The Last Book In The Universe

Rodman Philbrick’s The Last Book in the Universe, originally published in 2000, is a young adult novel geared toward children ages 8 to 12. It depicts a dystopian future where “normals” (genetically-unaltered humans) live in the Urb, a place of filth and unrest, while “proovs” (genetically improved people) live in Eden, a place of joy and happiness. This has been the status quo ever since the Big Shake, the environmental disaster that marked the region’s split in quality of life. Epileptic teenager Spaz has lived on his own in a small part of Billy Bizmo’s “latch,” or territory, ever since his foster father, Charly, kicked him out due to fear associated with his epileptic fits.

The narrative opens with an explanation of mind probes, or needles that slide directly into the user’s brain to provide entertainment. An important commodity in his society, Spaz cannot use probes himself because of his condition; along with his seizures, this sets him apart as an outsider. Spaz is recording an eyewitness account of the events leading up to when Billy’s henchmen, the Bully Bangers, “went to wheel the Ryter," an old man (or “gummy”) who was writing the last book in the universe before he died, "for his sins” (10).

Spaz works for Billy, stealing items back from people who owe the latchboss, and in return, he is given housing under Billy’s surveillance and protection. Spaz is tasked with the job of stealing from Ryter, a poor elderly man who lives in a “stackbox” near the Pipes, an old system of waterworks in the city that has been neglected since the Big Shake. In order to navigate the stackbox, he gains the help of a 5-year-old orphan he calls Little Face. Spaz is shocked to find that not only is Ryter expecting him, but the old man is willing to part with all of his belongings except for the pages he is writing for his book. On a shortcut home through the Maximall, an old trading center that is a shell of what it once was, Spaz interacts with Lanaya, a young, beautiful female proov handing out edibles. When he returns to his home in the Crypt, Billy warns him about mixing with proovs, saying it always leads to trouble. He has three laws, as the leader of the latch: always believe Billy, always obey Billy, and always speak true to Billy. Spaz conceals the Ryter’s book from Billy and begins a camaraderie with the older man based on recollecting memories—something those who have used probes can no longer do. One night, he is approached by a runner who tells him his sister, Bean, is dying. He asks Billy for permission to visit her and his family, but Billy forbids him from leaving the latch. When Spaz leaves, he is followed across the border by Ryter and Little Face, and they use the Pipes to navigate between the latches.

In the first foreign latch, the trio encounter the Monkey Boys, henchmen of the latchboss Mongo the Magnificent. They have become more like animals than human, as a result of the deterioration of their leader’s mental and physical wellbeing, due to being stuck in an endlessly “looping” (78) probe for over a year. Mongo is happier living as a proov in the probe than as a boss in the Urb; his condition has become so unstable that if he were to be removed from the probe, his heart would stop. Ryter and the others encourage his second in command, a tek (Technical Security Guard) named Gorm, to assume the role of latchboss. In return, the newly-appointed Great Gorm will set all prisoners free in the latch and allow the trio safe passage into the neighboring territory. They are escorted to the border.

When they reach the end of the Pipe into the next latch, they find a riot underway, with everything being burned. Things are worse off in this latch than they were in Mongo’s territory. Amidst the rioters, the trio discover Lanaya about to be swamped along with her takvee (Tactical Urban Vehicle). After saving her, she offers to drive them to Bean; she is sympathetic to Spaz’s story. They use the takvee to access an area known as the Zone where active landmines can be avoided via the vehicle’s intelligence.

Crossing into Bean’s latch, Vandals on jetbikes led by Lotti Getts, the latchboss, swarm them. Lotti questions Lanaya’s claim as a trader, saying there has been a probe runner in her latch, which is unique in that mind probes are forbidden because of the known damage they can do to users’ brains. She recognizes Spaz immediately, and if she had been waiting for them, she grants them safe passage to Bean if they remove the probe runner from the latch. Unfortunately, the request is a setup designed to distract her nemesis, Vida Bleek, and his Furies, who are scheming to take over the latch. Vida Bleek is killed and Lotti Getts remains in power.

Finally arriving at Spaz’s former home, the quartet discover an incredibly weakened Bean, sick with leukemia, or “the blood sickness” (47), which has returned from her childhood. After one evening together, Bean slides into a coma; Lanaya resolves to bring Bean and her friends to Eden to try to find a cure for her there. With some hesitation, her foster parents Charly and Kay agree, and Lotti gives them safe passage to the Zone.

Going through the Barrier, Ryter and Spaz are in awe of the blue sky and green grass. Spaz previously believed that the sky was gray and the ground was concrete. Many things are new to Spaz in Eden, including seeing hills and live fish. Lanaya brings them to her home, which is more like a palace, and introduces them to her “contributors,” or parents, Jin and Bree. Lanaya is revealed to be a future Master of Eden, meaning she has been genetically engineered to be a leader and thus has special privileges even amongst proovs.

They are able to stabilize Bean in her current condition, but any reversal of her condition will involve placing a request with the Authority to take Bean to the Primary Laboratory, or Prime. Most of the lab is populated by med-teks, or medical technicians, who can only solve minor problems among proovs since genetic improvements have eradicated most diseases from Eden. The Authority reveals they do not have any data on the old cures, including chemotherapy and radiation, but they may be able to administer gene therapy to replace her blood cells. Three days later, Bean wakes up and starts to improve; Jin teaches them how to play chess, and Bree resolves to adopt Little Face. They all decide to stay with Lanaya and her family in Eden.

A week later, while exploring outside in the grass and the orchard, a skyvee approaches with two enforcers to bring them to the Stadium to stand trial for having broken the law that forbids normals in Eden. They are placed in body-cuffs; thousands of proovs sit on a hill while the seven Masters assemble on a platform to listen to Lanaya’s story. Lanaya states her case, including information regarding the theory that probes are manufactured in Eden and sent into the Urb to keep the status quo. She also points out 12-year-old Bean’s ability to beat Jin at his own game of chess, but the crowd still votes that Bean, Ryter, and Spaz be returned to the Urb. The Masters concur, saying things may change in the future, but for now the rule stands in Eden.

Before they can say goodbye to Little Face, Lanaya, or her parents, they are sent back to the Urb. Bean is dropped with Charly and Kay, and Spaz is left with Ryter in his stackbox. A mob of jetbikes wake Spaz. The latch is burning, and the jetbikes are forming a mob to find someone to blame for the deactivation of the probes, which has happened overnight. Ryter knows he’ll be the scapegoat and encourages Spaz to keep his book safe and to write the rest himself. The mob grabs him and sends him to the wheel. Billy Bizmo arrives in time to save Spaz, announcing he is Spaz’s real father. The Bangers attach ropes to Ryter and drag him from the wheels of their jetbikes until he is dead. Spaz has a seizure, and when he wakes he is alone in the street and the mob has moved on. He returns to his home in the Crypt; Billy tries to forge a relationship with him, but Spaz rebukes him. Spaz begins voice-writing his own story and becomes known as the Ryter himself. He receives word from Lanaya that Little Face is all right and that the future will be theirs.