Scythe

I've started my reading for Books for the Beast which takes place at the Roland Park School on Saturday, 28. It is sponsored by the Enoch Pratt Library. This event features two discussion groups: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I picked the following two sections to read: At Odds and Sink or Swim. The first book that I read from the At Odds section was Scythe by Neal Shusterman.

In 2042, we have conquered death and "the cloud" evolved into "the Thunderhead" and everything there is to know is stored in "the Thunderhead" an artificial intelligence that is almost all powerful. Disease has been eliminated and if anyone is hurt their nanites will protect them from the pain and heal them. People "turn the corner" that is they change their age to a younger age when they get old. The Age of Mortality has ended. However, one problem still remains - population control. For this reason, scythes are trained to kill people (otherwise know as gleaning) to keep the population under control.

Scythes are expected to abide by 10 laws. Law 2 states that, "Thou shalt kill with no bias, bigotry, or malice aforethought." Law 6 states that, "Thou shalt lead an exemplary life in word and deed, and keep a journal of each and every day."

Citra and Rowan are chosen to be scythe apprentices to Scythe Faraday. They are told that they must give up their emotional bonds to families and friends. After all Law 9 states, "Thou shalt have neither spouse nor spawn." But this proves to become complicated as their friendship becomes stronger and appears to lead to something more.

Citra and Rowan cease to be Scythe Faraday's apprentices when he gleans himself so that neither Citra nor Rowan will have to glean the other when one of them becomes a scythe. But it doesn't work. Citra becomes the apprentice of Scythe Curie. Scythe Curie is a thoughtful moral person who does her best to follow the laws and does her gleaning dutifully. Rowan becomes Scythe Goddard's apprentice. Scythe Goddard gleans for the joy of killing and goes to a Tonist cloister with the intention of killing the Tonist "rabble" and stating that "obliteration is our hallmark."

Not only is this book an entertaining read, but it also raises interesting philosophical questions. If we become immortal would we become bored? If an entity such as the Thunderhead existed, would there be anything left to learn or know? Would we cease striving for anything? And even if we were to create a "perfect utopia" could we overcome the one thing that has always derailed us - the true nature of humanity itself?

I highly recommend this book!