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    Dark Eden: A Novel
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    Dark Eden: A Novel
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    Dark Eden: A Novel
    Audiobook15 hours

    Dark Eden: A Novel

    Written by Chris Beckett

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    On the alien, sunless planet they call Eden, the 532 members of the Family shelter beneath the light and warmth of the Forest's lantern trees. Beyond the Forest lie the mountains of the Snowy Dark and a cold so bitter and a night so profound that no man has ever crossed it.

    The Oldest among the Family recount legends of a world where light came from the sky, where men and women made boats that could cross the stars. These ships brought us here, the Oldest say-and the Family must only wait for the travelers to return.

    But young John Redlantern will break the laws of Eden, shatter the Family and change history. He will abandon the old ways, venture into the Dark…and discover the truth about their world.

    Already remarkably acclaimed in the UK, Dark Eden is science fiction as literature; part parable, part powerful coming-of-age story, set in a truly original alien world of dark, sinister beauty--rendered in prose that is at once strikingly simple and stunningly inventive.

    Reader List:
    "John Redlantern" Read by Matthew Frow
    "Tina Spiketree" Read by Jayne Entwistle
    "Sue Redlantern" Read by Ione Butler
    "Gerry Redlantern" Read by Robert Hook
    "Gela Brooklyn" Read by Heather Wilds
    "Mitch London" Read by Nicholas Guy Smith
    "Carolyn Brooklyn" Read by Hannah Curtis
    "Jeff Redlantern" Read by Bruce Mann
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateApr 1, 2014
    ISBN9780804190572
    Unavailable
    Dark Eden: A Novel
    Author

    Chris Beckett

    Chris Beckett is a former social worker and now university lecturer who lives in Cambridge. In 2009 he won the Edge Hill Short Story competition for his collection of stories, The Turing Test.

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    Reviews for Dark Eden

    3.5/5

    259 ratings45 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This was the first book I ever read for Book Club. I found it to be pretty enjoyable. The whole concept of humans left living on a dark world because their ancestors were astronauts is a new one. For me, at least. I thought the language and how it changed over the years was fascinating. I also thought the way he handled the genetic problems caused by in-breeding was believable. I didn't really like the main character or agree with his reasoning for doing things, but I did appreciate seeing someone else's point of view. I did agree with his idea that the society needed to progress and branch out, but I feel that he could have gone about it in a different way. However, part of the joy of reading is seeing what someone who *isn't* you would do in a situation.I would recommend this book to others. Not sure if I plan to read the sequel.
    • 3/5
      Good writing with very inventive world building.
    • 3/5
      I wanted to love this book because of its pedigree and because I haven't read any real great sci-fi recently. But I must confess I could not like it. I appreciated the linguistic choices - the double-plus good repetition of words to intensify their meaning, for instance, was fascinating but leaving out articles like "the" made me feel like the book hadn't been copy edited properly. I blame myself for not being able to absorb everything I needed to.However, I did love the descriptive passages of this very foreign world. The forest in which the characters lived was vividly described and their hardscrabble lives well-documented. I just wish I could have allowed myself to fall into the rabbit hole a little more deeply.I received this copy of the book from the publisher through LibraryThing's early readers program.
    • 4/5
      Dark Eden is a coming of age story about both a young man and a society. The story is narrated in alternating chapters by members of this society, but primarily by John Redlantern, the book's 15 year old protagonist. Eden is a planet that was settled over 150 years ago by 5 reluctant visitors from Earth who were stranded on Eden. Three of the visitors left to return to Earth. The other 2, including the sole woman, stayed behind and they, and their descendants, have waited ever since for rescuers to arrive from Earth. In breeding has led to frequent deformities in the population.A creation mythology has developed around these original inhabitants. The matriarchal society lives a primitive existence, basically hunting and gathering, in a limited inhabitable territory, surrounded by cold, dark mountains that have not been explored. The population is now fewer than 600 people and no one other than John displays the slightest creativity or curiosity about the planet. Eventually, John opens Pandora's box by committing a well-meaning but self centered and treasonous act that violates the community's mythology.The world building in this book is terrific. The only light source on the planet is the light generated by the wondrous animals and plants. The descriptions of these life forms and of the people and life on Eden were fascinating. However, I did get tired of reading about the mythology and I found myself getting a little bored with the story about halfway through, and I started to ask questions that I would not have asked if I had been more caught up in the story. These people were not Neanderthals, they were descended from modern humans of normal intelligence, so why was their existence so primitive? The founders told their offspring about electricity and skyscrapers, so why hadn't they also taught them useful things like how to make clothes or the wheel, or how to farm or domesticate animals?Ultimately, I would recommend this book for its original world building, if not for its logic.I received a free digital proof of this book from the publisher.
    • 3/5
      It wasn't terrible, but the pacing made the book almost impossible to get into. I read it in fits and starts without much excitement. Some careful editing would have brought out the strong elements, including world-building, while keeping the book moving.
    • 5/5
      I rate this novel "5 stars" mostly because it wasn't like any sci-fi I had read lately. Oh sure, it was a novel about the descendants of 2 people from Earth who became stranded on a planet where the chance of survival was extremely small. Some people might be put off by the offshoot of the English language which has developed amongst the survivors. I normally would have been but I found that it did not get in the way of the storytelling. Our hero is JohnRedlantern, a 15 year old boy who rebels and leaves the group with a small band of followers to explore the sunless planet they have been forced to live on. I loved the whole history of how they have created and live by the folklore that has evolved about their progenitors.
    • 4/5
      This was the first book I ever read for Book Club. I found it to be pretty enjoyable. The whole concept of humans left living on a dark world because their ancestors were astronauts is a new one. For me, at least. I thought the language and how it changed over the years was fascinating. I also thought the way he handled the genetic problems caused by in-breeding was believable. I didn't really like the main character or agree with his reasoning for doing things, but I did appreciate seeing someone else's point of view. I did agree with his idea that the society needed to progress and branch out, but I feel that he could have gone about it in a different way. However, part of the joy of reading is seeing what someone who *isn't* you would do in a situation.I would recommend this book to others. Not sure if I plan to read the sequel.
    • 4/5
      Eden is a planet that had been discovered by humans 6 generations ago. It is a harsh planet, full of alien flora and fauna; some of which is deadly, and others that are barely edible. There is almost no metal on the planet, they have reverted to a stone age existence using black glass (obsidian) spears to hunt. From the two explorers that were left, all the people living there today are descended from them. They have inbred, and are suffering from deformities such a cleft palette, craw feet and reduced intelligence.

