Human.4

by Mike A. Lancaster

Paperback, 2012

Status

Available

Call number

PZ7.L2205 H

Publication

EgmontUSA (2012), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 256 pages

Description

Twenty-first century fourteen-year-old Kyle was hypnotized when humanity was upgraded to 1.0 and he, incompatible with the new technology, exposes its terrifying impact in a tape-recording found by the superhumans of the future.

User reviews

LibraryThing member MickyFine

When Danny Birnie told us that he had hypnotised his sister we all thought he was mad.
Or lying.
Or both.
These are the words that begin the oral narrative of Kyle Straker, a fifteen-year old boy living in a small town in England. Recorded on three audiotapes, Kyle recounts his experiences about the

day that everything and everyone around him changed. Humanity will never be the same.

Lancaster's novel is a brilliant piece of sci-fi for a YA audience. The audiotapes that Kyle has recorded are being mediated by an editor "Mike A. Lancaster," whom we deduce is writing his introductions and notes at some point in the future. The tale is creepy, fascinating, and there are hints of humour that slip through occasionally. At first the novel feels like a sci-fi tale we've all seen before, but Lancaster turns it on its head and creates a fascinating strange new world that is intriguing and also mildly horrifying. A wonderful bit of sci-fi that will have you looking closer at the things you think you see out of the corner of your eye.

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LibraryThing member elliepotten

'They're gone,' he said. 'Changed. All of them. You hear me? I... I SEE THEM!'
His words sent a physical chill down my spine.
'See what?' I demanded. 'What can you see?'

This is one of those unassuming books that actually far exceeded my expectations. Rather overlooked in the current wave of YA

paranormal and dystopian fiction, this is the kind of novel that can be enjoyed by the full sweep of the YA target audience, and is a proper little page-turner to boot.

The whole novel is centred around the mysterious event which takes place - unlikely though it may seem - during the local talent show in the little English village of Millgrove. As part of the show, Kyle and Lilly, along with two adults, Mr Peterson and Mrs O'Donnell, agree to get up on stage and be hypnotised by their madcap friend Danny. To their horror, when they 'awaken' a few minutes later, everyone in the village is frozen in place where they sit, shocked expressions on their faces. When they begin to move again, it's clear that something has changed. Now these four must try to work out what happened - and why - before it's too late...

Lancaster has been especially clever in that the structure of the novel, and even the paper-book format, tie in intrinsically with the plot. The chapters are written in a normal narrative style, but are divided into tape sides - this is supposed to be a kind of transcript of the testimony of Kyle Straker, which has been recorded onto old audio tapes and discovered later. Lancaster takes on the role of 'editor' and there are occasional futuristic notes inserted into the text to explain popular culture references and some of our more unusual idioms.

I found it a quick but hard-hitting read, with some deliciously creepy moments along the way, fusing the quiet menace of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers with the thought-provoking ideas of The Matrix into one exciting premise. The pithy, amusing and occasionally revelatory text notes are a nice touch. Between the testimony and the 'editorial input', everything starts to come together, but until the big reveal I still wasn't quite sure what had happened! One for boys AND girls to enjoy, and I'd say it was suitable for younger YA readers as well, though they might not pick up on some of the references and humour that an older reader would. Recommended!

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LibraryThing member callmecayce

I enjoyed this book. It was a super fast read (I finished it in a couple of hours) because I couldn't put it down. Near the end of the book I was really worried that there wasn't anyway everything was going to be wrapped up in time -- but somehow Lancaster managed it. I don't think this is a

series, but even if it is, I was completely satisfied by the ending (unlike some other books I've read recently). I thought that the story was both interesting and fit well with the short format of the book (again, unlike some other dystopian books I've read recently). The characters grew, which I found fascinating in the short span of the novel. One of the things I liked best were the little editorials that were sprinkled throughout the book and the concept of the book itself as a format instead of just what we're reading. I hope Lancaster writes more and experiments with format as he did in this novel.

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LibraryThing member HeikeM

Wow, this is a very different approach to sci-fi. It is a book you can read quite quickly, after finishing it I had the feeling I just read a short story - it is fast paced and reads ever so well. It is not high literature, but hey, it is hugely enjoyable and that is just as good.
The story is a

transcript of some tapes which had been found long after they have been recorded by a person named Kyle Straker. On the tapes Kyle talks about the happenings of the past few days in his village, starting with the annual village variety show, where an amateur hypnotist puts four people in a trance. When they awake nothing is as it was before. Their friends and family seem to be taken over by something or somebody....Bit by bit we learn about the changes and keep guessing with the narrator as what has actually happened. And when we finally know .... absolutely fantastic concept. I have not read anything like this before. I just hope that the promised sequel will deliver the same interesting and fresh ideas!

