 "For wont of a charcter the story was lost..." | 2009-10-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2CZBVEP6MGAK5 |
| Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'm a physicist, not a biologist, but I found the discussion of the biology to be rather interesting and worth reading. I'm not sure about the biological plausibility of viruses stimulating punctuated evolution, but the notion of viruses influencing behavior was fascinating. To me, the idea was worth the price of reading the book. The story moves--the problem is that the characters, such as they are, are not very believable. I wouldn't go so far as to call many of them two-dimensional. In terms of the plot, was anyone else reminded of the 1992 the book behind "Children of Men" (and before that, I think an Outer Limits episode) or childhood's end? So, I'd suggest that if you are technically minded, the book is worth a quick skim, just don't expect much from the story/character development.... |
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 "Darwin would turn over in his grave" | 2009-08-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2WA3WFJS6EQJU |
I'm a biology grad student and I was intrigued and excited to read this book after reading the back cover. However, partway into the book, I became disappointed and even more so after finishing the book. The biology in this book can be very technical for non-science people, but the story line and characterization goes downhill once the reader goes past the first couple of chapters. The last half of the book seems to be written by another author because there was no character consistency! The main characters, Mitch and Kaye, gave up their "brilliant scientific minds" which was established in the first half of the book to completely detaching themselves from the scientific world in which they were the leading pioneers! The author's justification for such abandonment is not sufficient enough for two leading scientists to leave NIH, CDC, etc.
I have to say that I was excited in certain parts of the book where the author goes into detail about the science behind the SHEVA evolution, but I realize that it can be very technical for others. The glossary in the back of the book does not do the science behind the book justice.
I give it two stars for the good but very technical biology research behind the book, but take 3 stars away for the poor execution in the story. |
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 "Would we be ready for the next evolutionary leap?" | 2009-06-18 |
| - Reviewed By resqgeek |
What if all the "junk DNA" in our chromosomes, which appear to be discarded remnants of our evolutionary past, really have a purpose? What if they were to become active agents of the next evolutionary leap forward. How would our scientific community react? What about the general public? This thriller extrapolates from the edges of scientific knowledge in much the same way Michael Crichton does in many of his novels.
However, the tension here isn't primarily built around the scientific inquiry into the genetics or the changes occurring because of the ativation of these DNA segments. Instead, this novel focuses on the interplay of the scientific and political arenas, and especially on the panic of the masses that can't understand the nature of what is happening. The story reminds us just how willing we can be to sacrifice our liberties and freedom in the face of fear. An interesting look at the social and political impact the appearance of a sudden genetic shift might have on our society. While the extrapolated science might be of questionable merit, it makes for an interesting and compelling story. |
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 "Fascinating ideas, good story" | 2009-05-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1DETCPBV8LIL2 |
| Fascinating exploration of "junk" DNA and what it might mean that has the ring of truth to it. As usual with Bear, a bit longer and more diffuse story than necessary, but still engrossing for all that. Good characterization, good science, thought provoking, good story..what more do you need? |
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| "Flat as a pancake" | 2009-04-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A605O2Y0JBZGM |
In the Alps, an renegade anthropologist Mitch Rafelson is climbing to a cave of alleged Homo sapiens neanderthalensis; a frozen couple and and their fetus. Kaye Lang, a biologist, is called to verify a mass grave in Georgia, Russia, where carrying women and their husbands have been slaughtered some 10 years ago. As it happens, CDC is also interested in this UN investigated mass grave. The government agencies in US start getting disturbing news about miscarries. Their only lead is Kaye's study where she been developing a theory of how retroviruses embedded in human DNA might become active and contagious. The virus, dubbed Herod's flu, is spreading so quickly it threatens to wipe out an entire generation. Eventually Mitch and Kaye meet but can they stop the pandemic?
The book quite realistically builds up the events where scientific circles are divided in two camps about the nature of the threat. The description of government, CDC and biotech industry being all tied up while society is breaking in the horrors of the unknown is excellent setup. It's a clever idea to examine sensitive childbirth where both men and women psyche is affected.
For the hard science reader there is supposed to be strong and extremely detailed molecular and developmental biology, for the political suspense reader there is supposed to be backstabbing conspiracies, for the women readers there is supposed to be love, affection and romance between Kaye and Mitch. None of these succeed.
