher.
The world Fisher is exploring is new and different enough to make for fascinating reading too. Eekhout uses his words well. He uses them economically while still providing enough imagery to convey the world Fisher inhabits. He changes things just enough that they are familiar to the reader yet come with a new type of danger and edge. I really liked the way he made the safe not quite so safe anymore too.
The plot is fast paced and moves from one problem Fisher encounters to another as he journeys to find a human companion. In many ways this is the familiar hero-quest story except in the future with robots as companion instead of bards. It works incredibly well. The peril in the book is incredibly real. There is an insidious force at work trying to stop Fisher from accomplishing his goals and this culminates in a spectacular battle in the end.
I am so glad I finally read this because my son is now almost exactly the right age for it and this is exactly the sort of story he goes for. YAY! (And thank you for the prompting, Sarah.)
November 1, 2016
The Boy at the End of the World is a novel set in a time after humans are extinct. However, they are not all gone as the main character Fisher originally believes. He goes on an adventure to try and find other life. Along the way, he meets a robot that he calls Click. He also befriends a Pygmy Mammoth. It learns to trust Fisher and accompanies him on his journey. During the quest they meet their final partner which is a prairie dog. They is in search of a second survival bunker to the west (his first bunker was destroyed). The author leaves it open ended for a sequel as their journey is not completed.
I believe the book was very creative and enjoyed it a good amount. It was very unpredictable at all times which kept you on your toes throughout the novel. The characters along the way were a Mammoth, Robot and prairie dog. They were all very amusing and fit the story great. It was a little alarming to think about the extinction of the human race. I also prefers books to have a complete ending and to wrap it up with a strong conclusion. But besides those things, it was a great adventure story that could become a classic.
The Boy at the End of the World is a great story that many types of readers will enjoy. Specifically any readers who enjoy adventure will love this book. Readers who fear the apocalypse may want to steer clear of viewing this book. I would recommend this adventure novel to anyone who enjoys a good story or likes books set in the future.
I believe the book was very creative and enjoyed it a good amount. It was very unpredictable at all times which kept you on your toes throughout the novel. The characters along the way were a Mammoth, Robot and prairie dog. They were all very amusing and fit the story great. It was a little alarming to think about the extinction of the human race. I also prefers books to have a complete ending and to wrap it up with a strong conclusion. But besides those things, it was a great adventure story that could become a classic.
The Boy at the End of the World is a great story that many types of readers will enjoy. Specifically any readers who enjoy adventure will love this book. Readers who fear the apocalypse may want to steer clear of viewing this book. I would recommend this adventure novel to anyone who enjoys a good story or likes books set in the future.
February 23, 2012
Reading Level: Grades 4-7
Fisher was "born" when a defective robot triggered the pod right before the entire Ark was destroyed. Fisher was the only biological being to survive. Fisher knows his name, how to talk and one hundred ways to catch fish. Fisher also knows that unless he finds more people, the human race will end with him.
So Fisher sets off in search of other Arks accompanied by his defective robot protector Click and a friendly baby woolly mammoth that Fisher dubs Protein just in case he needs to eat him later. Out in the world the trio encounters killer giant parrots, swarms of tiny, vicious crocodiles and not so friendly nanotechnology.
Other apocalyptic fiction includes:
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer and
Living Hell by Catherine Jinks
For more book reviews from the HPPL Youth Department, click here.
Fisher was "born" when a defective robot triggered the pod right before the entire Ark was destroyed. Fisher was the only biological being to survive. Fisher knows his name, how to talk and one hundred ways to catch fish. Fisher also knows that unless he finds more people, the human race will end with him.
So Fisher sets off in search of other Arks accompanied by his defective robot protector Click and a friendly baby woolly mammoth that Fisher dubs Protein just in case he needs to eat him later. Out in the world the trio encounters killer giant parrots, swarms of tiny, vicious crocodiles and not so friendly nanotechnology.
Other apocalyptic fiction includes:
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer and
Living Hell by Catherine Jinks
For more book reviews from the HPPL Youth Department, click here.