      They inhabit a small valley, and live in hope that the people that left to return to earth and bring help, will return soon. They are in families spread around the valley, but are all closely interacting, including sexually, thereby increasing the problems in the small population. They have a few artifacts that are brought out on the Any Varsiry (anniversary) and passed around for the people to see and touch. The society clings onto the past, maintain rituals and location for the return of the original team members.

      Into this comes John. He is a newhair, an adolescent youth aged around 15 years old. He is celebrated when he kills a leopard. But when he starts to see the rituals and ceremonies as flawed and not moving forward and making the most of the planet they are on and questions the reasoning behind what they are doing, he is banished from the family. He knows that there is a way over the Snowy Dark, the name they call the mountains. He is joined but other of a similar age and who also see the need for change. The original family starts to split into fractions as John’s rebellion takes hold.

      Beckett has created two things here, a planet that is harsh, alien and unforgiving and a closed and flawed society that has become inward looking and insular. He has developed deviations from the language that are still understandable, and fairly cleverly thought out.

      John is the catalyst for change in this society, for good and for bad, and as he moves out of the valley he makes discoveries that change his understanding of the world that they now occupy. The older power structure has crumbled, and there is now a new force that see John as the point for their hate.

      I have never read anything by this author before, so was not sure what to expect. It was refreshingly original, cohesive and have a solid plot. I wonder if there is to be a sequel. Will read if there is.
    • 4/5
      I read this in about two days, so I guess I must have enjoyed it! The main character is quite annoying, but fortunately some of the other characters agreed with me and complained about it too, which was nice. The discovery made by the characters near the end of the book was fantastic and sad.

      Trigger warnings: rape threats, a ton of sex between minors and a ton of incest. It wasn't too graphic for me and made sense with the setting, but YMMV!
    • 3/5
      Dark Eden was first published in 2012 which soon earned its author Chris Beckett a British Science Fiction Association Award nomination for Best Novel that same year. It then went on to win Beckett the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Novel. In 2013 Broadway Books, an imprint of Crown Publishing, acquired the US rights. It was published here earlier this year. I received a review copy for this US publication in exchange for a fair review.This novel is a science fiction and dystopian story. The story takes place on a planet, or more likely planetoid, called Eden. Several generations ago a few people from Earth took off into the unknown and landed on Eden. While some attempted to return home, two of them stayed, waiting for the possibility of Earth to return to get them. In the meantime, the two who stayed began their own family and started populating their new home. Jump to present day in the book, there are over 500 people living on Eden, all in the one area where their ancestors first landed. These humans are living on a truly alien planet. Their light and heat come from trees with hot sap pumping through them. The animals somewhat resemble the creatures of earth, yet are wholly different.The people make the best of what they can in their little piece of this alien planet. The whole community of every human living there is called Family, while subgroups have sprung up. These groups have their own areas within Family. The society is governed by both the group leaders as well as a council presiding over all groups. They have lived this way since the first two, Tommy and Angela, taught them.One teen, John Redlantern, sees things a bit differently. This main character does not understand why things have not changed. He feels that the traditions are stifling them and not allowing them to grow and reach the level of those who came from Earth. John and small group of friends wish to expand Family. Traditionalists are not happy with this idea and controversy spreads. The story switches tracks from idealism to adventure on this still mostly unknown world.There is a whole cast of unique individuals. Beckett give you a good taste of all of them, though not in major depth. I can say that while I understood most of the characters, I cannot say that I really liked any of them. Not that I did not like how the author wrote them, I did not like their personalities. I suppose that says they were developed enough to have unlikable characteristics. I started out liking John and the way he saw the world. I later found that I very much disliked him. I began to see past his altruism and saw something else. I also really liked Tina Spiketree at first, but I stopped being able to. Other characters were meant to be hated, and you do in fact hate them as you read. While the characters were developed, I just personally have trouble getting fully immersed in a story where there is nobody to really relate to.Another interesting thing was the language. They spoke English, since Tommy ad Angela did. They however spoke about it in a manner similar to when you are teaching a three year old and they say things how they hear them. The names and words come out in hybrid English/baby talk. That is how a lot of the words in the story were. It makes sense. It is as if you are teaching a child to say things, however you do not correct them, so their mispronunciations are passed down for generations. It worked in the story so it did not bother me most of the time.The story was fairly interesting. The concept of stranded earthlings making their home on a distant and strange alien world is a great science fiction concept. It felt like a Lord of the Flies meets Lost in Space. OK, two classics there so it is not really a negative statement, but I felt that it could have been taken so much farther. I realize that this is only the first book in a series, with the next one slated for release in 2015, I believe. The first story did not jump out at me and make me want to continue though. I tend to have bad luck with award winning novels. Maybe I expect too much going in, or maybe I just have a completely different taste that award committees, but I tend to not love these lauded novels as much as I want to.The book was not bad, 3/5 in my eyes. I did not love it, but I did not hate it. It seemed right in my wheelhouse, but just did not live up to expectations. Again, Dark Eden was an OK book, but I felt it was too lackluster considering all of the praise. I wanted to love it, instead I just did not mind it.
    • 4/5
      I received this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway program.

