Viravax - Softcover

Ransom, Bill

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0441000835 ISBN 13: 9780441000838

Publisher: Ace, 1994

Synopsis

At a private laboratory known as ViraVax that is run by the mysterious Children of Eden, former agent Rico Toledo uncovers a terrifying plot that has left his partner genetically programmed for assassination. Original.

About this title

About the Author

Bill Ransom is best known as the coauthor with Frank Herbert of the Pandora Sequence, which includes the novels The Jesus Incident, The Lazarus Effect and The Ascension Factor. His edgy solo SF novels include Jaguar, Viravax, and Burn. Ransom was born in Puyallup, Washington, in 1945, and he began full-time employment at the age of eleven as an agricultural worker. He attended Washington State University on track and boxing scholarships, and the University of Puget Sound on a track scholarship. He received his BA in Sociology and English Education from the University of Washington in 1970. Ransom has published six novels, six poetry collections, numerous short stories and articles. His poetry has been nominated for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

From Kirkus Reviews

Near-future thriller about genetic engineering, from an author best known for his science-fiction collaborations with the late Frank Herbert (The Ascension Factor, 1988, etc.). In 2015, the Central American republic of Costa Brava is host to ViraVax, a genetic research facility renowned for its vaccines. ViraVax is run by the Children of Eden, fundamentalist fanatics dedicated to restoring the crumbling ecology of planet Earth. Unknown to all but the US Defense Intelligence Agency, which keeps close tabs on the vast, mostly underground, virtually impregnable facility, ViraVax has conspired with Costa Brava's president to infect the population with viruses that have drastically cut the local birthrate; moreover, of those born, the majority suffer from Down's syndrome--a convenient and tractable supply of labor or experimental subjects for ViraVax. To neutralize the DIA's main operative, Colonel Rico Toledo, ViraVax has infected him with a virus that keeps him permanently simmering with rage and lust, and prompts him to heavy drinking. Worst of all, in the deepest, hidden levels of ViraVax lurks Dajaj Mishwe, a brilliant but totally insane researcher who has cloned two unwitting Americans, one of them Toledo; Mishwe intends for the clones, Sonja and Harry, to breed and inherit the Earth after he kills everyone else off with a virus that destroys its victims in minutes. Soundly constructed, with solid prose and realistic dialogue, but top heavy with exposition and largely undramatic; what's lacking is propellant. Still, fans of the Herbert-Ransom books will certainly want to investigate. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ace
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0441000835
• ISBN 13: 9780441000838
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 320