July 7, 2014
Review by Miss April (Youth Services) Through humor and heart, van Eekhout has created a futuristic world that has been destroyed through environmental disasters. You wouldn’t think that one could find humor in disasters, but van Eekhout manages to make you smile in the banter between characters. The story begins after the destruction of the earth, where an Ark has been filled with humans and animals, then buried deep in the earth. The humans and animals have been placed in pods to sleep until the correct time for them to be awakened. But something is destroying the Ark, and only one boy survives. He makes his way to the surface, but a robot is tracking him. Will the robot help him or try to destroy him? Read this book to find out! It’s a fast-paced plot with an extraordinary adventure of survival.
January 14, 2016
This amazing adventurous story called “The Boy at the End of the World” has been one of the stories that made me see and imagine the real world with details that was being described in the book. Some characters that survived challenges in their journey such as: Fisher, who was the boy in the world after humanity and he starts exploring this new place he has just appeared in…When he saw a big metal surface that in result is a robot he names it Click. The both of them are trying to find an arc, which probably has living humans in it. On their way few more creatures including: Protein, Zapper, and Red Top. Finally all of them found the arc and saw something… A steel compartment…a human... A girl…that was not alone… I would really recommend this book to someone that love creatures and adventures!
March 4, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. It's so hard to find a book to recommend to a middle school boy. Well this is it! It has everything, adventure, hilarity, thought provoking circumstances. Gosh darn it, it made me think about what I would do in Fisher's situation.
I'm not going to go into the specifics of the story, but I am going to say the characters were fantastic. The originality and voice of each character was superb. I know i'm gushing incoherently, but it is rare for me to find a middle grade boy book that isn't just people running and hiding and shooting each other. This book has substance....but it's so good the kid reading it won't even realize they could be learning, and thinking. I'll be hand-selling this book like mad.
I'm not going to go into the specifics of the story, but I am going to say the characters were fantastic. The originality and voice of each character was superb. I know i'm gushing incoherently, but it is rare for me to find a middle grade boy book that isn't just people running and hiding and shooting each other. This book has substance....but it's so good the kid reading it won't even realize they could be learning, and thinking. I'll be hand-selling this book like mad.
November 12, 2014
A fun but not fabulous read. This was light and easy, engaging enough for older children, simple enough in both story and style for elementary schoolers (maybe not first grade, but certainly by fifth). The underlying ideas of environmental protection and the potential for the misuse of technology are obvious but not heavy-handed; they become effective and necessary plot points, rather than sermons.
The Intelligence as an antagonist was absolutely haunting, by far the best of the threats faced by Fisher. Its corrupt desire to "preserve" by killing is all too realistic. How often do we ruin something in our attempts to keep it?
Overall, recommended, but not at the top of the list.
The Intelligence as an antagonist was absolutely haunting, by far the best of the threats faced by Fisher. Its corrupt desire to "preserve" by killing is all too realistic. How often do we ruin something in our attempts to keep it?
Overall, recommended, but not at the top of the list.
May 16, 2012
The Boy at the End of the World this book is the best book i have ever read the boy is trying to survive once he is born from a contaner filled with bubble like gel he is startled by a robot that he thought was going to kill him this book is a science fiction i recamend this book to mrs. hunter because i think she will read it and love it gust like i am right now
December 23, 2011
Greg van Eekhout has created a non-stop ride, with elements of The City of Ember Series as well as the Gregor the Overlander series. Readers will cheer, mourn, and hold their breath as Fisher, the boy at the end of the world, uses wit, instincts, and the loyalty of an unlikely group of friends to save the planet. Secondary characters were strong and played integral roles in Fisher's story. A sure hit with 4-6 grade lovers of dystopia, or those wishing to nibble on the genre.
February 1, 2015
I had high expectations for this book,and it just didn't live up to them. The whole thing just felt flat. However,I did enjoy the ending, and felt genuinely sad when Click was destroyed, so I'd rate this 3.5 stars.
August 27, 2012
Rating: 3.5
A good (although short) book, could've been better though. Definitely looking forward to the sequel (of which I'm pretty sure there will be)! Also needs a more YA-ish cover.
A good (although short) book, could've been better though. Definitely looking forward to the sequel (of which I'm pretty sure there will be)! Also needs a more YA-ish cover.
September 16, 2013
This is a good book for those who like adventure genre and a great thriller.
