Ancestor by Scott Sigler
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Scott Sigler's writing style reminds me of a cross between Stephen King's and Michael Crichton's. Sigler has a grasp on modern science and technology, and uses it to invest the reader emotionally in the well-being of his stories' characters, creating gripping tales that leave you wanting to read "just one more page" all the way until the end of the book.
Ancestor, one of Sigler's earlier works, definitely feels a little less polished than some of his later books (e.g. Infected). For a book whose main premise is supposed to be about primordial, ravenous monsters, the "ancestors" don't really show up until about 2/3 of the way through the story. However, Sigler spends this time weaving a web of plot, characters, and settings that play out beautifully once the savage killing-spree begins.
Overall, this is a really engaging story with just enough science to make things seem plausible without going overboard and making most non-biochemistry students' eyes glaze over. It showcases the potential perils of genetic engineering WITHOUT preaching them, and ties it into a plot with decent characterization, engaging the reader and keeping him/her on edge right up until the last page.
Note: This review refers to the eBook version released by Scott Sigler and Dragon Moon Press in March 2007.
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September 7th, 2009 on 12:26 AM
I agree his more recent stuff is way better. I will be going to his tailgate tour here this Tuesday.
December 25th, 2009 on 5:14 PM
If you are a fan of science fiction monsters then you seriously owe it
to yourself to check out Scott Sigler's Ancestor. Everything starts
with real science, taken just a step or two further. Then come the
crazy characters, and THEN come the Ancestors, one of the most original
science fiction monsters I've read about in a long time.