The Labbitt Halsey Protocol

by Andrew M. Ryan

What choice did she really have?

With the perfection of Labbitt Halsey Genomics' groundbreaking XEN protocol, no conscientious parent could deny the tantalizing possibilities. At least that's what Ann Franklin's husband convinced her of at the time they chose to conceive. Her son was to be one of the children of the future, whose unprecedented genius would propel mankind into a bright, shining tomorrow.

But sixteen years later, sobered by the pitiless law of unintended consequences, Ann finds herself drawn into Jeremy's horrifying world, one of nihilism and suicide, while struggling against the loss of her high-powered consulting career, her son, and possibly her own life.

From the pressure-packed government-corporate culture of Washington, D.C. to the XEN underworld in the back streets of New Orleans, The Labbitt Halsey Protocol explores the depths of a mother's love in the face of genetic manipulation gone tragically awry.

358 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2011

About the author

Andrew M. Ryan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1967 and raised in Lansing and Birmingham, Michigan. With an insatiable passion for the truth, Ryan naturally gravitated to philosophy, earning his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University. Beyond his desire to understand the mind, he continues to explore many topics, including cosmology and cognitive science. Ryan is the author of the novel The Labbitt Halsey Protocol and The Substance of Spacetime: Infinity, Nothingness, and the Nature of Matter, a non-fiction theoretical physics book. He has a daughter and lives with his wife in Northern Virginia.

Reviews

[Ernest Solar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Labbitt Halsey Protocol by Andrew Ryan was a fascinating read by an upcoming author. As the reader you learn of the new groundbreaking XEN protocol that allows parents to genetically manipulate their off-spring to become geniuses that will elevate mankind in ways that can only be dreamed. However, don’t be fooled, this is no sci-fi novel. This is a take on a reality that is more than plausible in our own lifetime. The reality of the tale is set in Northern Virginia and in our own time. As I read the story I could picture the main character, Ann Franklin weaving in and out of traffic on the Route 7 or the Toll Road. I could picture Ann in her corporate meetings or in the downtown bars of Leesburg. Ryan did an excellent job of creating characters that are believable and real. As the story progresses the reader becomes invested in the outcome of Ann and her manipulative choices and in her Xen son Jeremy as he moves closer to the “buzz”.

It is evident that Ryan pulls deeply from his background in philosophy and cognitive sciences as he weaves his suspenseful tale. As a reader you need to stay vigilante in order to understand and pick-up on all of the nuances and details of the story. A lapse in concentration may leave you wondering how Ann got into the mess she created. In some ways the ending of story is shocking and unexpected. But then again Xen’s are shocking and unpredictable in their own way.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or psychological thriller. The story makes you think and analyze your own beliefs and ethical views about genetic manipulation, the nature of life, and the love a parent has for a child.

[Christina Hoyle]

I can't give this book a rating because it wouldn't be fair. I am very grateful to the author for sending me a signed copy. I was not able however to get into the book. I read half and couldn't really get grabbed by the story line. I was confused a lot of the time. I found the Xen very interesting and kept reading to find out what would happen to Jeremy. I just couldn't keep up with Ann and what was happening with her project at work, or the scandle that was going on. This was a bit over my head for me. :/

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific story of a single mother's struggle to save her son after having him genetically engineered to be super human intelligent. The story grabs you with the first page and doesn't let up. Great read!