Specfiction
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2006
- Messages
- 87
Here are a couple of recent reviews of my book Proteus Rising:
By J. Hibel on 5/7/2007:
Couldn't put it down- the short description of this book doesn't do it justice
Based solely on the description of this book, I might have passed... but instead I stumbled across a great thought-provoking story that I couldn't put down. This book was better than Michael Crichton's genetic thriller "Next." Unlike Crichton's books that are set more or less in current times, Proteus Rising is a sci-fi book set far in the future so it's a bigger challenge to suspend disbelief. But the author manages to pull it off nicely. At its core this book is about flaws in human nature that have plagued us throughout history. We fear people who are different, and our first response to conflict is usually aggression. Proteus Rising's plot unfolds around an ingenious way to correct these flaws through genetic engineering. Ironically, this likely solution to chronic war, bigotry, and social conflict is very threatening to a society comprised of a species that's accustomed to being dominant. The very existence of a solution triggers the fears and aggressive response it was intended to solve.
When reading this book, even the most pacifist among us will be inclined to consider whether they could accept a path to peace and harmony that would involve surrendering control and eventually being replaced by a new species. At a more current level, this is not unlike the questions some societies face when political or religious revolution loom.
Here's a review by Bob Spear of Heartland Reviews:
It’s the years 2320s and Mars has been colonized by mining concerns, turning it into a planet-sized company town. An earth-born professor, George Mills, has immigrated to Mars and built a super-intelligent computer reminiscent of HAL in 2001, but far more sophisticated. George and his lady friend, Dr. Joanne Zhu, have used the computer to alter the gene structure of fifty Mars-born children, thereby creating a race beyond superhuman in abilities and intelligence. The earthly military/industrial complex finds these developments so frighteningly threatening they respond violently.
Those who grew up cutting our teeth on superb science fiction classics and their authors often bemoan the fact that they don’t write them like they used to. This is because too few scientists are also science fiction writers—at least until now. Peter Dingus is the real deal, a research physicist and computer expert, he brings his science training and knowledge to his writing. In my estimation, he has picked up the standard Arthur C. Clarke dropped when he passed on. This is classic sci fi at its best. We rated it five hearts.
You can see other reviews on Amazon.
By J. Hibel on 5/7/2007:
Couldn't put it down- the short description of this book doesn't do it justice
Based solely on the description of this book, I might have passed... but instead I stumbled across a great thought-provoking story that I couldn't put down. This book was better than Michael Crichton's genetic thriller "Next." Unlike Crichton's books that are set more or less in current times, Proteus Rising is a sci-fi book set far in the future so it's a bigger challenge to suspend disbelief. But the author manages to pull it off nicely. At its core this book is about flaws in human nature that have plagued us throughout history. We fear people who are different, and our first response to conflict is usually aggression. Proteus Rising's plot unfolds around an ingenious way to correct these flaws through genetic engineering. Ironically, this likely solution to chronic war, bigotry, and social conflict is very threatening to a society comprised of a species that's accustomed to being dominant. The very existence of a solution triggers the fears and aggressive response it was intended to solve.
When reading this book, even the most pacifist among us will be inclined to consider whether they could accept a path to peace and harmony that would involve surrendering control and eventually being replaced by a new species. At a more current level, this is not unlike the questions some societies face when political or religious revolution loom.
Here's a review by Bob Spear of Heartland Reviews:
It’s the years 2320s and Mars has been colonized by mining concerns, turning it into a planet-sized company town. An earth-born professor, George Mills, has immigrated to Mars and built a super-intelligent computer reminiscent of HAL in 2001, but far more sophisticated. George and his lady friend, Dr. Joanne Zhu, have used the computer to alter the gene structure of fifty Mars-born children, thereby creating a race beyond superhuman in abilities and intelligence. The earthly military/industrial complex finds these developments so frighteningly threatening they respond violently.
Those who grew up cutting our teeth on superb science fiction classics and their authors often bemoan the fact that they don’t write them like they used to. This is because too few scientists are also science fiction writers—at least until now. Peter Dingus is the real deal, a research physicist and computer expert, he brings his science training and knowledge to his writing. In my estimation, he has picked up the standard Arthur C. Clarke dropped when he passed on. This is classic sci fi at its best. We rated it five hearts.
You can see other reviews on Amazon.
