Book Review: Ninth Day of Creation

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[4 stars]

Ninth Day of Creation Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Leonard Crane, Ph.D
Class/Genre: Mystery Political Intrigue Scientific based Thriller
Connection, Jun 2000, $23.95, 662 pp.

in San Diego, biochemist Dr. Richard Kirby of Immunological Technologies has found a way of introducing a third strand into the DNA double helix model of Watson and Crick. Richard, accompanied by his employer Dan Rosen, will introduce his findings to the General Assembly of the World Health organization in Geneva. Richard's solution to the long-stalled field of gene therapy is amazing, having realized a dream held by geneticists since Watson and Crick first elucidated the structure of genes in 1953.

However, Richard's trip to Switzerland only acts to catalyze a worsening series of global events and bring him to the attention of some already desperate world leaders. From China (whose leaders are dealing underhandedly with an ecological disaster) to the President of the United States (who is about to discover that he has unwittingly supported a top secret biological warfare program) to other places on the globe, all the players quickly seize on Kirby as a key element to the unraveling of their problems.

NINTH DAY OF CREATION successfully blends science and politics into a taut thriller that warns about the potentially dark side of genetics. Does the tale require a stretch in terms of Kirby's actions? Absolutely. But no one will care because the plot is that exciting. Leonard Crane makes a scientifically plausible argument that our current dabbling in the gene code could prove to be the biological equivalent to the 1940s nuclear energy experiments with misuse leading to genocide and racial cleansing. Instead of preaching, Mr. Crane succeeds with invoking his message by packing it inside a fast-paced, non-stop action scientific thriller. The premise will send shock waves through sub-genre fans because the well-written story line appears so feasible.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner