Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Scythe is set in a futuristic post-mortal age in which death and disease have been eliminated, along with crime, war, and government. Instead, society is ruled by a virtual cloud called The Thunderhead. Because, theoretically, everyone is immortal, the population is controlled by an elite group known as Scythes who are each responsible for “gleaning” a specific quota based on statistics from the “Age of Mortality.”
Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch, both sixteen, are chosen to be apprenticed to Scythe Faraday. They will live and train with him for a year, after which Scythe Faraday will select one of them to become a junior Scythe. Ironically, they are competing for a role neither of them wants. In a shocking turn of events, it is decided by the Scythedom that, because Scythe Faraday has taken the unusual step of selecting two apprentices, they will increase the level of competition between Citra and Rowan. The apprentice selected to wear the ring of a Scythe will have to glean the unsuccessful candidate immediately. (more…)