Bear Greg 02

Reviews & Overviews by Rod Cameron

Blood Music by Greg Bear

Written in 1985, Blood Music by Greg Bear has recently been republished. Initially, it is the story of Vergil Ulam who has developed intelligent lymphocytes (Noocytes) by converting DNA into read/write memory. In an attempt to preserve his work from destruction, he injects them into himself. As a result the Noocytes start to convert his body into something less human, but far more practical.
Of course, the Noocytes escape and start tinkering with the majority of the population of America. At this point, the plot becomes seriously strange as we see the exterior of some alien creature / group-mind doing incomprehensible things. In the middle of the book, the Noocytes have changed from being almost the heroes at the start into a weird alien villain. However, by the end of the book, through clever examples, we are given an insight into the potential of the Noocytes. The book has an encouraging end and illustrates a possible evolution of the human race into something far more benign and positive than our current standing.
Blood Music has an interesting storyline, with has not been tackled very often. The closest I can think of is Theodore Thomas & Kate Wilhelm's The Clone written in 1965, but this book is much more positive.

Publisher: Gollancz
Date: 2001 (1985)
Pages: 262 Pages
Price: £6.99
Format: Paperback
Reviewed by: Rod Cameron
Date Reviewed: July 2001