Genetically Privileged

Redux

Fiction - Science Fiction
246 Pages
Reviewed on 02/09/2015
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

Author Biography

Most young are in a hurry to mature.
As innocence is considered too demure.
This virtue is replaced,
With far too much haste.
Is ambition such a strong paramour?


Our class was to write a short story that was to be a sequel of a classic work. I chose The Catcher in the Rye, even though it seemed too obvious that a young adult male might find the novel appealing. My mind was spinning with the speculations of how Master Caulfield’s adult persona would develop. The options were limitless!
To this day I remember holding the tainted manuscript in my hand as I prepared to move from the apartment to a newer, nicer part of town. I’d heard there was little more than a snowball’s chance of getting one’s deposit back from my landlord from the transient neighbors adjacent to my unit, so I took one last look at the sweat stained papers and tossed them in the pile of garbage I was leaving behind on the living room floor.
It seemed Holden would have approved of such an ending.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

Genetically Privileged - Redux by A.W. Daniels starts with an introduction to Joe and Mary Christianson, a childless couple who, like many couples unable to conceive naturally, are at a fertility clinic looking to science and modern medicine to conceive a child. So far, so good. What happens next though, as they are caught up in the web of new genetic engineering techniques including cloning, and producing “children that are made to order” with specific physical characteristics and mental abilities, is nothing short of intriguing and fascinating. Would the children conceived out of this process be like other, “normal” children? What will society be like with a mixture of “normal” and “specially manufactured” people? Would these genetically made-to-order beings think, act, behave like normal humans? These and questions like these, some of which are answered in this book, are what make this book stand out for me and leave me wanting to know more.

Genetically Privileged - Redux by A.W. Daniels is a science fiction novel that takes us into the realms of genetic manipulation and artificially modified DNA. It is an absolutely fascinating glimpse into the marvels of modern medicine and how far it can take us as a human race. A.W. Daniels has written an outstanding book that seems well-researched and makes readers feel excited about the possibilities of the future. The writing flows extremely well and at no point does the reader feel bored or out-of-depth, considering the subject matter. The characters are wonderfully drawn and really make one empathize with them. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait for part II in the series.

Maria Beltran

Genetically Privileged: Redux by A.W. Daniels is a science fiction novel presenting a scenario that raises questions about the effects of technology on the human race. Joe and Mary Christiansen have been trying to have a baby and when they finally succeeded in having one, there is a price to pay. The couple goes to a fertility clinic where Dr. Gabriel, an old friend of Joe’s, works and by using in-vitro fertilization, Mary finally delivers a healthy baby boy. Justice Christiansen is a son any parent would like to have, showing extraordinary abilities at a very young age. And as the story unfolds, they find themselves embroiled in a secret program that involves the government and the controversial subject of genetic engineering.

A.W. Daniels' Genetically Privileged: Redux is an absorbing and fascinating story that zeroes in on the subject of genetic manipulation. The first installment in a series, the novel unravels with the enthralling tale of a couple trying to start their own family. It is easy to relate to Joe and Mary Christiansen’s plight because what is happening to them could happen to a friend, a neighbor or a family member, and this makes their characters real and sympathetic. Fast paced and informative, the narrative continues to unfold and, at the same time, a lot of questions are subtly being raised on the far reaching effects of genetic engineering on the human race. Using mostly layman’s terms and writing in a way that is easy to understand, Daniels gets his message across. I highly recommend this novel!

Alysha Allen

Mary is a violinist at the Philadelphia Philharmonic. Joe is a national football star. Unlikely as it may seem that these two would ever fall in love, nonetheless they marry. Mary and Joe Christianson have the perfect gene traits but have unsuccessfully been trying to have a baby for years. Driven by desperation, the Christiansons move from Philadelphia to Bethlehem in order to consult a fertility specialist and Joe's long-time friend, Dr. Benjamin Gabriel. Unbeknownst to them, however, Mary and Joe's genetic strain has been chosen by the government to create a whole host of genetically-advanced children. While the couple has their first child, Justice, Dr. Gabriel and his genetically-privileged assistant work under the government's supervision to rear and train these children. While some are used to innovate technology for beneficial purposes, others are sent to be spies or weapon-wielding soldiers for the war against terrorism. As Justice grows older, his parents are alarmed by his uncommonly developed physical, mental, and intellectual aptitude, and must face the tribulations and dangers awaiting them from those who want to harness their son's gifted powers for harmful purposes.

A.W. Daniels commands our attention in the first of the Genetically Privileged series, Redux, with the intriguing concept of genetic engineering now pioneering the forefront of the sciences. Daniels approaches this controversial topic with laudable impartiality and delicate finesse when delineating the potential negative and positive outcomes in fictional scenarios. These scenarios may possess an uncomfortably close resemblance to current issues, such as the war on terrorism in Syria, but Daniels is able to circumvent these anxieties into a lively narrative that positively engages readers, proving his panache for storytelling. In his sequel, Genetically Conflicted, the battle between the genetically-gifted and those who want to exploit their preternatural powers explodes into violence as planet Earth turns into a dangerous combat zone.