The Grok

Author: Greg Bear

Blood Music is a very interesting read for any science fiction enthusiast. The plot rolls along nicely as the book progresses and keeps the reader in awe and suspense. There is a lot of reference to cellular biology which might sound alien, but can be ignored without losing out on the plot.

The story starts off with Vergil Ulam, a brilliant scientist who has trained blood cells to become intelligent. The company which he works for finds out about his research and decides to scrap the project as they feel it goes beyond ethical boundaries of science. Vergil is left with no choice but to leave the company and in a moment of desperation he injects the trained blood cells into his body, hoping to some day recover them and continue his research.

In a matter of weeks, Vergil finds himself turning stronger and healthier. Vergil figures that these changes must have occured due to the cells that he had injected into himself and decides to get help for removing the cells. Vergil enters a dilemma wherein he can't figure out whether things are going for the better or he is left with only few more days to live....

Blood Music is relatively shorter than most science fiction books. I found it an engrossing read, only put off by some loose writing in the middle sections of the book. The author brings up a fascinating theory called Information Mechanics in his narration, which was interesting. The ending left me wondering whether I really understood the book, as I couldn't figure out whether things ended up being better or worse. Obviously this seems to have been an effect the author intended to put in, so brace yourself for a confusing end!

Rating: 3.5 / 5.0