After an earthquake has destroyed much of the planet, an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the Earth of a distant future.

Fantasy. Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. Science Fiction. HTML:This fast-paced action novel is set in a future where the world has been almost destroyed. Like the award-winning novel Freak the Mighty, this is Philbrick at his very best.
It's the story of an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz, who begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the planet. In a world where most people are plugged into brain-drain entertainment systems, Spaz is the rare human being who can see life as it really is. When he meets an old man called Ryter, he begins to learn about Earth and its past. With Ryter as his companion, Spaz sets off an unlikely quest to save his dying sister—and in the process, perhaps the world.

This fast-paced action novel is set in a future where the world has been almost destroyed. Like the award-winning novel Freak the Mighty, this is Philbrick at his very best.It's the story of an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz, who begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the planet. In a world where most people are plugged into brain-drain entertainment systems, Spaz is the rare human being who can see life as it really is. When he meets an old man called Ryter, he begins to learn about Earth and its past. With Ryter as his companion, Spaz sets off an unlikely quest to save his dying sister -- and in the process, perhaps the world. Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick has written more than a dozen novels for young readers. In 1993, he published his first children's book, Freak the Mighty, which became an instant classic, and was made into a feature film. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg was a 2010 Newbery Honor Book. Philbrick's other acclaimed novels include Max the Mighty, The Young Man and the Sea, The Last Book in the Universe, Zane and the Hurricane, and Wildfire. Philbrick divides his time between Maine and the Florida Keys. You can learn more about him on his website: rodmanphilbrick.com.

Science Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. Rodman Philbrick takes us into the future to a time after "the big shake," whose destruction has left the world with urbs, stackboxes, gang leaders, flatness, and grayness revolving around Eden, the land of "improved persons." Spaz navigates his way through this existence and finds healing for his sister Bean's leukemia and purpose for himself, with the help and inspiration of Ryter, a gummy or geez, and Lanaya, a proov. Remembering and writing, ignorance and intelligence, leaders and followers, the past and the future are all issues for the listener's consideration in this unsettling and moving novel. Narrating through the eyes of Spaz, Jeremy Davies draws us "backtimers" into this new world deliberately and convincingly. As a teenager, Davies is understated; as a remarkable young girl, he speaks with flair; and as an ancient, he narrates with passion. The wind chills the spine as Davies delivers the final message. Listen and ponder our existence. A.R. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine. HTML:In this fast-paced story filled with drama and suspense, master storyteller Rodman Philbrick presents a dangerous future world and a young hero who embarks on a terrifying quest. They call him Spaz because his epilepsy prevents him from using mind probes that are rotting everyone else's minds. Which is why he still has a memory–something rare in the frightening world he lives in.
Civilization has been destroyed, except for the forbidden place called Eden, where a small group of people have discovered genetic improvement. Yet one old man, the one they call Ryter, has a lot of crazy, wonderful ideas. Nobody remembers books anymore, but Ryter is writing one–even as he's about to be busted down and knows he may be captured by gangs and dragged to a horrible death.
Both chilling and inspiring, the story is ultimately about those who have the courage to become conscious in a world that instead invites us to choose illusion and denial. Here is a powerful tale of love, loss, and the challenges we all face to make thoughtful, moral choices.
From the Compact Disc edition..

For use in schools and libraries only. Takes place in a dangerous future, in the ruins of a once great city now known simply as 'The Urb.' The young hero embarks on a quest in the company of a mysterious stranger known as Ryter, crossing war-torn 'latches' dominated by wild mobs and demented gang bosses.

In a land dominated by vicious gangs and mindprobe entertainment, Spaz is alone. His foster sister is the only good thing in his life and she is dying. Determined to save her, Spaz bravely sets out into dangerous and forbidden territory, accompanied only by an old man, with his philosophies and memories of what the world once was.

In this fast-paced story filled with drama and suspense, master storyteller Rodman Philbrick presents a dangerous future world and a young hero who embarks on a terrifying quest. They call him Spaz because his epilepsy prevents him from using mind probes that are rotting everyone else's minds. Which is why he still has a memory-something rare in the frightening world he lives in. Civilization has been destroyed, except for the forbidden place called Eden, where a small group of people have discovered genetic improvement. Yet one old man, the one they call Ryter, has a lot of crazy, wonderful ideas. Nobody remembers books anymore, but Ryter is writing one-even as he's about to be busted down and knows he may be captured by gangs and dragged to a horrible death. Both chilling and inspiring, the story is ultimately about those who have the courage to become conscious in a world that instead invites us to choose illusion and denial. Here is a powerful tale of love, loss, and the challenges we all face to make thoughtful, moral choices. From the Compact Disc edition.

In a future where civilization has been destroyed, one old man named Ryter has a crazy idea to write a book, even though he may be punished by death for doing so, in a chilling and inspiring story by the author of Freak the Mighty. Reprint.

Read by Jeremy Davies 4 hours, 24 mins. 3 cassettes Civilization has been destroyed, except for the forbidden place called Eden. There are no longer books in this world, but one old man named Ryter is writing one—even though he knows the possible terrible result of his actions. Both chilling and inspiring, the story is ultimately about those who have the courage to become conscious in a world that instead invites us to choose illusion and denial.

The author presents a dangerous future and a young hero who embarks on a quest to break through the boundaries of the terrifying world he lives in.

After an earthquake has destroyed much of the planet, an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the Earth of a distant future.They call him Spaz because his epilepsy prevents him from using mind probes that are rotting everyone else's minds. Which is why he still has a memory -- something rare in the frightening world he lives in. Civilization has been destroyed, except for the forbidden place called Eden, where a small group of people have discovered genetic improvement. Yet one old man, the one they call Ryter, has a lot of crazy and wonderful ideas. Nobody remembers books, but Ryter is writing one -- even though he knows he may be punished by death. (publisher description)

At a time when books are no longer used, a rebel tries to change the world.

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