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A review by kitsuneheart
Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
4.0
The current accepted models of evolution emphasize small changes perpetuated over many generations, taking thousands, if not millions, of years to change one species into another. But what if that is wrong? What if there's more like a...switch. A sudden, drastic change in the genetic makeup of a species, creating an instant branch on the evolutionary tree, and the arrival of a new species that exists in direct competition to the original?
What if this once happened to humans?
What if it starts happening again?
Bear has us follow various scientists as the switch is flipped and humanity enters the next stage of its evolution. And the non-evolved members of humanity take it...about as well as you'd expect. Quarantines, abortions, murders...it's all the drama you see in the more gruesome storylines of Marvel's X-Men, but this time, the new species isn't showing themselves at puberty, but can be detected in their mother's own womb.
Greg Bear took the ethical debate of “how can we co-exist with aliens on a resource-scare planet” and changed it to “how can we co-exist with our own alien children.” And it's terrifying to the reader on both sides: the original humans, who will soon find themselves either controlled by these new creatures or edged out of their niche in the environment, or through the eyes of the mutated children, barely here, but already humanity's greatest threat.
I will definitely be going on to the second book in the series! Bear gives you a satisfactory ending, for those who aren't quite into the series and with no plans of continuing, but there's enough left there at the end to make you curious and come back.
What if this once happened to humans?
What if it starts happening again?
Bear has us follow various scientists as the switch is flipped and humanity enters the next stage of its evolution. And the non-evolved members of humanity take it...about as well as you'd expect. Quarantines, abortions, murders...it's all the drama you see in the more gruesome storylines of Marvel's X-Men, but this time, the new species isn't showing themselves at puberty, but can be detected in their mother's own womb.
Greg Bear took the ethical debate of “how can we co-exist with aliens on a resource-scare planet” and changed it to “how can we co-exist with our own alien children.” And it's terrifying to the reader on both sides: the original humans, who will soon find themselves either controlled by these new creatures or edged out of their niche in the environment, or through the eyes of the mutated children, barely here, but already humanity's greatest threat.
I will definitely be going on to the second book in the series! Bear gives you a satisfactory ending, for those who aren't quite into the series and with no plans of continuing, but there's enough left there at the end to make you curious and come back.