sign in| help
Search advanced search
 
Books
Search:
x dismiss this message

Did you know you can edit this page?

The Last Book in the Universe
  • Rated 0 stars

The Last Book in the Universe (2000) (edit title/settings)

by Rodman Philbrick (Author) (edit contributors)

Share this book on:
see page history

Description edit see section history

In a world where most people are plugged into brain-drain entertainment systems, epileptic teenager Spaz is a rare human being who can see life for what 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... read more

Summary edit see section history

An epileptic boy named Spaz catches word that his sister is sick. He sets out with an "old gummy" named Ryter to see her. They cross dangerous territories each ruled by a different boss. By traveling through an enormous pipe, they try to avoid being caught by gangs. They do the impossible and... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

An epileptic boy named Spaz catches word that his sister is sick. He sets out with an "old gummy" named Ryter to see her. They cross dangerous territories each ruled by a different boss. By traveling through an enormous pipe, they try to avoid being caught by gangs. They do the impossible and break through unprecedented boundaries. Fighting to bring back human intelligence to the planet along the way, they encounter monkey boys and scientifically improved humans and technology beyond your wildest dreams.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Spaz: Spaz is a 14 year old whose adoptive family has abandoned him because they fear the symptoms of his epilepsy.
  • Billy Bizmo: Billy Bizmo is the "Latch Boss" in the latch Spaz was sent to after his family unit no longer wanted him.
  • Little Face: Little Face is a five year old orphan with no one to care for him; he always says the word "chox" ever since Spaz gave him a chox bar.
  • Lanaya: Lanya a proov who charitably gives Spaz food; she is saved by Spaz and joins their journey.
  • Ryter: Ryter is a very old man who possesses the lost arts of reading and writing.
  • Lotti Getts: Lotti Getts, also known as the "White Widow" is the "Latch Boss" where Spaz's old family unit lives.
  • Vida Bleek: Vida Bleek is kind of like the "Latch Boss" of Tradersville.
  • Bree: Bree is Lanaya's mother.
  • Mongo the Magnificent: Mongo the Magnificent is the "Latch Boss" of a small section in the pipe.
Popular Covers

Loading covers…

Choose your book’s cover

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Billy Bizmo's Latch- Billy Bizmo's latch has an area called the Stackbox. This is where Ryter lives. The Crpyts are where the people in Billy Bizmo's gang, the Bangers, live. Spaz is a member of the Bangers only because if he wasn't, Billy would have his gang "cut his red." The latch has no trees or grass; it's all concrete, and the sky is always dark.
  • Eden: Eden is the place where the scientifically improved humans live. Eden is perfect. It has grass and trees and fresh fruit. Every "proov" baby is born perfect and with a purpose to fufill. Eden has very advanced technology. They have rooms in which you can ask any question and you will always get the right/truthful answer.
  • Urb: Urb surrounds Eden. The people who live there have no homes and are very poor. It is made up of three latches ruled by three latchbosses.
  • Pipe: A large pipe that supposedly transported clean, fresh water to the Urb. Spaz, Little Face, and Ryter travel through it to get through the different latches.
  • Mongo

First Sentence edit see section history

IF YOU'RE READING this, it must be a thousand years from now.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Chapter 1 -- They Call Me Spaz
Chapter 2 -- Stealing is My Job
Chapter 3 -- Those Who Remember
Chapter 4 -- The Girl with Sky-Colored Eyes
Chapter 5 -- Three Rules for Billy Bizmo
Chapter 6 -- The Thing about Bean
Chapter 7 -- All News is Bad News
Chapter 8 -- The Smell of Lightning
Chapter 9 -- By the Edge We Travel, By the Edge We Live or Die
Chapter 10 -- Attack of the Monkey Boys
Chapter 11 -- Mongo the Magnificent
Chapter 12 -- The Problem with Looping
Chapter 13 -- Miles to Go Before We Sleep
Chapter 14 -- Fair Maidens Must be Rescued
Chapter 15 -- In the Zone
Chapter 16 -- In the Latch of the Vandal Queen
Chapter 17 -- Looking for Probes in all the Wrong Places
Chapter 18 -- Mark of the Assassin
Chapter 19 -- Spaz Boy Melts in the Acid Rain
Chapter 20 -- What Bean Believed
Chapter 21 -- A Sleep Like Death
Chapter 22 -- Their Terrible Swift Engines
Chapter 23 -- If the World Were Blue
Chapter 24 -- What the Cyber Said
Chapter 25 -- Thinking about the Future
Chapter 26 -- The Bean is Back
Chapter 27 -- What the Boy Said
Chapter 28 -- They Come for Us in the Apple Trees
Chapter 29 -- Say Goodbye to Eden
Chapter 30 -- The Sound of Jetbikes
Chapter 31 -- Fear Itself
Chapter 32 -- The Last Book in the Universe

Glossary edit see section history

  • Chox: What the little boy, Chox, exclaims all the time. At first, he only says this because he wants a chocolate bar from Spaz.
  • The Big Shake: A huge earthquake that destroys the world
  • Proov: A genetically improved person who lives in the Urb
  • Gummy: An old person
  • Probe: A needle people inject into themselves that transmits ideas and memories into their brain.
  • Takvee: Tactical Urban Vehicle, like a modern-day SUV
  • Tek: A technical security guard

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Rodman Philbrick (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Rodman Philbrick

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: The Blue Sky Press
Country: USA
Publication Date: 2000
ISBN: 0439087589
Page Count: 223

Classification edit see section history

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Make sure you go over and read the first page.

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Gathering Blue
  • Among the Hidden
  • Truesight
  • The Carbon Diaries 2015
  • The Diary of Pelly D
  • Restoring Harmony

We’re hiding the errata, movie connections, books that influenced this book, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.

© 2006-2012 Shelfari | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy

Close