Product Description

In every living thing, there lies a code that instructs the design of that organism. It is the genetic code. Made up of trillions of chemical components, it makes us who we are. It makes us individuals. We already can alter the code to design babies. But what if we could create the code to make 'perfect' babies? For thousands of years humans have longed for it. They even created stories of a perfect being to explain nature. Now, a highly advanced genetics company is about to take the next step. They are going to try to create perfection itself. But how can they create perfection in an imperfect world?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8337257 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 268 pages

Customer Reviews

Perfection
`Perfection' is a science fiction novel baring the inner workings of a genetics company who through years of controversial experiments have discovered how to alter the genetic makeup of bacteria, mice and a monkey. The ultimate goal is the creation of the `perfect child'. The CIA is working undercover to expose the truth about illegal experiments within this company who have named themselves G.O.D. (Genetics of Design)

Personal views and relationships between the staff researchers and the CIA operatives add a sense of reality as they bring out emotions from fun to painful and curiosity, which opens your mind to question what really is possible.

Test tube babies already a reality, it is time to push the limit to `designer' babies where the more financially fit can place an order of all the qualities they deem to be perfect. Trying to bring a more personal level to their marriage the wife and co-owner of the company allows herself to be implanted.

Feelings of empathy are born for the `perfect' monkey who is ostracized by the rest of her group because she is different and doesn't fit in.

After being publicly protested against, G.O.D. moves to an island but is soon found out. The experiments take a horrific turn for the worse forcing them to fearfully wonder if manipulating nature is not possible and will in the end win the war.

Very enjoyable and looking forward to his next novel.

The Price of Perfection is Imperfection
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (4/06)

Author Tom Tancin has written a science fiction novel about a genetics company that is able to alter genetic codes to create perfect bacteria, mice, monkeys and then finally a perfect child. CIA operatives have infiltrated the company to investigate suspicion of illegal experiments. Personal relationships develop among the operatives and genetic researchers creating a more complex plot as each person involved must decide if the price of their cooperation with the company or the government is worth the cost of their personal relationships.

To escape public scrutiny and protests about the ethics of this research, the team relocates their lab to an island. The director of the company has his wife implanted with the embryo of the perfect child that carries synthetic DNA. This is around the time when things start to go wrong with the experiments. The mice are doing fine because more than one was created and they are able to function well together and not be viewed as misfits. However, all of the perfect bacteria die, except for one dominant one. The monkey is isolated from its troop because the other monkeys view it as different and too advanced. As the products of the lab experiments begin to fail, the scientists realize they are not as perfect as they seem and the researchers should not try to play God. A powerful quote by Tancin's characters sums up the story, "Though we won the battle, nature intends to win the war."

The author has a background in the biological sciences and thoroughly researched this topic. I appreciated that there were references cited in the back of the book. Tancin doesn't get carried away with excessive detail about genetics; he manages to explain enough about the experimentation without losing the reader in scientific talk.

I recommend this book to science fiction fans that enjoy reading about medical experimentation that raises issues of bio-ethics. This story encourages the reader to think about what could go wrong as we evolve and attempt to manipulate the path of our own evolution.