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The Subterrene War #2
Exogene
Exogene (n.): factor or agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system. classified Russian program to merge proto-humanoids with powered armor systems (slang).
Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She's a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.
And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they're not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can't shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.
Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She's a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.
And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they're not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can't shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.
347 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
16 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
About the author
T.C. McCarthy
21 books114 followersDr. Theodore C. McCarthy (“T.C.”) is an award winning and critically acclaimed southern author and technology development strategist. A former CIA weapons expert, T.C. is a recognized authority on the impact of technology on military strategy and is a regular speaker at USSOCOM (US Special Operations Command) and other commands on future warfare topics. Before embarking on a national security career, he earned a PhD in geology and bachelor’s degrees in environmental science and computer science – in addition to being a Fulbright Fellow and Howard Hughes Biomedical Research Fellow – and worked as a patent examiner in complex biotechnology and combinatorial chemistry.
T.C.’s short fiction, both literary and genre, has appeared in Per Contra: The International Journal of the Arts, Literature and Ideas, Story Quarterly, Nature, and multiple anthologies. His debut novels, Germline (the winner of the Compton Crook Award in 2012), and its sequels, Exogene and Chimera, explored current trends in weapons and biotechnology research, applying his insights to construct a near-future, peer-to-peer conflict where infantry combat is forced underground.
T.C.’s short fiction, both literary and genre, has appeared in Per Contra: The International Journal of the Arts, Literature and Ideas, Story Quarterly, Nature, and multiple anthologies. His debut novels, Germline (the winner of the Compton Crook Award in 2012), and its sequels, Exogene and Chimera, explored current trends in weapons and biotechnology research, applying his insights to construct a near-future, peer-to-peer conflict where infantry combat is forced underground.
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April 24, 2018
The sister soldiers story continues. Different soldiers but they are clones with a two-year lifespan so be reasonable. The stoner reporter from the first book isn't in this one, Germline, so don't expect him. It's a hard thing, but there's a war on. The crazy general makes a few appearances. You get to meet some Russian clones. They're boys. The Russians found a workaround for the hyper-aggressiveness which troubled American efforts to create boy soldiers. So have fun in Korea, but mind your rads.
May 29, 2012
(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)
This is volume two of a new trilogy by T.C. McCarthy, detailing a day-after-tomorrow war in central Asia from the viewpoint of three very different types of combatants; but unfortunately, while the first book Germline made CCLaP's best-of lists last year and in general just really blew me away, I found myself much less captivated by this newest chapter. And that's because, I've come to realize, what I really loved the most about part one was the unique kind of narrative that came with dropping a drug-addicted gonzo journalist into the middle of a Vietnam-like bloody quagmire within the former Soviet states over the world's diminishing supplies of "trace metals" (almost useless except in the manufacture of cellphones and other mobile tech, and thus suddenly one of the most important resources on the planet in a world just around the corner from us); but with part two narrated by one of the genetically engineered teenage-girl super-soldiers bred specifically for wars like these, I found the missing element of flawed, decaying humanity to result in simply a less compelling manuscript, and now no longer offset by McCarthy's pleasingly shocking vision of near-future warfare (including micro-bullets that need no gunpowder, spacesuit armor with its own atmosphere, all troop movement conducted via thousands of miles of underground tunnels, and more), thought-provoking surprises in part one but old-hat by now. Granted, this is perhaps an unfair assessment, because Germline was just so freaking badass that its sequel was maybe fated to be disappointing no matter what -- and I'll absolutely be reading volume three of the trilogy as well when it comes out, Chimera in 2013 -- but unfortunately Exogene is a step down into mere "good" level from a debut that was almost perfect, and so will simply suffer in direct comparison. It should be kept in mind when reading it yourself.
Out of 10: 8.2
This is volume two of a new trilogy by T.C. McCarthy, detailing a day-after-tomorrow war in central Asia from the viewpoint of three very different types of combatants; but unfortunately, while the first book Germline made CCLaP's best-of lists last year and in general just really blew me away, I found myself much less captivated by this newest chapter. And that's because, I've come to realize, what I really loved the most about part one was the unique kind of narrative that came with dropping a drug-addicted gonzo journalist into the middle of a Vietnam-like bloody quagmire within the former Soviet states over the world's diminishing supplies of "trace metals" (almost useless except in the manufacture of cellphones and other mobile tech, and thus suddenly one of the most important resources on the planet in a world just around the corner from us); but with part two narrated by one of the genetically engineered teenage-girl super-soldiers bred specifically for wars like these, I found the missing element of flawed, decaying humanity to result in simply a less compelling manuscript, and now no longer offset by McCarthy's pleasingly shocking vision of near-future warfare (including micro-bullets that need no gunpowder, spacesuit armor with its own atmosphere, all troop movement conducted via thousands of miles of underground tunnels, and more), thought-provoking surprises in part one but old-hat by now. Granted, this is perhaps an unfair assessment, because Germline was just so freaking badass that its sequel was maybe fated to be disappointing no matter what -- and I'll absolutely be reading volume three of the trilogy as well when it comes out, Chimera in 2013 -- but unfortunately Exogene is a step down into mere "good" level from a debut that was almost perfect, and so will simply suffer in direct comparison. It should be kept in mind when reading it yourself.
