The Legacy Human (Singularity Series Book 1)

Enjoyed the question at the heart of this book. Would I want to loose my soul to live forever, never aging, and always being able to be connected to others? Would I give up my soul to do it? I'm not sure I want an answer to those questions. Great idea and a really good read. Nice set up for the next book in the series.

This. Book. GAH! I can't possibly recommend this book enough!

The first description that I heard of this book was that it was about a boy who wanted to become a robot. Based on that description alone, I figured it could be interesting, but I couldn't really fathom how a whole book could spiral out from that. Susan describes it as a "reverse Pinnochio story", but even that really is simplifying it too much. This story is so complex and detailed, that I simply fell into it! It is a massive story, that can't be told all at once. There were occasions throughout the book where I just stopped to take it all in, and thought to myself "Susan thought of everything." She brought real life to Eli, so that I felt like losing his humanity would be a true loss. I agonized over his choices as much as the characters did!

As much as the story is science-fiction, it fits snugly into several other genres as well. There are moments of spirituality, and moments of mystery. Fans of Dystopians will also be won over, by a story of both devastation and hope in a future world, where transcending humanity may not be all it's cut out to be. I am beyond excited for the rest of this series, and hope I don't have to wait too long for book 2!

It takes a lot for an author to win my undying devotion, my complete faith as a reader, but Susan Kaye Quinn can most definitely count herself among them. She just keeps delivering the highest quality of stories. Seriously. If you haven't read any of her books, this is a great place to start!

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Eli is an artist, creating paintings for his patron, Lenora. But their relationship is not the traditional Artist/Patron... because Lenora isn't human, and Eli is a Legacy trapped in a world where he must serve to live.

When the Singularity happened and most humans ascended to become something greater, a number of creative and religious types chose to remain human. Now, their descendents are forced to remain human, Legacies to keep the arts alive. But Legacies aren't just denied to chance to ascend; they are also denied technology and advanced medical care, forced to live on the bare minimum. When Eli's talent is brought to the attention of one of the Ascended, Lenora, she becomes his patron, buying him art supplies and encouraging him to expand his talent. With a dying mother to take care of, Eli wants more... he wants to ascend, knowing this is his only way to gain the technology to heal his mother.

THE LEGACY HUMAN is a fun new take on a dystopian world, especially knowing that the Legacies are the way they are because their own ancestors had the chance to ascend - to become greater - and turned it down. While reading this story, a question ran through my mind: Are the ascended really greater, or are the humans with their creative spark the true elite? The ascended go through their daily lives bettering themselves without really caring about these humans who they are supposed to be nurturing, leaving them without the basic resources to survive. The Olympics - held on a yearly basis - give the humans the hope to ascend, knowing that four talented youngsters will be chosen and given a chance to be "better" than their peers.

This author has always been great at giving us well-developed characters who allow us to experience the story through their adventures. Eli and his friend Cyrus allow us to see the world through their eyes, and it's great to watch Eli grow past his upbringing and expectations, viewing the world as it really is rather than what he has been told his entire life. Kamali, Basha, and Delphina give an emotional connection for Eli and Cyrus beyond themselves and Eli's mother, and help further the story by sharing a different viewpoint as Legacies. Marcus and Lorena are two of the ascended, and are the extreme opposites of each other - one kind and generous, the other tricky and arrogant. While the plot of THE LEGACY HUMAN seems to follow a well-established precedent - the disenfranchised people versus those with power and money, some sort of school or challenge to give the downtrodden hope, and a main character who breaks free of expectations - Susan Kaye Quinn manages to make the story seem fresh with the unexpected "flaws" of Eli and his challenge to move beyond them even when he knows that he is swimming through corruption.

If you enjoy alternate-future novels or dystopian storylines, I would highly recommend THE LEGACY HUMAN by Susan Kaye Quinn.

NOTE: I received a free digital ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

As the first book in an expanded series this book took a long time to get into some actual action. Since Quinn was writing for a teenage boy audience, she at least tried to add some suspense to the long introductory chapters.

Elijah Brighton is a talented artist living among ascendors - people who have given up their souls for immortality, and so much more.

While that should be enough for a great series, there are many more twists before this book comes to a close. Elijah can only tap into his amazing artistic abilities in a fugue state. A fact that he has kept hidden from most people his entire life. Now that he has a chance to compete in the olympics for the arts, he needs to find a way to tap into that fugue state in order to win the chance to ascend. He wants to win because his mother is in the final stages of cancer, and she would be allowed to ascend with him, meaning she would be cured. So of course that is his motivation. But once there he finds out the world isn't as black and white as he thought.

I had to give this book only three stars because it took way too long to develop. If I was a teen I probably would have put the book down way before the good stuff came along.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

This is without a doubt the best book I read so far this year, it kept me up late wanting to finish one more chapter and I flew through this book as it was so good and at the same time I was sad I was reading it so fast as that made it feel over so soon. I jumped into this book without having read the blurb and it was an exhilarating ride, discovering this futuristic world and being surprised by the twists and turns. I am pretty sure this is my favourite book of Susan so far and that's saying a lot as all her books are great. I am not even sure where to start or end with this review, I wish I could just say it is so good, go and read it right now! But that wouldn't explain my thoughts very well and this book deserves more as there is so much to say about it. This book is so different from any other book out there and I loved it!

