Review of Predator / Nomad

[Ali D Pearson]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Predator / Nomad" by Daniel Micko.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The story begins in Saudi Arabia, where we meet Dr. Jordan Roberts, an intriguing woman who gains favor with the Royal Family by starting a relationship with Saleh, the Princess. In exchange for funding for her research in genetics and CRISPR, Dr. Roberts offers assistance with the overwhelming sick and suffering subjects of the realm. Although Saleh is initially impressed by her success, closer monitoring, and surveillance reveal that Dr. Roberts may not be morally sound. Not only is she researching gene splicing and cellular regeneration, but she has also discovered how to create clones. The story takes us through Afghanistan, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, and California, with journal entries from various characters providing details about Dr. Roberts' dealings and manipulations. Each chapter is prefaced with information about the character, location, and time of the incident, making it easy to follow. The book also features other interesting characters that make the reader contemplate their views on cloning and related manipulation. Dr. Roberts' protégé, Evan, struggles with achieving what he believes is the right course of action due to his lack of empathy, which Dr. Roberts may have engineered. The conflicting opinions and ideas among the many players in this story make it a thought-provoking read. Although cloning is considered morally reprehensible, the story raises questions about whether Dr. Roberts' actions are wrong. This ambiguity is what makes the story so terrifying. Predator/Nomad is marketed as fiction, but the timelines in the book make it seem almost true. Upon first look, I was curious that the story takes place in the past, but defining moments in history are pertinent to how this book progresses. On completion, I investigated when cloning became illegal, and what I found out was surprisingly consistent with how Daniel Micko documented this book. The inclusion of queer characters is a welcome addition and makes the story more inclusive. Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for being well-written and thought-provoking.

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Predator / Nomad
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