THE LAST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE BY RODMAN

THE LAST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE BY RODMAN PHILBRICK

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS • Spaz: • Suffers from epilepsy • Epilepsy: a medical condition that causes electrical abnormalities in the brain. This leads to sudden convulsions, seizures, and/or blackouts. • Lives in The Urb – a very poor area of the world within The Pipe • His latch (neighborhood) is run by The Bully Bangers • Spaz works for Billy Bizmo – the latch boss – by ripping off other people • Has a sister named Bean

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS CONTINUED • Ryter • An older gentleman • Seems to be working on a novel • In possession of many old items • Tell Spaz that his epilepsy is a gift – not a curse – and references many historical figures who also had epilepsy • Offers to help Spaz get to his sister, Bean

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CHAPTERS 1 -3 • The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future • The Urb is an impoverished world – the people who live in the latches are poor and underfed. Their homes are barely livable, the people are dirty, (e. g. Little Face) and the latches are controlled by gangs • Spaz’s latch is controlled by Billy Bizmo and The Bully Bangers. Billy sends Spaz to steal from Ryter, but Spaz has conflicted emotions about this once he gets there. • We learn that Spaz does not think about his future and does not like to reflect on his past.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CHAPTERS 4 -6 • Spaz makes contacts with a proov-girl, Lanaya • The Proovs are genetically modified people. They live in Eden - a wealthy, luxurious, and lavish place. We will learn more about Eden in upcoming chapters. • The proov-girl is handing out edibles (food) to the poor people of The Urb. • Ryter and Spaz have an interesting conversation about the past as well as Spaz’s epilepsy. Ryter tells Spaz his epilepsy is a blessing and makes him unique.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CHAPTERS 7 -9 • A latch runner (messenger) is waiting for Spaz at his cubicle (home). • The latch runner tells Spaz that his sister, Bean, is sick and needs to see him. • Spaz demands a meeting with Billy and says he must leave the latch. • Billy denies this request, but Spaz leaves anyway. • The Boxers surround Spaz and, because of his growing fear and epilepsy, he has a seizure and blacks out. • Ryter is alongside him when he awakes and the travel through The Pipe – a sewer line that connects all of the latches