Act One - Nebula Nominee 2009 [Paperback]

Nancy Kress (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 9, 2010

"One of the best of the year...a compelling novella about a once-famous actress and her devoted manager who get much more publicity of an unfortunate sort when they inadvertently become embroiled with an act of biological terrorism with potentially world-changing results."-Gardner Dozois, Locus ****

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Pick (March 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604504552
• ISBN-13: 978-1604504552
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,748,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kress at her best, January 11, 2011

By 

BeachLover (FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Act One - Nebula Nominee 2009 (Paperback)

I am a long time Nancy Kress fan. When she's in the groove, no one's better. I thought this story was terrific. It's smart, tightly written, and displays Nancy's trademark ability to "turn a phrase." I'd recommend it to anyone who wants an example of great writing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average Genetic "Thriller", May 8, 2010

By 

C. Baker "cbaker" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Act One - Nebula Nominee 2009 (Paperback)

I really do not understand entirely why this novelette was nominated for a Nebula Award. It is, I suppose, a nice little treatise on the ethical dilemmas of genetic engineering, both at birth and in adult humans. Here Barry Tenler, a midget and wealthy agent to the stars, and his aging starlet, Janie Snow, become inadvertently involved with a rouge "terrorist" group that has tried to manipulate the human genome to induce empathy in humanity. Their first attempt, which was to breed this into children at birth, had some unintended consequences. So too the second attempt, although not drawn out as much in story.

We also encounter Barry's son, who he had genetically altered at birth to ensure he was "normal" (which to Barry normal means a midget), also with drastic unintended consequences, although not the kind you'd expect. Barry had to make yet another decision, another ethical dilemma, later in the book regarding genetic manipulation and his son, which is where this novelette is rather clever.

But overall I really did not find the story that engaging or interesting. There really isn't anything that drastically new in the debate over genetics, it's just told in a different way. It's short quick read, though, and at least mildly entertaining.

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought Provoking, December 21, 2011

By 

Sylvia Wadlington (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Act One - Nebula Nominee 2009 (Paperback)

Act One by Nancy Kress is a Novella. It is a small piece that wonderfully knots together various ideas into a coherent narrative. Berry is a brilliant, bitter Dwarf; Jane is a beautiful, aging actress. Bridget and Belinda are rich, eleven year old, genetically enhanced twins. One is kind and one is vicious.

As this group of unlikely candidates are thrown together in a situation that amplifies all their differences interesting insights are gained about the brains, brawn, and beauty that individuals are stamped with at birth and have no real choices about. I found the tale to be enthralling, enlightening and entertaining. Though the little tale is complete in itself, it would have also made a great full length novel.