Scan barcode
tregina's review
3.0
Here's the thing: while it averages out to three stars, I would give the first half of this book two and the last half four, that's how differently I felt about them. It took me ages to really get involved in it and to care what happened to anyone. It wasn't until the threads started to weave together more tightly, and we got a sense of just how extensive the genetic engineering was, that it started to work for me. And when it worked, it really did work.
sine_qua_non's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Interesting concept and creepy body-horror aspects, but the writing style was detracting.
mdstepp1998's review against another edition
2.0
Quick review. Read this entirely over two long plane flights across the country and the best word I can use to describe it is "OK." There is a solid idea in this book - post-apocalyptic climate change fundamentally changes everything and the world is "saved" but by new technology (the GMo, artificial seeds) that its creators use to harshly control the world.
There is a good science fiction aspect to the story as the purveyors of the seeds and the biodomes in which they live are genetically grown beings with telepathic-like powers. Interesting stuff.
Like I said, a solid idea. A good foundation. But laid on top of the foundation is relatively shallow character building and struggling plot progression that bog the story down at times. Ultimately, I was left not caring really at all about the characters and story.
Compare this to the deep, character driven (IMO) "The Windup Girl" which this book most squarely relates to, but falls short of meeting.
This looks to be the authors first novel and I hope he gives another run at writing. There's obviously something there and it will be interesting to see what the author will produce as he moves forward.
There is a good science fiction aspect to the story as the purveyors of the seeds and the biodomes in which they live are genetically grown beings with telepathic-like powers. Interesting stuff.
Like I said, a solid idea. A good foundation. But laid on top of the foundation is relatively shallow character building and struggling plot progression that bog the story down at times. Ultimately, I was left not caring really at all about the characters and story.
Compare this to the deep, character driven (IMO) "The Windup Girl" which this book most squarely relates to, but falls short of meeting.
This looks to be the authors first novel and I hope he gives another run at writing. There's obviously something there and it will be interesting to see what the author will produce as he moves forward.
ellodees's review against another edition
3.0
Wasn't thrilled how the Designers seemed like such a big part of the novel only for them to have a pretty lackluster ending. I liked the setting though and how the writer made no illusions that everything ends happily ever after, but it was still a fitting ending.
jmoses's review against another edition
3.0
This was...a strange book. The biotech descriptions were enough to turn my stomach sometimes, and it wasn't at all as i expected I to be. I liked it, but. It as much as I hoped. I even had to take a break in the middle. I finished it, and it wasn't exactly a slog, but I didn't breeze through it.
mazer_nickham's review against another edition
4.0
Being a Colorado resident, I'm lucky to share a state with a number of awesome sci-fi/fantasy authors. During a recent interview with Rob Ziegler on Machine Readable Podcast, I spoke with him about Seed.
Despite having misinterpreted the book as a zombie book, (I thought "post-humans" HAD to mean zombies rather than evolved superhumans) I really enjoyed Seed. Ziegler's mishmash of Spaghetti Western, eco-flavored science fiction, and military action proved to be as entertaining as something that's really entertaining. Multiple storylines coalesce into a riveting conclusion that leaves the reader wondering whether or not the human race is suited to this new world. Just like any good science fiction story, Seed makes us question our current practices and the human condition.
Despite having misinterpreted the book as a zombie book, (I thought "post-humans" HAD to mean zombies rather than evolved superhumans) I really enjoyed Seed. Ziegler's mishmash of Spaghetti Western, eco-flavored science fiction, and military action proved to be as entertaining as something that's really entertaining. Multiple storylines coalesce into a riveting conclusion that leaves the reader wondering whether or not the human race is suited to this new world. Just like any good science fiction story, Seed makes us question our current practices and the human condition.
andrewliptak's review against another edition
3.0
Unenjoyable, grim and convoluted read. There's some interesting ideas here, but they're few and far between.
jenmat1197's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This is the story about Jack. When he was a little boy, he ran away from home. He ran away from something dark but he does not remember the details. Now, years later he has a wife and two little girls that depend on him. One night - the entire family is in a car accident. While not physically hurt, Jack's youngest daughter, Charlie, starts to act strange. Her behavior becomes almost evil. Charlie is only 6 years old, but Jack recognizes something in Charlie - something he knows about himself when he was her age. And he feels powerless to stop what is coming.
This was an okay book. It has its fair amount of scary bits - things that make you look over you shoulder say, if you are listening to this book while walking alone in the woods with your dogs. But I didn't really care for any of the characters. Jack was okay, but the wife and girls - no. And I also hate when author's consistently make it so people "can't answer". or "words get stuck in their throat". It was overdone in this book where characters made no explanations for their actions for no reason. Plus Jack never did ANYTING. He was always frozen. Or unwilling to say something. It got ridiculous. The ending was gruesome, but also predictable.
She is no Stephen King.
calamity_mary's review
2.0
Short version: good idea, bad execution. Would have worked way better in movie format.
General feeling: "meh...". Its unimpressive and a bit of a waste of time, especially if you have seen or read anything on dystopian futures.
General feeling: "meh...". Its unimpressive and a bit of a waste of time, especially if you have seen or read anything on dystopian futures.
ablotial's review against another edition
4.0
This book was really awesome! I think there were a few things that could have been done better, hence the 4 instead of 5 star rating, but I really enjoyed the plot and the way the story line all fell together.
The book takes place in a future where large cities have been reduced to rubble, gangs rule the open roads, and food and water are hard to come by due to the climate changes that are slowly roasting the citizens. In the midst of all this is Satori, a company whose goal is to genetically engineer food that will grow in such climates (each seed has a bar code!) and also to engineer creatures to grow the food, keep the company running, defend the company, etc. The company is masterminded by four ancient men who have been kept alive for ... centuries? ... inside a special pod, and a "computer" (also named Satori) that is very much in touch with DNA and the entire company (the physical building, I mean) is a part of her. Or she is a part of it. Hard to say.
When it becomes clear that Satori has ulterior motives after one of their "designers" leaves, the government (which has mostly been reduced to a seed distribution mechanism) sends in a team to figure out what is going on. The story follows three stories -- one of the military members, the "designer" and her mate (also a designer), and two boys (Brood and Pollo) who have been living on the road and whose lives become entwined with Satori in more ways than one.
I loved the idea of the barcoded seed and the genetic engineering of food and creatures. I loved the way the stories interacted. And I loved the cultural aspects to the book, and the random Spanish thrown in here and there. The ending was a little weird, but nothing I couldn't deal with.
The book takes place in a future where large cities have been reduced to rubble, gangs rule the open roads, and food and water are hard to come by due to the climate changes that are slowly roasting the citizens. In the midst of all this is Satori, a company whose goal is to genetically engineer food that will grow in such climates (each seed has a bar code!) and also to engineer creatures to grow the food, keep the company running, defend the company, etc. The company is masterminded by four ancient men who have been kept alive for ... centuries? ... inside a special pod, and a "computer" (also named Satori) that is very much in touch with DNA and the entire company (the physical building, I mean) is a part of her. Or she is a part of it. Hard to say.
When it becomes clear that Satori has ulterior motives after one of their "designers" leaves, the government (which has mostly been reduced to a seed distribution mechanism) sends in a team to figure out what is going on. The story follows three stories -- one of the military members, the "designer" and her mate (also a designer), and two boys (Brood and Pollo) who have been living on the road and whose lives become entwined with Satori in more ways than one.
I loved the idea of the barcoded seed and the genetic engineering of food and creatures. I loved the way the stories interacted. And I loved the cultural aspects to the book, and the random Spanish thrown in here and there. The ending was a little weird, but nothing I couldn't deal with.