The Eyes of Heisenberg [Paperback]

Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: New English Library
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000RNMD28
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Heisenberg, as in uncertainty, October 29, 2009

By 

David Brockert "constant reader" (Madison, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Eyes of Heisenberg (Paperback)

Heisenberg, as in uncertainty, starts this story off and becomes the rationale for all the subsequent actions.
In this far future society, there are grades or castes of people. They are arranged by their genetics: the top are immortals, next come, the almost immortal, at the bottom are the ordinary people. The story starts with some lab preparing to process a zygote for a couple who were lucky enough to be chosen for having a baby. The zygote is examined by the doctor and he sees some unexpected change happen that makes this little one special, even more special than the immortals. He and the technician silently agree to keep the knowledge secret so the zygote will be allowed to grow up. Thus starts the chase for growth and development in this stagnant society.
The immortals are forty thousand (40,000), or more, years old. This age is inconceivable to us, and for most of that time they have ruled and do not allow any change. Anything that reminds them of death or decay is not recognized or spoken of. They are separate from everyone else. They rule by fear and from their little Olympus encampment. They think very little of destroying everyone in an area, they can be replaced, even if it takes a thousand (1,000) years, it is only a little inconvenience to the immortals.
These immortals have a tribunal that rules daily life, and as they come to understand that the zygote is special and try to find it, etc., they bring about their own destruction. You never find out quite what is so special about the little one, but the parents and attending doctor protect it, and, in the end, implant it in the woman for carrying. This becomes the seed for the new society that will be born from all this destruction. (Puns are wonderful, eh?) Everyone has hormone treatments to help them live life to the optimum best. Carrying a baby to term is a natural way to adjust and control hormones in a human, so everyone gets to have a baby to this end.
This is an interesting story because you never know what causes all the commotion (the zygote change), but everything turns out for the better.