Human.4 By: Mike A. Lancaster

Title: Human. 4
Author: Mike A. Lancaster
HARDBACK
Amount of Pages: 240
Release Date: March 8, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Geared Towards: Teens
From: Publisher (ARC)

"The peculiar format that you are holding-a book-was still the dominant form of information storage at the time the tapes were made. There is a reason that I insisted on this archaic format that will, I hope, become apparent as the narrative progresses.

If the story you are to read is true, then this work is respectfully to the 0.4"

Summary (From B.O.B):

ALERT:

HUMANITY HAS BEEN UPGRADED.

YOU ARE NOW OBSOLETE.

Kyle Straker volunteered to be hypnotized at the annual community talent show, expecting the same old lame amateur acts. But when he wakes up, his world will never be the same. Televisions and computers no longer work, but a strange language streams across their screens. Everyone's behaving oddly. It's as if Kyle doesn't exist.

Is this nightmare a result of the hypnosis? Will Kyle wake up with a snap of fingers to roars of laughter? Or is this something much more sinister?

Wdebo's Review: I thoroughly enjoyed the story from the very first page, which was quite surprsing to me. Though the writing in the beginning felt sort of childish it worked because Kyle's voice matured through the story, it was through this incident that he was able to grow.

I really enjoyed the plot of the novel, it was a very new, novel idea. The writing is very clear and simple it helps to convey the ideas of the story better as opposed to if it was long and all drawn out. It gives Kyle a strong voice, which is especially important because he is speaking into tapes. I also liked the little notes in each section of the book, it was amusing to see what future earth inhabitants would say about what is important to us now. The mystery of everything builds up nicely in the whole work, and the interval in which information is given to the reader is very well coordinated so that you don't feel bored anytime you are reading it, you don't feel as if the story is getting old.

The middle part of the story frightened me a lot, but maybe that was just because A) it was 1 AM and 2) I had watched all of the Alice of Human Sacrifices and I was freaked out already. The book has also made me vow to never become hypnotized just in case, you know, the same thing happens to me and I am screwed, I mean you can never be too careful.

Cafe Cover Chat: I am indifferent towards the cover, though those root things on the person's hand get kind of freaky after a while. (B)

All in all, a wonderfuly written look into the future, for both Sci-fi lovers and non Sci-fi lovers alike.

Grade: B+/A-

Wdebo :)