The Legacy Human takes place in a futuristic future where humans are legacies, they are the remnants of the past and the world is ruled by the ascenders. It has a bit of a dystopia feel, but it's also very sci-fi with all the new technology. This book is so far in the future, that it's almost hard to imagine how different things are, but Susan did a great job describing the world without it being overwhelming. It's also a bit religious and philosophical at times, but in a good way. It's about the question what makes us human? And about a human who wants to be a machine. It's about art and creativity and change and going forward and going back. It's about asking questions and answers.

This book took me completely by surprise, it slowly eased me into this new world as I followed Eli in his quest to save his mom and trying to improve his art. Eli is a great main character, I liked him and he cares so much about his mom, it's beautiful. He also is willing to do whatever it takes to get her a cure. Then there's Cyrus, he's the best friend someone can have. Just like Eli he is willing to do what it takes to help Eli and his mom. And only towards the end it gets obvious how far we will go for that. I really liked Cyrus and the ways camaraderie and friendship between the two boys. I liked that Cyrus was always there for Eli and that they where together for most of the story instead of Eli going alone. Then there's a great cast of side characters Kamali, Basha and Dashlina where all great characters and I enjoyed getting to know them. Then there's Eli mom, Marcus and Lenora and later on we meet some new characters. Even some which turned out to have a bigger role then I thought as first. What I liked most is that all characters seem real, even though we don't know what they plan to do or why, it felt like there where reasons and motivations behind it all, which made the characters real and believable.

There is some romance, but it isn't the focus of the story. While the story is pretty fast past, sweeping you up in a can't put it down way, the romance is slow building, but it also had me swept up from the very first moment they meet. It isn't love at first sight, but there was something very magical and inspiring about their first meeting.

The world building is done great, interwoven into the story and while there are a lot of uncertainties and questions left, there was enough world building to get a grip on the world and imagine how things looked. The world is so different from the world today and I loved learning more and imagining how it all looked.

To conclude: I loved this book! Once I started reading I couldn't put it down. This book is so original and different from other books I read. I enjoyed the story and there where some interesting twists and turns. The characters are all done well and I enjoyed readign about them. The world was elaborate and I liked learning more and more about the world, even though there are still enough questions left for the next book to answer. If you love original sci-fi books with a great cast of characters, that make you think and question things, you have to give Legacy Human a try!

When the singularity happened, most humans chose to ascend, or become a Human/A.I. hybrid. Still, there were some who did not choose ascension. For the generations following these unaltered humans, the choice was taken away. These are the Human Legacies. The Ascended treasure the Legacies, but as pets, not as equals. Legacies are granted the bare minimum, food, shelter, clothing, all via the Ascended. Some Legacies are fortunate to have talents that allow them patrons, an Ascended who will help further their talents.

Eli is a Human Legacy who's only dream has been to become one of the Ascended. He is an artist with a patron, but does his best work while in a fugue state (an altered state of consciousness). It's during one of his fugue states that he creates a masterpiece, and lands him a sponsor for the Creative Olympics. Winning the Olympics will not only give him the ability to ascend, but his dying mother as well. If only he can tap into and control the fugue, does he have any chance of winning. Once at the Olympics though, Eli finds the Ascended may not be the benevolent beings he once thought them to be. The Olympics are games less for the Legacies, and more for the amusement of the Ascended. With other competitor's being murdered, will Eli survive the Ascended's games?

I always love a book that makes you stop and think, and this dystopian/sci fi book by Susan Kaye Quinn genuinely does that. What is it exactly that makes a person human? Is it what they think? What they feel? Is it a soul? What is it that makes you...you? And if the option was there for you to ascend with artificial intelligence to become smarter, faster, with greater senses, etc. do you lose a part of yourself in the process? The author brings these questions and more to the forefront of your mind while reading.

Beyond that, it's also a completely enthralling story from beginning to end. The main character of Eli is so wonderfully written as a young man just coming into his own. As a Legacy, he's resentful, feeling shortchanged that he's unable to ascend due to choices made by his forefathers. As we walk along with him in his journey, we get to see him start asking the questions "is the grass really greener?", as he learns about both sides of the coins, and we get to watch him grow as a character. There are also quite a few supporting characters that are solidly written into this book, giving it a well rounded feel.

The plot is deeply engrossing with layer upon layer of thought provoking sequences, along with twists and turns for a nice roller coaster ride. I love that there was very little violence in it, centering the Olympics around creative arts. It's a perfect book for younger teens as well as adults.

Great books about the Singularity are hard to find, but this is absolutely one of those books.

This isn't a book about cyborgs with ridiculous weaponry, or out-of-control nanotech, or all-out genocide by post-singularity humans.This book IS an incredibly thoughtful insight into what it means to be human, and the pros and cons of ascending to post-singularity beings. What does a "Legacy Human" stand to gain by ascending, but what might he lose of his humanity?