The initial strong science premise is replaced by a Harlequin romance in the middle: "I'm your woman, be my man". The main characters, Kaye, a brilliant leading DNA expert whose husband recently made a suicide, yodels like Jane in a jungle when he meets Mitch, outlawed anthropologist. They both abandon science all he sudden and Kaye regresses from intellectual to "I want baby" mode depicting bursts of helpless emotions. The political angle remained underdeveloped: the president, congress, CDC, biotech corporation somehow fade to the background when the two, new Adam and Eve, hit a road trip. The sociology angle, how citizens riot and are in agony when they don't understand what's happening is just the same, a canvas in the book, like a side remark. The sequel is Darwin's Children (2003).
Two (2) stars. Written in 1999 there is no flaw in the writing style. It's painting, deep, and clear. The problem is pace, execution, loss of equilibrium, and too many wandering knots. The plot will not satisfy any target group: romance is too bleak for even women and there is not enough juice in corporate agencies, technology or politics for men. The story develops at turtle speed and never climbs to the mountain of suspense, not even over a hill. The collapse of society would have been excellent direction, the hard science and CDC chase would have that, even clandestine political arm wrestling, but not the 180 degree shift to weak romance, baby boom and endorsing family values. The book is like preheated oven which never reaches the temperature for a pancake to raise. On the bright side, the reader can expect the same weaknesses in the sequel, but out of curiosity, he may want to lend the book from library and see the end; the raise of a new Man. |
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| "Breeding a new human race" | 2009-04-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A605O2Y0JBZGM |
In the Alps, an renegade anthropologist Mitch Rafelson is climbing to a cave of alleged Homo sapiens neanderthalensis; a frozen couple and and their fetus. Kaye Lang, a biologist, is called to verify a mass grave in Georgia, Russia, where carrying women and their husbands have been slaughtered some 10 years ago. As it happens, CDC is also interested in this UN investigated mass grave. The government agencies in US start getting disturbing news about miscarries. Their only lead is Kaye's study where she been developing a theory of how retroviruses embedded in human DNA might become active and contagious. The virus, dubbed Herod's flu, is spreading so quickly it threatens to wipe out an entire generation. Eventually Mitch and Kaye meet but can they stop the pandemic?
The book quite realistically builds up the events where scientific circles are divided in two camps about the nature of the threat. The description of government, CDC and biotech industry being all tied up while society is breaking in the horrors of the unknown is excellent setup. It's a clever idea to examine sensitive childbirth where both men and women psyche is affected.
For the hard science reader there is supposed to be strong and extremely detailed molecular and developmental biology, for the political suspense reader there is supposed to be backstabbing conspiracies, for the women readers there is supposed to be love, affection and romance between Kaye and Mitch. None of these succeed.
The initial strong science premise is replaced by a Harlequin romance in the middle: "I'm your woman, be my man". The main characters, Kaye, a brilliant leading DNA expert whose husband recently made a suicide, yodels like Jane in a jungle when he meets Mitch, outlawed anthropologist. They both abandon science all the sudden and Kaye regresses from intellectual to "I want baby" mode depicting bursts of helpless emotions. The political angle remain underdeveloped: the president, congress, CDC, biotech corporation somehow fade to the background when the two, new Adam and Eve, hit a road trip. The sociology angle -- how citizens riot and are in agony when they don't understand what's happening -- is nothing more than a canvas, a side step. The sequel is Darwin's Children (2003).
Two (2) stars. Written in 1999 there is no flaw in the writing style. It's the deep and clear. The problem is pacing, execution, loss of equilibrium, and too many wandering knots. The plot will not satisfy any target group: romance is bleak for women readers and there is not enough juice in corporate agencies, technology or politics for men. The story develops at turtle speed and never climbs to the mountain of suspense, not even over the top of a hill. The collapse of society would have been excellent direction, the hard science and CDC chase would have that, even clandestine political arm wrestling, but not the 180 degree shift to a weak romance, baby boom and endorsement of family values. The plot is like preheated oven which never reaches the temperature for a pancake to raise. |
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