Stefen’s Bookclub – October

Bete by Adam Roberts

The book club book for this month was supposed to be Hard to be a God by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky, but I’ve had some issues getting more copies. If you’re one of the folks who did get one, don’t despair we are going to do it for the club, I’ve just had to put it back a month while I wait for restock. Instead we’re going to be reading one of most unusual books of last year Bete by Adam Roberts.

I’ve written about this one a few times, so I’m sure most of you are familiar with it. If not, the short version is that it is an apocalyptic novel of sorts that also deals with what it means to be human and casts doubt on the things that humanity thinks about its place in the world.

It begins when animal rights activists insert computer chips into livestock brains that cause the animal to simulate speech. It ends with humanity being judged by its oldest companions. We thought we understood them and knew what they thought of us. We were wrong.