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The Prospect of My Arrival
Thanks to a scientific breakthrough, a human embryo is allowed to preview the world before deciding whether or not to be born. The embryo, named Prospect, is given a starter kit of human knowledge and its consciousness is inserted into a synthetic twenty-year-old body. What will he make of the modern world with its over-the-counter solutions, rising tide of mean-spiritedness, and senseless violence? He meets a range of people to help him decide, from a greeting card writer with a knack for sympathy cards "because there's so much in the world to be sorry about" to his parents whose first child disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Battling over the soul of Prospect is a scientist who sees an opportunity to help the human race evolve -- and a businessman who is more interested in creating something marketable than something remarkable. Sprinkled with humor, The Prospect of My Arrival is a cautionary tale exploring the triumph of imagination, the limits of modern science, and the perils of losing one's sense of wonder.
Battling over the soul of Prospect is a scientist who sees an opportunity to help the human race evolve -- and a businessman who is more interested in creating something marketable than something remarkable. Sprinkled with humor, The Prospect of My Arrival is a cautionary tale exploring the triumph of imagination, the limits of modern science, and the perils of losing one's sense of wonder.
277 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
20 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
About the author
Dwight Okita
9 books51 followersDwight Okita was born in Chicago. He continues to live there with an imaginary cat. He has written poems and plays, though nowadays he focuses on sci-fi and magic realist novels. He tends to write of the beauty and brutality of life, but always with a sense of humor and wonder.
His latest novel, THE HOPE STORE, is a magic-realist fable about two asian american men who open the first store in the world to sell hope over the counter. Controversy ensues. A grassroots organization springs up called Natural Hopers which vow to shut down the store.
THE PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL, the author's debut novel, is available in paperback and kindle thru Amazon. It was a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards out of 5,000 entries.
Okita is currently completing his third novel EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE. This book deals with love and reincarnation and gun control.
His poetry book CROSSING WITH THE LIGHT was published by Tia Chucha Press. It is filled with poems that have been anthologized and reprinted in a range of text books. Topics range from the internment camps for Japanese Americans to modern love to the AIDS crisis.
* * *
REVIEW OF "PROSPECT" FROM BLOGGER BECKY KYLE, Amazon Vine Reviewer:
http://bexboox13.blogspot.com/2011/09...
SECOND REVIEW FROM CHICAGO PAPER
which calls the book "elegant":
http://bit.ly/qKqfhl
AUTHOR INTERVIEW FROM ALISON DELUCA:
http://alisondeluca.blogspot.com/2011...
VIDEO REVIEWS: I've posted two video reviews of early drafts of PROSPECT when it was entered in the Amazon contest. Megan Bostic and Josie Henley-Einion did the honors.
Dwight Okita has written personal essays for WBEZ Radio, the Chicago affiliate of NPR, and read his poetry on Ira Glass' popular radio show “This American Life.” His work has been recognized by the Norton Introduction to Poetry, the HBO New Writers Project, and the Illinois Arts Council.
Follow his multi-purpose blog "Long Day's Journey Into Dwight" at http://dwightokita2011.blogspot.com
His latest novel, THE HOPE STORE, is a magic-realist fable about two asian american men who open the first store in the world to sell hope over the counter. Controversy ensues. A grassroots organization springs up called Natural Hopers which vow to shut down the store.
THE PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL, the author's debut novel, is available in paperback and kindle thru Amazon. It was a finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards out of 5,000 entries.
Okita is currently completing his third novel EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE. This book deals with love and reincarnation and gun control.
His poetry book CROSSING WITH THE LIGHT was published by Tia Chucha Press. It is filled with poems that have been anthologized and reprinted in a range of text books. Topics range from the internment camps for Japanese Americans to modern love to the AIDS crisis.
* * *
REVIEW OF "PROSPECT" FROM BLOGGER BECKY KYLE, Amazon Vine Reviewer:
http://bexboox13.blogspot.com/2011/09...
SECOND REVIEW FROM CHICAGO PAPER
which calls the book "elegant":
http://bit.ly/qKqfhl
AUTHOR INTERVIEW FROM ALISON DELUCA:
http://alisondeluca.blogspot.com/2011...
VIDEO REVIEWS: I've posted two video reviews of early drafts of PROSPECT when it was entered in the Amazon contest. Megan Bostic and Josie Henley-Einion did the honors.
Dwight Okita has written personal essays for WBEZ Radio, the Chicago affiliate of NPR, and read his poetry on Ira Glass' popular radio show “This American Life.” His work has been recognized by the Norton Introduction to Poetry, the HBO New Writers Project, and the Illinois Arts Council.
Follow his multi-purpose blog "Long Day's Journey Into Dwight" at http://dwightokita2011.blogspot.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 8, 2015
It’s been a long time since I’ve read really original science fiction. Dwight Okita’s “The Prospect of My Arrival” hit me like the first time I encountered John Varley; like the first time I picked up John Brunner; like the first time I read Neal Stephenson. These name drops aren’t convincing enough for you? How about this one. Okita’s book reminded me of Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land”.
Superior science fiction makes the reader think about the world that could be and the world that is simultaneously. Prospect’s journey of discovery reduces the greatest philosophical problem to bone. Is life worth living? What if it was asked of one before their life began? Before he was invested in flesh?
The society in which this experiment takes place is a fascinating extension of simple ideas wrought large. The characters on either side of the argument have distinct voices. The prose is electric.
C
Superior science fiction makes the reader think about the world that could be and the world that is simultaneously. Prospect’s journey of discovery reduces the greatest philosophical problem to bone. Is life worth living? What if it was asked of one before their life began? Before he was invested in flesh?
The society in which this experiment takes place is a fascinating extension of simple ideas wrought large. The characters on either side of the argument have distinct voices. The prose is electric.
C
September 25, 2011
I'm pretty sure there is no genre called "sentimental science fiction", but that's definitely where this book belongs. The mind boggling technologies and general concept of the novel place it firmly in the realm of sci-fi, yet it's impossible to ignore the emotional wallop of this sweet, sad book.
Prospect is a bio-experiment - a living embodiment of the Pre-born Project. A veritable heap of clay, he is an embryo inserted into a twenty-year-old body. The master plan, laid out by the Big Farm Corporation, is for him to meet a wide range of people called Referrals, who will show him the world - both its beauty and its ugliness. His job is to decide, based on his observations, whether he wants to be born, or returned to the gene pool.
He sets out to discover life - meeting his parents, encountering a mystery, and trying EVERYTHING for the first time - coffee, cotton candy, train rides, and even sex. He experiences both love and betrayal during his short visit.
Prepare for a very poignant journey as Prospect learns the sad truth that life is not always as lovely as a tulip in a vase.
Prospect is a bio-experiment - a living embodiment of the Pre-born Project. A veritable heap of clay, he is an embryo inserted into a twenty-year-old body. The master plan, laid out by the Big Farm Corporation, is for him to meet a wide range of people called Referrals, who will show him the world - both its beauty and its ugliness. His job is to decide, based on his observations, whether he wants to be born, or returned to the gene pool.
He sets out to discover life - meeting his parents, encountering a mystery, and trying EVERYTHING for the first time - coffee, cotton candy, train rides, and even sex. He experiences both love and betrayal during his short visit.
Prepare for a very poignant journey as Prospect learns the sad truth that life is not always as lovely as a tulip in a vase.
July 8, 2021
Although it was advertised to me as a "whimsical scifi," it was about as whimsical as your great-aunt's gallstone surgery (without the twists) and was only scifi insofar as Okita didn't want to bother to put any sort of research into his plot. And while I have to praise Okita for the bold move of acknowledging human embryos as people with the same fundamental rights as the rest of us, the major plot point of the book is so fundamentally impossible (and paradoxical) that it's just silly.
At one point in the book, a character accuses an artist of producing images that are "corny and depressing," and then asks if that was his point. This could easily sum up this entire book, but I finally concluded that even if this was his point, the book still was terrible. Its fractured style, which switches between present and past tense without warning, and which begins simpleminded and grows darker as the book progresses, may be intended to mirror the 20-year-old embryo's progression, but rather than adding anything to the narrative, it is only frustrating and distracting. There was no artistic merit in starting in the middle, going back to the beginning, and building back up to the middle (all while merrily switching between past and present tense, sometimes in the same paragraph).
Overall, it just tries too hard. It is a book that announces on every page that its titular character is facing a BIG DILEMMA and that as the reader, you should be deeply involved in his eventual decision. At first, I was going to call the book predictable, but then I realized that it was so banal, I didn't find it worth even trying to predict. My overwhelming emotional response was resentment as the author was constantly condescending to me; the runner-up was frustration as contradictions and paradoxes piled up in an ungainly train wreck. The time period was bizarre (in a future where synthetic bodies are created with ease and the souls of embryos are tucked inside effortlessly, where solid holograms are readily available as mass entertainment, but where everything else is indistinguishable from now or ten years before now), the Apple product-placement random and pointless . . . and, frankly, if I wanted to read about an embryo having a homosexual relationship with a 17-year-old orphan kid followed by a three-way, well . . . I would've sought psychological help first. As possibly the author should do.
I read scifi to have fun, and there was nothing fun about this book. At first I was going to say readers who like dystopian fiction might get something out of it, but when I reached the last page, I had to decide there was nothing of value for anyone.
A year ago, one of my professors told me that just because something can get written and published, and it looks like a book, this does not mean that it is a book, or that it has a place on my shelves. This is one such "book." Don't read it.
At one point in the book, a character accuses an artist of producing images that are "corny and depressing," and then asks if that was his point. This could easily sum up this entire book, but I finally concluded that even if this was his point, the book still was terrible. Its fractured style, which switches between present and past tense without warning, and which begins simpleminded and grows darker as the book progresses, may be intended to mirror the 20-year-old embryo's progression, but rather than adding anything to the narrative, it is only frustrating and distracting. There was no artistic merit in starting in the middle, going back to the beginning, and building back up to the middle (all while merrily switching between past and present tense, sometimes in the same paragraph).
Overall, it just tries too hard. It is a book that announces on every page that its titular character is facing a BIG DILEMMA and that as the reader, you should be deeply involved in his eventual decision. At first, I was going to call the book predictable, but then I realized that it was so banal, I didn't find it worth even trying to predict. My overwhelming emotional response was resentment as the author was constantly condescending to me; the runner-up was frustration as contradictions and paradoxes piled up in an ungainly train wreck. The time period was bizarre (in a future where synthetic bodies are created with ease and the souls of embryos are tucked inside effortlessly, where solid holograms are readily available as mass entertainment, but where everything else is indistinguishable from now or ten years before now), the Apple product-placement random and pointless . . . and, frankly, if I wanted to read about an embryo having a homosexual relationship with a 17-year-old orphan kid followed by a three-way, well . . . I would've sought psychological help first. As possibly the author should do.
I read scifi to have fun, and there was nothing fun about this book. At first I was going to say readers who like dystopian fiction might get something out of it, but when I reached the last page, I had to decide there was nothing of value for anyone.
A year ago, one of my professors told me that just because something can get written and published, and it looks like a book, this does not mean that it is a book, or that it has a place on my shelves. This is one such "book." Don't read it.
February 28, 2012
Okita briefly lulls the reader into believing this must be a type of futuristic allegory: Prospect (the main character), Big Farm (the pharmaceutical conglomerate underwriting the cost to do “big science”), CyberSavant (Prospect's A.I. instructor), and the Infinity Medical Center (Prospect's first “home”) are introduced in quick succession. Thus primed, the reader is startled by a succession of surprises. The first is that Prospect is a Pre-Con[ception] being – part of an experiment to allow embryos to choose between being born or NOT being born. Outfitted with a temporary adult body, Prospect is directed to live with 5 people including his prospective mother in order to experience a scientific sampling of humankind. The main plot line, then, is anticipating Prospect's decision. However, Okita positions numerous jolts as the plot progresses. Of these incidents, Prospect remarks: “Sometimes what looks like an accident is really part of a plan...and sometimes a plan is just a string of accidents.”
Despite the title, the book is narrated in the 3rd person. Yet, it deftly allows us to observe through his thoughts and statements Prospect's gradually developing sense of self. Through this odyssey, Okita probes the deepest of questions: What does free will really mean? Will Prospect's choice be truly the product of free-will? What must be satisfied to feel human? What must be lost to deny that sense of humanity. Will the science we have constructed to help us ultimately destroy us? Can humanity evolve beyond its own hubris? We find ourselves engrossed with Prospect's emotional development over the span of a few weeks, rather than the ultimate decision that he must make.
One of the “Referrals” Prospect is scheduled to meet is Irene, his “happy” contact. She is a retired greeting card writer, and our expectation is low. What could be more slight than a greeting card emotion? Instead, she is one of the deepest and well-delineated characters we meet. Old – her energy is focused on recapturing her memories -- Prospect describes her as a horrible listener but a great speaker. Yet she does have wisdom. She chides Prospect: “You talk about life like you're an expert on the subject after two weeks. Let's be honest, Prospect: You're just a tourist here. You're slumming.” Of all the characters, she was my favorite “Referral.”
This was a surprisingly creative and well-plotted book. The science fiction was a richly imagined platform for an examination of our humanity. It was a pleasant surprise to me since I rarely read science fiction.
Despite the title, the book is narrated in the 3rd person. Yet, it deftly allows us to observe through his thoughts and statements Prospect's gradually developing sense of self. Through this odyssey, Okita probes the deepest of questions: What does free will really mean? Will Prospect's choice be truly the product of free-will? What must be satisfied to feel human? What must be lost to deny that sense of humanity. Will the science we have constructed to help us ultimately destroy us? Can humanity evolve beyond its own hubris? We find ourselves engrossed with Prospect's emotional development over the span of a few weeks, rather than the ultimate decision that he must make.