      I really enjoyed this book, especially the world-building of Eden and its flora and fauna, and how inbreeding caused several distinct types of mutations. There were elements of "Lord of the Flies", as others have already mentioned, but the focus of the story was not on the descent of the two original astronauts's descendants into complete anarchy and utter madness. Instead, the focus is on two groups. First, the "newhairs" with their uncapped hope and desire for the future and new things, and second, the older generations, too scared to let go of traditions and too scared to step out and challenge the unknown.

      This was an interesting study in how man holds tightly onto things and ideas, even to his detriment and demise. The "Family" of about 500 people couldn't get past this, and one young man sees the pending disaster and decides to do something about it.

      Highly recommended!
    • 3/5
      I'm not quite sure where to start with this one- which is fitting, because that it hows I felt in the beginning of the novel... I wasn't sure what I thought of the novel. It did draw me in quickly, but as I kept on reading, I couldn't pin my feelings down. Dark Eden is strange, but I like strange and I think Beckett did strange well in this novel.
      Set in another world called Eden, we meet a cast of characters who all quickly demonstrate their purpose- not only within the book, but their purpose for being written. Each character pulls at a part of the human psyche or at a part of our social consciousness. They all serve a purpose- and while Beckett made some a bit more obvious than others, it was still quite clear that each character was a part of the collective whole of a human consciousness. Does that make sense? It does in my head, but- like the book- it may take a bit to wrap your head around when seeing it put to paper.
      Dark Eden is a beautifully built world- I have to say that I was astounded at how well Beckett crafted an alien world. Creating the images that he described was thought provoking and used my full imagination. I really had to think about a few of the creatures and a few of the landscaping components while reading. As you read on, you start to connect that all the pieces of Eden are evolved from pieces of Earth and you can start to spot the likeness between certain things. Here is where I normally would connect a piece or two... but I don't even want to match up any small connections, because I want you to read it and do it- it really is quite fun to see your own light bulb go off and make those evolutionary connections between ours world and Eden.
      Aside from character and setting development, the themes that come out in this novel are plentiful. We see gender roles, disabilities, social norms, free thinking, sexuality, and faith (among others) all brought to the surface while still meshing into the novel. I could see some heavy debates coming if a book group took on this novel. Some are challenged while others are just there. All the issues that come to a head would be fabulous to discuss- especially when put firmly into the setting of Eden and then contrasted against the realities of Earth. Again, I would throw some examples out there, but I seriously enjoyed the thought that went into reading this, so I'm saving that for you readers to enjoy on your own.
      Overall, this novel was intriguing. It held my attention and it was well thought out. You can tell that every move and every twist was well planned by Beckett- like chess- an analogy he often uses in the book itself. There were some parts that tripped me up, which held me back from giving this 4 stars. The language was a bit much to get used to- the repetition of words and the puzzling names for things- and while I understand it is part of the setting being in Eden, I still think it went a bit overboard at times. It was a bit of a stretch and felt forced. In an interview (you can find the Amazon author review here) Beckett defends his use of double adjectives and changes in language. I agree with him- to a point. As a reader, it just seemed to go a bit beyond what I felt was necessary to highlight the changes. Another thing that I struggled with was the science- I know this is science fiction but some of it seemed a bit far-fetched and didn't have any basis or background. I crave that when reading sci-fi, even if it is just a smidgen of real science.. and if there isn't any hard science added, I at least want some fake science tossed in to make it seem a bit more plausible. I'd say I was annoyed with the ending, but a sequel will be released, so I am retracting my ending-hate on the basis of a sequel which will tie those loose ends together!
      Those things aside, I did enjoy the novel. I think science fiction fans will like this one, but it would be a stretch for those who aren't into that genre- it feels like it would be a bit too far out of the comfort zone for some.
    • 4/5
      John Redlantern lives on the planet of Eden with over 500 other members of Family. They are sheltered in the Forest under the light of the lantern trees, but beyond the safety of their home lies a planet cloaked in darkness - no sun to light the sky each day - and unknown territory that no one from Family has dared to brave. The Elders tell a story of how a spaceship landed on Eden over 100 years ago, leaving a couple stranded - but someday Earth will return to take it's lost children home. But 15-year-old John begins to question the lore of Family and starts to explore the darkness beyond Forest - what he discovers will change the lives of every member of Family.What I liked:The cover! I will admit, this beautiful cover was shining in the lights of the bookstore and I just had to check it out. Being a sci-fi fan, the blurb intrigued me and I decided to take this baby home. I"m glad I did! This was a solid story, not only about teenagers (and some adults) breaking the "traditions" set before them and learning new things about themselves and their planet, but it was also a tale of group dynamics and how some people will go to great lengths to prevent change. I felt John was an excellent protagonist - he was brave and had a constant desire to learn new things and change the old ways of the group, but he also had his flaws. He was cocky (as 15-year-olds can be) and felt that his opinion was the only correct one and also had a hard time relying on others. While many times I felt that he was doing good things for the group, there were other times when I wanted to smack him, and I enjoyed that he wasn't some "golden hero" type character.I think the plot moved along at a good pace and the chapters did switch from John's perspective to other character's around him. This gave me a chance to really see how his decisions were affecting others, even those who were supporting him. It was nice to get a break from John's point of view and I think it helped develop his character, as well as those around him. Watching how his decisions changed the life of everyone in Family was very interesting and really had me thinking about human nature. I also enjoyed the language Beckett created - the people of Eden used several Earth terms, but for items or ideas they haven't really experienced, so they phrase them a bit differently. Eg: Any Virsry, lecky-trickity and the story of Hitler and Jesus where "Hitler yells at Jesus he's going to kill all his group, the Juice."~If you're a sci-fi fan, check this book out. I'm not 100% sure I would classify it as a young adult read, though most of the characters this book focuses on are teenagers.
