The Chimera Seed
by Matthew Tully
Published by Comfort Publishing, LLC
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Reviewed by Leslie Granier
Upon his father’s death, Michael Tiernan inherits Oisin Pharmaceuticals. Originally, he is less than enthusiastic about this, but upon learning more details about his father’s business dealings in Sardinia, he quickly reconsiders. It seems his father has developed a grape with special properties that, when consumed, reverses the aging process in humans and renders them immortal to disease. Naturally, Michael’s greed gets the best of him as he tries to figure out how to make the greatest profits from the product. However, an unexpected side effect of the product derails his plans and forces him to rethink his course of action.
The author focuses on the ethics involved when deciding who, if anyone, should have access to such a life-altering product. Should it be based on who can afford to pay the most money or who is a more productive member of society? He also discusses the effects on the environment and the earth’s natural resources that would occur with the ever-increasing population. These are topics that will provide a good discussion or debate in a book club or classroom.
The Chimera Seed is an incredible book. It contains elements of revenge, blackmail, intrigue, and deception. The characters are very diverse and the author does an excellent job of informing the reader of their backgrounds. He divulges just enough about their pasts to explain the reasons for their present actions. There are also some plot twists that keep the action moving at an appropriate pace. The author explains the processes by which pharmaceutical companies research, develop, and test new products in a way that is both informative and interesting.
I highly recommend The Chimera Seed. It forces the reader to think about how progress can be both good and bad. The reader will experience internal ethical and moral debates about how much control humans should have in changing the future. This book will definitely produce heated and thought-provoking discussions.
Armchair Interviews says: A most fascinating 5-star read.