The author chose to write about artists, an excellent choice in that it enabled her to explore creativity, one of the things we regard as uniquely human. All the characters in this book are rendered deeply, with passions, fears and failings that made me fall in love with them all. I liked that the technology, advanced as it was, was not thrown in my face on every page. It was subtle, understated and extremely believable, and I imagine well researched. But the focus remained firmly on the characters.

As the book develops (no spoilers) I came to appreciate that the author had another layer of brilliance up her sleeve: The difference between Legacy Humans and ascenders is not black or white. There are hints of gray that I eagerly await to be explored in the rest of the series.

If you like your sci-fi thoughtful and reflective of humans as a species, go and read this immediately!

“…the gift isn’t something separate from you. It’s your work that brings the gift into the world, not the other way around.” (p. 169).

Elija Brighton is a painter and a legacy human or a human descendant that was left behind when many Ascended to a higher and ‘better’ state of being. Legacies are given one chance in this future world to Ascend, by winning the ‘creative’ Olympics. Eli has a real chance to win because he is the best painter in the world – when he’s in the fugue state that is. He doesn’t know how to control the fugue state or what makes it happen. Understanding and controlling the fugue state is the only thing standing in the way of him winning, or so he thinks.

I love that this story discusses the soul in a science fiction (futuristic/technological) context and in a way that ties it directly into the importance of the plot. The concept of a soul is not made to feel overtly religious or overtly philosophical.

At times the plot did feel mildly contrived and the concept of Ascender versus Legacy was brought up again and again. Eli’s thoughts go again and again into the fact that Ascenders (especially his Ascender crush Lenora) don’t give Legacies the time of day unless it suits their purposes.

I liked how Quinn connected the fugue state to channeling Eli’s inner creativity and getting in touch with his inner self, his very soul.

As the book and the Olympic games went on, they reminded me more and more of the Hunger Games, just with less violence and more philosophical/moral questions involved around the end goal of Ascendance.

I loved Basha and wanted more of her in the book, she seemed like more of a dynamic character than Kamali, but I liked Kamali as well.

Wow! What an exhilarating ride. This is the new series from the author of the Mindjack trilogy, which I loved. To say this tops even that series is quite a leap, but true. The book is intriguing and addictive. I was not able to put it down. A world where humans are the endangered species, ascended beings are seen as gods to the remaining humans and have amazing abilities. Humans have to scratch and scrimp to stay alive. For some, like Elijah, ascendancy is a dream he wishes to achieve. His desire to be better than human is a burning desire, And is further fueled by his desire to save his ailing mother. The book follows his attempts to reach the desirable state of ascendancy, and al, the trials and obstacles he must overcome to achieve that dream. That bring said, it is a really simplistic view of the book, which is so much more than that, but at least it gives no spoilers. The story clearly shows the innately human desire to always improve, achieve and keep reaching for the stars. It is amazing what people will do to be better, faster, smarter, than others. Whilst reading this book you are so drawn into its world that you feel everything as it is happening. I lost a few fingernails, and I am not even a nail biter! The writer has created a world in which you become totally immersed and the story moves swiftly and steadily towards its end, so that shen you turn the last page, it is a shock to the system. Readers beware, this book is amazing and addictive. I cannot wait for the next one. It is soon right?

Humans who had melded their minds with nanotechnology and became human/computer hybrids or the ascended generations ago now ruled over what was left of the human race. Those humans were kept for their genetic code and were no longer allowed to ascend except for once a year at the Creative Olympics. Competition in Dance, Art, Storytelling, and Music rather than in Sports of centuries past, the winners in each category were given the opportunity to join the ascended and become human/computer hybrids with perpetual life.

The Legacy Human was a riveting story that left me wanting more. Each group of people from the Ascended, to the competitors, to the dissenters seemed to have their own secret agenda, causing dangerous events to unfold at every turn.

I found the concept of the ascended and how they were careful to keep the genetic code of the legacy humans untainted very interesting. It was painful to see how that affected the legacy humans since they did not receive the medical care that would have afforded them cures to some of the ailments that made them ill. This is in fact one of the reasons that Eli was so determined to enter the Olympics and win – ascending would allow him and his family – his mother, suffering from end-stage leukemia to leave their human bodies behind along with all human illness and live perpetually.

There were so many twists and turns in The Legacy Human and a rapid pace that the book does an excellent job of holding the reader’s attention. This book is about much more than what it seems.

I enjoyed the interaction between Eli and the other competitors in the Olympics. The characters seemed realistic. I loved Cyrus’ loyalty; helping his best friend trying to reach his goal, which if Eli did, would leave Cyrus bereft of friend and mother figure.

Eli’s discovery of the dissenters and of who was involved in it was a twist in the plot and a surprise to both Eli and the reader. How that will play out in the second book will be very interesting. I thought the plan the resistance had set up for the Olympics if their contestants had made it to the medal platform would have been fascinating to see.

I also thought that what the followers in the resistance believed was quite interesting; similar in one way, yet diverging in a very significant way from the ascended. Those of the resistance believed in eternal life – but eternal life of the soul, which the ascended may or may not have. Those of the resistance believed in a God but I think most of the ascended believed they were gods.

