Customer Reviews

Julia and the Dream Maker (Rethinking the Future series)

5 star:		(7)
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Talk about "integrated curriculum"! This is a book that weaves science, computer technology, social studies, literature and the one thing that always grabs students - romance, into a page-turner that I know will leave my students begging to know "what happens next!?!" I am not usually a sci-fi fan myself, but found this book so relevant to today's headlines about scientific discoveries that will change the very way we live and view the world, that it was not hard for me to get engrossed in it. I highly recommend it for high school teachers looking to integrate science into their literature curriculum, or literature into their computer technology curriculum, among others. And, like the students, I can't wait for the sequel!

Ms. Sam Grabelle
Providence, RI

Take the ultra-researched science of a Michael Crichton novel (with only a slightly milder level of paranoia), the challenging futuristic conceptual philosophy of a Philip K. Dick novel, mix in the self-evolving computer premise of David Gerrold's superb novel, "When Harley Was One," and what do you have? You have "Julia and the Dream Maker," the brilliant science fiction debut of P.J. Fischer. Fischer combines computer technology, cellular biology and the angst of three post-doc college students in a very near future to bring us the story of a prank experiment gone rogue, and the aftermath that leads to a unique possible future for humankind. With believable characters, a compelling premise and a natural story-telling style, Fischer's debut is a must-read not just for science fiction aficionados, but for anyone who likes excellent, page-turning fiction.

Science Fiction/Fantasy books generally hold no interest for me, and to label this book a part of that genre alone diminishes it as it is so much more! It is part literary thriller, part mystery, part romance. It is educational and provocative. It's funny and poignant. Left breahtless from page-turning to find that the end is only the beginning, I can't wait for the sequels!

This is a really exciting and original story about how science could evolve in the future. While human tendencies won't change, the realm of the possible will grow beyond our current imagination, and Julia is a keen look at what might happen as biology, computer technology, and many other scientific disciplines collide. I can't wait to read the next one! and I hope they make a movie of this soon.

This is not just a sci fi novel. It is an engaging trip into the future of evolution, taking off from real science and not fantasy. I found it not only engaging but thought-provoking and well-written. It is a great choice not only for adults but, in my view, for teenagers on up. I can't wait for the next one.

A New York Lawyer (of all things)

Set in the near future and opening with a courtroom drama, Julia And The Dream Maker is the story of graduate students who find themselves caught up in lives of ambition combined with rapid advances in technology compelling them into "a seminal moment with evolution". Steven his friends are preparing for academic careers in the field of biology. These gifted students feel that there is nothing they cannot do or accomplish. But a science project they become involved with sets of an unexpected chain reaction dramatically altering the very pattern of human evolution, and do so, create a doorway to Julia's world and an uncertain future for them all. P. J. Fischer has a true storyteller's talent for creating very real characters and catching them up in a series of plausible events and fascinating dilemmas. Highly recommended and entertaining reading for science fiction fans, Julia And The Dream Maker will leave the reader looking eagerly forward to the next book in Fischer's deftly crafted series, Julia And The Song Of The Soul.

I am a science fiction fan and computer scientist, my wife (very proudly) is not. Rarely do our paths cross on books. When my wife suggested the book to me after her book club enjoyed it, I was a bit hesitant, the cover suggests something a little too squishy for my tastes. I was pleased to find that it blended a compelling story with sound science. The science is not overpowering, but when it is used, it is appropriate and correct. The author did a very nice job of predicting the advantages and pitfalls of technology we might find in the near future. Highly recommended to nerds and non-nerds alike.