Review: 0.4 (Human.4) by Mike Lancaster

It's a brave new world. 

'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore.' 

So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded onto old audiotapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax, but perhaps they contain the history of a past world....If what the tapes say is true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie. 

And if everything we know is a lie, does that mean that we are, too?

Wow. Wow! Roll up dystopian lovers, the newest generation is here!

Okay, that is basically all I can say to describe this book. The whole thing literally has me speechless. I read this book in one sitting.

Okay, let me start at the beginning, I wasn't sure about it to start with, I got it because I had nothing to read and I wanted a dystopian. I'd heard mixed reviews about it so when I first opened the book I was, naturally, unsure. About seven pages in I was absorbed (so has nothing to do with the Pokemon reference) and from there to the end I stayed in the same seating.

This book is a dystopian and takes place in the future, but unlike other books of this genre, most of the events are sort of flashbacks, or tapes recorded by somebody in the past. Very much like most other dystopians it treads on some pretty deep ground and leads the reader questioning the world around them.

So, I can't really say much without giving away some spoilers, but I will comment that the story is fantastic, thought-provoking and well planned out, there are so many twists and turns that you'll be stuck to your seat, staring at the book, rereading and thinking "what?!", I seriously though I'd figured it out at one point, as did pretty much everyone I know who has read this book, and then I found out I was wrong. I loved how this was written, in recordings so detailed that you forget that it is one, until an interruption comes, or the tape stops and then you realise. There's a lot of trailing off as well, which is clever and leaves a lot of holes for the reader to fill with their own events. I also loved the ending, so clever!

The main character Kyle is straight thinking, a little reckless but strong minded and I really liked how well he was written, I understood everything he did and every thought he had and did everything that I would in his situation, which is clever.

All in all, an intelligent, deep, well thought out and downright amazing debut! My mother is currently reading it as I thrust it in her face and shouted "READ!"

Overall rating: A+

Stand alone/series: Apparently theres a sequel, called (1.4)

UK Hardback Release: January 3rd 2011

Publisher: Egmont

Pages: 273

Book obtained via: Trade