Sims

De: F. Paul Wilson

Narrado por: Braden Wright

Just a few hundred genes separate humans from chimpanzees. Imagine someone altering the chimp genome, splicing in human genes to increase the size of the cranium, reduce the amount of body hair, enable speech. What sort of creature would result?

Sims takes place in the very near future, when the science of genetics is fulfilling its vaunted potential. It’s a world where genetically transmitted diseases are being eliminated. A world where dangerous or boring manual labor is gradually being transferred to “sims”, genetically altered chimps who occupy a gray zone between simian and human. The chief innovator in this world is SimGen, which owns the patent on the sim genome and has begun leasing the creatures worldwide.

But SimGen is not quite what it seems. It has secrets, secrets beyond patents and proprietary processes - secrets it will go to any lengths to protect. Sims explores this brave new world as it is turned upside down and torn apart when lawyer Patrick Sullivan decides to try to unionize the sims.

Right now, as you read these words, some company somewhere in the world is toying with the chimp genome. That is not fiction, it is fact. Sims is a science thriller that will come true, one way or another.

©2003 F. Paul Wilson (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Uplifting primates

F Paul Wilson’s Sims is a genetic engineering story where non-human primates have been ‘uplifted’ to increase their intelligence in order to serve as a low skilled, low-cost manual labor. A group of ‘sims’ engage a lawyer to assist them in unionizing. At the same time, there is an activist movement led by a well-resourced, but mysterious figure demanding greater freedoms for the sims. The thrust is directed towards the societal and economic impacts of this capability. Eventually a deep dark secret is uncovered.

Wilson offers a scientifically credible approach for this process as well as detailing the diverse social and economic impacts that would likely unfold were this technology targeted in this direction.

The narration is quite good with solid character distinction. Pacing is smooth.

Amazing

Simply put, an amazing read! I really hope the author keeps this going. I can’t say too much without giving away the story, but we need a part 2

One of my favs!

This is absolutely the best book by this author; engaging and relevant, stands the test of time. Would definitely recommend if you're a fan of this genre.

Fantastic Story

I read this book years ago and was excited to revisit now that the audiobook has been released. The story was even better than I remembered and the narration was excellent.

An exciting and moving story about the human and chimp’s questionable relationship.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it reminded me of one by Vercor called “You Shall Know Them”. A similar type of story about creating and using cross-bred ape/humans as slaves of a sort for
money.

Eh

The narrator is good, but the book could have been a lot better. I really like F Paul Wilson’s work but it didn’t seem like he really knew what direction he wanted to go in the story. The character and plot development are great, but then the book just flopped. I would not recommend it.