A number of years ago there was an earthquake (the Big Shake) that destroyed modern civilization. The world is now separated into latches (the Urb) and Eden (where the genetically modified (proovs) social elite live). Spaz is an epileptic who steals for the Bully Bangers, the leaders of his latch. Because of his epilepsy he can't use the mindprobes, super realistic entertainment devices that damage the brain. He is tasked to steal from Ryter (as in Writer), an old man who has wronged the Bangers. Ryter gives him all of his belongings except the book he is writing. Spaz learns he remembers better than everyone else because he doesn't use the mindprobes.

The next day Spaz receives a message from Bean, his sister (foster-sister) who has leukemia and is dying. She wants to see him before she dies. Spaz was kicked out of the house when his foster father thought Spaz might hurt Bean in an epileptic fit. Billy Bizmo, the latchboss, won't let Spaz leave, so he has to sneak out. On the way out of the latch, he is confronted by a mob who live near Ryter and Little Face (a 5 year old who took Spaz to Ryter the first time). He has an epileptic fit, and Ryter saves him. They leave together and are followed by Little Face.

In the next Latch, they are captured by monkey boys and taken to the latchboss. Mango, the boss, has been in a mindprobe loop for the last year, and so they help another person become the boss. They leave, and discover a proov girl (Lanaya) that Spaz met previously being attacked by a hungry mob. Ryter distracts them and Spaz helps the girl get into her takvee (armored vehicle). Ryter joins them soon after.

Together they journey to Bean's latch, but as soon as they enter, the latchboss there captures them and forces them to search out a mindprobe smuggler. They find the smuggler, who reveals the mindprobes come from Eden, only to discover they were being used as a distraction so the latchboss could attack the smuggler's group. They flee and make their way to Bean. She is near death, but very happy to see Spaz. Lanaya takes them all to Eden in the hopes that they can find a cure for Bean there.

In Eden Bean is given gene therapy and is cured. Lanaya turns out to be in line to become a Master (ruler) of Eden. Lanaya's contributor (mother) Bree takes a liking to Little Face and decides to adopt him despite it being illegal. Bean, Ryter, and Spaz are forced to leave Eden and return to their latches. The next day a riot breaks out because the proovs turn off the mindprobes. Ryter is blamed and killed and his book is destroyed. Billy Billy Bizmo reveals he is Spaz's father. Spaz calls himself the last book in the universe and that is why he is writing down his story. People call him Ryter now.

Ryter(Spaz) receives a message from Lanaya saying Little Face is doing well and implying when she becomes a Master things will be better.