The Boy at the End of the World

This is what he knew:

His name was Fisher.
The world was dangerous.
He was alone.
And that is all.

From publisher’s catalog:

This is the story of the last boy on Earth, born from a survival pod long after humankind has ceased to exist. With only a broken robot named Click for a friend, Fisher sets out to discover if he is truly alone. But first, he must learn to survive.

If only surviving weren’t so hard! Finding food and staying out of the way of ravenous beasts hasn’t gotten any easier since  people disappeared from the Earth − especially since some of the animals evolved in alarming ways. And if electric eels and giant parrot attacks don’t get Fisher, there’ something much more sinister that will − something he human race has left behind …

With lively humor and a thrilling sense of adventure, Greg van Eekhout takes readers along on Fisher’s wild ride − a journey that might just save the world.

 

Reviews

 

Praise for The Boy at the End of the World:

  • Nominated for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction & Fantasy
  • Locus 2011 Recommended Reading List

 

Praise

“The story is set in a fascinating and at times chillingly altered North America in which scattered relics of the pre-cataclysm era will seem hauntingly familiar to 21st-century readers. Robot Click is a surprisingly complex character, and his deadpan insights add a welcome touch of humor to the sometimes dark plot. With strong themes of courage and self-reliance, this challenging and thought-provoking adventure is a fine choice for science-fiction collection.”

—School Library Journal

“Part speculative fiction, part cinematic survival adventure, the novel features a brisk pace and clever and snappy dialogue. The real, scary possibility of human destruction of our own environment is tempered by this diverting tale of the possibilities of continued existence and the meaning of hope, friendship and community.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“The author of Kid vs. Squid (2010) offers another quirky, high-stakes adventure hung about with oddball ideas and life-threatening hazards. [Van Eekhout] moves his tale along briskly to a violent, suspenseful climax. A pleaser for readers who prefer their sf livened up with unpredictable elements and emotional complexity.”

—John Peters, Booklist

“The adventures of Fisher and Click, like those of Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, and C-3PO, told in fast-paced prose and set in a boldly imagined future, will be exciting for young readers who will, no doubt… plunge on with Fisher’s brave journey in a new world.”

—Horn Book Magazine

“The title is no angsty exaggeration…van Eekhout manages to stop short of environmental lectures for the most part, trusting that the bemused discussions about golden arches and unhealthy eating habits will be resonant enough on their own, and keeping most of the focus on Fisher’s quest. With a relatively small cast of characters, fairly straightforward adventure plot, and a child protagonist, this novel is a good choice for readers a bit younger than those for whom end-of-the-world scenarios are usually written.”

—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“Fisher’s survivalist journey through the ruins of our future is both funny and affecting, full of transformed creatures, broken cities, and mad robots. Amid desperate escapes, explosive battles and piles of mammoth dung, The Boy at the End of the World also manages to ask interesting questions about our place in the world, and where we’re headed as a species. Thanks to Greg van Eekhout, I’ll never look at prairie dogs the same way again.”

—Paolo Bacigalupi, author of Ship Breaker

“Greg van Eekhout’s The Boy at the End of the World is wholly engaging and action packed. It is a compelling journey story filled with unusual friendships and a vision of the future that doesn’t shy away from eco-heavy messages and themes as it plunges the reader ever forward to a riveting, cinematic end.”

—Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor author of Savvy

“Greg van Eekhout’s The Boy at the End of the World is both moving and full of adventure. This remarkable survival story will change the way readers think about themselves and the world they live in.”

—Sarah Prineas, author of The Magic Thief