I would have given this book a 5-star rating but for one thing. I found the plot to be a little too twisty and toward the end of the book, I had a hard time remembering the identity of some of the characters from the beginning of the book. Part of that problem is my reading habits. I snatch a few minutes here and there and seldom have extended periods of time to read.
It was very entertaining, however, and more than a little scary. There were two scientific threads - the ability to halt the aging process and the idea that we are merely vessels for the survival of bacterial life. Both seemed well-researched with enough probability to keep me reading. The big reveal at the end brings enough closure to be satisfying. I immediately handed it my husband and said, "You have to read this!"
great SF, one of Bears most disturbing.
A very involved conspiracy novel. Are we living our own lives or are we being controlled by bacteria? Good right to the end.
If you appreciate a storyline based on leading edge science then this is a book for you. The story and the style keep the narrative moving. However, at the end it feels that the effort was over and completion of the story in the depth of the story was sacrificed just to reach a conclusion. I would still recommend the book for its topic and overall storytelling.