October 3, 2016
When a boy named fisher wakes up and every thing is destroyed except a robot that is supposed to help him save the human race they go on an adventure to find out what happened to his spices. When his robot who he named "Click" tells him about the southern ark they go on an adventure to find hope. Wen they get there they meet a robot names the "Intelligence" they find out that he is preserving the humans which means that he put most of the humans in a deep sleep. Fisher and Click don't like it so they try to escape but then sets fire the the South Ark and kill the Intelligence but his last words were "Your only chance was with me. With us. You will never survive. You will perish alone. The earth will reclaim your flesh. You will be forgotten. you are nothing. You will never find the Western Ark before the gadgets do. You will never survive long enough. And if you do, all you'll find is burning wreckage. It is hopeless, Fisher. Hello." Will Fisher and Click get to the Western Ark before the gadgets and if they do will they be able to make more humans before it too late.
March 17, 2017
This science fiction tale introduces us to Fisher just as he has been born. For someone just being born, Fisher seems to know and understand a great deal, for instance, knowing he is in danger after being born and seeing destruction all around him. Unlike a normal birth, Fisher does not come from a womb as an infant, but rather from some sort of incubating pod as probably an early teenager. While trying to surmise who he was where he was and what all happened, he hides when he sees a robot moving about. Then he becomes terrified when the robot sees him and exclaims "Fisher, I have found you." Fisher flees in terror not knowing what to expect and the adventure begins.
What makes all science fiction stories worth reading is not knowing what to expect. The world Fisher escapes into is some future earth we are unfamiliar with, but which probably sprang from many of our advancements and our mistakes. In this wild overgrown world with giant rats, giant parrots and sea serpents Fisher comes to rely upon the robot he ran from who he names Click, and from Click we learn of Fisher's origins and purpose. They later encounter and befriend a dwarfed mastodon who Fisher names Protein, which becomes extremely loyal and helpful.
Through their struggles and the sacrifices they make for each other Fisher comes to learn the value of friendship as they go in search of other human life that may have been preserved in facilities, called arks, similar to what Fisher came from. But they must evade the automated security devices now out to destroy all life. It is not until late in the book that Fisher comes to learn about the value of community when he runs into a mutated prairie dog that walks on its hind legs called Zapper.
Zapper is part of a tribe of talking warrior prairie dogs that originated from human lab experiments long ago. The leader of the tribe is the wisest character in the book, and against her better judgement she sends Fisher and his friends off to find the last remaining ark before the robots find it and destroy it.
The action in the book holds your attention and keeps you engaged to find out what will happen next. Some of the fantastic elements like monstrous mutated characters, or homicidal nanobots seem highly plausible as science becomes more adventuresome in tampering with nature and the environment. The main character Fisher seems less likely a human and more likely a cyborg given the amount of information he was "programmed" with before being born. The close ties he develops with the robot Click position him to jeopardize his life and all of mankind but the book does not sell you on the ties being strong enough for the character to be torn in making an emotional decision.
All things considered, this book would seem to make a good read for kids from 6th to 8th grade, particularly boys who enjoy science fiction. Stories that give us an apocalyptic setting would seem to serve as cautionary tales as they point out the possible and plausible horrific outcomes of our present day actions. All throughout the read I continuously thought about climate change.
What makes all science fiction stories worth reading is not knowing what to expect. The world Fisher escapes into is some future earth we are unfamiliar with, but which probably sprang from many of our advancements and our mistakes. In this wild overgrown world with giant rats, giant parrots and sea serpents Fisher comes to rely upon the robot he ran from who he names Click, and from Click we learn of Fisher's origins and purpose. They later encounter and befriend a dwarfed mastodon who Fisher names Protein, which becomes extremely loyal and helpful.
Through their struggles and the sacrifices they make for each other Fisher comes to learn the value of friendship as they go in search of other human life that may have been preserved in facilities, called arks, similar to what Fisher came from. But they must evade the automated security devices now out to destroy all life. It is not until late in the book that Fisher comes to learn about the value of community when he runs into a mutated prairie dog that walks on its hind legs called Zapper.
Zapper is part of a tribe of talking warrior prairie dogs that originated from human lab experiments long ago. The leader of the tribe is the wisest character in the book, and against her better judgement she sends Fisher and his friends off to find the last remaining ark before the robots find it and destroy it.
The action in the book holds your attention and keeps you engaged to find out what will happen next. Some of the fantastic elements like monstrous mutated characters, or homicidal nanobots seem highly plausible as science becomes more adventuresome in tampering with nature and the environment. The main character Fisher seems less likely a human and more likely a cyborg given the amount of information he was "programmed" with before being born. The close ties he develops with the robot Click position him to jeopardize his life and all of mankind but the book does not sell you on the ties being strong enough for the character to be torn in making an emotional decision.
All things considered, this book would seem to make a good read for kids from 6th to 8th grade, particularly boys who enjoy science fiction. Stories that give us an apocalyptic setting would seem to serve as cautionary tales as they point out the possible and plausible horrific outcomes of our present day actions. All throughout the read I continuously thought about climate change.
March 13, 2019
It is more than 1,000 years into the future and mankind has managed to destroy our own habitat, leading to the apparent extinction of our species. While the earth has been able to heal itself without humans around to poison it, it has undergone great changes. Many species are extinct, while others have evolved into very different forms.
This is the world Fisher is "born" into, as a fully-formed boy somehow already knowing things. He emerges from a "birthing pod" to find himself all alone, except for a robot programmed to keep him alive that he names Click. When scientists realized the end was near, they preserved specimens of many species as well as humans in a hidden vault underground, intended to be woken later to repopulate the earth. However, something has attacked the Ark, causing all the specimens to be destroyed, except for Fisher. He is the last boy on earth.
With the Ark still under attack, he must escape to safety, and decides to journey onward in search of other survivors, despite Click urging him to say put and focus on surviving. Fisher and Click are soon joined by another traveling companion, an orphaned juvenile wooly mammoth Fisher names Protein. As they journey on, they will find many surprising, unusual, and terrifying things, and make some unusual friends. But, Fisher wonders if he really is the last human on earth, and if so, then what is the purpose of his survival?
I came across this while scanning a section of juvenile fiction for weeding, and found it intriguing, so I set it aside to bring home and read. As is typical of middle-grade, it doesn't go into the details of the science at all, and the reader just accepts that it was possible. The story is mainly character driven, with much of the story taking place in Fisher's head, and showing how Fisher wrestles with the idea of being the last human on earth and wondering what purpose his life has. It is about survival, friendship, trust, and loyalty. It is also has a strong environmental message. But these are served with enough action and dry humor to maintain the reader's interest, and making it likely to appeal to a broad range of readers.
I would recommend this for readers possibly as young as 8, up to 14. Younger readers who are more sensitive to darker themes and potentially frightening action might not be ready for it.
This is the world Fisher is "born" into, as a fully-formed boy somehow already knowing things. He emerges from a "birthing pod" to find himself all alone, except for a robot programmed to keep him alive that he names Click. When scientists realized the end was near, they preserved specimens of many species as well as humans in a hidden vault underground, intended to be woken later to repopulate the earth. However, something has attacked the Ark, causing all the specimens to be destroyed, except for Fisher. He is the last boy on earth.
With the Ark still under attack, he must escape to safety, and decides to journey onward in search of other survivors, despite Click urging him to say put and focus on surviving. Fisher and Click are soon joined by another traveling companion, an orphaned juvenile wooly mammoth Fisher names Protein. As they journey on, they will find many surprising, unusual, and terrifying things, and make some unusual friends. But, Fisher wonders if he really is the last human on earth, and if so, then what is the purpose of his survival?
I came across this while scanning a section of juvenile fiction for weeding, and found it intriguing, so I set it aside to bring home and read. As is typical of middle-grade, it doesn't go into the details of the science at all, and the reader just accepts that it was possible. The story is mainly character driven, with much of the story taking place in Fisher's head, and showing how Fisher wrestles with the idea of being the last human on earth and wondering what purpose his life has. It is about survival, friendship, trust, and loyalty. It is also has a strong environmental message. But these are served with enough action and dry humor to maintain the reader's interest, and making it likely to appeal to a broad range of readers.
I would recommend this for readers possibly as young as 8, up to 14. Younger readers who are more sensitive to darker themes and potentially frightening action might not be ready for it.
January 17, 2018
I discovered this book was for preteen readers when I was already halfway through it, and I had to read the line a couple times to believe it.
Set in the future, humans had ruined the world and were wiped out (along with most animals). A few of them were saved in pods in arks (sort of, copies of them, "blank slate" humans). Some kind of accident happened, destroying an ark, and a caretaker robot started waking humans up to save them. He was only able to wake one in time.
Each human and animal in the pod was a blank slate; the waking up process imprints information into their brains. Intended to be one of a village of people, this boy was 'born' with boundless knowledge of fish and fishing. Thus he referred to himself as Fisher. Alone, with only the breaking-down robot for company, after he struggled to survive alone for a while he decided to try to find the other arks. He and the robot (Click), set off. They encountered an orphaned mammoth (sort of) calf, and the boy and it bonded, and so Protein joined their group instead of becoming dinner.
The world building was SO SO SO good. Not just the setting, but the dialogue of all the different "people"/group they met. The evolution of the world was completely believable, as were the characters.
While this is completely a book that an adult reader could enjoy, it is good for young readers as well. One of the main themes of the book was what compassion is. I wish I had highlighted the paragraph, it was so perfect. Fisher said something like:
What is this feeling? Animals should care for themselves first, for staying alive. Why did I risk my life for Protein? Why did Click risk his life for me?
It was such a lovely story, with a great ending. The writing was outstanding, everything about it was perfect.
Set in the future, humans had ruined the world and were wiped out (along with most animals). A few of them were saved in pods in arks (sort of, copies of them, "blank slate" humans). Some kind of accident happened, destroying an ark, and a caretaker robot started waking humans up to save them. He was only able to wake one in time.
Each human and animal in the pod was a blank slate; the waking up process imprints information into their brains. Intended to be one of a village of people, this boy was 'born' with boundless knowledge of fish and fishing. Thus he referred to himself as Fisher. Alone, with only the breaking-down robot for company, after he struggled to survive alone for a while he decided to try to find the other arks. He and the robot (Click), set off. They encountered an orphaned mammoth (sort of) calf, and the boy and it bonded, and so Protein joined their group instead of becoming dinner.
The world building was SO SO SO good. Not just the setting, but the dialogue of all the different "people"/group they met. The evolution of the world was completely believable, as were the characters.
While this is completely a book that an adult reader could enjoy, it is good for young readers as well. One of the main themes of the book was what compassion is. I wish I had highlighted the paragraph, it was so perfect. Fisher said something like:
What is this feeling? Animals should care for themselves first, for staying alive. Why did I risk my life for Protein? Why did Click risk his life for me?
It was such a lovely story, with a great ending. The writing was outstanding, everything about it was perfect.
January 3, 2020
This was a quick read but I quite enjoyed it! I have read a lot of dystopian YA novels, but I haven't seen a lot of dystopian middle grade/juvenile. This could have easily been turned into a YA as far as content is concerned, but the writing style was geared for juvenile. That being said, I could see how this story could scare some younger readers! It had some intense moments! I can't say too much about it, because it really will give away too much, so I'll just do a quick list of pros and cons of this book.
Pros: Fast paced! It starts with action and never really slows down. I enjoyed all of the characters, including the non-human ones. The author managed to give everyone a distinct personality. The plot felt pretty original to me. The book did have a twist I didn't predict, so surprises like that are always nice! It's realistic in the sense that it's not some fluffy happy ending writing. The world building in this book is great. I had a very clear mental picture of every place Fisher goes to.
Cons: No real language, but the book often says that Fisher yells out profanities. Just not a fan of that, especially for young readers. It's not gory, but there is a good bit of injury and death in this story. Could definitely frighten some kids! And just to be really picky, some of the technology descriptions don't make sense. (Not to get into a spoiler situation, but some tech just seems to be completely indestructible which just isn't true. You can definitely destroy metal and other elements with SOMETHING.)
Highly recommend! I think the author set it up for a sequel (some of the ending left things unexplained/opened/cliffhanger), and I'm disappointed there isn't a second book. If there was, I'd absolutely read it as well!
Pros: Fast paced! It starts with action and never really slows down. I enjoyed all of the characters, including the non-human ones. The author managed to give everyone a distinct personality. The plot felt pretty original to me. The book did have a twist I didn't predict, so surprises like that are always nice! It's realistic in the sense that it's not some fluffy happy ending writing. The world building in this book is great. I had a very clear mental picture of every place Fisher goes to.
Cons: No real language, but the book often says that Fisher yells out profanities. Just not a fan of that, especially for young readers. It's not gory, but there is a good bit of injury and death in this story. Could definitely frighten some kids! And just to be really picky, some of the technology descriptions don't make sense. (Not to get into a spoiler situation, but some tech just seems to be completely indestructible which just isn't true. You can definitely destroy metal and other elements with SOMETHING.)
Highly recommend! I think the author set it up for a sequel (some of the ending left things unexplained/opened/cliffhanger), and I'm disappointed there isn't a second book. If there was, I'd absolutely read it as well!
March 14, 2018
The book The Boy at the End of the World is a wonderful novel written by Greg Van Eekhout is a great Dystopian sci-fi book. Fisher just came into this world and he is already in immediate danger. He finds help from a friendly robot but the world outside is more perilous than it seems. He tries to find other humans but he comes across multiple problems including giant parrots and more machines. The world is in ruins and it is up to fisher and his friend Click to restore it.
This is a great book and it is full of cliffhangers when fisher is in danger but it is also sad at some times. This is definitely a book that I loved to spend time reading and it is very nicely written. I liked how the author presented the world as a time that could happen in the close future. I feel like this is a book that would keep me up during the night until I finished it. This book is full of adventure as Fisher treks across what used to be America in search of others that might have survived. And it is full of suspense when he is being attacked or when he is about to be saved. The only thing that could have made this better is if there as a sequel to this wonderful book.
If you press on even through the most difficult of challenges then you will prevail. Fisher pressed on when all hope seemed lost and he still survived robots shooting guns at him and crocodile piranhas. He pressed on when the last hope for humanity was being destroyed to save it and he did! This is one of my favorite books and I will never be able to forget it. This is a wonderful book and I loved reading it.
This is a great book and it is full of cliffhangers when fisher is in danger but it is also sad at some times. This is definitely a book that I loved to spend time reading and it is very nicely written. I liked how the author presented the world as a time that could happen in the close future. I feel like this is a book that would keep me up during the night until I finished it. This book is full of adventure as Fisher treks across what used to be America in search of others that might have survived. And it is full of suspense when he is being attacked or when he is about to be saved. The only thing that could have made this better is if there as a sequel to this wonderful book.
If you press on even through the most difficult of challenges then you will prevail. Fisher pressed on when all hope seemed lost and he still survived robots shooting guns at him and crocodile piranhas. He pressed on when the last hope for humanity was being destroyed to save it and he did! This is one of my favorite books and I will never be able to forget it. This is a wonderful book and I loved reading it.
July 16, 2018
I've been looking for books with robots. This one hasn't gotten much attention, but it's a decent book. It has an older sci-fi feel to it, nothing like modern dystopian books (The Hunger Games, The Uglies, The 5th Wave). It has similarities to The Search for Wondla. A human in the future is on his/her own accompanied by a robot protector.
In some ways this is a complicated story. As the earth succumbs to man's environmental destruction, scientists save DNA from humans and animals to be used in the future to regrow humans. Fisher awakens from his pod on the ark amid destruction. All the other humans perish. A robot, Click, survives and he is tasked with helping Fisher survive in the wild so he can repopulate the earth. He knows the only way that can happen is if he finds other humans, so he sets out to find if any exist. Survival is hard. Fisher only has the knowledge that was programmed into him. Earth has changed a lot. Animals have continued to evolve. There's giant parrots, whales in the Mississippi River and prairie dogs that are human-like.
You have to be a true sci-fi fan to like this book. It reads more like the old sci-fi books where a human finds himself on a strange planet, because for Fisher Earth is a strange planet. Even the cover art looks old. There isn't a lot of explanation of what lead to the current state or how humans could be reborn from DNA. If you don't like books to leave a lot of questions unanswered, then you may need to look for a different book.
In some ways this is a complicated story. As the earth succumbs to man's environmental destruction, scientists save DNA from humans and animals to be used in the future to regrow humans. Fisher awakens from his pod on the ark amid destruction. All the other humans perish. A robot, Click, survives and he is tasked with helping Fisher survive in the wild so he can repopulate the earth. He knows the only way that can happen is if he finds other humans, so he sets out to find if any exist. Survival is hard. Fisher only has the knowledge that was programmed into him. Earth has changed a lot. Animals have continued to evolve. There's giant parrots, whales in the Mississippi River and prairie dogs that are human-like.
You have to be a true sci-fi fan to like this book. It reads more like the old sci-fi books where a human finds himself on a strange planet, because for Fisher Earth is a strange planet. Even the cover art looks old. There isn't a lot of explanation of what lead to the current state or how humans could be reborn from DNA. If you don't like books to leave a lot of questions unanswered, then you may need to look for a different book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews