Review of Velocious Evolution
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ken4512
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Review of Velocious Evolution
[Following is a volunteer review of "Velocious Evolution" by Ron Saetermoe.]
Ron Saetermoe's science fiction novel Velocious Evolution is an exciting and thought-provoking story with a well-thought-out gripping family drama at its core. Dr. Steven Keene, 54, is an anthropologist and Chair of the Sociology Department at UC Berkeley. He is an expert on sociocultural evolution, a study of how societies respond to technological advancements and the pros, cons, and ethics of the impact of new technology.
Keene's daughter Leslie, 17, is in the terminal stages of multiple myeloma, the same cancer her mother Janice died from three years ago. Keene's despair is profound. No effective treatment or cure is available. He accepts the inevitable. In keeping with Leslie's wishes, she is in hospice care at home.
On the campus, a stranger approaches Keene and offers to help save Leslie. Keene suspects a scam of some kind. However, he is puzzled when he discovers that the stranger is Dr. Tim Lewis, a visiting astrophysics professor with excellent qualifications in the UC Berkeley Astronomy Department.
Leslie is on the brink of death. Keene struggles between disbelief and the possibility, however small, that Tim can save her life.
What a great story. Ron Saetermoe's science fiction Velocious Evolution turned out to be for me, with its complex characters and an uplifting family story about love, grit, compassion, and resilience. The story turns particularly thought-provoking and gripping, and the tension picks up as experts from across a broad spectrum of society become involved, raising political, social, cultural, and ethical questions about the global impact of far-advanced medical technology. I think the story gained great emotional depth with its different settings, challenging situations, compelling dialogue, and remarkable characters.
The novel's character development was outstanding, particularly the story's development of the all-important connections between Steven Keene, his daughter Leslie, and Dr. Tim Lewis. I liked how Keene's involvement in the novel remains central as a father and expert on sociocultural evolution. I could picture Keene's skepticism turning into trust, protecting his daughter, Leslie, and thinking the risks through. I liked his courage and profound love for Leslie. As Leslie gets more involved in the story, her point of view emerges as the patient, and the unbelievable possibility of a cure, of pulling back from certain death.
I enjoyed the highly imaginative science fiction at the core of this story. I saw Tim Lewis's character as deeply compassionate. I liked how the story evolved and brought into play the fact that Keene is an anthropologist and an expert on studies of the significant impact of major discoveries on social and cultural development. I think this made Tim Lewis's character realistic, and I could imagine Keene being able to accept Tim's offer.
I think the political ramifications and global impact of advanced technology were expressed very well in the novel through characters, action, dialogue, and realistic settings, almost like a subset of the main story. The political story comes across as exciting and terrifying, with plenty of twists and turns to the very end.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ron Saetermoe's novel Velocious Evolution for its diverse and complex characters and its exciting and richly imagined science fiction. The plausibility of futuristic advanced medical technology is expressed vividly. I rate the novel 5 out of 5 stars because it is a thought-provoking story that interweaves science fiction, politics, and ethics with a family's deep despair. It is a drama of life and death, a story of courage, compassion, and perseverance in the face of overwhelming difficulties. I highly recommend Ron Saetermoe's novel Velocious Evolution to fans of futuristic science fiction, medical technology, and sociocultural evolution.
******
Velocious Evolution
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Ron Saetermoe's science fiction novel Velocious Evolution is an exciting and thought-provoking story with a well-thought-out gripping family drama at its core. Dr. Steven Keene, 54, is an anthropologist and Chair of the Sociology Department at UC Berkeley. He is an expert on sociocultural evolution, a study of how societies respond to technological advancements and the pros, cons, and ethics of the impact of new technology.
Keene's daughter Leslie, 17, is in the terminal stages of multiple myeloma, the same cancer her mother Janice died from three years ago. Keene's despair is profound. No effective treatment or cure is available. He accepts the inevitable. In keeping with Leslie's wishes, she is in hospice care at home.
On the campus, a stranger approaches Keene and offers to help save Leslie. Keene suspects a scam of some kind. However, he is puzzled when he discovers that the stranger is Dr. Tim Lewis, a visiting astrophysics professor with excellent qualifications in the UC Berkeley Astronomy Department.
Leslie is on the brink of death. Keene struggles between disbelief and the possibility, however small, that Tim can save her life.
What a great story. Ron Saetermoe's science fiction Velocious Evolution turned out to be for me, with its complex characters and an uplifting family story about love, grit, compassion, and resilience. The story turns particularly thought-provoking and gripping, and the tension picks up as experts from across a broad spectrum of society become involved, raising political, social, cultural, and ethical questions about the global impact of far-advanced medical technology. I think the story gained great emotional depth with its different settings, challenging situations, compelling dialogue, and remarkable characters.
The novel's character development was outstanding, particularly the story's development of the all-important connections between Steven Keene, his daughter Leslie, and Dr. Tim Lewis. I liked how Keene's involvement in the novel remains central as a father and expert on sociocultural evolution. I could picture Keene's skepticism turning into trust, protecting his daughter, Leslie, and thinking the risks through. I liked his courage and profound love for Leslie. As Leslie gets more involved in the story, her point of view emerges as the patient, and the unbelievable possibility of a cure, of pulling back from certain death.
I enjoyed the highly imaginative science fiction at the core of this story. I saw Tim Lewis's character as deeply compassionate. I liked how the story evolved and brought into play the fact that Keene is an anthropologist and an expert on studies of the significant impact of major discoveries on social and cultural development. I think this made Tim Lewis's character realistic, and I could imagine Keene being able to accept Tim's offer.
I think the political ramifications and global impact of advanced technology were expressed very well in the novel through characters, action, dialogue, and realistic settings, almost like a subset of the main story. The political story comes across as exciting and terrifying, with plenty of twists and turns to the very end.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ron Saetermoe's novel Velocious Evolution for its diverse and complex characters and its exciting and richly imagined science fiction. The plausibility of futuristic advanced medical technology is expressed vividly. I rate the novel 5 out of 5 stars because it is a thought-provoking story that interweaves science fiction, politics, and ethics with a family's deep despair. It is a drama of life and death, a story of courage, compassion, and perseverance in the face of overwhelming difficulties. I highly recommend Ron Saetermoe's novel Velocious Evolution to fans of futuristic science fiction, medical technology, and sociocultural evolution.
******
Velocious Evolution
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Mindweavers I by Paul Michael Privateer