Eli’s growth as a character was evident in his ability to control his fugue state. Additionally he discovered something about his past that would affect his future and the future of so many others – ascended and human.

The Legacy Human is not a book to be missed if you enjoy science fiction. With action, romance and vividly creative writing that will make you believe you are there with Eli, this novel will likely be one of your favourites of the year. I have given this novel 5 stars out of 5. I would happily reread this book again. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Thank you to the publishers for providing this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

To see my complete review visit Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-legacy-human-singularity-book-1.html

The Legacy Human (#1, Singularity series) SyFy
This was an ok book. I liked the story and the charActers. The author did a nice job with building the characters and building the drama, but, for me, it seemed like we just got to where the story needed to go and finally some action and then it was over. I think I might have been satisfied if I had just a little more before the end of the ebook . The book is ~400 pages so it's not like she doesn't have content, but I could have did with less of the high tech explanations of the brain stuff (which just went, mostly, over my head, anyways) and had more completion to the story. Of course, I have to remind myself this is a series, so I need respect where the author wants to cut off the story. I think if the mom had gone for her treatment I might have been a bit more fulfilled at the end of the story. Here's the thing, if the author leaves me wanting more, and it's a series, then she's executed what she's suppose to do ,I guess, which is keep me interested and wanting more.
The story: post major event, not many humans left and those left, live in poverty, slums and survival mode. Those in charge are the Ascended-- humans that chose to ascend to a more enlightened almost android state, but some believe this process loses the human soul. In the age of the first ascension. Humans could choose but then they realised there would be no more humans left so they(ascened) stopped. Now they allow one person to ascend every several years by a contest of the arts. Elijah, a young teenage boy and his very sick, dying mother live together. He has his bff Cyrus,like brothers. Lenora, Asceneded and Elijah's Patron--artist teacher, like a sponsor. Elijah has these weird episodes where he'll paint something genius but wake up out of this state never remembering. Lenora's bf, Marcus, sees his painting one day and talks him into enrolling in the Ascension games. Lenora does not want him to do it, his mom either but he does it for her cause if he wins ,she can ascend too, she won't die. Somethings weird with Marcus tho, why is he doing this? Cyrus goes with him. Finds out in the games it's, so cut throat that contestants kill each other off. He meets a girl, of course. She's part of something, but what?--Elijah has no clue. Things get bizarre quickly and his world turns upside down.
Waiting for book #2. Book well edited. It will take an older high school level reader tho to even try and make sense of the technical brain explanations. The cover is cool and interesting; it really is a draw to read the story.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

Eli lives in a world where you are either a legacy, a remnant human, or an ascender, the superior race created from humans using technology. Eli is an aspiring artist, who wants nothing more, than to obtain a cure for his mother's illness. With his mother growing weaker, and his options growing more and more limited, he realizes his only chance to save his mother, is to win the Olympics. This is not your sports based games, though. In these games, legacies compete in the arts. These games may seem tame, but the competition can be deadly, as they are competing for the right for them and their families to ascend.

I couldn't help but immediately connect with Eli and his need to win this competition, because his primary motivation was to save his mother. However, I also connected to his ulterior motivation: to be one of the elite, to have all he could want or need, to be elevated in society. And then, the allegory kicked in and I found myself even more involved in the story.

I am a Susan Kaye Quinn fan. I love her style. She does such an amazing job of revealing her world without the info dump. It always seems to reveal itself organically. It's always a pleasure to read something she writes, because there is a great flow to her stories. She was able to put me right into the action and the mayhem and I loved it.

The ending killed me!!!!! Good job leaving me wanting more answers. Looking forward to book 2.

The Legacy Human (Singularity #1) is an ARC that I received in exchange for an honest review.

With that being said, I can honestly say that I LOVE this story and cannot wait to get started reading Singularity #2! The unique ideas found within this book and Eli's story made for a page-turner I could not put down which was full of entertainment with an exciting and thought-provoking plot filled with fleshed-out characters (and nonfleshy-fleshed out characters).

Eli wants to ascend to the ranks of the "immortals," uploading his consciousness to a walking, talking, pretty awesome "robot" for lack of a better word. Because Eli is a human, and human lives are precious, it is extremely difficult to become an immortal robot, but it does happen. Every year, 4 coveted spots in yearly Olympic events, like painting and drama, grants the winners and families the right to ascend to the ranks of the immortal class. Eli's event is painting and he needs a lot of help from his friends to progress along his path towards a potential win (and a potential cure for his mom's illness with her ascending along with Eli--something his mom is not willing to do).

In reading this first book in the series, I know the sequels will entertain with thrills, excitement, hope, cheering, jeering, laughing, crying and running readers through a huge range of human emotions in an encapsulated original world with original ideas. This is just how the author, Susan Kaye Quinn, writes.

Author Susan Kaye Quinn is a master at stories that are just as unique and individual as a fingerprint. Each world she creates is a complicated arrangement of art sculpted by Ms. Quinn to draw the reader in to a new type of world with the reader wanting to linger and enjoy the worlds, story lines, characters, creativity and witty writing across multiple genres and subject matter. If you have not yet read any of Ms. Susan Kaye Quinn's stories, you may find yourself in for quite a treat as she has something for everyone to love (IMHO).

With The Legacy Human, Susan Kaye Quinn is at the top of her speculative fiction game, mirroring the scientific discussion and activities of our world today to a future America where technology has allowed humans to Ascend to a mechanical, immortal existence, leaving behind the organic tethers of their physical selves for aesthetically superior machines. But not all Humans have Ascended, those that have not are Legacy. Eli is one of those. A prodigal painter set apart with other artisans to be given an opportunity to compete for the one prize that the Legacy Human’s most seek, Ascension. In order to attain immortality Eli must prove best in class at the annual games, impress the Ascended, and for that he and his loved ones will be granted immortality.

In this way, Eli follows the journey of the many heroes of the ancient Greek tales sent out to labor for the amusement of immortals. And we root for him, because, as any good hero, despite the great the desire to Ascend, he competes for those he loves.

That alone would make The Legacy Human a wonderful story.

The setting of the world of tomorrow is viscerally built though precise engineering and architecture that challenges me to question why we do not have the trains and craft and displays in use today, and the characters are developed to the detail that you will believe you know each of them; Eli’s trusted friend Cyrus, Kamali the Parisian dancer, and the Ascenders Marcus and Lenora, and so many more.

But it’s Quinn’s subtle use of societal and psychological reference that takes the story, Eli, and the reader farther than a mere race to the finish. As Eli meets other competitors, examines their viewpoints, and learns new realities of the world he thought he understood, the tale becomes one of his philosophical development.

We have all heard the quote “I think, therefore I am,” an off translation of the Latin phrase “cogito ergo sum,” which more exactly translated reads, “I am thinking, therefore I exist.” The Legacy Human takes this question further to let readers decide just what that existence is.

This is palpable intelligent fiction at its best, for any age reader. The premises set are neither declarative nor preachy, rather presented as an allegory in the most classic fashion.

What sets this story apart from others in the category such as Divergent and The Hunger Games is that the allegory is immediately applicable to every reader.

If a mind is immortal, what does that mean?

What does it mean to be me?

The answer, if there is one, is for the reader.

THE LEGACY HUMAN is the first installment in Susan Kaye Quinn’s young adult, Singularity Dystopian, Sci-Fi series that looks at the merging of technology with the body, mind and soul. Following the ‘Singularity’ that resulted in the most of the world’s population transforming themselves into a hybrid known as the Ascended, the few remaining humans become what is known as the Legacy-the true descendants of humankind.

The storyline follows seventeen year old Elijah Brighton who desperately wants to Ascend. An artistically gifted young man whose Ascended ‘patron’ Lenora knows there is more to Eli than a canvas and paint but Elijah’s talent comes at a price. When Lenora’s second (lover) Marcus offers to ‘sponsor’ Elijah for the Legacy Creative Olympics, Elijah jumps at the chance to become one of the Ascended in order to keep his ailing mother alive. With life ever lasting and access to all knowledge the ultimate prize, the Ascended are both revered and despised by the human population. To become one of the Ascended, technology must marry the body, mind and soul-but what becomes of the soul when your humanity is stripped away? To be Ascended means to become part of the whole; your choices are no longer your own.

THE LEGACY HUMAN parallels some of the premise and many of the scenarios found in Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games and Veronica Roth’s Divergent. Young men and women, under the age of eighteen must compete against one another to become one of the Ascended. If they win, their families and friends will benefit from the Ascended privileges but there is also the probability that they will never make it out alive. Sides are formed; allegiances sworn; a revolution is on the horizon. The Resistance is waiting for Elijah’s next move.

The world building is amazingly detailed, well organized and revealed as the storyline develops; the characters are colorful, eclectic and unique. Susan's imagination knows no boundary.

Susan Kaye Quinn looks at the philosophical and theological question: Does mankind really have a soul? To become one of the Ascended do we lose the freedom to think; to love; to believe in a higher power? If you had the choice to become one of the Ascended, would you risk your soul for everlasting life?

Susan Kaye Quinn's new Singularity Series is the real-deal sci-fi disguised in a YA wrapper. Billed as the “spiritual successor to the bestselling Mindjack trilogy,” and told in a first person, present tense narrative, The Legacy Human has philosophical depth that transcends the YA genre label.

The Legacy Human (Singularity #1) opens in a post-Singularity world, a world separated between “ascenders,” immortals who have made the leap from meatsuit to a human-machine hybrid bodyform, and “legacies,” those who preserve the human genetic code. In the words of Elijah Brighton, the nearly-18 year old main character:

They care for us, feed us, treasure us. We are their origins. The only problem with being part of a living genetic museum is that you’re not allowed to change.

As with most utopias, they’re not as perfect as you’d like them to be, and post-Singularity Earth is no exception. Eli’s one of the lucky legacies: he has a patron, Lenora, who allows him to continue his artistic career as a painter and support his sick mother.

Humans don’t get to ascend anymore, except in rare instances, such as winning the gold medal in the Creative Olympics, an annual event where human artists compete for the ultimate prize: the opportunity for the winner and his family to ascend.