One of the “Referrals” Prospect is scheduled to meet is Irene, his “happy” contact. She is a retired greeting card writer, and our expectation is low. What could be more slight than a greeting card emotion? Instead, she is one of the deepest and well-delineated characters we meet. Old – her energy is focused on recapturing her memories -- Prospect describes her as a horrible listener but a great speaker. Yet she does have wisdom. She chides Prospect: “You talk about life like you're an expert on the subject after two weeks. Let's be honest, Prospect: You're just a tourist here. You're slumming.” Of all the characters, she was my favorite “Referral.”
This was a surprisingly creative and well-plotted book. The science fiction was a richly imagined platform for an examination of our humanity. It was a pleasant surprise to me since I rarely read science fiction.
November 1, 2011
With a surefire premise and a crisp, cool writing style Dwight Okita's THE PROSPECT OF MY ARRIVAL makes for enthralling reading. Turning the "why bring a child into this world?" question on its head, Okita asks instead "why in the world would a child want to be born here?" Using new Cyber Savant technology, Prospect is a Pre-Born given the chance to get a glimpse of his future existence by venturing out into the world even while he remains an embryo in the womb. Of course, Prospect is only partially prepared to evaluate the evidence he is allowed to gather, and the quality of experience is defined by the motives and limitations of the people he meets, including scientist Trish Mesmer, corporate execs at Big Farm pharmaceuticals, and "Referrals" such as Prospect's own mother, the troubled teen Lito and the malevolent Trevor Grueling. The science fiction elements and the innocent voice of Prospect make this a book likely to appeal to anyone who enjoyed Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go." In an early scene, Prospect is told he lacks "the wisdom and maturity" to make such the momentous decision he is being challenged to make. But who does possess that wisdom and maturity? Should Prospect accept the advice he's offered or trust his own instincts? Okita's novel is a literary page-turner filled with provocative scientific and philosophical questions that build to a surprising but satisfying conclusion.
May 8, 2012
The whole idea of this pre-born project is incredibly enticing to me. I love a good science fiction novel, especially with biology, and I really enjoyed the premise of the story. However, I had a very difficult time with the author's writing style throughout the entire book. Too many things were written in plain English, there was very little foreshadowing, the themes were not consistent, cause and effect relationships were ignored, and each character seemed to exist in his or her own glass bubble with respect to the feelings of other characters. It almost felt more like a play, as if the dialogue was there, and there were instructions to the "actors" as to what they were supposed to feel, or portray, or do, but the words that were used to string out the story were not doing what they needed to in order to bring the characters to life. Aside from that, the author clearly did not do much research into the world of scientific publication, which might be fine for the lay reader, but as a biology teacher and a lover of sci-fi, I was rather disappointed because of the lack of reality this offered. Part of the enchantment of science fiction is the SCIENCE portion of it... the part that makes it seem as if it could almost come true.
October 2, 2011
I had much anticipated reading The Prospect of My Arrival by Dwight Okita & was not disappointed. The story of an embryo given the option to be born or unborn, it was as if each chapter seemed to add layer by layer (written amazingly objective I might add), the challenges & complexities of life the embryo experienced in a 21 year old body while trying to decide whether or not to be born. I initially wanted to read this book because I was unable to contemplate what I would choose if I had to make the same decision for myself. The opening quote in Chapter Two struck me as so relate-able to reality & I thought perhaps the book would sway my thoughts on the subject of birth one way or the other, however, what I experienced was exactly the opposite. This book left me unexpectedly speechless and emotional for many reasons. It is difficult to share details without spoilers but I can hardly wait for my partner to read this book too. As my first first-read, the bar has definitely been set high by this author!
December 15, 2011
I'm biased, because I'm friends with Dwight, but I loved this! I think it'd be a great YA scifi book for teens - especially gay/queer teens, because it does feature one amazingly written gay romantic relationship. It was a quick read, and simple, although I was sad about the ending. I'll definitely be recommending this to my friends who like science fiction.
February 25, 2012
The idea and premise behind this books is great and very well thought of:
If you, while still an embryo, had the chance to preview (your) life, would you then choose to be born or would you rather return to the gene-pool? This is a very daring and fascinating concept that Dwight Okita has dared to take on.
This story is excellent and the flow of the storyline progresses naturally from page one and onwards, which makes this book a fairly quick and easy read. I believe that this book was written with a younger audience in mind, especially for those who might be struggling with finding their own place in life. It would have been interesting to see how a more “grown up” version of this book would have turned out, for the subject this book touches on is pretty heavy.
I have to say this: the ending pages and paragraphs of this book were some of the most touching paragraphs that I have ever read in any work of fiction. I was almost moved to tears and that is something that does not happen very often and it made me wonder what I would chosen if I had been in Prospects shoes -- would I have had the emotional and intellectual maturity to make such a profound decision? I honestly don’t know, I don't even know if I would have been able to make such a decisions today.
So, why didn’t I give this book 5 stars instead of 4? Well, I have to be honest. There were some typographical errors here and there that were nagging me while reading. I know I might sound nitpicking, but for me those errors were hard for me to ignore and did influence my perception of this book and have to take them into account when reviewing it.
If you, while still an embryo, had the chance to preview (your) life, would you then choose to be born or would you rather return to the gene-pool? This is a very daring and fascinating concept that Dwight Okita has dared to take on.
This story is excellent and the flow of the storyline progresses naturally from page one and onwards, which makes this book a fairly quick and easy read. I believe that this book was written with a younger audience in mind, especially for those who might be struggling with finding their own place in life. It would have been interesting to see how a more “grown up” version of this book would have turned out, for the subject this book touches on is pretty heavy.
I have to say this: the ending pages and paragraphs of this book were some of the most touching paragraphs that I have ever read in any work of fiction. I was almost moved to tears and that is something that does not happen very often and it made me wonder what I would chosen if I had been in Prospects shoes -- would I have had the emotional and intellectual maturity to make such a profound decision? I honestly don’t know, I don't even know if I would have been able to make such a decisions today.
So, why didn’t I give this book 5 stars instead of 4? Well, I have to be honest. There were some typographical errors here and there that were nagging me while reading. I know I might sound nitpicking, but for me those errors were hard for me to ignore and did influence my perception of this book and have to take them into account when reviewing it.
August 6, 2016
'The Prospect of my Arrival' is the story of Prospect, a human embryo who is given the opportunity to decide whether or not he wants to be born. Prospect is taught the basics of human knowledge before his consciousness is placed into a synthetic twenty~year old man's body To help Prospect to make his choice he meets a wide range of people who will show him their ideas of life and what it means to them, although one of them does have a sinister agenda. Trish Mesmer, the scientist in charge of the experiment counsels Prospect whilst also keeping secrets from him. The people that Prospect meets are from all walks of life and all want to help Prospect in his decision. If you had the chance to see the world before you were born, would you do it?
I read about 'The Prospect of my Arrival' on facebook and downloaded it right away onto my kindle. Prospect's story is told brilliantly with Prospect's innocent but strong voice through it. Prospect has the opportunity to see what his life will be like if he chooses to be born and with conflicting opinions surrounding him its a difficult choice for Prospect to make. The beauty of this story is Prospect and his insights on the world, and as the story progresses you understand why its such a difficult choice, for every good aspect, there's a bad aspect to life.
'The Prospect of my Arrival' is a thought provoking story with Prospect as the naive but intelligent narrator, at times funny and sad, Prospect’s story is told and remains with you.
I read about 'The Prospect of my Arrival' on facebook and downloaded it right away onto my kindle. Prospect's story is told brilliantly with Prospect's innocent but strong voice through it. Prospect has the opportunity to see what his life will be like if he chooses to be born and with conflicting opinions surrounding him its a difficult choice for Prospect to make. The beauty of this story is Prospect and his insights on the world, and as the story progresses you understand why its such a difficult choice, for every good aspect, there's a bad aspect to life.
'The Prospect of my Arrival' is a thought provoking story with Prospect as the naive but intelligent narrator, at times funny and sad, Prospect’s story is told and remains with you.
November 6, 2011
Compelling story based on an unusual premise: What if we could spend some time as an adult exploring our potential world in order to decide whether to be born? Very enjoyable well paced tale that keeps the reader slightly off-kilter.
September 27, 2011
This is as different a book as I have read in a long time. I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. This book gave me a lot to think about. Choices are hard to make, no matter what
November 5, 2011
I received this book from First Reads. I had no idea that I would love it so much! Very original and fun concept.
August 3, 2012
What stands out most for me is Prospects ability to stay in the present. This ability folds naturally due to his newness. His mindfulness was refreshing and a necessary reminder for me.
February 3, 2015
Read on the blog: http://www.sarcasmandlemons.com/2014/...
the basics
I was drawn to this book by the highly original set-up. A child choosing whether to be born? It really takes a new spin on the abortion debate (or, if you're not political, sets up some great philosophical questions about the value of life). Prospect is not always the easiest character to like. Given that his mind is a fetus' with some downloaded posh, he can be stilted and stodgy. That said, he also has a childlike naivete that both carries some of the conflict and allows readers to see a new world in his eyes. The split-narrative structure worked well and gave some insight into the sinister business-side of things. The writing is frequently beautiful, the plot frequently shocking. Prospect lives a lot of life in his short trial period; his unique position draws him into griefs and struggles most never experience, and joys that everyone should. The story of Prospect's journey would have been enough, but Okita ups the ante with an anti-Preborn militant group who finds the rule of science over God repugnant and does all they can to destroy the project--no matter who's hurt in the process. What comes out is both a character-driven exploration of pure life and an exciting mystery/thriller with an ending that still unsettles me. Okita's debut deeply moved and thrilled me, and left me with lingering questions that ensure I won't soon forget my read.
plot . 4/5
When we meet Prospect, he's already been programmed into his temporary body with a preset repertoire of knowledge, skills, and social morays. Enough to function in the world at a basic level, but without the experiential part. Okita's fantastic at explaining the project without the dreaded info-dump, so the plot takes off right away. Prospect meets his parents--yes, the woman who is pregnant and actually carrying his consciousness. The strangeness of this meeting sets up a series of still-stranger events that always kept me guessing. Basically, Prospect travels from host to host, each of whom is meant to show him a kind of life. The life of someone who wants to be dead. The life of someone who's truly happy.
Along the way, Prospect encounters sex, suicide, death, and first love. He's loved by some and hunted by others. In interspersed chapters, we also see the founder of the project, whose own motives and struggles are equally compelling. This isn't a totally sensical plot. You have to take some leaps of faith and allow for some odd coincidences and strange happenings. It's as much a thought experiment as a novel. But for me, it worked. There's also an exciting thriller threaded throughout, with Prospect hunted by an invisible organization who will do anything to end the Preborn project. This side of the plot adds some tension and prevented me from being overwhelmed by philosophy.
concept . 5/5
If you could have experienced life before you were born and chosen to live it, would you? It's a question that's come up quite often in the abortion debate, particularly with respect to fetuses who show signs of disability, genetic disease, or other atypicalities. If they knew how they'd live, would they want to? It's not a question we can actually answer, but Okita takes a stab at it with the Preborn project. Suspend your disbelief; this is not a hard-science, deeply researched, feasible thing. If that's going to bother you, consider another book. If you're willing to accept the premise, then you're in for a highly enjoyable exploration of what it means to live, to love, to experience joy and sorrow. What it means to be humans. What it means to live in a world where suffering is unavoidable. Each of Prospect's encounters brings up half-answered questions about these big issues, and builds into something sweetly melancholy and thought-provoking.
characters . 5/5
Like the plot, the character are just a little unbelievable. There's a hint of magic realism about it. Prospect himself is the trickiest, of course. He's been given some knowledge about the world, but never had experiences. Again, you have to take a leap of faith. The implications of what this would actually look like are not fully explored and that was fine with me; I just accepted Okita's conceit. Prospect himself is a little on the dull side, but he's also great narrator. His childlike innocence allows him to view the world in ways that I'd forgotten I could. He also becomes more relatable as time goes on. The scientist lady was less of a draw for me, perhaps because I found her selfish and annoying, but she works in the context of the story. The Referrals (Prospect's host) were largely well done. Lito, Irene, and Trevor were the clear winners. Lito is a foster child, an outcast, sweet and immeasurably sad. His relationship with Prospect is beautiful and heartwrenching. Irene is the "happy" referral, a greeting card maker who has an aphorism for any situation. Only her secret was marvelously shocking. Then there's Trevor, the wildest of the bunch, exaggeratedly hedonistic but also violently anti-Preborn. Each character adds something to the overall metaphor and, to some extent, contributes to the thriller side of the plot.
style . 5/5
Okita's style is, frankly, poetic. I stopped reading every few minutes because I had to highlight something. He has an uncanny way of putting the most ordinary things into extraordinary forms, and making the extraordinary accessible. He intersperses some philosophizing, but he's careful not to let it become overbearing. I truly found his writing style gorgeous.
mechanics . 5/5
The third person worked for me. It made the book feel a little heavier, a little more literary. The alternating chapters were sometimes annoying because I'd be dangling over a cliffhanger, so there's that. For all the indie doubters out there, you wouldn't know this book wasn't Big Six. It's finely polished, clearly professionally edited, and well-paced.
take home message
A sweetly melancholy tale of life and love superimposed on an exciting thriller.
the basics
I was drawn to this book by the highly original set-up. A child choosing whether to be born? It really takes a new spin on the abortion debate (or, if you're not political, sets up some great philosophical questions about the value of life). Prospect is not always the easiest character to like. Given that his mind is a fetus' with some downloaded posh, he can be stilted and stodgy. That said, he also has a childlike naivete that both carries some of the conflict and allows readers to see a new world in his eyes. The split-narrative structure worked well and gave some insight into the sinister business-side of things. The writing is frequently beautiful, the plot frequently shocking. Prospect lives a lot of life in his short trial period; his unique position draws him into griefs and struggles most never experience, and joys that everyone should. The story of Prospect's journey would have been enough, but Okita ups the ante with an anti-Preborn militant group who finds the rule of science over God repugnant and does all they can to destroy the project--no matter who's hurt in the process. What comes out is both a character-driven exploration of pure life and an exciting mystery/thriller with an ending that still unsettles me. Okita's debut deeply moved and thrilled me, and left me with lingering questions that ensure I won't soon forget my read.
plot . 4/5
When we meet Prospect, he's already been programmed into his temporary body with a preset repertoire of knowledge, skills, and social morays. Enough to function in the world at a basic level, but without the experiential part. Okita's fantastic at explaining the project without the dreaded info-dump, so the plot takes off right away. Prospect meets his parents--yes, the woman who is pregnant and actually carrying his consciousness. The strangeness of this meeting sets up a series of still-stranger events that always kept me guessing. Basically, Prospect travels from host to host, each of whom is meant to show him a kind of life. The life of someone who wants to be dead. The life of someone who's truly happy.
