Review of But in Wonder

[MsChet Cherry]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "But in Wonder" by Dan A. Baker.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Imagine waking up to a new reality where "aging could be prevented, reversed, or human immortality in a youthful state is suddenly achieved." That's the story of Will Behlen, a molecular biologist, and his team of biotech scientists, who, in a desperate attempt to save the life of a young boy named Roy, who was dying from progeria (a genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly), developed a stem cell therapy that could reverse human aging and confer immortality in a youthful state. The profound interest in their research generated enormous conflict with the ruthless state actors, who created a timed apoptosis sequence in Roy's treatment, which eventually led to his death and the deaths of other people that received the treatment at that time. This was in a bid to silence the scientists and halt further development of this groundbreaking new technology.

After 3 years of intensive investigations that yielded no results, Will invited Jasmine, one of his colleagues who championed Roy's treatment with her late husband, to join him in Baja, Mexico, also known as the "Nice Life Planet," where the team of biotech professionals took the stem cell operation to the top notch and performed a number of aging reversal treatments on aged clients, who found themselves in a new, youthful body age of 30, in less than six months. "What will it mean to live in youth again"? Will there be any side effects? How will their families react to this strange development? How will the church and government react? The answers are lurking in the pages of this incredible piece of work.

Dan A. Baker, in his book But in Wonder, created a wonderful world of agelessness with the use of pluripotent stem cells. This book, a sequel to the 2009 title Forever and Ever, is a work of fiction that clearly expresses the author's wild imagination in the area of biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The setting depicts a futuristic event in American sociopolitical realms. It gave a clear illustration of the roles played by the church, the government, and the "Big Pharmas" in the areas of research and scientific findings. As unbelievable as some of these roles sound, they remain a reality, and they had me casting my mind back to the "Big Pharma conspiracy theories." I enjoyed the author's writing style and accurate characterization. All the characters are interesting, as their personalities help to drive the plot forward. Will's quirky intellect, for instance, allured him to Jasmine, who fell head over heels in love with him despite his unapologetic polyamorous lifestyle. The author's knack with words gave the book a magical feel. An organ culture lab, for example, is termed a "microwave," while "time to tango" refers to any moment one is about to undergo the aging reversal treatment.

On the other hand, I felt the story was a bit disjointed at some points, and some topics were unnecessarily detailed. The exhaustive description of Will's toy room was uncalled for. Secondly, the book was inundated with excessive bioinformatics jargon, which may appear unappealing to anyone not rooted in the field. Again, the story portrayed the church in a very bad light. This may undoubtedly trigger some church enthusiasts. Finally, there was no translation of some Spanish words encountered occasionally in the book. This obviously affected the flow of the story and my enjoyment of the book at some point.

Nevertheless, I still find the story very captivating and full of valuable information. The story represents the future of genetic engineering, although it encompasses an enormous romance display as it's ladened with a plethora of explicit sex scenes. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because of the aforementioned dislikes. I did not rate it lower because I observed only a few errors, which signifies a professionally edited piece of work.

Anyone interested in cell or molecular biology will find this book enchanting. I also recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about futuristic science in terms of aging reversal, aging prevention, or immortality in a youthful state. I do not recommend this book to younger readers because of the explicit scenes it entails.

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But in Wonder
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[Da_JumogM]

Science never ceases to surprise me. However, it seems the intrigue in this book too. What would happen to those who plotted to jeopardize the treatment? Great review.

[Kigen Valarie]

Trust me I was about to shout "that's not real" when I started reading the review only to realize it is fiction. It would, however, be a great and interesting discovery and reading how this world would play out is amazing. It is a book that's worth reading.

[Aremu Titilopemi Funmilayo]

I'm not surprised that the church was portrayed badly in this book. this is because, over time, science, and the bible always have contradicted each other. Especially when the science is on the subject of evolution. I know that it's simply not possible for someone to remain young forever. So I don't think I can even read this book.

[Jane Ogwang]

I'd definitely enjoy never growing old. Thanks for this detailed analysis of the book.

[Wanjala Izumarock Jimmy]

I don't like this kind of books but from review it seems really interesting so I'll have a look at it

[Amy Luman]

Immortality in a youthful state. That’s really something to think about. I wouldn’t want to live forever if I just kept getting older and frailer, but not aging is another matter.

[Robert Andrew]

The tension created by the conflict with state actors adds an element of suspense to the story, and the calculated move to silence the scientists by introducing a timed apoptosis sequence adds a chilling twist. The introduction of Jasmine and her connection to Roy's treatment adds a personal dimension to the narrative, creating emotional stakes for the reader.