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| Review Summary |
Humanity has finally figured out how to get guilt-free slavery: By making genetically enhanced animals to work for them. Lovelock, an enhanced monkey, begins to resent the psychological programming that forces him to be loyal to his master, (and that prevents him from ever being allowed to have sex). He decides to rebel, and the human authorities react by making plans to destroy him.
Will B., Resident Scholar
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and Kathryn Kidd
Tor, Feb 2001, 14.95, 283 pp.
ISBN: 031287751X
The Ark leaves Earth on an exploratory mission of a lifetime (on the ship) while relatively centuries will have passed on the planet. On board is the renowned climatologist Carol Jeanne Cocciolone, who volunteered herself, her family, and her witness for the ride. Carol Jeanne's witness, a capuchin monkey the brilliant Lovelock, will be with her to record her work and her life for future historians.
Lovelock worships his master due to implants and behavioral modification. However, as much as he cherishes Carol Jeanne, he finds her family as unnecessary. As the Cocciolone family struggle to adapt to their new environs, Lovelock realizes that his perfect statue has flaws and begins to crumble in his eyes. In spite of the deep behavioral conditioning light-years beyond Skinner, he starts to refocus on himself rather than just exclusively on Carol Jeanne, who he now knows never appreciated his loyalty, friendship, and love.
LOVELOCK is a reprint of a well-written character driven science fiction novel that is the opening act of The Mayflower Trilogy. The story line narrated mostly by Lovelock concentrates on how he sees the world, which means Carol Jeanne. Readers will root for Lovelock to break his mental chains especially as he begins to dream of freedom when he realizes that his faithfulness is not reciprocated. The novel ends with way too many loose strings, leaving the audience a bit frustrated yet wanting Book II. However, there is no mention in the book or the blurb sheet when the next tale will be released.
Harriet Klausner
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book
- very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- part earth & part fantasy world
Coming of age
Yes
Spying & Investigations
Yes
Repressive society story
Yes
Repressive because:
- controls your mind
- controls your sex
Inner Struggle
Yes
Lifeform altered?
Yes
Kind of alteration:
- Given added abilities
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- animal
Profession/status:
- servant
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- mind reading
- super strength
- is very quick
- can read emotions
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- scientist
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a lot
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Earth setting:
- medium future 22-24th century
Spaceship setting:
- really, really giant spaceship/station
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Takes place in spaceship?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- explicit references to torture
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
- a fair amount of scientific explanation
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- descript of touching personal anatomy
- impregnation/reproduction
- society controls main character's sexing
- actual description of sex
- descript. of private male anat.
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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