• Darwin’s Cipher

  • By: M.A. Rothman
  • Narrated by: Tim Campbell
  • Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (432 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Darwin’s Cipher  By  cover art

Darwin’s Cipher

By: M.A. Rothman
Narrated by: Tim Campbell
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Juan Gutierrez, a cancer researcher, has spent years studying the genome of animals that exhibit immunity to some types of cancer. Over the course of his study, Juan discovers a pattern that allows him to predict the course of a species' evolution across thousands of generations. Using the algorithm he's developed from the pattern, Juan uncovers what he believes to be the key to conquering humanity's susceptibility to cancer. Others are interested in using what Juan has dubbed "Darwin's Cipher"; however, instead of cancer research, they see very different applications for the new genetic algorithm.

Nate Carrington, an FBI forensic analyst, has been struggling with several cold cases when he's alerted to an incident at a nearby ranch. It's a case of a newborn calf who is found in the middle of a herd of dead cattle. It provides a single link to Nate's other cold cases: the DNA analysis of the calf doesn't match anything in the FBI's database.

Somewhere in a rural hospital in West Virginia, four hospital workers are dead and a newborn child has been transported to the NIH's level-four bio-containment unit. It's only when the NIH sends out an alert to all hospitals and law enforcement agencies that the world realizes the danger that faces them.

©2019 Michael A. Rothman (P)2019 Tantor

What listeners say about Darwin’s Cipher

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    224
  • 4 Stars
    145
  • 3 Stars
    49
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    6
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    252
  • 4 Stars
    100
  • 3 Stars
    29
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    190
  • 4 Stars
    130
  • 3 Stars
    49
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

This was fascinating! It explored what would happen if we could artificially speed up the evolution process. There is a lot of action too and the narration is excellent! Highly recommended!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

if you love techno thrillers...

Like all of Rothman's books, this one is filled with great and memorable characters, intriguing plot and awesome science. The narrator did a terrific job.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Fun

I am heavily involved in biological sciences, so a lot of these ideas are not new to me and the aspects of the book that are patently absurd… Are patently, absurd. So to me the story felt derivative. It was still fun though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Held my interest

I enjoyed all facets of this book; it really holds the interest from beginning to end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great read! .

By the way, if you like Michael CRICHTON books, you will surely want to read this book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Pandemic -The Prequel

I finished this book before COVID-19 and didn't get around to reviewing. The book held my interest and it's science felt authentic. In our new pandemic era I'm recommending it to relatives as a primer. Very well researched. The writing and story pacing are accomplished, reminiscent of Michael Crichton. However you are unlikely to discover any literary bon-bons in this box.

Like the science, the ethnic and "racial" diversity of the characters seemed true-to-life, but laid in a bit heavily (in some ways the whole book seemed to be a treatment for a movie-yet-to-be-made. My thought about the heavy DIVERSITY as it went was that it could have been left to the screen adapters to flesh in those bits).

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

solid technothriller

I read because a lot of people said "similar to Michael Crichton". ie near future scifi, well researched and grounded in reality and modern science. ,
I would say this book does that. it wasn't the best techno thriller I've read. But it was good enough for me to check out more of his books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good Book

The narration is great. The book is good. The wrap up is a little short and there are some plot holes. I will look for more books by this author to try. Definitely like the narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best intentions can have unintended consequences

i liked how well the author wove together fact and fiction, with lots of accurate science. Not an easy task.
Good read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exciting to the very end.


It is was compelling to listen to, could not put is down. I loved the bit of reality the author uses to weave his story. I tend all three in this series and loved them. reader was pleasant to listen to. I will listen to more books read by him.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!