Sue’s Fingerprint by Andrew D. Carlson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 Stars
Book Summary:A gel-like substance is suddenly discovered across the country. Ted Stevens, a Director in the Department of Homeland Security, is assigned to investigate. He enlists the help of scientists at a government laboratory to analyze the ‘goo’. They discover the substance was sent to Earth and has unique properties; it can clone animals. Ted soon learns the substance can also clone humans.
Sue is the first of eleven new people cloned from the alien substance. She and the others are contained by Ted on an abandoned military base. While there, the clones receive a message. Sue decides she must deliver it, and one morning they find she’s gone.
During the recovery of Sue, Ted learns of the clones’ message and begins to understand their true intentions. He needs to know more about the clones, so he collects samples for DNA fingerprint testing. The fate of the new people will be decided by the results from Ted’s friends at the laboratory.
This type of story is my favorite type of Science Fiction. An event that produces extraordinary results which could prove disasterous. A team of scientists experimenting, speculating and debating the purpose of the event and the government trying to conceal and control it. In the case of Sue’s Fingerprint, the presence of the clones poses the obvious risk of panic. The unknown is an automatic enemy and the people closest to these clones are rightfully wary however, with time, they cannot see anything other than human behavior and emotion from them.
The story becomes a type of analogy to human rights. Rights of the innocent. In the case of the clones, are they genetically different from their original counterpart? If not, then do we have the right to lock them up and treat them as the enemy?
I have to give the concept of this story a 4+ star rating. The 3.5 star final rating is due to the lack of complexity in some of the characters. I also found the telling of the story to be a bit simplistic as well.
Having said that, I have worked with several people in the scientific community. Oftentimes these men and women tend to dumb things down a bit for us regular folk. Andrew D. Carlson has an extensive background in science and there is a possibility that that is the case.
In conclusion I like where Mr. Carlson is going. This is his debut novel, there was meat in the story. I am going to be watching him because I have a feeling he is going to be one of my favorites.
I recommend this to all fictions lovers, science and other!
Andrew D. Carlson
October 17, 2011 at 7:26 pm
I want to thank Tammy for this review! She accurately deduced and summarized my intent in writing the book and it’s message. Although every author loves 5-star reviews and doesn’t like to see anything less, this is the best 3.5-star review of my book. It is spot-on!
Thank you Tammy!
Andrew D. Carlson
novelopinion
October 17, 2011 at 7:34 pm
I am greatly honored by the compliment. I so look forward to the sequel and every other novel you will write! Reviewing is not an exact science, only an opinion. I stand in awe of you and all authors!