    • 5/5
      So this has been one of my favorite books of the year so far. It completely refreshed scifi as a genre for me. The story is gripping, i spent so many days being tired because i didn't put the book down when i should have and that's always a good sign! The settings are beautiful and totally original and everything in the world is creative and imaginative. I really don't have a bad word to say about this book at all. The ending kind of leaves it open for another book but i don't know if that would really benefit the story though saying that i would absolutely love to go back to Eden for another installment! If your a scifi fan id definalty have a look at this book!
    • 4/5
      Everyone has experienced darkness. There is physical darkness: The countryside at night. The inside of a cave. The bottom of the steps descending into an unlit basement. And there is spiritual darkness: Boredom. Frustration. Hopelessness. But of these, none are as complete as the darkness shrouding the sunless world that is the setting of Chris Beckett's book Dark Eden (2012, PS Publishing, UK; 2014, Broadway Books, US).Despite its sunless skies, the titular Eden is not completely inhospitable: Its ecology includes giant trees that pump hot sap from underground, emanating heat, and bulbous fruit that give off light. The light and heat provided by the trees, and the strange animal life that feeds on them, are sufficient to host Eden's first, accidental, settlers, Tommy and Angela. Dark Eden opens 150 years later, with Family, Tommy and Angela's 500 descendants.John Redlantern, Dark Eden's protagonist, is one of Tommy and Angela's great-great-grandchildren. Beckett introduces John to readers with a hunting trip, as members of his clan venture further from Family (both a group and a place) in search of meat: The swelling population is putting pressure on local food supplies. John and his cousin Gerry split from the group, and John singlehandedly kills a panther, an unheard of feat for a teenager. Clearly, John is destined for great things.John abandons the goodwill he earned with his hunting prowess by speaking out of turn at "Any Versiry," an annual ritual during which Family takes a census and recounts its mythic origins. Family's leadership is discussing the food shortage when John pipes up: Why not further explore Eden by venturing outside of Family? John's message is heresy: Not only would it break up Family, but, by removing people from the village, it runs the risk of leaving people behind when Earth sends a long-anticipated rescue party. Still, John finds support with his girlfriend (of sorts), Tina, and his cousins, Gerry and Jeff. They defy Family's wishes and depart to explore Eden. It's the consequences of this act that drive Dark Eden's plot.Dark Eden is about the narratives people construct about themselves and the myths that provide meaning to their lives. Like Adam and Eve, Tommy and Angela are the parents of everyone on Eden. Their journey to Eden is commemorated in plays. And Family finds the will to resist change by telling itself the story of the Three Companions, the travelers who accompanied Tommy and Angela and returned to Earth on a damaged spaceship. We can't leave Family; Earth is coming to rescue us.Beckett is aware of the ways in which humanity uses religion both to hold itself back and to make progress. Beckett does not seem to be saying, simplistically, that religion is inherently all good or all bad. He is more nuanced. As on Earth, so it is on Eden: There are fundamentalists and mountebanks, but there are also leaders, such as John, who use religion to drag people forward, and his cousin Jeff, whose exercise in mindfulness is at first scorned, and then embraced, by his companions: "We are here," he says, "we really are here," a mantra that takes on added consequence as the story ends.Beckett is a skilled storyteller. Dark Eden is briskly paced. The "flow" of the novel is interrupted only near the end, when the narrative abruptly moves forward several years. Still, this is a minor complaint, since readers will find themselves eager to know what happens next. The story is told from the first person, but the perspective shifts: John and Tina are the main narrators, with Gerry, Jeff, and a few other characters also playing a part. The characters are blessedly complex. Readers will quickly find that John is not quite the golden boy they at first perceive him to be, and even loyal and straightforward Gerry has his nuances. Dark Eden is a wonderful novel, a sort of Lord of the Flies set on an alien world. The setting is unique and Beckett's descriptions of it lovely. The characters are recognizable; readers will like them, and dislike them, in turns. And Beckett's commentary on religion, on tradition and innovation, is opinionated without being simplistic, in other words, "thoughtful." Readers will find themselves eager for the follow up to Dark Eden (although it stands well on its own). Recommended, especially for fans of such "sci-fi" and "young adult" fare as The Hunger Games.
    • 3/5
      "Dark Eden" has an interesting overall concept. The world was fascinating, if scientifically improbable. I find it rather hard to believe that simple concepts such as clothing and shoes would have been forgotten. Nor do I buy into the concept that while women were in charge, everything was utopian, but turned warlike as soon as men took over. This is a clique. I did like the problem solving aspect and over theme of the book. It was a good read.
    • 4/5
      I found this book quite intriguing. In "Dark Eden", Chris Beckett creates a compelling alien world where humans have, due to unforeseen circumstances, been forced to cobble out an existence. Everything is going along well, with the entire Family waiting for their eventual return to Earth, until a teenager named John has a revelation that changes everything.Beckett's linguistic stylings do take some getting use to, but they help set the scene wonderfully. I found the world to be quite well developed, the narration smooth, and the overall store interesting to follow. I'd recommend this book to someone who loves space travel sci-fi and wonders what it would be like to be a few generations into colonizing a new planet.
    • 4/5
      Honestly, at first it was hard to read. As for the writing; Many terms that were new to me, this being a book about another planet obviously. There were a few things I didn't care for such as the repetition of words. But, after I read 40+ pages I had a hard time putting it down. I think that some of the ways the author used language to describe things and for the characters to communicate with each other eventually helped take the reader to Eden. By the end of the book I was reading it as though it was the way we all talk and I could see the land and creatures. I enjoyed the way the story was told by a lot of different characters from the book. Different perspectives of the story seemed to help us get to know all of the characters even better. As for the story itself; it seems to be a story somewhat told before. Coming of age, large group torn, the hope of something more..... This book has it all though. I really enjoyed getting to know the people of Dark Eden. The land they live in is extremely interesting. It was a very imaginative spin on how history is made, love, family, hope and much more. As I mentioned, it was hard to "get into" at first, but I am really glad I persevered! I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would at first and quite honestly, I am a little speechless. It left me feeling something I am having a hard time putting the words on........ awed, sad, hopeful......
    • 4/5
      I actually like the book. I got the early copy so there were some typo but I still enjoy it. The story line and plot of the book was good bc It Kept me turning the page. Took me about a week to read but I def read it again. It's different b I usually read paranormal romance or erotic book, but this def got me hooked and I def recommend to my friends that enjoy this book. Thank u again for the early copy.
    • 4/5
      Chris Beckett has created a wonderful setting in Dark Eden. Eden is a planet with no sun, illuminated only by glowing flowers and trees, the flicker from stars above, and the glow of spots on leopards and other animals or insects. The cold planet is warmed by the lava-like sap flowing through its trees. Its inhabitants are a group of 500-odd humans descendant from a pair of space travelers from Earth, shipwrecked there 6 generations earlier. Each new generation awaits the inevitable rescue from the mysterious Earth and passes on an oral history of the ancestral pair until it creates a way of life, a religious fanaticism that keeps the people mired in their old ways and resistant to progress and change. Survival on the dark planet is primitive, and it becomes more and more difficult as the population grows and food becomes scarce. Eventually, a young man steps up to challenge the old order and breaks off with his own group of followers. Throughout the novel we see a resemblance to the same basic problems as Earth, hunger for power and the price people pay when political or religious extremists are allowed to control the lives of others. This was an interesting read.
    • 4/5
      When a group of four people have to land on an unknown planet to regroup and repair their ship, they decide to split into two groups - a man and woman who do not want to risk the flight back remain on "Eden" alone, and the two others set back off for Earth with promises to send a rescue ship as soon as possible. Generations later, the people of Eden are still waiting. Still hanging out in exactly the same crash-landing spot. Still following the matriarchal rules structured by the mother of all. But their small area is becoming too crowded. They have to forage farther and farther for food. John Redlantern is frustrated with "Family." With their stubbornness at remaining in one spot when they could clearly spread out over the vast planet and have enough food for all. He's tired of the extreme ritualistic nature of "Family." The artifacts from planet Earth are passed around to be "ooohed" and "ahhhed" at, but they are meaningless to a people who have never experienced technology. John is tempted to disrupt the circle of the past, and create a new path for the "Family." In doing so, he breaks down everything "Family" represents.Let me start with an important point: although John Redlantern and his friends are teenagers, this is not a teen book. It's "literary science fiction." The beginning of the book, which builds the world, the people, and the tension, is really long and slow. It was a bit of a slog to get to the turning point. Once that happens they story finally begins to move a little faster - but even the post-turning-point action is slow. The reason the narrative is so slow is because this is a story about Meaning with a capital M, and not about plot or action. Don't get me wrong. There's a plot. A plot with Meaning. There were several allegories to the story. The obvious one is the Biblical creation story. It's all about how innocence is lost when people begin to get bored. But boredom is in our nature. Without boredom, we never learn new things. And new experiences don't just change you, they change the world. Dark Eden also explores a destructive nature of men - as opposed to a more structured, peaceful and confining nature of women. (This seems to be what the book implies, it's not exactly what I think of the gender divide.)Dark Eden demonstrates the irony that change is needed to survive, but change is destructive to survival. It's not just a book about changing the world. It's also about how the world changes the individual. The main characters in the book, especially John Redlantern and his lover Tina Spiketree, develop into strikingly different people as they adapt to the changing world. Innocence is replaced with deviousness. Ivory towers collapse, covering all bystanders with dust and grime. This is a story of identity.In other ways, Dark Eden is a book about faith. How faith can lift you up and keep you strong during difficult times. But how it can be manipulated against you, as well. And how, as you realize everything you had faith in is mistaken, you are first paralyzed with numbness, but then are able to move on as a new person. I want to give a good review for this book with so much Meaning. I mean, it should have been good. It had Meaning. But a great book has both Meaning and an ability to fascinate even if you don't see the Meaning. Dark Eden did not. In Dark Eden, the story was lost in the darkness because you were blinded by the bright, shiny Meaning. It was too slow, the hero wasn't even likable if you considered him an anti-hero, and it was thoroughly uncaptivating. I totally understand why it won the Arthur C Clark award and why it comes so highly recommended. Beckett's world was unique - colorful and dark at the same time. The setting was unsettling and realistic within the boundaries of science fiction. The lingual drift was a nice, realistic touch. But most of all, the book was slow and Meaningful.
    • 5/5
