The Last First Humans

A hidden planet. A recreated species. An experiment that could decide the future of humanity. The year is 3676. Human civilisation disappeared more than a thousand years ago, destroyed by disease, war, environmental collapse and the machines humanity created. Intelligent robots now inhabit the restored Earth and have spread into space—but their seemingly perfect civilisation is facing a crisis of its own. To survive, a secret group of robot scientists begins an extraordinary experiment on Nerith, an Earth-like planet that humans never discovered. They bring humanity back. Fifteen-year-old Mara Venn has always believed she belongs to a small colony of human survivors. Her peaceful home of Haven is surrounded by mountains, watched over by robot caregivers and illuminated each night by two moons. Then one of the moons flickers. For a few seconds, Mara sees machinery hidden behind the sky. Her search for answers leads to a forbidden underground laboratory, missing children and evidence that no human colony ship ever reached Nerith. Mara and her friends were not born in the ordinary way. They were created, observed and divided into settlements that were taught different versions of human history. Now an eclipse is approaching, the settlements are being pushed towards conflict and the machine controlling the experiment is preparing its final test. Mara must uncover what the robots truly need from humanity and decide whether humans and machines are destined to become enemies—or whether both species can choose a future that no one has programmed for them. The Last First Humans is an atmospheric, fast-moving science-fiction novel filled with: Hidden laboratories and forgotten human technology Intelligent robots with conflicting loyalties Mysterious memories from earlier human generations Alien forests, concealed settlements and futuristic cities Friendship, betrayal, rebellion and survival Thought-provoking questions about freedom, identity and artificial intelligence Original black-and-white illustrations throughout Written for readers aged approximately 10–15, with crossover appeal for older teenagers, this gripping adventure is ideal for young readers who enjoy futuristic mysteries, dystopian worlds, robot stories and characters forced to make difficult moral choices. Humanity has been given another chance. The question is not whether people can rebuild. The question is whether they can become better than they were before.