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DARWIN'S
RADIO (1999) |
Sub-category: Near Earth
Future/genetic engineering
The plot: When Mitch Rafelson
is shown some ancient mumified Neanderthal remains in Austria,
he doesn't realise he is looking at the future of the human
race. Similarly, Dr Kaye Lang, a microbiologist who specialises
in genetic engineering, is suddenly thrust into the public
eye as a mysterious virus makes woman pregnant, abort and
then pregnant again - with or without sex. The first babies
as a result of this virus are born grossly deformed and dead,
but this sets off a global panic as women frantically try
to abort their children rather than face the consequences.
As mistrust and misinformation run rampant, it's only a few
people like Mitch and Kaye who realise that Darwin's Theory
of Evolution was wrong and the what the truth is.
Comment: YAY! A HUGE improvement
over that disaster,
Dinosaur Summer! In
Darwin's Radio, Bear delivers a gripping thriller about
a different persective on evolution. Yet, even as the human
race today comes to know more and more about genetic engineering
and evolution as perceived by non-creationists (...), Bear
has written a very convincing story of how a drastic change
in the evolution of
Homo Sapien would be interpreted
in today's society. Full marks to Mr Bear for providing an
exciting, fast-paced, riveting medical thriller! This book
is a must read if you like Greg Bear's less hard core SF -
he shows he can still write excellent fiction - no matter
what sub-genre of SF it is.
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DINOSAUR
SUMMER (1998) |
Sub-category: Alternate history
The plot: Based on the novel
"The Lost World' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Bear picks up
after the dinosaurs have been found roaming the tepui's of
Venezuela. Peter Belzoni is contemplating a boring summer
when his Dad, Anthony, comes home filled with mystery and
whisks him away to Boston to witness the last showing of the
dinosaurs. Lothar Gluck's Dinosaur Circus is about to close
due to a lack of interest. However, what Peter doesn't know
is that his photographer father may have plans beyond documenting
just the last circus performance of the dinosaur's in America...
Comment: I tried to like
this book, I really tried. I mean, this
IS Greg Bear,
author of brilliant books like "Eon" and "/(Slant)" and yet...
I'm sorry, this book was incredibly dreadful! I'm sure Greg
Bear was reasonably faithful to the world created by Conan
Doyle, but the plot was so slow and predictable. Some effort
was made to incorporate the latest leaps in understanding
dinosaur's, but it falls way short of "Jurassic Park" by Michael
Crichton.... Sorry, Mr. Bear - I hope you step off the 'dino
bandwagon' and go back to your usual award winning stuff after
this book!
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