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LibraryThing member BookSpot

Kyle Straker's small British town has a talent show every year. It's not really a big deal: it's an interesting way to spend the day and the winner might get their picture in the paper.

But when his friend Daniel decides hypnotism is the talent he's going to showcase this year, somehow Kyle gets

stuck being one of his 'volunteers'. Kyle can only imagine what will happen while he's one of the four on stage being hypnotized in front of the town (that is if Daniel can even do it) . . .

Only, he definitely never imagined this.

Kyle and the other three awaken to find everyone else acting strangely--like something is wrong with the four of them. Add to that radios, TVs and computers no longer work except to display an odd new language--or what looks like one.

Is this all a part of the hypnosis? Is Kyle going to wake up from a snap of Daniel's fingers to see the crowd in hysterics and find out this was all a joke? Or has everything somehow changed in those moments he under hypnosis?

HUMAN.4 is the best of THE TWILIGHT ZONE (the 60s version, not the newer one) meets DOCTOR WHO (also the newer series/seasons).

It's told, at some unknown point in the future, through a transcription of Kyle's found audio tapes. The editor from that future point (ie the author) also breaks in with explanations--almost footnotes but in little boxes within the text--explaining something or another Kyle has mentioned. Even though readers never really see experience this future, the explanations of (current) everyday places, customs, and phrases gives us a perfect glimpse into it.

While HUMAN.4 is driven a lot by the what's-going-on-ness, it's told by one of the main characters so we also learn about the other characters through him which helps readers relate to them. I very much liked that it gave us enough to care about them and/or understand where they were coming from but not so much that it made the story drag.

What you really need to know about Mike Lancaster's first YA novel, though, is this: it's creepy and one you can't put down.

Yes, the characters are good, yes I adored the little anecdotes, but what kept me reading way past when I should have been asleep was needing to know how it would end! Think of the best B alien movie from the 60s and the way it was outrageous but the characters were really scared, but you also had to see it all. Now make it not cheesy and campy but amazing (while remembering I said it was TWILIGHT ZONE meets DOCTOR WHO).

The idea of being alone is probably what makes this one so troubling. Any dystopian can create a scary world for us all, but Mike Lancaster's shown us what it would be like if maybe (along with a few others), that world was just for us.

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LibraryThing member sithereandread

HUMAN.4, by Mike A. Lancaster, is a thrilling documentary-style story about a teen and three others in his village whose lives are turned upside down after being under hypnosis. Lancaster created a story will linger in your mind long after Kyle's tapes have stopped.

I was absolutely blown away by

this book and I clung to each word. I loved the structure of the book. It was a transcription of the tapes that Kyle recorded in the hopes of those listening would remember the few 0.4's left. I liked the little notes that the transcriber made in regards to phrases and words that were no longer relevant in the current world.

Lancaster's hypnotized characters were very special to me by the end. I felt like I was one of them in the fight to understand what the heck happened when they were hypnotized. The world they woke up to was definitely scary, which strengthened my connection with them. And even though it was such a small part, I am still a girl and I wanted Kyle and Lilly to kiss and make up. Their relationship was rocky from a previous indiscretion and what better time to make up for it when it seems you are the only two normal teens left!

I won't ruin the plot but for those who love science fiction, this book is definitely for you. Lancaster kept me in suspense until the very end and I was anxious to know what would happen to his characters who were left behind and seemingly unnoticed.

*Cover Note* Loved the cover. Definitely a significance in the book which steps up the creepy factor.

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LibraryThing member Leov

Danny hypnotises Mrs O'Donnell, Mr Peterson,Kyle and Lilly, at the local talent show. When they wake up, Danny isn't moving, nor is the entire audience...they are just staring, not responding at all. In fact no one is moving...flies still buzzed around, birds still flew and the breeze still wafted

by. No one else in the town was moving either. 4.0 is the tape recorded story of what happened to Kyle and his town that day and is obviously being listened to by someone in the future. A really, really great story concept and an easy read for teens to adults.

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LibraryThing member Bellydancer

Teenager, Kyle Straker’s friend needed volunteers to be hypnotized at the annual community talent show. So school mates Kyle and Lilly put up their hands, expecting the same old lame amateur act as usual. But when they wake up, everything has changes. Televisions and computers no longer work,

everyone around them is behaving oddly. It’s as if the two teens on longer exist. Is this terrifying new life a result of the hypnosis? Or is it something more horrendous than they can imagine.
The narrative is in the form of transcripted audio tapes punctuated by editor's notes, a style which I really enjoyed. I story is very easy to read and comprehend and was completely addictive. A fabulous read for younger Sci-fi readers who are just breaking into the genre.

