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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredibly Powerful, September 26, 2005
The setting for the novel "Lovelock" - first in a projected trilogy - is a massive 'ark' of a spacecraft departing the solar system to search for a new habitable planet. The real story is that of its title character, a capuchin monkey who's been genetically engineered to the point of human or above-human intelligence, and who serves as a 'witness', using implants to record the activities and lives of their human masters. Like all witnesses, Lovelock has had an innate affection for and loyalty to his 'master' programmed into him, hence the disturbing accuracy of his name. Even so, the monkey is astute enough to recognize what humanity is stepping towards here - 'slavery without shame' - by developing animals to human levels of intellect (or perhaps to the human Variety of intellect would be more appropriate; human society in the novel seems quite oblivious to the prospect that some animals might already have their own fairly high intelligences of a different perspective that's more suited to their individual life patterns) and engineering them to, in effect, like it. The terrifying thing is I can see this potentially happening, and possibly well before humanity is ready to attempt interstellar travel.
The unforseen catch is that Lovelock eventually grows to want his freedom. What though, could a single small monkey do about his situation? Given the vast mental capacities programmed into him (even among the enhanced witnesses Lovelock seems to be quite the intellectual prodigy) and the fact that it never seems to occur to any human that a mere animal could do anything But docilely serve them, the answer might be surprising.
The ending of this book is mind-blowing. Science Fiction has delivered some great endings of awe and discovery and revelation, but few that pack this kind of emotionally hammering punch. Few novels of any sort have delivered this kind of finale, where you can scarcely believe the words you're reading on the page. In terms of the science/ethics condundrums potentially faced in humanity's future (well actually I guess you might as well say the present in this day of advanced biotechnology, A.I., etc.) this is along the thoughtlines of works like "Frankenstein", "Jurassic Park", "Monkey Boy" or the prequel portions of "The Animatrix". A great - and emotionally turmultuous - gem of science fiction that could open a lot of eyes to the power of the SF field at its best; and to a host of real-life questions that are becoming more relevant day by day, as a possible future version of the human race is viewed through the eyes of one of their new slaves.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I loved Lovelock!, April 3, 2005
I have to say I'm biased, having been a huge Orson Scott Card fan for years. But in spite of the slight problems in this story, I loved it. I agree with other readers -- where are the second and third books?? You don't need the subtitle, "Mayflower Trilogy," to notice that there are loose threads that are obviously left for subsequent books to sort out.
I have re-read this book multiple times, and find myself speculating on whether the 2nd and 3rd books would be from Lovelock's point of view as well, or perhaps Diana's, Peter's, Neeraj's, or even Causo's.
We all know Orson Scott Card generally has more on his plate than he can handle at any one time. People have been pestering him for more books in the Alvin Maker saga. Until he came out with Shadow of the Giant, they waited impatiently for THAT. He has the feminist series featuring women of the Bible. AND he writes "other" books as well -- poetry, vaguely supernatural books (I don't know a better classification for Lost Boys and Homebody) and non-fiction as well. I expect he just doesn't have time to come back to little Lovelock and his pals on the Ark.
But I don't have to like it. Maybe if he and Katheryn Kidd already have the outline of the rest of the Lovelock saga, SHE could write it. I don't know if this is the solution, but the crew of the ark have been hanging around in limbo for SEVERAL years now, I think it's high time they were allowed to progress on their journey.
My vote is, READ MORE ORSON SCOTT CARD!!! He doesn't HAVE any books I DON'T recommend. And don't get caught up in any particular genre -- his historical fiction is just as well -thought out as his science fiction, so make sure you don't miss his book, Saints, for instance.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Servant, Slave, or Man?, July 14, 2003
Robert Heinlein's "Jerry Was a Man" and David Brin's Uplift series have approached this problem before: when does an 'enhanced' animal become human? And if he's human, does he have a soul? What moral imperatives apply to such a being? How should such a being be treated? With this book, we get a deep and different look into this as we follow Lovelock, a genetically enhanced and psychologically conditioned monkey as he performs his tasks as a 'witness', a being specifically engineered to record every waking moment and action of a person deemed so significant that their lives are worthy of such attention. The object of Lovelock's attention is Carol Jeanne Cocciolone, premier gaiologist, who has decided to travel on the Ark to the nearest stars in search of a habitable planet. By his conditioning, Carol Jeanne is Lovelock's love, his obsession, his paragon of virtue, a person he will do anything to protect. Along with Carol Jeanne comes her husband and his parents and her own two children, though none of them truly have any of the skills that are needed by the Ark, as a perk to entice Carol Jeanne to come. Seeing these people through Lovelock's eyes is a quick eye opener: the mother-in-law as a status hungry moocher and lay-about and the father-in-law and husband as wimps who meekly go along with just about anything the mother-in-law wants. Not the best group of people to try and integrate into a society that is supposed to be full of some of the best and brightest Earth has to offer - but as quickly becomes obvious, quite a few of the other travelers on the Ark are just as bad in their own ways. It is partially this quite dysfunctional setup that begins to set Lovelock off on his own journey of self-discovery, finding that he is not just a mute 'witness', but has thoughts and desires of his own - desires that eventually allow him to defeat some of the conditioning imposed on him, to remove Carol Jeanne from the pedestal she was placed on by his conditioning, and to take prohibited action to try and implement some of those desires. Lovelock continues to grow as person throughout this book, slowly wrapping the reader inside his problems. And his problems are those that all humans face, questions of morality: should I keep silent or tell a white lie to avoid harming someone? Do my own desires outweigh the good of the community? Why must I obey those strictures imposed by my surrounding society? Can I commit murder to save myself? At the end, there is only one possible conclusion: Lovelock is as human as you or I, and should be awarded both the rights and responsibilities of that condition. Characters other than Lovelock are also well drawn, though some of them are almost caricatures, but each is definitely an individual worthy of some attention. Less well imagined is the Ark itself. I had quite a problem with a design that required that functioning ecologies be totally ripped upped and moved, right down to the dirt, whenever the ship changed from spin-induced gravity to an acceleration induced one - this is poor design, and there are other possible constructions that would obviate this need. The computer system of the ship as described is also less than what it could be - even given the state of the art when this book was written, I cannot imagine any system that would still leave back-door passages into the administrative privileges. Finally, the idea that the Ark would be planned with multiple communities of 'like-minded' individuals doesn't seem very plausible to me. But all of these problems are comparatively minor. This is a very good study of an individual growing to be a man, in all senses of the word, and is worthy of reading by everyone, from libertarians to xenophobes. --- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
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