Hybrids (Neanderthal Parallax) (original 2003; edition 2004)

I thought this was the weakest of the trilogy. As in Humans, there was relatively little action for much of the book, but a rather excessive, for me, amount of brain dumping on genetics. There was also the same lengthy exploration of scientific, ethical and political ideas, interesting and valid in themselves, but rather overdone and a little too unsubtle for my tastes. The constant presentation of the perfect peace loving Neanderthals (Barasts) as opposed to the violent, planet destroying Humans (Gliksins) I found a little wearing at times. No doubt this book would also give right wing anti political correctness campaigners, a breed with whom I have very little sympathy, some ammunition as the only two white males are a rapist and a scientist plotting genocide of the Neanderthals. I found the ending on our Earth rather unrealistic as well. All that said, a follow up novel about the life of Mary and Ponter's hybrid daughter facing the inevitable prejudice she would no doubt face in both worlds might be interesting. 3/5 ( )

I just read a fantastic book trilogy by Robert J. Sawyer. It is sci fi and works on the premise of multiple universes-kind of the same idea as that tv show Sliders. Well, the two universes in this triligy are both on earth-one earth is the world as we know it today-the other earth is populated in a reality where Neanderthals became the dominate species and man died out. During an experiment in the Neanderthal world-they are more technically advanced than us- a member of that world is transfered into ours. His name is Ponter Boddit and he is as surprised to be here as we are to have him here. The first book introduces him and his society. Neanderthals are environmentally friendly-no gasoline powered anything, no agriculture-which means little disease as we know it, very clean, sparsely populated the planet-do not even live all over the planet, peaceful, loving, kind, totally cool society. They are bisexual. Each adult takes a same sex and opposite sex mate-not everyone but most. To control population children are born only every ten years. To ensure that, men live with men and women live with women and only come together for 4 days a month when "two become one". Violence and many forms of inherited disease have been bred out. A violent criminal is sterilized-so is eveyrone else containing 50% of his DNA-that means parents, siblings and children. Scary, yet effective.
It is fascinating and light sci fi-for those non-technical people-such as myself. the characters are fantastic-definitely fully dimensional, life like and well realized. The story is implausible but definitely makes you think about where our species is headed. ( )

...Despite its flaws I did enjoy reading the Neanderthal Parallax and its final volume Hybrids at some level but I very much doubt they represent Sawyer's best work. Hybrids is a fast paced novel rich in ideas and scientific concepts but with a rather unlikely plot. I guess it shows that it takes more than a good premise and fascinating ideas to write a really good science fiction novel. If you are like me, unable to put down a trilogy once you started, then this book is very readable but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone less stubborn.

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This is the third book in Sawyer's Neanderthal Parallax trilogy. In this book Ponter Boddit and his homo sapien lover, geneticist Mary Vaughan are trying to sort out how they can make their relationship work between their parallel worlds. With some of the Neanderthal technology they are planning to conceive the first hybrid child. Hybrid provides a satisfying conclusion to the tale. It also provides much for thought regarding gender, selective breeding, looking through jaded eyes at an unspoiled world. ( )

Somehow Sawyer writes books that ask thought provoking questions like: what is our nature? What if there was no violence? And combines it heart pumping action and romance. Ponder Boddit and Mary Vaughn return, asking is it possible for them to forge a life together? Can Mary have their baby? With banned Neanderthal technology the answer is yes. But —Mary’s boss is U.S. military and attempts to take that technology to deliver a weapon that will kill the Neanderthals so we can have their unpolluted world. ( )