      This is a retelling of the Garden of Eden story, with a science fiction twist. And it is an excellent read. Here, we have a story of a crash landing, leaving only one man and one woman - it is now 150 years later, and their descendants are only just breaking from the rules set up from the beginning, rules that are designed to keep people at the landing site, in case of rescue from Earth (a small valley, running out of food for the 500+ descendants).The youngest wanting room - the oldest are want to maintain old traditions. So, when a newhair (teenager) upsets the balance - gets banished from the Family, he takes a number of young kids with him, starting a revolution that includes the first murder, the first wars, and the first expansion.This is a very well written book - it has everything going for it, interesting characters, a believable shifted language, a proto-religion, and a believable culture that is descended from only two people (yes, its a very ... uncomfortable ... thought, but the author manages to make it work). It even manages to discuss women vs men leadership (in a very organic way that adds to the story).My only qualm is the ending - and I'm still not sure if it is an awesome ending because it manages to close the whole story quite nicely (tradition vs new paths) or a bad ending because there isn't a definite conclusion for the small band of explorers. I can see this book of having a sequel, set several centuries in the future which doesn't directly tie into the characters in this book. I hope so. I really want to see what the author does with humans on this strange world.
    • 4/5
      A criminal and the cop that chased him were stranded on a faraway planet; this is the story of their descendants 160 odd years later, still waiting to be rescued. They are essentially living in a stone age matriarchal society until an original thinker is born and begins to rock the boat. I found it utterly fascinating and more than a little disturbing to imagine how a society might be completely different if we had only the vaguest notions of earth history and morals.
    • 4/5
      I don't read a lot of science fiction, but I quickly became intrigued from the opening pages of Chris Beckett's award winning novel - Dark Eden. (It was the 2013 winner of The Arthur C. Clarke prize). A runaway ship from Earth crashes on an unknown planet, along with the Orbit Police chasing them. Four men and one woman. Two of the five decide to stay on the planet they've named Eden, while the other three attempt to make it to Earth and send back help. That was 163 years ago - and they're still waiting. All 532 people. They've lived and waited at the same landing spot, telling tales of the mother and father of their Family, fondling the few relics they have, acting out the past as they know it, and simply surviving. Because they believe that they will be rescued and taken to Earth - they just have to wait. "We'll make a Circle of Stones here to show where Landing Veekle stood. That ways we'll always remember the place and know to stay here. And we'll tell our children and our children's children , they must always stay here, and wait, and be patient, and one waking Earth will come.' But young John Redlantern believes there is more to this planet they call Eden, more over the snowy passes, more on the dark side, more than the small same life the Family has been living for so many years, more than waiting....... Beckett's world building is imaginative. There is no sun on this planet, but the trees themselves provide the light. Alien creatures abound, but with some similarities to ones we know. His descriptions paint a vivid picture of an alien land. The language initially annoyed me - for emphasis, the inhabitants repeat a word - 'sad sad' or 'pretty pretty'. Some phrases took a bit of deciphering as they are evolved from original Earth words or phrases, such as Lecky-Trikity. But I quickly caught on and was caught up in Beckett's imaginings of a society started from two individuals. Two that really didn't like each other. What I really wanted to see was what was beyond and over the mountain and after The Dark. What would they find? Beckett tells his story from the viewpoint of more than just John. There are three young protagonists. John is the driving force behind the changes, but he wasn't my favourite. I found myself much more drawn to gentle Jeff, a young 'clubfoot', who is quiet, thoughtful and inventive. Many other characters, old and young, have a voice and a chapter as well, giving alternative views on the life and times of The Family. Beckett has created an imaginative tale of 'what if'. I enjoyed the exploration of Eden, the society of The Family and what might be. But I almost wanted to stop reading during the last bit of the book. Dark Eden is also a sad reminder of human nature and that history does indeed repeat itself. A different read for me - one I enjoyed.
    • 3/5
      I wanted to love, love this book but in reality, it was more that I liked this book. None of the characters really popped and I grew a connection with. Well other than maybe John and Tina. Everyone else in this story was bland. I can not really remember anything interesting about them. Lucky for me it was not about the characters but about the world that John and the rest of the people lived in. I could picture the world as if I was one of them. Just waiting until the people from Earth came back for me. I liked that John questioned the norm but I wished that he had a louder voice. I thought that he moved slowly in his actions and not just because he was thinking them out fully. Warning for a younger audience as there is some description about sex between the younger men and the older women that might not be suitable for this crowd. Nothing too graphic and luckily the scene was short. However I did not like how casual the sex was and felt it was not even needed for the story. Not a lot of action, just a lot of talk and world building. The ending is alright. It is supposed to leave you waiting to read the next book in this series. Dark Eden is a nice read.
    • 4/5
      I really, really liked this book!! with a prehistoric undertone and a retelling of Adam and Eve, what more could a anthropological history major ask for?? It almost got a five star rating from me, and, in fact, I would actually give it a 4.5/4.75 stars if I could. I found the majority of the book to be a little slow paced for me, but later I got to a point where I was completely sucked in! At the end, I found myself disappointed that the book had ended because I wanted to continue on. I have to know what happens with the characters and their world which makes the second book, Mother of Eden, a most anticipated book for me!!!
    • 4/5
      Have you guys ever read a book where you feel like your brain loses all feeling and coherent thoughts, because the book left you so con-fuddled? Dark Eden, my dear friends, is one of those books.

