Helpful Score: 2
This book was rather poorly written. (I'm aware I'm being the armchair quarterback; I'm not a published author.) It begins with what seems to be modern day but you find out it's set in the future. The main character, Chuck Vallone, is a self-proclaimed technophobe and yet uses an astonishing level of computer savy and knowledge of technology. The book often sinks deeply into the mechanics of genetics to explain what's going on. It's called 'willful suspension of disbelief' - If you tell me it can happen, I'll buy it. Explain if you need to just don't keep explaining. The ending was, of course, mostly victorious but through no actions of the main characters. They were bailed out by characters who were never identified individually, just as a collective, and had only the most tenuous interest in saving anyone. They could've just as easily killed everyone and achieved the same ends the book says was their only interest. (They didn't care about air-breathers. They just wanted to be left alone.)
All in all, a good book for PBS - read and trade. It killed time but it was frustrating in places, boring in others and the ending was unsatisfying.
All in all, a good book for PBS - read and trade. It killed time but it was frustrating in places, boring in others and the ending was unsatisfying.
Chalker is the master at transformation fiction.
