Only Human

Missing Link #2

by Kate Thompson

Christie and his friends continue their search for the missing link in the faraway Himalayas, where the answers may be found with the elusive and mysterious Yeti.
Their journey leaves Danny battling his overwhelming longing for the sea, and Danny's half-sister Sandy fighting for her father's approval. The experience will bring out the best and worst in the group and eventually compel each of them to ask the ultimate What does it mean to be human?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Kate Thompson is an award-winning writer for children and adults.She has lived in Ireland, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson and Dorothy Towers. She worked with horses and travelled in India before settling in the west of Ireland with her partner Conor. They have two daughters, Cliodhna and Dearbhla. She is an accomplished fiddler with an interest in Irish traditional music, reflected in The New Policeman.

While Kate Thompson's children's fiction is primarily fantasy, several of her books also deal with the consequences of genetic engineering.

She has won the Bisto Children's Book of the Year Award four times, for The Beguilers, The Alchemist's Apprentice, Annan Water and The New Policeman. The New Policeman was also awarded the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children's Book Award and the Dublin Airport Authority Children's Book of the Year Award for 2005.

Reviews

[J.Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I object to the basis of this book on moral grounds. However, even leaving that aside, it's still not a great book. I found I had alot of trouble remember who people were and what had happened in the first book and I hadn't read the first book all that long ago. I was feeling unhappy with the way the book was going and put-off by the writing style and I had decided not to continue on with the trilogy, but something got me at the end that changed my mind. I couldn't tell you what it was for sure, although I suspect it had something to do with Danny the dolphin boy who starts helping the mer-people when their children start falling ill. This series is about a family who has discovered a way to incorporate animal DNA into an embryo and vice versa so that they end up with a daughter with frog genes, a dolphin son and a salmon son. Likewise, most of their animals can talk. It's not the greatest trilogy and I'm only completing it to see how it ends, so unless you're totally into evolution and genetics, I say don't waste your time with these.

[Danny Karmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Only Human is such a great book! If you like a book filled with science you will like this science adventure book. Christie and his friends travel to the Fourth World o visit the Yeti looking for the missing link. I could never put this book down, every chapter has something new and exciting! This book has very unique science in it, their is some Human's that have animal genes, and animals who have human genes!

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot. The first one was like an elaborate introduction paragraph, simply explaining and trying to get over the amazingness of it all. In this one Christie's kind of acknowledged that this is the real deal and you know the characters better,so the story kind build more.

[Annette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since I hadn’t read #1 of this series, it felt off at first, but catching up was easy enough. I did like the concept of talking animals though not the DNA interfering/science part.
Still, interesting + active - it would be ok for a 12 yo granddaughter

[Magda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just as strange as the first book. I keep thinking that these aren't all that great, but I keep reading.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the science part of things....not too bad

[Roshni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Second book, decent series

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this one too, the follow up to The Missing Link. It was interesting and nice to see the character evolve. Im really looking forward to the last book on the series.

[Theo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book Ok. It dragged on a bit and I found it boring to the end.