Darwin’s Radio presents a fascinating near future hard science fiction story (actually it is now set in our past but never mind, it was near future when it was written). It explores the idea that our ‘junk’ DNA may actually be a semi-sentient (proactive anyway) memory of genetic strategies for dealing with different challenges to the existence of our genome; in other words the existence of humanity. A fairly grand idea, and if you are thinking of reading it and are not already a genetics expert (as I most definitely am note) I strongly recommend you read his short genetics primer at the back of the book and give the glossary a quick skim and then keep google close to hand. Bear is not shy of dishing out some moderately in depth genetic discussions, particularly in the early stages of the book.
I confess I did find some of the science a little too in depth for my taste but I found the idea and the way he developed it both fascinating and intriguing. He certainly had me hooked with that and I found the plot moderately compelling as well. The execution, however, was somewhat less compelling. I thought many of the major characters’ motivations lacked credibility and I found it hard to empathise with any of them. In particular I found the romantic development very implausible. I’m also very unsure that he has correctly judged the reaction of both governments and their populations to the events of the story. Also the coincidence of the two major discoveries – the virus and the archaeological one – was for me something of a deus ex machina; I just found them happening almost simultaneously a little too much to swallow.
From a British readers point of view I also found myself becoming steadily more irritated by the pure Americanisms that the book was full of. I generally have little problem with these as I am usually familiar with most from exposure to American films, but in this case it was almost as if Bear was looking for them specifically ( here’s a few: single wide, Dopp bag, Bardahl, Charlie horse, Orkin man, banded collar, bull-bellied…). I have never had as much trouble with such Americanisms in any other books including a number of Bear’s own.
Despite those grumbles and the detailed science making it somewhat heavy going at times and a rather weak ending, it was a good book and my fascination with that science and its development throughout the book still lifted this up to a four star read for me. I will be reading the sequel, Darwin’s Children.
I confess I did find some of the science a little too in depth for my taste but I found the idea and the way he developed it both fascinating and intriguing. He certainly had me hooked with that and I found the plot moderately compelling as well. The execution, however, was somewhat less compelling. I thought many of the major characters’ motivations lacked credibility and I found it hard to empathise with any of them. In particular I found the romantic development very implausible. I’m also very unsure that he has correctly judged the reaction of both governments and their populations to the events of the story. Also the coincidence of the two major discoveries – the virus and the archaeological one – was for me something of a deus ex machina; I just found them happening almost simultaneously a little too much to swallow.
From a British readers point of view I also found myself becoming steadily more irritated by the pure Americanisms that the book was full of. I generally have little problem with these as I am usually familiar with most from exposure to American films, but in this case it was almost as if Bear was looking for them specifically ( here’s a few: single wide, Dopp bag, Bardahl, Charlie horse, Orkin man, banded collar, bull-bellied…). I have never had as much trouble with such Americanisms in any other books including a number of Bear’s own.
Despite those grumbles and the detailed science making it somewhat heavy going at times and a rather weak ending, it was a good book and my fascination with that science and its development throughout the book still lifted this up to a four star read for me. I will be reading the sequel, Darwin’s Children.