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LibraryThing member marcelrochester

Really interesting concept, but the amount of plot in there is worth a short story not a novel. Also the characters and tone are pretty boring. C-

LibraryThing member eheinlen

This book was simply amazing. I loved the story and the way that it was written. I loved the premise and the way that it was presented to the reader. It's just brilliant. I read it in two hours, so it is definitely a quick read...maybe something for a train or car ride. I think teenagers and

adults, alike, will enjoy it.

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LibraryThing member PennyAnne

Interesting young adult novel. Set in the future and involves the publication of some voice tapes that show what has happened to humanity - quite chilling in places and definitely makes you question 'what is real'? I really enjoyed the 'editor's' asides - eg. in trying to explain what 'Teletubbies'

were the editor quotes research which indicates they were "gods or goddesses exclusively worshipped by children".

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LibraryThing member Strider66

Pros: old style SF feel, VERY fast read, quick paced, suspenseful
Cons: leaves you wanting more
For Parents: no content, a great SF primer for newcomers

0.4 (Human.4 in the U.S.) is a book written in the style of classic science fiction writers like H.G. Wells and John Wyndham in that there's a

narrator explaining strange events that have already occurred. In this case, the narrator is Kyle Straker, a teenager whose 3 audio tape recordings have been found and heavily analyzed by historians of the future. This written transcript (the book itself) is edited by Mike A. Lancaster.

Kyle has a fantastic story to tell. At the annual talent show on the village green he agrees to be a test subject of a friend's attempts at hypnotism. When he wakes up from the trance a few minutes later the world has changed.

The novel is best read knowing as little as possible about it. It reads very much like a Twilight Zone episode, the pleasure coming both from the suspense and in trying to guess what's going on. And the editor's asides about 20th Century phrases and cultural norms are quite interesting. Aside from the cassette tapes (the use of which is explained within the text) the technology mentioned is modern.

This is a fun, quick read with TV style pacing and a story that will keep you guessing about what's really going on. If you're trying to introduce a young reader to science fiction, this makes the perfect primer.

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LibraryThing member LemurKat

This is one of those read-ion-one-sitting books. It is short and somewhat chilling, with an interesting storyline and outlook. Because it is written in first person, narrated to a tape deck, the writing style is not precisely smooth and flawless, but does have a certain authenticity, which is also

reflected in the sans serif font and short chapters. An engrossing read.

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LibraryThing member LarissaBookGirl

If true this record will change not only the way we think about ourselves and the world around us, but it will change our history, our future and what it means to be human.

Two years ago tapes were discovered; an ancient technology that carried a story of the past, of events so shocking that if true

would change everything. Known as the Kyle Straker tapes these were transcribed into an equally out of date information storage device known as books, the reason for this becomes clear as you learn this tale.

The only reason Kyle put his hand up was to allow his friend to save face as all alone on stage in front of the whole village Danny waited for volunteers. It was a bit embarrassing but what was the worse that could happen, it wasn't as if Danny had any really ability to succeed. But as Kyle and the three other volunteers on stage opened their eyes it was to the most disturbing sight they had ever seen. The world had changed, no, not the world, just everyone in it.

0.4 percent of people in the small village of Millgrove have remained unaffected, 0.4 percent of people in the world are unchanged, or so they thought, but what if there were a more sinister meaning to the label 0.4? Part mystery and part thriller, this is science fiction at its very best. Both thought provoking and provocative, it is a story that will challenge all that you believe and leave you haunted with the possibilities. I literally could not put it down, an extraordinary read.

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LibraryThing member pussreboots

0.4 (or Human.4 in the United States) by Mike Lancaster, is a middle grade science fiction horror in the tradition of John Wyndam and John Christopher. This is a debut novel that I hope is taught in schools in the near future.

Through transcripts of audio tapes with commentary from some future

perspective, Kyle Straker outlines how his life and the lives of three other villagers were forever changed. They were volunteers for a talent show hypnotism trick. When they came out of their trance, everyone else had changed.

The how and the why of the change is the rest of the book. It's frightening and eye opening. Though a short book, Lancaster uses his words efficiently and effectively.

Often it seems that books like this where people are taken over or there's an invasion or a mass disappearance, the reason behind the change is never revealed. 0.4 breaks with that tradition. Kyle and the others do learn the reason behind the change.

