Slightly Green

The author, Dr. Howes, has interwoven accepted genetic engineering, gene therapy, viral carriers and plant life to demonstrate the fact that lines of demarcation between medical fact and science fiction can become a blend, making it difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between the two. The reader is taken on a journey through today's top research institutions and into the realm of gene therapy, auras and trying to determine the limits of genetic engineering. It raises questions concerning the advisability of combining the human and viral genome. It also deals with the age old battle between ethics and morality. Slightly Green is triple threat, as it is intellectually challenging, sexy and funny. A particularly telling quote is as follows: "Whoa, Flora Gene. You mean he can actually change the destiny of the cells….change their character. Now, I see why we must be so hush-hush about this work. If it got into the wrong hands, it could be disastrous, right?" The "Flora" was indicative of the plant kingdom and "Gene" referred to the genome. I had known for decades where my work was going to lead. I knew it would lead to a viral-plant-human hybrid of some sort. But, I didn't know when it would happen or how it would happen."