Genesis - Bernard Beckett

“Which came first, the mind or the idea of the mind? Have you never wondered? They arrived together. The mind is an idea.” 

“The only thing binding individuals together is ideas. Ideas mutate and spread; they change their hosts as much as their hosts change them.” 

The conclusion of this story is shocking I could not keep it out of my mind even after two days. This small book punch us hard and asks questions which are relevant these days - what is conscience ? what is to be a human?.

The story sets in the city state called "The Republic" after "The Last War". The Republic is completely isolated - no refugees or outsiders allowed. The Great Sea Fence separate the republic from the rest of the world. Anyone approaching near it will be destroyed. The people are divided into different categories - the philosophers are at the top. They controlled the decision making.

“Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism. It is the belief that problems can be solved, differences resolved. It is a type of confidence.” 

The story starts with Anaximander, a girl who appears for "The Academy" entrance exam. The whole story is like a Plato's dialogue, interrogative. Anaximander's topic for the exam was "The life and times of Adam Forde". Adam Forde was the last man to disobey the order and listen to his "heart" and saved a refugee girl. The real story starts after his arrest and subsequent interactions with a robot (AI machine) called ART. The scientist felt that in order to improve Artificial Intelligence there must be a continuous interaction between the machine and human so the authorities made Adam a prototype (full time companion) for Art to learn human intelligence.

What happens between Adam and Art is the crux of the story. They discusses many complicated matters.

“I am not a machine. For what can a machine know of the smell of wet grass in the morning, or the sound of a crying baby? I am the feeling of the warm sun against my skin; I am the sensation of a cool wave breaking over me. I am the places I have never seen, yet imagine when my eyes are closed. I am the taste of another's breath, the color of her hair."

"I am curiosity, I am reason, I am love, and I am hatred. I am indifference."

“You’re still just silicon,” he said, as he turned the page. “And you’re just carbon,” Art persevered. “Since when has the periodic table been grounds for discrimination?”  

Art is programmed not to hurt or kill anything with consciousness. So everyone believes that it will not hurt or kill. But the events that happened in  'The Great Dilemma' was something no one predicted. What happened to Adam and what happened to Anaximander for digging deep into Adam's life? was the rest of story. But the climax was chilling and scary. The twist was really unpredictable. This book raises many questions , some are disturbing too. The technological advancement invariably brings lots of social and ethical issues and its human beings responsibility to control it.

The writing is very simple. The names  of the characters ,events and the places makes this novel more interesting and relevant. In New Zealand this book was released  in Children / Young Adults categories but in USA it was released in Adults category - for me anyone can read including kids.

Must Read...!!