The book is a short, it's a compelling read. Though 0.4 lacks anything in the way of violence or crude language, it does share some thematic ties with the much longer and adult oriented Robopacalypse (review coming). If you enjoyed Wilson's novel and are looking for a light but similar read, give 0.4 a go.

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LibraryThing member CherieReads

Very well done! I received a copy of the sequel for review and so read this one in preparation. Wow! What an original idea for a dystopian novel!

I'm finding it hard to write a review that won't give anything away. I don't want to spoil anything so pardon me if I keep things a little bit vague.

This book is written in the form of a written transcript of recordings made by Kyle Straker. A teenager living in what I presume to be current day (or close enough). An event occurs leaving only Kyle and 3 other people normal while the rest of his town is somehow changed. More than that I won't say. Kyle and his 3 companions try to figure out what the heck is going on and why it's happening.

The pacing in this book is fantastic. The author does a fantastic job of giving you just enough that your satisfied but you still want more. There are surprise twists and some danger and even a hint of romance though that is not the focus of this book.

At the end, all I could think was wow! I keep comparing this to The Matrix in my mind. It's one of those mind-blowing ideas that makes you stop and think.

Recommended for fans of dystopia and light YA sci-fi.

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LibraryThing member GrytaJME

I guess the premise is new, but it just wasn't that great. Several times I wanted to use my red pen... but I got it from the library, so no.

LibraryThing member Pinniped23

This book (Human.4 / 0.4)popped up as recommended one day so I thought 'why not'.

It was an interesting book, written in a different style to what I am used to... but if anything that made the book better. It was easy to read and I enjoyed the story.

I have recently purchased the second book by Mike

Lancaster 1.4

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LibraryThing member lkmuir

LibraryThing member Rempala

Strange but interesting book.

LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A science fiction thriller that brings you on an adventure so out-of-this world, you will question what is reality and what is not.

Opening Sentence: When Danny Birnie told us that he had hypnotized his sister we all thought he was mad.

The

Review:

Human .4 by Mike A. Lancaster is a science fiction story that I will not forget. While I’ve read many in the same genre, there is something about Human.4 that stands out. It may be the suspenseful scenes, or even the wonderful writing by Lancaster. Either way, I’m glad that I had a chance to read this, and hope that I won’t be having any nightmares now. *looks around*

Human.4 are a retelling of events that happened one summer. The story consists of transcripts of recorded sessions by Kyle Straker. On a summer vacation, Kyle, his best friend Simon, Simon’s girlfriend Lily, and their friend Danny were hanging out like young teens do. A tale of a successful hypnotizing sparked an idea to repeat the act during a talent show. But the results left me on the edge of my seat, filled with suspense and so much thrill, that I couldn’t believe someone had imagined the story.

Human.4 takes place in a futuristic alternate universe taking events from the past, all revealed by the contents of the tapes. I would say that a good portion of the events are flashbacks, and in true science fiction form, I, as the reader, questioned what was allowed in this world. Lancaster allows for the reader to be provoked through different emotions, thoughts, and actions, each defined not only by the main character, but the supporting characters themselves.

Kyle was a forward thinker, strong minded and clear of where he wanted to go and definitely sure of who he was as a person. At times, I would have classified it as reckless, but others? Well, he was brave and not lacking gumption, that’s for sure. Lancaster wrote him very clearly, never allowing for the reader to question why he did something at any given moment. As Kyle retells the events of the summer to us, and as I read about Kyle, I slowly became obsessed with what came next.

Lancaster’s world in Human.4 was confined within one room, yet so expansive within the confessional tapes. It was interesting to be brought back to each moment, but yet suddenly reawaken to the reality that this was all told and recorded on tape. Actions occur in the present, but told in the past. Unfamiliarity of the unknown raises questions, but each event felt familiar. Lancaster keeps you on the edge of your seat, and sometimes you, as a reader, will wonder where you just went and where you came from.

Suspense, science fiction, thriller. These are all good adjectives to describe Lancaster’s Human.4. I believe there is something for everyone in this book, and I for one cannot wait to read the next one. The narrative direction was clear and enjoyable, and on a personal level, it was just fun. It was easy to lose myself in this story and I was glad to lose sleep just to finish it. I highly urge you to read this, and then the next.

Notable Scene:

The relief in her voice was obvious.

I felt a harsh twinge of jealousy. yeah, I know, not exactly an honorable reaction, and I’m not proud.

“If he’s alive, there’s hope,” I offered, and Lilly’s face brightened.