Out of 10: 8.2
March 4, 2017
Review originally published at BookThing!
Once I finished Exogene, and then had time to think about it, I spent an hour ranting at my husband about the unjust and detestable treatment of the Germline warriors. I wanted to know how the military or government could treat human beings like machines, even ones that have been genetically engineered. I wanted him to tell me what possible justification there could be for the abuse, the deplorable behaviour, and how they couldn’t see what I could see; that the Germline warriors were real human beings, with real emotions. But this wasn’t on the news. This wasn’t in the tabloids or broadsheets. It’s fiction presented with such brilliant character insight, such incredible realism that I felt truly angry at the injustice it represented.
It’s rare a book that causes such a visceral response in me, but with Exogene, T.C. McCarthy gets it just right. The story is stark, harrowing and grim but brilliant in its execution. He doesn’t waste words or go into lengthy descriptions, but still says everything he needs to with compact, emotional sentences. He gets the pace spot on, both time and huge distances being covered in a few pages, and yet you feel as if you have lived every one of those steps yourself.
The story is told through the eyes of Catherine, a first generation Germline soldier and being in her head was both tragic and fascinating. There are so many elements to her character, experiencing her indoctrination, watching her sisters embrace their faith or go insane, the decisions she makes rather than just following orders, her only understanding of the world is the one that her creator’s have given to her. As she travels and discovers her own truths, my heart ached for her more and more. Every loss, her constant weariness and even her madness resonated with me. McCarthy has written an utterly believable and realistic female character. Her determination to keep going, to overcome each obstacle and to choose her own path make her a character to be remembered.
Like Germline, I read Exogene in a single day, unable to stop until I had turned the very last page. Then I had to think about it for a while, let the experience wash over me and sort out how I actually felt and how much I had been affected. The story is told in a mixture of present tense, flashbacks and hallucinations and while that might sound confusing, it does work well.
There weren’t as many background characters in this book but we get numerous glimpses of Catherine’s ‘sisters’, both first and second generation. Megan was especially interesting and it was a shock how, almost casually, things changed for her. Margaret was a more tragic figure, different, but just as engaging, I hope we will see her again. As with the first book, the ending of Exogene did surprise me, but for different reasons. The letter at the end caused a huge emotional response in me and I was left a bit speechless.
Exogene is a heartbreaking, brutal look at near-future warfare that is so far outside my comfort zone it may as well be another dimension. Thankfully, McCarthy manages to ground the story with realistic characters, and delivers a book which challenges and entertains in equal measure.
I truly cannot wait for the third book in this series, to see where T.C. McCarthy will be taking us next.
June 1, 2012
I approach this review with some trepidation. This is a hell of a science fiction novel but to call it a sci-fi novel is to undersell it. It is a hell of a war novel, but to call it a war novel is also underselling it. It really is the story of a woman finding out what it is to love, to be loved and to know where one stands with God - in short, to be human, but that seriously undersells this book and makes a violent tale of war, genetic mutation and out-of-controls science sound like some piece of warm and fuzzy chick lit.
Exogene
is certainly not that.
So, what is Exogene ?
First things first - Exogene is the second book in a series by T.C. McCarthy. Read the first book, Germline , for the background necessary for this book. Germline explores a future war for trace metals in Kazakhstan between the Russians and the Americans. In Germline a group of cloned teenaged female warriors are introduced to the front line (males are not used because they lost control and became too violent). Exogene is the story of one of those warriors.
The clones are supposed to fight for two years and then they begin to break down mentally and physically and are rounded up to be killed. While they are maturing, they are indoctrinated into a culture of violence and death. Their universe is ruled by a god that rewards killing, rewards dying in battle and despises fear and mercy. In short, these teenaged girls are bred and trained to be pitiless fighting machines.
Except, they are not machines...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/...
So, what is Exogene ?
First things first - Exogene is the second book in a series by T.C. McCarthy. Read the first book, Germline , for the background necessary for this book. Germline explores a future war for trace metals in Kazakhstan between the Russians and the Americans. In Germline a group of cloned teenaged female warriors are introduced to the front line (males are not used because they lost control and became too violent). Exogene is the story of one of those warriors.
The clones are supposed to fight for two years and then they begin to break down mentally and physically and are rounded up to be killed. While they are maturing, they are indoctrinated into a culture of violence and death. Their universe is ruled by a god that rewards killing, rewards dying in battle and despises fear and mercy. In short, these teenaged girls are bred and trained to be pitiless fighting machines.
Except, they are not machines...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/...
August 19, 2012
Reading T.C.’s Subterrene War Trilogy has been an interesting and memorable experience. The first book, Germline, blew me out of the water (my five star review). I’ve never read a book like that, and loved the personal connection I had to the main character’s journey. I loved that story and T.C.’s in-your-face-war style so much that I couldn’t enjoy any other books because they weren’t the next book in his series.
(By the way, I talked with T.C. over at the SF Signal podcast #140, about his journey to publication and development of this series, so please go have a listen.)
All that said, rating a book after feeling so strongly about the first book makes it almost unfair. After all, this is a different main character, and really the only difference as far as quality between the two books is that I connected more personally with the main character in Germline. Regardless, T.C. picks up right where left off in terms of complicated characters thrown into high-stakes warfare to give me the fix I needed after the emotional thrill ride of Germline. It was a tough act to follow, but he did a tremendous job without making it feel like a repetition of old tricks.
Exogene‘s hero, Catherine, is a complex character, and I believe T.C. did a masterful job of weaving multiple issues into a fast-paced story. You get the futuristic technology involved in her being a genetically created assassin (awesome), but you also get insight into her philosophical questions. Catherine, a.k.a. Little Murderer, has been bred and brainwashed to hate the enemy she is ordered to kill, but when her and her lover escape, she encounters so many new perspectives, that the real enemy becomes muddled–including whether she is the real enemy. This girl is constantly questioning why she hates, her purpose in being alive if her natural drive is to kill, whether God exists and if he does whether he cares or is sovereign over her path, and ultimately how she can find peace within herself.
T.C. paints a beautiful story that can be read over and over. His weaving of hallucination memories in with the present day action not only makes you fear for her losing it, but also provides a way at discovering the depth of her character in pictures of her struggles that link past to present, dropping clues as to what she is learning as T.C. repeats the theme of warriors desperately trying to escape war. The climax is very well done and surprising, once again making it hard to go on to read anything else but Book Three, Chimera. I expect this series to go down as one of my favorites.
(By the way, I talked with T.C. over at the SF Signal podcast #140, about his journey to publication and development of this series, so please go have a listen.)
All that said, rating a book after feeling so strongly about the first book makes it almost unfair. After all, this is a different main character, and really the only difference as far as quality between the two books is that I connected more personally with the main character in Germline. Regardless, T.C. picks up right where left off in terms of complicated characters thrown into high-stakes warfare to give me the fix I needed after the emotional thrill ride of Germline. It was a tough act to follow, but he did a tremendous job without making it feel like a repetition of old tricks.
Exogene‘s hero, Catherine, is a complex character, and I believe T.C. did a masterful job of weaving multiple issues into a fast-paced story. You get the futuristic technology involved in her being a genetically created assassin (awesome), but you also get insight into her philosophical questions. Catherine, a.k.a. Little Murderer, has been bred and brainwashed to hate the enemy she is ordered to kill, but when her and her lover escape, she encounters so many new perspectives, that the real enemy becomes muddled–including whether she is the real enemy. This girl is constantly questioning why she hates, her purpose in being alive if her natural drive is to kill, whether God exists and if he does whether he cares or is sovereign over her path, and ultimately how she can find peace within herself.
T.C. paints a beautiful story that can be read over and over. His weaving of hallucination memories in with the present day action not only makes you fear for her losing it, but also provides a way at discovering the depth of her character in pictures of her struggles that link past to present, dropping clues as to what she is learning as T.C. repeats the theme of warriors desperately trying to escape war. The climax is very well done and surprising, once again making it hard to go on to read anything else but Book Three, Chimera. I expect this series to go down as one of my favorites.
November 2, 2012
Perhaps not the OMFG 5-star rating of Germline, but 5 stars nonetheless.
Exogene is primarily the story of Catherine, a soldier created by American scientists to tip the scales of the subterrene war in its favor. Catherine was bred a killing machine in an eighteen year old girl's body. An integral part of the design of these soldiers is their indoctrination with religion. They were activated with faith consisting of the belief that killing the enemy is the essence and purpose of their existence, at the end of which they shall be with god. Religion, when used as a means to an end, can be a dangerous, double-edged sword.
