Ryter's "novel" concepts of writing and reading contrast sharply with a world in which the populace is addicted to mind probes. "Long-term memory is a thing of the past," Ryter explains, and "the only ones left who can remember books are a few old geezers" and Spaz who has always "had a lot of old stuff in [his] head that everybody else seems to have forgotten." Ryter insists he is writing for "those who will be alive at some future date." To Spaz "there's only room for right here, and the want-it-now. The future is like the moon." Strange as Spaz thinks Ryter is, he turns to him for help when he receives a message that little sister, Bean, is seriously ill. With the assistance of a young female proov, Lanaya, Spaz, accompanied by Ryter and Little Face (a youngster who follows them), embarks on a dangerous quest to save Bean from certain death. The group must negotiate hostile territory rife with cruelty and destruction, and, in the process, they discover friendship and loyalty and ultimately retain their humanity.

      An award-winning author of adult as well as young adult novels, Philbrick has had his novel, Freak the Mighty, adapted as The Mighty, a Miramax feature film. In this latest science-fiction adventure, Spaz and a collection of unusual characters with whom he connects exemplify the determination of the human spirit to survive and provide meaning to existence, no matter how negative the circumstances. The Urb is characterized by "violence, disease, toxic smog," but, as Lanaya passionately insists, the "greatest danger is ignorance." "What's to write about if life is perfect?" Ryter asks philosophically. "Writers need a challenge. They need to struggle. They need to fight." As narrator, Spaz is an appealing and compelling protagonist who tells his story in the vernacular of his world, a language which contrasts with Ryter's carefully constructed sentences and literary references. Despite the chaotic and horrendous setting, the fast-paced plot builds to an unusual climax which offers hope for a better future for the inhabitants of the Urb. The sights and sounds are depicted with vivid detail, the dialogue is crisp and energetic, and the characters colourful. Spaz concludes, "They call me Ryter now" - the last book in the universe.

Recommended.