This story has special significance to me. Its premise has remained in my head since I read it years ago and is a factor in my upcoming novel, Asperger.

Blood Music revolves around Vergil Ulam, a research scientist whose laboratory blunder results in an intelligent virus. Brilliant but flawed, he causes the virus to spread, resulting in consequences that are either catastrophic or benevolent, depending on your point of view.

This is more than an apocalyptic tale in which human beings try to restore normality. We witness it through the eyes of Vergil’s mother, whose icy relationship with him is a factor in his behavior; through Suzy McKenzie, a mentally challenged teenager struggling to understand the changing world around her; and through Michael Bernard, a scientist whose efforts to contain the virus lead him into communication with it.

Greg Bear’s detailed scientific knowledge lends credibility to the idea that man could create a being greater than himself. If you haven’t read Blood Music, I think you’ll find it even more relevant than when it appeared in 1985. It speaks to the present world in which artificial intelligence poses a combination of opportunities and threats to humanity. 

I have limited my rating to four stars due to sexual references and occasional offensive language.

Chevron Ross's novels include Weapons of Remorse, The Seven-Day Resurrection, and The Samaritan's Patient. Click here for more information.