Along the way, Prospect encounters sex, suicide, death, and first love. He's loved by some and hunted by others. In interspersed chapters, we also see the founder of the project, whose own motives and struggles are equally compelling. This isn't a totally sensical plot. You have to take some leaps of faith and allow for some odd coincidences and strange happenings. It's as much a thought experiment as a novel. But for me, it worked. There's also an exciting thriller threaded throughout, with Prospect hunted by an invisible organization who will do anything to end the Preborn project. This side of the plot adds some tension and prevented me from being overwhelmed by philosophy.
concept . 5/5
If you could have experienced life before you were born and chosen to live it, would you? It's a question that's come up quite often in the abortion debate, particularly with respect to fetuses who show signs of disability, genetic disease, or other atypicalities. If they knew how they'd live, would they want to? It's not a question we can actually answer, but Okita takes a stab at it with the Preborn project. Suspend your disbelief; this is not a hard-science, deeply researched, feasible thing. If that's going to bother you, consider another book. If you're willing to accept the premise, then you're in for a highly enjoyable exploration of what it means to live, to love, to experience joy and sorrow. What it means to be humans. What it means to live in a world where suffering is unavoidable. Each of Prospect's encounters brings up half-answered questions about these big issues, and builds into something sweetly melancholy and thought-provoking.
characters . 5/5
Like the plot, the character are just a little unbelievable. There's a hint of magic realism about it. Prospect himself is the trickiest, of course. He's been given some knowledge about the world, but never had experiences. Again, you have to take a leap of faith. The implications of what this would actually look like are not fully explored and that was fine with me; I just accepted Okita's conceit. Prospect himself is a little on the dull side, but he's also great narrator. His childlike innocence allows him to view the world in ways that I'd forgotten I could. He also becomes more relatable as time goes on. The scientist lady was less of a draw for me, perhaps because I found her selfish and annoying, but she works in the context of the story. The Referrals (Prospect's host) were largely well done. Lito, Irene, and Trevor were the clear winners. Lito is a foster child, an outcast, sweet and immeasurably sad. His relationship with Prospect is beautiful and heartwrenching. Irene is the "happy" referral, a greeting card maker who has an aphorism for any situation. Only her secret was marvelously shocking. Then there's Trevor, the wildest of the bunch, exaggeratedly hedonistic but also violently anti-Preborn. Each character adds something to the overall metaphor and, to some extent, contributes to the thriller side of the plot.
style . 5/5
Okita's style is, frankly, poetic. I stopped reading every few minutes because I had to highlight something. He has an uncanny way of putting the most ordinary things into extraordinary forms, and making the extraordinary accessible. He intersperses some philosophizing, but he's careful not to let it become overbearing. I truly found his writing style gorgeous.
mechanics . 5/5
The third person worked for me. It made the book feel a little heavier, a little more literary. The alternating chapters were sometimes annoying because I'd be dangling over a cliffhanger, so there's that. For all the indie doubters out there, you wouldn't know this book wasn't Big Six. It's finely polished, clearly professionally edited, and well-paced.
take home message
A sweetly melancholy tale of life and love superimposed on an exciting thriller.
July 18, 2012
The premise is ambitious and provocative: if an embryo's soul could visit Earth, interacting with others as an adult, would it choose to be born or not? The main character, Prospect, is a soul inhabiting a synthetic body for three weeks, scheduled to visit with half a dozen different people, including his parents. At the end of the experiment, he must choose whether to continue development as a fetus (his mother is pregnant with him now) or "return to the gene pool."
That last phrase probably gives anyone with a scientific background reading this review some significant pause, and rightly so. As other reviewers have noted, the science aspect of this story is deeply flawed. Readers of science fiction rightly expect the science to be plausible as well as inventive, and the Pre-Born Project fails on both counts, despite some clever conceits ("Big Farm" as the experiment's sponsor, and Infinity Medical Center, where Prospect begins and ends his existence). I tried to let go of my misgivings, crediting the author with choosing some parts of the premise for a philosophical reason rather than a scientific one, but it was a challenge.
Okita sculpts some beautifully simple, profound observations and turns of phrase. Here are a couple I found particularly enjoyable and meaningful…
If coming into this world happens all at once, then actually living in this world happens little by little.
How you experience something—that's your fingerprint. It's what makes you unique from every other leaping person on the planet.
He also drops some clichéd clunkers, like: "They are getting to know each other. Like an onion, layer by layer, one skin at a time. Why do people cry when they peel an onion?"
That last passage does a good job of illustrating what was, for me, an almost fatal flaw for the narrative. Okita chose to write in third person omniscient voice, rambling through stream of consciousness, hopping from different characters' points of view sometimes within the same paragraph. I found this incredibly jarring and would have preferred to read Prospect's experiences from his unique point of view (in either first or third person), discovering humanity from within his head, rather than as an all-knowing, all-seeing fly on the wall. What might have been an interesting literary experiment with voice and form just comes across as amateurish.
Here's another illustrative snippet:
She opens her arms. They hug. There should be a photograph for such a hug. He doesn't know why she is suddenly so important to him. This new ally. This missing branch from the family tree.
The pervasive simplicity of Okita's prose might be purposeful, intended to invoke Prospect's innocence and naiveté. But to me, it read more like detailed notes or a rough draft, rather than a mature narrative. The latter theory was bolstered as inconsistencies in POV, tense, and grammatical errors started piling up.
Perhaps I was just distracted by Okita's style, but the plot didn't do much for me, either. As a thesis on humanity's many failings, as well as our small intimacies contrasting with our lofty aspirations, the concept of the story is intriguing. But I never felt a sense of building tension as Prospect visited with his various Referrals, despite the deaths and budding homosexual romance and three-way sex in his wake. His final decision whether to be born or not was anticlimactic as a result.
It is entirely possible that I simply did not "get" this book. It certainly felt as if I was missing something crucial as I read along. I was enchanted by the premise, tantalized by some unique and lovely prose, but eventually the lack of tension, confusing style, questionable scientific plausibility, and stilted narrative made this story hard to finish.
That last phrase probably gives anyone with a scientific background reading this review some significant pause, and rightly so. As other reviewers have noted, the science aspect of this story is deeply flawed. Readers of science fiction rightly expect the science to be plausible as well as inventive, and the Pre-Born Project fails on both counts, despite some clever conceits ("Big Farm" as the experiment's sponsor, and Infinity Medical Center, where Prospect begins and ends his existence). I tried to let go of my misgivings, crediting the author with choosing some parts of the premise for a philosophical reason rather than a scientific one, but it was a challenge.
Okita sculpts some beautifully simple, profound observations and turns of phrase. Here are a couple I found particularly enjoyable and meaningful…
If coming into this world happens all at once, then actually living in this world happens little by little.
How you experience something—that's your fingerprint. It's what makes you unique from every other leaping person on the planet.
He also drops some clichéd clunkers, like: "They are getting to know each other. Like an onion, layer by layer, one skin at a time. Why do people cry when they peel an onion?"
That last passage does a good job of illustrating what was, for me, an almost fatal flaw for the narrative. Okita chose to write in third person omniscient voice, rambling through stream of consciousness, hopping from different characters' points of view sometimes within the same paragraph. I found this incredibly jarring and would have preferred to read Prospect's experiences from his unique point of view (in either first or third person), discovering humanity from within his head, rather than as an all-knowing, all-seeing fly on the wall. What might have been an interesting literary experiment with voice and form just comes across as amateurish.
Here's another illustrative snippet:
She opens her arms. They hug. There should be a photograph for such a hug. He doesn't know why she is suddenly so important to him. This new ally. This missing branch from the family tree.
The pervasive simplicity of Okita's prose might be purposeful, intended to invoke Prospect's innocence and naiveté. But to me, it read more like detailed notes or a rough draft, rather than a mature narrative. The latter theory was bolstered as inconsistencies in POV, tense, and grammatical errors started piling up.
Perhaps I was just distracted by Okita's style, but the plot didn't do much for me, either. As a thesis on humanity's many failings, as well as our small intimacies contrasting with our lofty aspirations, the concept of the story is intriguing. But I never felt a sense of building tension as Prospect visited with his various Referrals, despite the deaths and budding homosexual romance and three-way sex in his wake. His final decision whether to be born or not was anticlimactic as a result.
It is entirely possible that I simply did not "get" this book. It certainly felt as if I was missing something crucial as I read along. I was enchanted by the premise, tantalized by some unique and lovely prose, but eventually the lack of tension, confusing style, questionable scientific plausibility, and stilted narrative made this story hard to finish.
December 2, 2012
I am already a huge Murakami fan; Kafka on the Shore is one of my very favorite books. To be able to spend a summer reading a long novel by him was a real gift. And he didn't disappoint - 1Q84 satisfied my delight in urban fantasy, science fiction, action, and wonderful writing.
The Prospect of My Arrival was a different kind of read. It is much shorter, for one thing. I read the book in a few evenings, although in part that was because I simply could not put it down. Okita uses dreamy prose that is reminiscent of Murakami. He pumps up the volume on the science fiction, as the book is about a scientific and moral experiment.
Prospect is a foetus, a baby about to be born. He is given enhanced intelligence, a twenty-year-old bod,y and sent out into the world to see if he wants to be born.
To help him in his decision, he is sent to visit Referrals. The book is the story of those visits on one level, but there is a thread of other plots connecting those stories. There are people who are against the Pre-Born Project and who want to stop it at all costs. There is also a love story between Prospect and Lito, his second referral. Okita manages both deftly, making the first exciting and the second lovely and touching.
I have read some reviews about The Prospect of My Arrival that complain about the spare prose. Okita uses short sentences and simple description, but to my mind it is done very artistically. The book is like a Mondrian painting, or a William Carlos Williams poem. It seems very straightforward at first glance, but there is a complex structure and design behind the simple sentences. And those short phrases echo the soul of Prospect who is, after all, a foetus.
In one scene, Prospect meets his mother in the Shedd Aquarium. They talk about his sister, Joyce, in front of one of the tanks of jellyfish. "As they leave this place, jellyfish descend in slow motion like parachutes onto the bright coral reefs below them." This image is echoed in another Referral's home. "Sheer pink curtains flutter from the open windows of the living room. They move like jellyfish in the summer breeze."
The jellyfish encapsulated the book, to my mind. The words move lazily, dreamily, like underwater creatures, and yet they are mesmerizing. The plot and the prose seem so simple, and at the same time they are lovely and complex.
Can you get excited about the story of a foetus who may or may not decide to be born? Oh, yes indeed you can. As I said, I could not put it down, and I had a very sad feeling when the book ended. Luckily, Okita has other books coming out, such as The Hope Store, and I will certainly be purchasing everything by him.
I read Prospect as a Kindle book. Formatting is an art unto itself, and Okita's format is breathtaking. He includes images and chapter headings that make this a joy to read. However, the story was so amazing that I also need to get the print version and beg the author to sign it for me. Okita is a name to be watched on the Indie front.
The Prospect of My Arrival was a different kind of read. It is much shorter, for one thing. I read the book in a few evenings, although in part that was because I simply could not put it down. Okita uses dreamy prose that is reminiscent of Murakami. He pumps up the volume on the science fiction, as the book is about a scientific and moral experiment.
Prospect is a foetus, a baby about to be born. He is given enhanced intelligence, a twenty-year-old bod,y and sent out into the world to see if he wants to be born.
To help him in his decision, he is sent to visit Referrals. The book is the story of those visits on one level, but there is a thread of other plots connecting those stories. There are people who are against the Pre-Born Project and who want to stop it at all costs. There is also a love story between Prospect and Lito, his second referral. Okita manages both deftly, making the first exciting and the second lovely and touching.
I have read some reviews about The Prospect of My Arrival that complain about the spare prose. Okita uses short sentences and simple description, but to my mind it is done very artistically. The book is like a Mondrian painting, or a William Carlos Williams poem. It seems very straightforward at first glance, but there is a complex structure and design behind the simple sentences. And those short phrases echo the soul of Prospect who is, after all, a foetus.
In one scene, Prospect meets his mother in the Shedd Aquarium. They talk about his sister, Joyce, in front of one of the tanks of jellyfish. "As they leave this place, jellyfish descend in slow motion like parachutes onto the bright coral reefs below them." This image is echoed in another Referral's home. "Sheer pink curtains flutter from the open windows of the living room. They move like jellyfish in the summer breeze."
The jellyfish encapsulated the book, to my mind. The words move lazily, dreamily, like underwater creatures, and yet they are mesmerizing. The plot and the prose seem so simple, and at the same time they are lovely and complex.
Can you get excited about the story of a foetus who may or may not decide to be born? Oh, yes indeed you can. As I said, I could not put it down, and I had a very sad feeling when the book ended. Luckily, Okita has other books coming out, such as The Hope Store, and I will certainly be purchasing everything by him.
I read Prospect as a Kindle book. Formatting is an art unto itself, and Okita's format is breathtaking. He includes images and chapter headings that make this a joy to read. However, the story was so amazing that I also need to get the print version and beg the author to sign it for me. Okita is a name to be watched on the Indie front.
November 25, 2011
Couldn't Put It Down!
I read Prospect Of My Arrival on Thanksgiving Day, 2011, while seated in the lobby of an emergency room in Oberlin, Ohio. The nearness of both life (a woman in labor was brought in while I waited) and death (I had brought in a man who thought he was having a heart attack) made the story extremely poignant and moving. Prospect is a pre-born, who is given a chance to "test drive" the human world before deciding whether he will be physically born. His spirit is given a pre-fab human-like host body from Big Farm (big pharma...). Prospect is then sent out into the world for three weeks to meet with representative "Referrals" who will provide him information upon which he can base his decision. Neither Prospect nor the reader has any idea how this exploration will turn out. Brilliant scientists are interested in his voyage of discovery, Big Pharam is interested in profits, Conservatives and Liberals each have their opinions, and the Referrals all seem to have their own agendas. Only Prospect goes out into the world without an agenda, and without any preconceived notions about what he will find or what he should do. Through the interactions with the Referrals, Mr. Okita does a masterful job of presenting rationale for and against the decision to bring another life into this world, and the rationale for and against suicide. The characters are vivid, the inter-party dialogue is crisp, and the internal dialogue is revealing and brutally honest. Through Prospect's unbiased eyes and mind, Mr. Okita pulls no punches in examining the best and the worst in our society. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think you will too. 5 stars.
Sincerely,
JT Kalnay
Author of The Pattern, The Keeper, and Mina's Eyes
I read Prospect Of My Arrival on Thanksgiving Day, 2011, while seated in the lobby of an emergency room in Oberlin, Ohio. The nearness of both life (a woman in labor was brought in while I waited) and death (I had brought in a man who thought he was having a heart attack) made the story extremely poignant and moving. Prospect is a pre-born, who is given a chance to "test drive" the human world before deciding whether he will be physically born. His spirit is given a pre-fab human-like host body from Big Farm (big pharma...). Prospect is then sent out into the world for three weeks to meet with representative "Referrals" who will provide him information upon which he can base his decision. Neither Prospect nor the reader has any idea how this exploration will turn out. Brilliant scientists are interested in his voyage of discovery, Big Pharam is interested in profits, Conservatives and Liberals each have their opinions, and the Referrals all seem to have their own agendas. Only Prospect goes out into the world without an agenda, and without any preconceived notions about what he will find or what he should do. Through the interactions with the Referrals, Mr. Okita does a masterful job of presenting rationale for and against the decision to bring another life into this world, and the rationale for and against suicide. The characters are vivid, the inter-party dialogue is crisp, and the internal dialogue is revealing and brutally honest. Through Prospect's unbiased eyes and mind, Mr. Okita pulls no punches in examining the best and the worst in our society. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think you will too. 5 stars.
Sincerely,
JT Kalnay
Author of The Pattern, The Keeper, and Mina's Eyes
July 26, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book in both content and structure. First, there are typographical problems that get worse as the book goes on. Eveything from simple spelling errors and wrong words (like "he" instead of "the") to words repeating in the same sentence ("He entered the He entered the room...") to places where editing is evident because verbs no longer agree, or parts of old sentences have been left behind. I recognize these are editing problems, not necessarily the author's, but it detracts from the reading experience.
The writing itself varies from clever and compelling, to long sections of boring exposition that left me wondering "so what?" At times I found myself wondering how far I could skip without missing anything important. It turns out, pretty far.
Negatives aside, the premise of the story is very interesting: if a person could preview life on earth before being born, would they still choose to be born? I don't know if it was the author's intention, but the book is a study in selfishness. Everyone Prospect encounters is driven entirely by selfishness, even though their purpose is supposed to be helping him. Ultimately, what Prospect learns is how to be selfish, and his final decision is entirely that.
For me, it was easy to hate the "bad guys" because they were so overtly self-serving. But it was hard to like the "good guys" because there was no meaningful self-sacrifice. In the end, I didn't care one bit what happened to anyone because their selfishness made them so unsympathetic. Maybe that was the author's point, we become apathetic towards anything that doesn't meet our needs or expectations.
If a feeling of complete indifference was the author's intent, this is a masterpiece. If not, this book is an epic fail.
The writing itself varies from clever and compelling, to long sections of boring exposition that left me wondering "so what?" At times I found myself wondering how far I could skip without missing anything important. It turns out, pretty far.
Negatives aside, the premise of the story is very interesting: if a person could preview life on earth before being born, would they still choose to be born? I don't know if it was the author's intention, but the book is a study in selfishness. Everyone Prospect encounters is driven entirely by selfishness, even though their purpose is supposed to be helping him. Ultimately, what Prospect learns is how to be selfish, and his final decision is entirely that.
For me, it was easy to hate the "bad guys" because they were so overtly self-serving. But it was hard to like the "good guys" because there was no meaningful self-sacrifice. In the end, I didn't care one bit what happened to anyone because their selfishness made them so unsympathetic. Maybe that was the author's point, we become apathetic towards anything that doesn't meet our needs or expectations.
If a feeling of complete indifference was the author's intent, this is a masterpiece. If not, this book is an epic fail.
July 15, 2016
Prospect, the first in an experiment to determine if a pre-born human would choose to be born or not, the premise being that choosing to be born would produce happier humans. Prospect meets Referrals, people intended to give him an overview of how they see life and get along. After three weeks, there's a big press conference for Prospect to deliver his decision.
Happiness isn't all it's cracked up to be. Nor are humans. Good and bad, we have to take it all in and decide what to do about it.
The book was merely okay until the last 10-15 pages or so. The idea of the consciousness of an embryo in the womb simultaneously existing in an artificially-created body and able to react as though verging on adulthood is, frankly, loony. But, you know, wave your hands with some advancedmagic tech and you can kind of ignore it. Really, don't think too hard about it because it will break your brain.
Lots of parallels in the story about choosing to take one's life or the life of another, when all we really want is to not be alone. Happiness comes in many forms, but really, is happiness the ultimate goal? 84 people killed in Nice last night -- happiness gone: do we off ourselves in retailiation because we're not happy? Yet life continues, and something deeper, more profound must be discovered as the purpose in life.
Though sad, the ending of the story makes the rest of it worth reading. Not high on my list of recommendations, but not a waste of my time.
Happiness isn't all it's cracked up to be. Nor are humans. Good and bad, we have to take it all in and decide what to do about it.
The book was merely okay until the last 10-15 pages or so. The idea of the consciousness of an embryo in the womb simultaneously existing in an artificially-created body and able to react as though verging on adulthood is, frankly, loony. But, you know, wave your hands with some advanced
Lots of parallels in the story about choosing to take one's life or the life of another, when all we really want is to not be alone. Happiness comes in many forms, but really, is happiness the ultimate goal? 84 people killed in Nice last night -- happiness gone: do we off ourselves in retailiation because we're not happy? Yet life continues, and something deeper, more profound must be discovered as the purpose in life.
Though sad, the ending of the story makes the rest of it worth reading. Not high on my list of recommendations, but not a waste of my time.
