Darwins Children, Greg Bear
Darwins Children, Greg Bear
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Darwin's Children

Author: Greg Bear

Narrator: Scott Brick

Unabridged: 17 hr 26 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/20/2002


Synopsis

Greg Bear’s Nebula Award–winning novel, Darwin’s Radio, painted a chilling portrait of humankind on the threshold of a radical leap in evolution. Now Bear continues his provocative tale of the human race confronted by an uncertain future, where “survival of the fittest” takes on astonishing and controversial new dimensions.

Eleven years have passed since SHEVA, an ancient retrovirus, was discovered in human DNA—a retrovirus that caused mutations in the human genome and heralded the arrival of a new wave of genetically enhanced humans. Now these changed children have reached adolescence . . . and face a world that is outraged about their very existence. For these special youths, possessed of remarkable, advanced traits that mark a major turning point in human development, are also ticking time bombs harboring hosts of viruses that could exterminate the “old” human race.

Fear and hatred of the virus children have made them a persecuted underclass, quarantined by the government in special “schools,” targeted by federally sanctioned bounty hunters, and demonized by hysterical segments of the population. But pockets of resistance have sprung up among those opposed to treating the children like dangerous diseases—and who fear the worst if the government’s draconian measures are carried to their extreme.

Scientists Kaye Lang and Mitch Rafelson are part of this small but determined minority. Once at the forefront of the discovery and study of the SHEVA outbreak, they now live as virtual exiles in the Virginia suburbs with their daughter, Stella—a bright, inquisitive virus child who is quickly maturing, straining to break free of the protective world her parents have built around her, and eager to seek out others of her kind.

But for all their precautions, Kaye, Mitch, and Stella have not slipped below the government’s radar. The agencies fanatically devoted to segregating and controlling the new-breed children monitor their every move—watching and waiting for the opportunity to strike the next blow in their escalating war to preserve “humankind” at any cost.

About The Author

Greg Bear is the author of more than 25 books, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He has been awarded two Hugos and five Nebulas for his fiction. He is married to Astrid Anderson Bear, and they are the parents of two children, Erik and Alexandra.Scott Brick, an acclaimed voice artist, screenwriter, and actor, has performed on film, television, and radio. His stage appearances throughout the US include CyranoHamlet, and MacBeth. In the audio industry, Scott has won over 20 Earphones Awards, as well as the 2003 Audie Award in the Best Science Fiction category for Dune: The Butlerian Jihad. After recording nearly 250 books in five years, AudioFile Magazine named Scott “one of the fastest-rising stars in the audiobook galaxy” and proclaimed him one of their Golden Voices. Brick’s range is unparalleled as he reads thrillers to narrative nonfiction, from biographies to science fiction with aplomb.


Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by Kendra on 2007-06-01 00:49:50

I felt like this book was trying to teach me a scientific theory most of the time and was telling a story only part of the time. The theory about bacteria is very interesting in itself however the storyline couldn't keep up. However I was entertained enough to read it all the way through and it left me feeling a little satisfied.

Goodreads review by Sandi on May 23, 2012

This duology (Darwin's Radio and Darwin's Children) is what hard SF should be. It takes some really out-there science, in this case biology and evolution, adds a great story and characters you care about, and makes you really think about what could be. As a Christian who loves science and thinks tha......more

Goodreads review by Ireney on October 08, 2011

Flat characters, flat story, unappealing premise ... the second book of Greg Bear's "Darwin's Radio" series made me question what it was exactly that I enjoyed in his first book. Part 1 of "Darwin's Children" was particularly tedious, and I had contemplated abandoning the read altogether. The drudge......more

Goodreads review by Bradley on June 30, 2013

As a sequel, I wanted the novel to be everything that Darwin's Radio was: horrifying and hopeful, amazing speculation and memorable characters. What I did get was a pretty cool adventure with a whole new race of humanity trying to adjust with the old species, and the ideas and development were quite......more

Goodreads review by Thomas on January 14, 2009

Wow. Another excellent book by Greg Bear. This guy writes about hard science in a way that keeps the reader engaged and edified, and writes scenes and characters that really resonate. He's helped in this regard by the fact that I just read Darwin's Radio a few weeks ago, and am still very familiar w......more

Goodreads review by Jerry on April 27, 2016

A seamless continuation of the previous novel "Darwin's Radio". Characterization, dialogue, and mood are strong points in these novels. They are NOT space operas. Point of view is important and Greg gives us the individual's perspective, not an omniscient explanation. The science is well researched,......more