Everfree

Nick Sagan

Average Rating 9/10 (1 Review)

In 2003, Nick Sagan exploded onto the scene with Idlewild, a highly original debut novel that inspired Stephen Baxter to say, "Sagan has a ferocious imagination." Edenborn returned to Sagan's hyper-imaginative world with a stylish, thrilling work that was hailed by critics and embraced by readers. With Everfree, Sagan concludes the trilogy that is destined to become a classic.

As Everfree opens, a small group of 'posthumans' has survived the apocalyptic epidemic called Black Ep, a disease that ravaged the world and left them alone on Earth. Their conflicting ideas about how a new, much less populated planet ought to be governed, however, are a source of terrible strife. The early 'posthumans' believed in The Doctrine: The post-plague world is collective. We're all in this together. Let's look out for each other, share the dirty work, give the needy what they need.

Inevitably, though, as more survivors are roused from their frozen sleep, there are those who disagree. People who remember power are waking up to a new world, and they do not intend to wait their turn...
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Review by Nigel (240306) Rating (9/10)

Review by Nigel
Rating 9/10
BookLore was very happy to receive a proof copy of Everfree from the publisher; the third novel by Nick Sagan it follows on from Idlewild and Edenborn to chronicle mankind's attempt to beat Black Ep, the virus that nearly wiped out humanity.

Everfree is set some time after the events of Edenborn. The remaining posthumans have finally found a cure for Black Ep and have set about reviving cryogenically stored survivors to try and rebuild the human race. The posthuman ideology is for a world of equality, where everyone does their share of the work and contributes to society. Alternatives are available but require hard work, something many of the resurrected are not comfortable with.

The problem stems from the fact that nearly all the revived are the wealthy, overindulged 'upper' class of society that could afford the cryogenic process during the last days of Black Ep. While the posthumans are trying to establish their ideas on the best way forward other factions exist with the goal of imposing their own preferred ideologies… of being the rulers rather than the ruled.

A sort of control is maintained by keeping secret the means of beating Black Ep and ensuring the posthumans are the only ones that can revive survivors; an ‘if you help out we will bring back your nearest and dearest' scenario. Since the governments and rich of the time also had secret armies frozen, waiting to be revived to take control of whatever world was left behind, the secret is something many of the new elite want desperately. With the knowledge of the revival technique they could rule the world. What ensues is good old human greed overruling reason and common sense.

The characters from the previous two books have matured considerably, even Halloween buying in to the new world order to a degree. He is in charge of security and most of the story is told from his perspective as all the good work unravels with plot and counter plot.

The main thing I took away from this book, as I'm sure Nick Sagan intended, is the inevitability of mankind's self destructive urges. Here we have a bare handful of survivors, which against all the odds have been given a chance at life and a fresh start to society. What do they do? Manipulate the situation, regardless of cost, to their own selfish ends... and start a war.

Mankind is a predatory species bent on self destruction. Regardless of cost we pursue our own agenda without thought for those around us. Can mankind survive itself? This is the question I think Everfree asks… the answer you may not like but deep down you already know.

Everfree is a great story that nicely rounds off an amazing trilogy; although there is the possibility, at the very end, for a further instalment... we will have to wait and see.
Nigel (24th March 2006)