- Paperback: 285 pages
- Publisher: Tor Books; Reprint edition (Jun 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312875436
- ISBN-13: 978-0312875435
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 14 x 2.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,998,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"Sleuthing noir in a grim near-future of genetic manipulation, and artificial intelligence, from the author of the splendid "Dogland". . . . The ingredients--wisecracking gumshoe, gorgeous slinky heroine, blood-tingling action, ingenious plot twists--might be familiar, but Shetterly's thoughtful, hard-edged remix is a winner."--"Kirkus Reviews"
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
From the author of "Dogland," a dark new vision of the future of gene-splicing and artificial intelligence
Will Shetterly has created a dark and intriguing future for this novel, a world of genetic engineering and cloning where human and animal genes can be melded to create chimeras, more often referred to as critters. These beings are human, for all practical purposes. They think, they feel, they love, and they dream. But they still have some of the qualities of the animals that they are bred from.
Most importantly, they are not granted the rights of humans. They are property. Slavery has been revived in America.
But there is also a movement for Abolition, for the granting of legal rights to chimeras. Zoe Domingo is a jaguar-woman, created to be a sex-slave. Instead, she became the property of an abolitionist, and was freed, though she remained as her former owners companion. But on a trip to Los Angeles, Zoes mentor is murdered under violent and mysterious circumstances, and Zoe is accused of the crime.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Will Shetterly has created a dark and intriguing future for this novel, a world of genetic engineering and cloning where human and animal genes can be melded to create chimeras, more often referred to as critters. These beings are human, for all practical purposes. They think, they feel, they love, and they dream. But they still have some of the qualities of the animals that they are bred from.
Most importantly, they are not granted the rights of humans. They are property. Slavery has been revived in America.
But there is also a movement for Abolition, for the granting of legal rights to chimeras. Zoe Domingo is a jaguar-woman, created to be a sex-slave. Instead, she became the property of an abolitionist, and was freed, though she remained as her former owners companion. But on a trip to Los Angeles, Zoes mentor is murdered under violent and mysterious circumstances, and Zoe is accused of the crime.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
13 reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Charming SF & Noir Mix
29 Dec 2001
Format:Paperback
Once upon a future, there was a vegetarian, well born PI named Max and a chimera/critter (jaguar/human) named Zoe. Max takes on Zoe's case to find her "mother's" murderer for which Zoe is framed. Max's task is complicated by Zoe's lowly status in the not-so-brave new world. Critters have no civil rights, are "property" though are not called slaves. Everything in this Libertarian government is privately owned, including the police force, which is manned by Bots (trained robots.)
"Chimera" is a lively, fun, fast-paced story with ethical resonance. Some reviewers objected to the lack of depth in discussing the moral problems; I disagree. The author allows us to make our own decisions regarding what "rights" non-human entities should have. To make it more interesting, critters and A1s can reproduce among themselves and with humans.
The story takes place in LA, a ferment of sharply divided neighborhoods well described and plausible. Radical critters who hate all humans call them "skins." A human who consorts with a critter is a "furry." Critters that go inexplicably crazy are "wilding." The characters are sharply etched and most are likeable, some with remarkable (to us) attributes. Max has an Infinite Pocket attached to his wrist. You can't see it; it is about the size of a small backpack and holds his 9mm SIG Recoilless that has an infinite clip (he never needs to reload.) Zoe is amazingly fast, balanced and has a purring sort of voice. (She also has a furry ears that the author finds endearing.)
"Chimera" is good-natured, and I rooted for Max and Zoe shamelessly. The book is clever and highly readable. Treat yourself to something a little different and read "Chimera."
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A HARD-BOILED PI AND HIS JAGUAR-GIRL CLIENT
19 July 2000
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A great new SF detective story! Our detective hero follows in the tradition of Phillip Marlowe and Sam Spade, as he finds himself with a beautiful client who is also a murder suspect. His client also happens to be part jaguar; in the future,genetic technology has permitted the creation of "critters", mixtures of human and animal genes. These critters have become the new underclass, used as sex slaves and worse. Shetterly presents a very interesting society, an attempt to present a Libertarian dystopia, where respect for private property has permitted the enslavement of sentient beings and machines. In addition to these interesting societal ideas, Shetterly has dreamed up one of the coolest gadgets in recent memory, the Infinite Pocket. I sure wish I had one! A fine, fun novel, with plenty of action and lots of good ideas. You'll enjoy it!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Your cat will probably enjoy this one. . . .
5 Oct 2001
Format:Hardcover
A chimera is a being produced by gene-splicing human genes with those of assorted mammals, the result being an intelligent "critter" who's not quite a slave -- but who doesn't have much in the way of civil rights, either. Having found that much in the flap copy, I thought immediately of one of my favorite stories: "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell," by Cordwainer Smith. Well, Zoe Domingo isn't C'Mell and Shetterly isn't Smith, but it's still a pretty good yarn, though a little heavy on the moralizing. What makes it fun is the mix of noir crime fiction style (think Philip Marlowe as a vegetarian PI) and a semi-cyberpunk vision of the future (everyday teleportation, space-warping as a personal "pocket," and Libertarian terrorists). Two-thirds of the way through, I began to wonder how Shetterly was going to tie up all the narrative threads, but he manages it in quite well -- though I shall be waiting with greater interest for the next "Bordertown" book.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