June 25, 2012
The initial idea of having a Pre-born experience life and relationships to evaluate whether to be born is innovative. The device of getting an outsider's take on aspects of the human condition is made more telling because the 'outsider' is in fact no alien but a potential human.
Although the idea has real possibilities it seems poorly thought through and badly developed. The science is so shallow it is impossible to suspend disbelief enough. The CyberSavant implanted microchip alone would render the objective nature of the experiment questionable and Dr Mesmer's opening reasons for the project have no scientific validity. There is no question that Mr Okita has the writing tools, but this story has other problems.
Firstly the tone of voice is somewhat monotonous and none of the characters come across as individuals or have distinct personalities beyond the superficial. For instance, Dr Mesmer (the research scientist) prepares a mid-point report which is utterly unscientific and imprecise in its language - "Fairly life-affirming", "spend some days", "was probably most successful", "the jury's still out on this", and so on.
Multiply this blandness by the number of characters and it is a hard tale to get through, which is a shame because observation and insight are evident and something more down-to-earth might reveal the obvious talent.
Although the idea has real possibilities it seems poorly thought through and badly developed. The science is so shallow it is impossible to suspend disbelief enough. The CyberSavant implanted microchip alone would render the objective nature of the experiment questionable and Dr Mesmer's opening reasons for the project have no scientific validity. There is no question that Mr Okita has the writing tools, but this story has other problems.
Firstly the tone of voice is somewhat monotonous and none of the characters come across as individuals or have distinct personalities beyond the superficial. For instance, Dr Mesmer (the research scientist) prepares a mid-point report which is utterly unscientific and imprecise in its language - "Fairly life-affirming", "spend some days", "was probably most successful", "the jury's still out on this", and so on.
Multiply this blandness by the number of characters and it is a hard tale to get through, which is a shame because observation and insight are evident and something more down-to-earth might reveal the obvious talent.
January 12, 2022
I don’t normally read science fiction, but I was bored and desperate and this was a free kindle book and guess what? I kind of loved it. Basically, there’s this extremely prochoice female scientist who thinks the world would be a happier place if every baby was allowed to decide whether it wanted to be born. But first the baby gets to experience the world for a couple weeks so it can make an informed decision. Its soul is transplanted into a dummy body, and he gets to meet a small cross-section of people: a happy-go-lucky old woman, a depressed teenager, an amoral businessman, and, of course, his future parents. He also gets to experience the world, in general: the joy of caffeine, sex, and dancing; the misery of heartache, betrayal, and death. It's a deconstruction of life that's both uplifting and depressing as hell. Makes you wonder what decision you would have made.
July 6, 2012
The basic premise of the book, taking choice to a new level by allowing the child to decide whether or not to be born, piqued my interest. I found Prospect, the pre-born, a charming, likeable person. He begins with no experience, armed only with facts from his Cyber-Savant. The author has done a great job of allowing the reader to see the world through the lens of Prospect, whose very innocence lends unwitting wisdom to his words. We taste cotton candy for the first time, experience the fear of being lost in a crowd, and make a first friend through the clear lens of Prospect’s innocence. We watch him meet people, establish relationships, and peek into the complexities of life, never sure himself which path to take as the world unfolds before him, and his own personality unfolds in response.
I enjoyed reading it. The book is a light read with heavy, thought-provoking undertones.
I enjoyed reading it. The book is a light read with heavy, thought-provoking undertones.
August 11, 2012
Ack! I can't believe how many people actually liked this book. It was so poorly written, I had a hard time convincing myself to finish it. Several hours of my life I will never get back. Though the premise is interesting, that's where the creativity ends. Set in a world where the technology exists to allow an embryo to inhabit an artificial body so it can experience the world prior to birth, there are still Polaroid photos and twitter? Though personality traits can be removed from one's brain, one character suffers from ADD so traumatically that he is nearly dysfunctional? The writing is choppy, overtly sexual themes run rampant for no apparent reason, and I have no idea what the author is trying to say. But above all else, if this is the quality of writing that is getting past even the most scant of editorial reviews for e-release, it is a sad day for readers everywhere.
July 1, 2012
Interesting futuristic premise - what if an embryo could decide whether or not to be born? (sort of a reverse take on abortion...) Placed in a fabricated adult body, the 'pre-born' is given information to traverse the earth for a few weeks, meeting with pre-arranged people to help him (in this case, the story was about a male named Prospect) get to know the world, how people related, etc. At the end of the trial period, Prospect has to decide whether to be born, or go back into the gene pool. Very interesting story, lots of humor mixed in with theoretical, moral, ethical issues.
January 24, 2012
I won this book on Goodreads First reads. If I could rate this book 4.5 stars, I would, because it wasn't amazing, but not far from it. It is well written and the story is great, really interesting. It gives us a new point of view on our world, an innocent and somehow objective point of view. Prospect is really a likeable character and if you start to read this novel, you will want to know what is going to happen next to Prospect.
December 18, 2012
I gave it three stars for it's bold idea. Who could come uop with the idea of giving an embryo the decision to be born or not. It asked a lot of hard questions, crossed some dark places. I assume this will be one of those books that intrigues you or you seee as foolish. I was impressed with the referrals and the life lessons they shared not only to the Prospect but to us all.
December 3, 2011
Won this from Goodreads First Reads contest.
January 20, 2012
Great premise, good execution, disappointing last chapter. The themes were so haunting, I wanted the ending to be bigger than it was.
Book dish: sunflower seeds
Book dish: sunflower seeds
February 7, 2020
I waffled between giving this one 3 or 4 stars, as I am still processing my overall impression of the tale, having just finished it this afternoon.
The concept fascinated me, and was interesting to contemplate: In a technologically advanced near-future, we follow Prospect (a human fetus "implanted" in a temporary temperal form) as he participates in a bio-experiment meant to allow him a brief preview of the world, such as it is, and decide for himself if he would be born into it - or, not. To help him come to a decision, he is assigned several "referrals", each with a unique perspective to consider.
The ideas were well conceived, and the presentation was intriguing, but,...I felt somewhat...underwhelmed (cheated?) In the delivery; like, the pieces were all there, but the didn't all come together very cohesively for this reader...
But, then, isn't that somewhat the point (or, at least "A" point) ...that life isn't always arranged to "fit" together like pieces of a big, cosmic puzzle, but more like a collage of little bits and pieces we sort of glue together along the way?? ...
The concept fascinated me, and was interesting to contemplate: In a technologically advanced near-future, we follow Prospect (a human fetus "implanted" in a temporary temperal form) as he participates in a bio-experiment meant to allow him a brief preview of the world, such as it is, and decide for himself if he would be born into it - or, not. To help him come to a decision, he is assigned several "referrals", each with a unique perspective to consider.
The ideas were well conceived, and the presentation was intriguing, but,...I felt somewhat...underwhelmed (cheated?) In the delivery; like, the pieces were all there, but the didn't all come together very cohesively for this reader...
But, then, isn't that somewhat the point (or, at least "A" point) ...that life isn't always arranged to "fit" together like pieces of a big, cosmic puzzle, but more like a collage of little bits and pieces we sort of glue together along the way?? ...
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