Eli has a gift—let’s call it that—and ends up getting invited to the Games as a last-minute contestant. His mother is on death’s door and Eli winning the gold is her last shot at salvation. The problem for Eli is that his artistic gift is only available to him via an unpredictable fugue state. As he desperately tries to figure out how to control his power, he begins to realize that there’s more to it than just making great art.

The Legacy Human has it all: memorable characters with agency, great villains, impossible odds, and tremendous world-building. Quinn does a phenomenal job of building the world around Elijah without info dumping the information. I’d even go so far as to compare it favorably to DUNE, my favorite sci-fi novel of all time. But don’t expect the gritty violent realism of DUNE. While The Legacy Human manages to take on some hefty philosophical questions, while masquerading as a YA novel.

Aargh!! I DO NOT read science fiction! I never have and always said I never would. It never interested me. I always avoided that section in the library and in bookstores. I just don't read science fiction. Period!

And then I discovered Susan Kaye Quinn and her wonderful stories! I started reading her books way back when and I have yet to find one of them that I have not absolutely loved. I read her young adult science fiction Mindjack series, her adult future-noir Debt Collector series, her steam-punk romance Dharian series, and now this story, book #1 in her new young adult science fiction Singularity series. These are all genres that I had never tried before and did you notice all the science fiction on this list? I never thought that science fiction could consist of such great stories. Susan has opened my eyes to wonderful worlds filled with unique characters and unimaginable, but amazing storylines.

The Legacy Human is a wonderful, but yet a little disturbing, beginning to what is planned to be a 7 book series. We are thrown into a world where humans ascend to a higher intelligence and assume a better life. Everything will be perfect for Eli, if and when he can ascend and leave his human life behind. But he finds that things are not what they seem to be in that other, perfect world and he has a hard time figuring out who the good guys are and who are the bad ones. Just like in the real world. Who knew a perfect world would be like that?

I loved this story as it shows us that striving to be perfect and trying to leave all that we know and love behind as we strive for that perfection won't always make us happy. Be careful what you wish for!

I am continually in awe of the stories that SKQ creates. She has such an amazingly creative mind to be able to produce these edge-of-your-seat types of books. I have a hard time putting them down and anxiously wait for her next creation. I look forward to reading more stories in this Singularity series. And I can now say that I will embrace the science fiction genre, especially if the stories are as entertaining as this one was.

Susan Kaye Quinn is a master at writing books that make you think. I have read a few of her books and have yet to be disappointed. She is able to capture my imagination and pull me into her story.

Eli is an artist who works with acrylics. He is talented, but only does his best work when he is in a trance, or fugue. He goes into a fugue in front of his patron and another. This propels him into competing in an art Olympics. If he wins, he will ascend. He will have the opportunity to become an immortal being and save his mother from her illness and imminent death.

This book is set in a futuristic setting. Men have learned to use technology to take their minds and transplant them into bodies. If the body fails they can move to another body. It's a very interesting concept. It questions the basic knowledge of humanity and what it means to be human. Mere mortals are treated basically like pets. They are given the most basic care to survive, nothing to help them thrive.

The games teach him more than how to tap into his art. They teach him about humanity and the one's who have ascended. There are many different agendas, and Eli has to choose which one he wants to support.

The book is written to a YA reader, but does have innuendo. I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a very well thought out story! I enjoyed reading it immensely... Just like the synopsis said it is Hunger Games but also meets I-robot. My take was that Mrs. Quinn did an amazing job. This story kept me intrigued and wanting to know what's going on because obviously there was so much going on that Eli had no clue.

All Elijah aka Eli wants to is ascend. Which means dying to your human and becoming more and computer like. In his eye's once you ascend you become perfection in every way but the only way to ascend is to compete in the Olympics to win a spot. He is going as a painter to win a spot for him and his dying mother, so she can live.

Only he learns that no can be trusted, people are dying and he can only depend on himself. There are a lot of twist and turns in this book but it is ride I enjoyed to be on.

I give this 5 stars because it was very well written and very entertaining. I can't wait to find out what happens next. This story I believe is very suitable for younger kids around the tweeney age

Another winner for Ms. Quinn! Young Adult (YA) readers are her targeted audience. However, as a mature reader (age 56) I truly enjoy reading her books.

The main character, Elijah, in this book has depth, and is engaging. I found myself walking in his human shoes right from the beginning of the book. He is a 17 year-old with complex needs, desires and responsibilities. He is in love with his patron, a Legacy. The storyline and character introduction is smooth, propelling the reader deeper into Eli's world. I wanted to know more, feel more and believe what the characters believe. A thoroughly exciting science fiction story that could also be considered a romance, and a drama.

Review written by:

Cathy Milne, a retired CNA with a Degree in English. I am a freelance writer and blogger. Generally, my preference for reading has been historical romance, psychological thrillers and non-fiction. Science fiction had previously not been a genre I enjoyed. However, after reading Susan Kay Quinn's series The Debt Collector. I wanted to read more of her books. I was not disappointed and I can't wait for the next installment of the Legacy Series.

I am thoroughly impressed with The Legacy Human, and I can honestly say that it is one of the best books I have ever read! I am a huge fan of YA Sci-Fi, and the Mindjack series got me turned on to SKQ. I was extremely excited when I heard she was writing another YA series, and when I discovered that she was offering ARC ebooks of the new book, I promptly went and did what was necessary to obtain one. I am really glad I did!

I started reading The Legacy Human the moment it downloaded to my Kindle, but it took quite a while to get through the first half of the book due to time constraints at work. I also bristled at the first mentions of religion because I have very strong opinions about it, though after getting into the story more I understood why it was handled in the way it was. Then last night, when I finally had time to read again, I read the whole second half in one sitting. I simply could not put it down! There were several awesome/shocking moments when I literally had to refrain from shrieking because someone was sleeping in the room next to mine. The plot is magnificent, but even aside from that, the writing is very engaging and elegant.

I am a writer and editor, so I tend to read with a critical eye. One thing that stood out to me was how Susan managed to give a lot of information about her post-Singularity world unobtrusively. She didn’t interrupt the plot to give large info-dumps, yet she still managed to include a lot of details. I really admire that because I often struggle with the “show, don’t tell” technique in my own writing. Also, I often get engaged in a fast-paced, exciting plot, but this book did more than that. Susan was able to immerse me into Eli’s character, and it almost felt like I was with him.

I highly recommend The Legacy Human to anyone who loves a good, engaging book, even if they are not YA Sci-Fi fans.

The Legacy Human Book Review

The fictional book The Legacy Human is the first in the series Singularity Series Volume 1. Susan Kaye Quinn is the author and of course I just have to say that I love her works! This one is no different than the others that I have read by her. She captivates her readers and keeps their eyes peeled on the book. I really like the idea of humans becoming advanced instead of humans creating an advanced electrical unit. This really blew my top off when I discovered that this was what the book would be involving. Now, you can never go wrong with a human right?

Not only does she help her readers see a new way of existing, but she makes sure that you are ready for the next one in the series. I just can not wait for the next book to come out. I know I am going to love it! The Legacy Human is more than just a simple book, it is one that you can read aloud to your students or one that you snuggle up at night with and you are able to enjoy it anyplace. I recommend this book with a rating of FIVE STARS!

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine and I was not compensated for them.

I liked this book. It was (mostly) logical, the characters were likable. The descriptions of the characters’ environments were believable. The story moved smoothly. I just had one issue. I am a full time artist. Eli was an acrylic painter. Acrylics dry fast, even with an extender used. The author would have us believe that Eli could leave his painting for many, many hours and come back to a painting that was still wet. No extender was ever mentioned. For that reason I could not give this book 5 stars.

Intriguing, different, exciting, thought provoking, special. That and so many more words spring to mind. This is more than a world changing and dealing with disaster. This is a world being torn apart for asking the age old question of whether man has a soul. The question is brought down to the level of one boy and his quest to save his mother's life. I don't think that I have encountered a book that faces this social and religious question head-on while remaining pure entertainment. For entertainment is what the book is from cover to cover. I recommend this book for everyone teens and above.

Susan Kaye Quinn is a master story teller. All her books are so engrossing and easy to read. The details she sprinkles throughout the pages make reading her work a pleasure. Her latest work, The Human Legacy is an amazing read. Eli is a human, one of the surviving of the human legacy, an artist striving to "ascend" beyond humanity to immortaility. He strive to attain something that he believes will lead to a better and more fulfilling life. There is so much to this book, the layers beneath the storyline are interwoven with genius. The characters and plot have a depth that few authors attain quite as well. This book is Hunger Games (without the violence or controversy) meets Divergent. It is all the things I loved about those books and more. I don't want to give away the plot line, story arcs or spoilers, but suffice it to say that I read this book through front to back in two sittings. The only thing that kept me from reading it through in one sittings was sleep overtook me so I had to start again the next morning. I want to read more, more, more from Susan Kaye Quinn. I want to see this book become a movie! I can envision it well in my mind, and think it would lend itself well to the big screen. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

Susan Kaye Quinn's Singularity has everything a sci-fi fan could want: a plausible science fiction scenario, compelling characters, an exciting plotline, a unique approach, and a level of complexity that makes the reader think. Add in a dystopian element--is the post-singularity world better or worse?--and this is a must read novel.

I've been looking forward to this series since Ms. Quinn first started discussing it publicly. As a long-time fan, I knew she would approach the concept of "singularity" in a clever, well-planned, and unique way. Her choice to show us this world through the eyes of a legacy human who longs for singularity turns the typical Pinocchio scenario (non-human wishing for humanity) on its head is brilliant. I can't wait to see how this story plays out!

**I received an ARC for an honest review**

I have really enjoyed reading this ARC. The length of this book does not disappoint – I think I have recently been conditioned to expect a book in a series to be shorter in length with only one major plot resolution (if at all). I kept finding myself while reading this book checking my progress, desperately hoping I wasn’t nearing the end, only to find I was 16%, 49%, 75% etc. Many times throughout I felt the story had already given me so much that it could’ve ended several times to pick back up in the second installment.

