Set in 2021, the story follows Theo Faron, an Oxford historian living in a world where human sperm counts have dropped to zero, ending all births. The last generation, known as Omegas, has reached adulthood, and society faces imminent extinction. Britain is governed by Theo’s cousin, the Warden of England, who maintains order through a totalitarian regime involving forced health checks and the deportation of migrant workers. Theo’s disillusioned life changes when he meets a resistance group that reveals a woman has miraculously become pregnant.
Readers interested in the intersection of political science and high-concept survival fiction will find this a detailed study of institutional decay. It appeals to those who examine how sovereignty and civil liberties change when a population loses its future. The reader walks away with a grim understanding of how despair fuels authoritarianism and an appreciation for how fragile social structures become without the biological necessity of the next generation. It provides a stark look at the loss of meaning in a terminal civilization.
Balanced in tone; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1992
- Language
- EN
