Darwin's Children

A Novel

By: Greg Bear

Narrated by: Jeff McCarthy

Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Eleven years have passed since SHEVA 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 are also ticking time bombs that could exterminate the "old" human race.

Fear and hatred of the virus children have made them a persecuted underclass, quarantined by the government, targeted by bounty hunters, and demonized by the population. But pockets of resistance have formed among those opposed to treating the children like dangerous diseases.

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 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 - waiting for the opportunity to strike the next blow in their escalating war to preserve "humankind" at any cost.

©2003 Greg Bear (P)2003 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Bear's sure sense of character, his fluid prose style and the fascinating culture his 'Shevite' children begin to develop all make for serious SF of the highest order." (Publishers Weekly)
"Top-shelf science fiction, thrilling and intellectually charged." (Amazon.com)

Diversity of science, good character development

Well written, has a diverse number of scientific topics. The narration is superb. The story-line is riveting.

Interesting Concept...

But to me, the rapid onslaught of new, poorly introduced characters and vast leaps in time didn't create a good story. The Science was good, the fiction -- while good -- wasn't great.

This book was well written, but -

it was no "Eon" or "Forge of God." Greg Bear is capable of much better, but if you enjoy his work as much as I do it will not be a disappointment. Read "Darwin's Radio" first.

Greg Bear is one of my favorite authors-

but this was either not his normal fantastic, or being abridged killed it- shame, this was my first audio book, and i was looking forward to being wowed- but had to wait until "The Secret Life of Bees" for that to happen

of course i'm still glad to have 'read' it, it wasn't awful, just not as wonderful

Darwin's Children

I think what I loved about this book was the voice of Jeff McCarthy--it was very soothing and added a dimension to the story that helped make it enjoyable for me. I really liked the story (Greg Bear is such a good writer), but felt it just skimmed the surface of what could have been done with this subject matter--it makes you want a sequel (Maybe that's the point). I felt it was incomplete and was disappointed at where it ended. I gave it four stars because of the ending, when I wanted to give it five because of the quality of writing. Still it was a very enjoyable listen. Wish it was unabridged.