I know I am echoing other reviewers in making these comparisons, but – if you read The Hunger Games or The Host and mildly liked either, read this. If you really enjoyed either, READ THIS. This book/series definitely deserves to be a movie. This story alone should make Susan Kaye Quinn a household name. Buy it, read it, enjoy!

OKAY, SO WHEN DOES THE SECOND BOOK COMES OUT? BECAUSE I. NEED. IT.

I know. I know. The book isn't even released yet.

But you see, we can't stop here. Don't leave me like this.

Why did it have to be this short?

First, the plot. It was new and all the usual things at the same time. But somehow, it's unique.

Second, the characters. Eli is as real as it gets. Cyrus, well, I kinda like him. <s>NO I'M NOT FALLING!!!</s> And then there's Lenora, whom I didn't know what to make out of at first. There's Marcus, that played what he is greatly. And actually I won't list all the characters. But what you need to know is that we've got an interesting bunch. - WHICH IS WHY I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SECOND BOOK.

Next, the writing. The writing is really great when it comes to details and Eli's feelings.

The book had just enough of everything. And I absolutely adore Cy and Eli's friendship. And their love for Eli's mother. Truth be told, the ending kinda tamped and calmed the story down before shutting down the first book. Which didn't exactly help.

The story started with no promise of much and somewhat slow. The story proceeded in a really good flow and the next thing you'll know, you can't stop. You'll try but you won't be able to. I am telling you now.

The setting is more on the mainstream side, and really, the whole religion thing is not my thing - which is where Eli and I agree on. But I can see it.

Overall, the book says a lot of what may happen somewhen in the future. No one can say, which makes this book important. Plus, it makes us realize a few things:
1. Be careful who you fall in love with.
2. And true friends won't leave you, treat them with love, and never let them go.
3. You never know when robots and humanoids will take over the world.

“The Legacy Human” was the first book from SKQ that I read, and I was very intrigued what the book would be about. There are many authors out there, but not many were rocket scientists before taking to writing! That alone made me want to find out what kind of story she created. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. There are many things I liked about this book, but I guess what really gripped me is the underlying question: what is the soul? What makes a human, human? And I think she created a great world where she can tackle that issue.
Humans ascended to a point of immortality thanks to all the technological gadgets already built into their bodies (or bodyform, to be precise). But what if along this ascend they forgot – the soul?
There is no clear, spelled-out answer in this book, but it’s a question that stays with you to think about and ponder.
The main character, Elijah, creates amazing art-work (I wished I could see his paintings; I would be so curious to see what they really look like!) through his fugue, a state where he is not aware of his actions, but where his paintings become astounding.
This book doesn’t elaborate what the fugue actually is. I do have some ideas though, so I am curious to continue with book number two and find out.
Something that I also liked is that there were many things I did not see coming, (and I often accurately guess the plot in advance), but here some things surprised me, and that’s pretty cool.
Lastly, I very much like the Art type of Olympics. The basic plot is somewhat similar to The Hunger Games, where one particular character needs to compete against other participants, but – what they do is not archery or sword fighting, it’s art: painting, dancing and writing.
Beautiful!
And that so neatly ties to the main question: What is the soul? What makes a human – human?
I am looking forward to reading the sequel to find out what‘s humanity (and Ascendends) are up to :)

I really enjoyed this book. It made me wonder about the future. I always knew that at some point there would be somewhat sentient robots but this particular story makes me wonder if perhaps humans ascending into a form of robots might just be possible lol. That's just how well it's written. I've enjoyed quite a few of Susan Kate Quinn's books and this one is no different. Nicely done.

Honestly I was expecting not to like this so much, but I'm glad I read it! This is a great twist on an anti-hero character whose only motivation is to save his mothers life. It is apparent that Eli is very ignorant of many things, and when things suddenly spiral downhill, life seems to jump out of his control leaving more questions than answers. And I am looking forward to finding out where it leads!

Very good with original idea -- the Singularity has happened ... and that result is afraid of being eclipsed ... and this kid (who is special but no spoilers) is caught in the middle. More original than most and less action ... if you want lots of action, wrong book. Want lots of things to think about, great book.

Excellent book! I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Hunger Games or Divergent. I received this yesterday from the author and spent the morning finishing the book instead of doing things I should be doing. If I were a movie producer, I would option this in a heartbeat. Couldn't put it down.

What I really like about Susan's writing, is that the words seem to have been placed with surgical precision. I enjoyed reading about the legacy humans and their race to ascension, particularly relishing the dash of spiritual sprinkled among the scifi words. Ascension is something which fascinates me as a concept, and it was very interesting to read the author's interpretation of this. Also enjoyed that the characters were diverse -- and came from different parts of the world. Would love to read more about the Eli- Kamali relationship. Look forward to more in the series.

Susan Kaye Quinn has done it again! She has created a beautiful yet terrifying world that I can't imagine living in. Nor would I want to! However, I won't be surprised if one of her visions come true. She has a way of describing things so vividly that I feel that they already have until I turn the last page. And sigh in relief! I hope she never stops writing!