      I started reading this book about three weeks ago. I remember getting it in the mail, and being so excited to dive right into it, because the world that was created seemed so different and thought provoking. Unfortunately, life got in the way so I really didn't get into the story until earlier this week.

      The world that Beckett created in this story makes you question some things. Is there life, like you and me, on planets in our solar system? How far will we go for something we believe in? Who will be with us every step of the way? You all know that I love to read, but I love reading even more when I get something from it. This book opened up questions that ordinary people don't really think about, unless you are a scientist or an astronaut.

      This book touched on arrogance, sadness, power going to people's heads, hope, and coming of age. Here is a group of young teens and tweens going against their Council in order to prove a point. To be honest, I don't think I would have done the same thing if I lived in their society. While I was reading I kept thinking about how a couple characters rose to a leadership position throughout the progression of the book. In each situation, the power consumed the individual. We are all taught to take the lead, and be the one who takes action first. As a result, those who follow are criticized for not being the first to do it. I wished there would have been more collaboration between the leader and the people of the group. A more of a group effort.

      The chapters went between four characters' perspectives, which I didn't mind. I was fine as long as I looked at the name before I started reading the chapter. The characters didn't have a lot of development, which kind of surprised me. I felt like from the time the journey started to the time it ended there should have been some type of change in the way the characters had strengthened.

