Okay, so I was asked to read this book and give an honest review. I'll try to be as objective as possible while still remaining honest.
Firstly, let me address the issue of the title. The full title as displayed on Amazon is; Seeds of a New Birth A Genetic Engineering Science Fiction Thriller (The Kindred Series: Book 1). Now, okay, I get it. The author is desperate to get as many of his "keywords" into the Amazon title as possible, in order to get the book noticed. I'm an author also, so yeah, I get it, but I neither like or approve of it. The title should be Seeds of a New Birth.
Having got that off my chest, let's address the book itself. As a story, it is inoffensive and quite acceptable. It doesn't disclose anywhere, who the target audience is, although the writing style and word usage strongly suggested to me that it is targeted at Young Adults. Here's where I have a problem with that. The basic premise of the book is strongly and suggestively erotic. We have a man sleeping with numerous women in succession (a harem if you will) and impregnating them all with his genetically modified sperm. We even have a scene in which the "hero" if you can call him that, is beaten, raped and thrown into the gutter by one of his conquests. None of this is indicative of a story aimed at Young Adults.
If we look at the story as pure Science Fiction or Science Fantasy, how does it bear up? It's very, very light on the "Science" and very heavy on the "Fiction or Fantasy". The premise on how this genetically modified product contaminated the subject is so light on explanation, it is almost laughable. Apparently the scientist was working on some sort of "template" that spilled and was then transferred to the "hero's" penis while urinating, finding its way into the reproductive system. We actually have no idea of the type of experiments the scientist was performing, although there was a passing mention of results in lab animals. I still don't really know what a "template" is, in this context.
Anyway, I'm not here to criticise the story to any great extent. It was a very readable book and the characters if a tad too stereotypical, were, in general, likeable or understandable. I finished it and I enjoyed it so that in itself says something. Look this book won't set the Science Fiction literary world aflame, but it is a harmless enough tale and worth whiling a day or so away reading if you have nothing more substantive to read.
Oh, before I forget, I absolutely adore the cover. Best cover I've seen this year. Kudos to the man who did that. Did it make me want to read the sequel? Sorry, no it didn't. It's a good, solid, three-star read though and there was plenty in the author's story to believe he has talent. Certainly, don't dismiss Seeds of a New Birth out of hand; I didn't.
You can check out all of Orrin Jason Bradford's work here: http://amzn.to/1KoZ56V
Firstly, let me address the issue of the title. The full title as displayed on Amazon is; Seeds of a New Birth A Genetic Engineering Science Fiction Thriller (The Kindred Series: Book 1). Now, okay, I get it. The author is desperate to get as many of his "keywords" into the Amazon title as possible, in order to get the book noticed. I'm an author also, so yeah, I get it, but I neither like or approve of it. The title should be Seeds of a New Birth.
Having got that off my chest, let's address the book itself. As a story, it is inoffensive and quite acceptable. It doesn't disclose anywhere, who the target audience is, although the writing style and word usage strongly suggested to me that it is targeted at Young Adults. Here's where I have a problem with that. The basic premise of the book is strongly and suggestively erotic. We have a man sleeping with numerous women in succession (a harem if you will) and impregnating them all with his genetically modified sperm. We even have a scene in which the "hero" if you can call him that, is beaten, raped and thrown into the gutter by one of his conquests. None of this is indicative of a story aimed at Young Adults.
If we look at the story as pure Science Fiction or Science Fantasy, how does it bear up? It's very, very light on the "Science" and very heavy on the "Fiction or Fantasy". The premise on how this genetically modified product contaminated the subject is so light on explanation, it is almost laughable. Apparently the scientist was working on some sort of "template" that spilled and was then transferred to the "hero's" penis while urinating, finding its way into the reproductive system. We actually have no idea of the type of experiments the scientist was performing, although there was a passing mention of results in lab animals. I still don't really know what a "template" is, in this context.
Anyway, I'm not here to criticise the story to any great extent. It was a very readable book and the characters if a tad too stereotypical, were, in general, likeable or understandable. I finished it and I enjoyed it so that in itself says something. Look this book won't set the Science Fiction literary world aflame, but it is a harmless enough tale and worth whiling a day or so away reading if you have nothing more substantive to read.
Oh, before I forget, I absolutely adore the cover. Best cover I've seen this year. Kudos to the man who did that. Did it make me want to read the sequel? Sorry, no it didn't. It's a good, solid, three-star read though and there was plenty in the author's story to believe he has talent. Certainly, don't dismiss Seeds of a New Birth out of hand; I didn't.
You can check out all of Orrin Jason Bradford's work here: http://amzn.to/1KoZ56V
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