“But how do we wake them up?” she asked. “We were the ones who were supposed to be hypnotized. Did it go wrong? Did Danny hypnotize everyone else? Even himself?”

I was going to attempt an answer, when my train of thought was interrupted by a loud wailing sound behind us.

FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of Human .4. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

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LibraryThing member BookSwarm

Wow. This book kind of freaked me out. It was one of those where, after I finished it, I needed to sit and absorb what happened in the story. And then read something light and cheerful to rid myself of the lingering creepy feeling.

Oh, it starts out unassuming enough. Kyle’s a regular guy with

some regular friends in an average little town whose major form of entertainment is a talent show on the village green. Then he gets hypnotized, wakes up and everything’s different. Everyone’s different. Except for him and the three people who were on stage with him. Very pod people, in its own, unusual way.

The first (and only) time I saw the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the 1978 version with Donald Southerland), I couldn’t get it out of my head, I was so creeped out. HUMAN.4 affected me in the same way. What would I do if the whole world changed? Would I want to be one of the masses or would I fight to remain the person I am? When Kyle and the survivors are given that same choice, I wondered what I would do if I were in their position.

Back to Kyle. I liked how he was an average guy put in a very atypical position. He handles it admirably (after a couple freak outs), especially considering his entire world has gone wonky and is completely unfixable. His interactions with the other three “survivors” is realistic and well written, as they struggle to figure out what happened and how they’re going to deal with it. Poor Kyle—think of how you would feel if you saw your dorky little brother suddenly sprout filaments out of his hands or your friend light up a room using his own bioluminescence.

The whole book is written as if it were transcribed from tapes Kyle made describing the days right after people changed. The scientists, who have no first-hand knowledge of the world before the “incident”, do their best to analyze Kyle’s words through editorial notes. There are also notes containing definitions of words no longer in use. One of my favorite examples is when they try to explain Kyle’s reference to Teletubbies, which one scholar is sure is a collection of gods or goddesses almost exclusively worshipped by children.

Unputdownable, HUMAN.4 will haunt you long after you finish it.

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LibraryThing member lexilewords

In what seems to be an ongoing trend with me, I wanted to read this book because, the cover…? I really wanted to know what’s up with it. My first thought, which couldn’t possibly be the truth, was that something was growing out of the dude’s arm.

Apparently I wasn’t that far off.

This is

the sort of novel you want to re-read after you’re done, because certain inconsistencies make more sense in hindsight after the revelations of the last pages. Human.4 is more hardcore science fiction than I normally read, but the mystery of what was going on is what kept me reading.

I’ll say right now this won’t be a book for everyone. Honestly, if I hadn’t read it, and someone had just explained it to me, I’m not sure I would have picked it up. It’s part science fiction thriller and part teenage growing troubles.

There is also not a lot of depth to the characters outside of Kyle. On a critical level this is frustrating because we only know as much about the people as Kyle tells us, and he takes his sweet time. We don’t learn about the history between Kyle and Lilly until he decides it’s a good moment. We only have his impressions of the people he interacts with. Because the book is meant to be a written accounting of his oral story, there’s only one side.

At times the “editor” (who is really the author interjecting) will make anthropological notes about random facts–the culture’s obnoxious use of oxymorons or the banality of reality TV for instance–or talk about scholarly works that analyze the “Straker Tapes,” but by and large everything is based on Kyle’s viewpoint. It’s rather telling when another character, Mrs. O’Donnell, mentions the first name of a man Kyle had been talking about quite knowledgeably a couple chapters before. Kyle looks at her confused until she clears things up.

If one is introspective, there is a lot to dissect and discuss. It’s a provocative topic–humans being “upgraded” like a computer. As easily as a computer, no less. Being programmed to just forget things as easily as you delete a file that’s no longer needed. I tried to think of how I would feel watching everyone I love either view me as little better then a bug or completely ignore my existence. It chilled me.

At the end of the “tapes,” Kyle says that a choice is going to be made. We’re not told which choice he makes, nor if he feels that it’s the right choice or not. We’re left with a “lady or the tiger” situation in which the reader has to decide whether it would be better to remain or to become like the others. Which is preferable? Is it possible to really say until you’re in such a position?

The mystery of what happened to the village is tense. Kyle throws out more theories than I could follow after, and in a way they were all partially correct. Human.4 doesn’t offer concrete answers, which could be a good thing for discussion purposes. It can also be exasperating as a perfectly good theory comes around, and a character says “Sure. Let’s go with that,” in such a way that you know something is wrong with it.

In the end enjoyment of the book boils down to this: do you need concrete answers to enjoy a novel, or is speculation more your cup of tea?

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