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Neal Shusterman's Scythe: Death in a Utopia

Neal Shusterman's Scythe: A thought-provoking sci-fi novel exploring mortality in a world where death is controlled by trained grim reapers.

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I finished reading Scythe, book 1 of the Arc of a Scythe series, by Neal Shusterman.

What if humanity conquered death, but we had grim reapers overseeing the population?

The story is set in an AI-governed world where the "Thunderhead" ensures simplicity and fairness, eliminating politics, money, war, and violence.

People don't die. They age, but when ready, they can "reset" to their chosen age, keeping their memory and experience. If there's an accident, they reset. Everyone has nanites that prevent pain and accelerate healing.

Scythes are trained grim reapers who "glean" people, killing them in any way. Gleaned individuals can't be revived. The Thunderhead cannot interfere with the Scythe's work.

Each Scythe has their own way of gleaning; most are good and ethical. To become a Scythe, one must not want to kill. However, this can escalate, and the system is exploited.

The story is about two normal kids chosen to become Scythe apprentices. The focus is their journey through training to kill in every way imaginable. It’s about their mental and physical struggles to learn how to glean while confronting corruption.

This isn't an action-packed thriller, but a slower journey that raises interesting questions. It's book 1 in a series, and I've bought book 2, which explores the Thunderhead AI in more depth.

I found myself thinking about this world more than the story itself. I was intrigued by the possibility, because it seems very possible, considering the direction the real world is heading today.

It was a thought-provoking story. I enjoyed the book and I'm ready for more!

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