      I recommend this to anyone who is open to thinking about questions that aren't thought about on a daily basis. The world that is real in Dark Eden could someday become our reality. It's scary, but intriguing at the same time.
    • 2/5
      There are things to admire about this work. The world Beckett creates is interesting, and from the beginning of the novel to the end, I was always hoping to learn more about it. And, the book is ambitious and imaginative on many levels--the linguistic developments Beckett illustrates are both creative and sensible (given the situation). And, yet.These two highlights of the work are two of the problems. For a book to truly create a new world, there needs to be some description--here, that was nearly entirely absent. Yes, the animals and flowers and trees and features were all given interesting titles...but did I have any idea what they were meant to look like? Rarely. I was left to imagine them for myself in nearly every instance (though I did eventually learn that one of the featured creatures has six legs). On a most basic level, we know that the world is lit by organisms' natural luminescence, and is never completely light in the way we think of day (on earth). Do I have any idea how light the world is, though, or what amount of visibility is normal where the characters generally live? Not a clue. Truthfully, most of Beckett's descriptions, few as they are, are given to temperature and the appearance of characters...but only those characters who look truly human. Those characters who evolved as what they call "batfaces" and "clawfeet"...well, I can guess, but does he describe them? Nope.Based on my gripe with description bringing up the terms "batface" and "clawfeet" as descriptors for newly evolved features in humans, you might have guessed my next complaint. While it's nice to see a book make an effort at being linguistically creative in syntax and terminology (beyond naming), most of Beckett's attempts at linguistic innovation come off as comedic. If it were just the kids who used these terms, it would be one thing, but it's not. And the other central linguistic innovation is the fact that "very" is replaced by word repetition. So, rather than saying "very boring", characters say "boring boring". Or "silly silly" or "amusing amusing" or "hard hard" or "quiet quiet". Etc. As you might guess, this gets old quickly quickly quickly (and, yes, words are occasionally written three times instead of only twice, for that extra emphasis).Unfortunately, there are other problems. The characters are mostly one-dimensional, and many of them are unlikable (including the two main characters of the work). And, though the chapters are written from different perspectives, the voices are nearly identical, to the extent that readers will have to glance back to a chapter heading to see who is actually speaking whenever character sympathies/emotions aren't involved (since those are quite distinct, if stereotypically so). Beyond the lack of character development and the stereotypes, the plot is also predictable--frighteningly so if you've given even a rudimentary study to anthropology, ancient civilizations, or sociology. Or Bible stories, for that matter. Sure, there's a question of where the book will end...but there's little to no wondering involved in figuring out how it will progress from one scene to the next.All in all, this was a disappointing read, and it's hard for me to see how/why it won the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Yes, it is ambitious...but for the most part, it is also boring and unengaging. As a side note, I'm also not so sure that I'd willingly label this science fiction, if pushed. Yes, generations ago, the men and women of Eden came to the planet on space ships...but that technology is long gone, and we're essentially given a civilization that has started over from the base of two individuals with no access to technology, old or new. So, while this happens in the future if we're to take "earth time" as the base, the world we're given could be at any time, and the only technology we see is that of developing societies. In the scope of the book, there is no space travel, science, etc., in the way we'd generally think of it appearing in a science fiction novel. Honestly, this is more what I expect from fantasy--which isn't a complaint, though it does lead me to a further questioning of how it was labeled and then awarded the Arthur C. Clarke Award.So, in the end, this obviously isn't something I'd recommend. I got it from the Librarything Early Reviewer's Program...and if I hadn't, I likely would have taken far longer to read it or left it unfinished for ages. Luckily, much as it does try to do, it is still an incredibly quick read.
    • 4/5
      "Dark Eden" is an engaging read with a fascinating premise. I was expecting a somewhat lighter story but there's a lot going on that causes it to be a slower read, which I don't mind.

      It's interesting to see the dynamics that have developed within a society living on an Avatar-ish alien (to us) planet but descended of two people from Earth. Despite having a head start on civilization due to the origin of their ancestors, in a lot of ways the people of Eden might as well be cavemen starting from the ground up, or close to it.

      The jargon is strange: I can buy the repetitions and the words that are altered, but the Eden lexicon seems very extensive despite having been passed down the way it was. The people sound very educated sometimes when they're not supposed to be. Some of it is pretty funny though ("slip" instead of "sex"...).

      I think I enjoyed the world-building in this story more than any of the characters. I especially disliked the main character John Redlantern. On one hand he is right about eeeeeverything, but on the other hand he's very arrogant and rude and thus, very annoying.

      I'm curious to see where this thought-provoking series goes. Rating: 3.5/5.
    • 4/5
      This is an interesting book in many ways, linguistically, sociology and the convincing alien world it is set on. The premise is that the main characters are the descendants of two people stranded on an alien planet. The Family (as they refer to themself) are waiting for the day when the rescue mission will come to take them all to Earth.

      The world is the familiar story book jungle with a strange alien weirdness to it. For a start the sky is dark and the trees and animals luminesce. The typical body plan is six legs and very large eyes, as one might expect on a dark planet. Metal is known but unavailable to the Family, they only have primitive technology despite folklore of the advanced tech.

      The family is getting larger and has just over 500 members living a hunter gatherer existence. There are matrilineal groups within the family, and the people are classed developmentally. The inbreeding inherent in a population derived from two individuals has a level of genetic disorder, 'batface' and 'clawfoot' to use the vernacular of the book. This is played very well into the character interactions in the story.

      The Family lack a lot of the hangups that we would have, but they have their own taboos which make sense in their environment. They also have a rich oral history and the vestiges of written records. There are also relics from the spaceship and the first people. In fact the oral history and stories from the first people resonate through the whole story and form much of the basis for the Family's society.

      The regression from technology to hunter gatherer and the inability to produce mass written material has made their language evolve a little. It's easy enough to read, all the words in use are recognisably common English words. Some of the flora and fauna of Dark Eden are compound words, e.g. Whitelantern, woollybuck. Others have descriptive names, the slinker is like a giant millipede.

      Another aspect is the names for people's ages is generally given in wombs. This is an easier and more meaningful counting system when there are no seasons, nor any other way to measure the passage of time. A day is referred to as a waking. The Family groups sleep in staggered shifts so that there are always people around.

      The story itself is told from multiple points of view to show the reader the overall picture. Most of it is shown from two main characters though. John Redlantern is the main mover in it all, breaking the taboos and stirring things up. Tina Spiketree is the other primary character and she supports and moderates John to begin with. Both of them are newhairs of about 14 years old when the story starts.

      I enjoyed the experience of Dark Eden as much as I liked the story. My only gripe with it was that the ending was a bit abrupt. I went forwards and back three times on the kindle app before realising that there was no error it was the end. While the conclusion is a good one it wrapped a little too fast.

      Overall I would recommend this if you are interested in language, sociology, world building or just like a good story. It has all of those.