Catherine was a technological success, killing with impunity and efficiency. But she is a dynamic and constantly evolving thing. When artificial sentient beings are fashioned after humans, is it not bound to mimic its model and even develop its faults, commit the same mistakes? As a machine, logic dictates much of Catherine's actions. Logic often has naught to do with right or wrong, only efficacy, efficiency and rationality. Man can be an optimal machine when need be albeit not indefinitely. But man also notoriously needs to know the how and the why and the what for. Both man and machine however, when pushed far enough, eventually hit a threshold -- the point where it becomes incapable or unwilling to proceed. Catherine will face the threshold and struggle with her views on her existence, humans, the enemy and an honorable end.
Exogene is slower paced than Germline, more introspective, clinical even. While many skirmishes are described, much of it is a stream of consciousness or window-into-the-mind-of-Catherine approach. I wouldn't be surprised if this was by design though. It certainly fits the nature of the protagonist in this tale -- an artificial being imbued with human attributes. It explains Catherine's halting vacillation. I can imagine the difficulty of being brought into consciousness in an almost-adult body without the concomittant life experiences that come with age. The dispassionate calculation required by her programming stands is stark conflict with the human thoughts and feelings that increasingly crept in with every incursion. Throw in religion with all the doubt and uncertainty inherent in it and it's certainly a powder keg in a single being largely unprepared and ill-equipped for it.
I found Exogene well-entrenched in the story of The Subterrene War. I understand the criticisms about it being slower or Catherine being less sympathetic. I thought it was an appropriate fork to take in the telling of the tale. I don't require breathtaking action all the time nor do I need to relate to a character to appreciate her depth. But what Exogene does best is plant an even more indellible imprint of that world in your head, your heart and all your senses. You can almost smell and feel and hear the war zone. T.C. McCarthy gives China Mieville a run for his money in this department (Perdido Street Station has the most palpable setting I've read). It also gives a better map of the geopolitical terrain. It paints an even bleaker picture and has a more fatalistic feel.
Germline was a gut-wrenching opener to the trilogy. It wreaks havoc with a reader's emotions. Exogene is a more thoughtful treatise, presented in the voice of a germline unit and providing an extensive look into the war landscape. I am definitely eager to read the conclusion. I need to read something in between though for a bit of a break in the melancholy. I suspect I will need to brace myself for what lies in the pages of Chimera.
Exogene is primarily the story of Catherine, a soldier created by American scientists to tip the scales of the subterrene war in its favor. Catherine was bred a killing machine in an eighteen year old girl's body. An integral part of the design of these soldiers is their indoctrination with religion. They were activated with faith consisting of the belief that killing the enemy is the essence and purpose of their existence, at the end of which they shall be with god. Religion, when used as a means to an end, can be a dangerous, double-edged sword.
Catherine was a technological success, killing with impunity and efficiency. But she is a dynamic and constantly evolving thing. When artificial sentient beings are fashioned after humans, is it not bound to mimic its model and even develop its faults, commit the same mistakes? As a machine, logic dictates much of Catherine's actions. Logic often has naught to do with right or wrong, only efficacy, efficiency and rationality. Man can be an optimal machine when need be albeit not indefinitely. But man also notoriously needs to know the how and the why and the what for. Both man and machine however, when pushed far enough, eventually hit a threshold -- the point where it becomes incapable or unwilling to proceed. Catherine will face the threshold and struggle with her views on her existence, humans, the enemy and an honorable end.
Exogene is slower paced than Germline, more introspective, clinical even. While many skirmishes are described, much of it is a stream of consciousness or window-into-the-mind-of-Catherine approach. I wouldn't be surprised if this was by design though. It certainly fits the nature of the protagonist in this tale -- an artificial being imbued with human attributes. It explains Catherine's halting vacillation. I can imagine the difficulty of being brought into consciousness in an almost-adult body without the concomittant life experiences that come with age. The dispassionate calculation required by her programming stands is stark conflict with the human thoughts and feelings that increasingly crept in with every incursion. Throw in religion with all the doubt and uncertainty inherent in it and it's certainly a powder keg in a single being largely unprepared and ill-equipped for it.
I found Exogene well-entrenched in the story of The Subterrene War. I understand the criticisms about it being slower or Catherine being less sympathetic. I thought it was an appropriate fork to take in the telling of the tale. I don't require breathtaking action all the time nor do I need to relate to a character to appreciate her depth. But what Exogene does best is plant an even more indellible imprint of that world in your head, your heart and all your senses. You can almost smell and feel and hear the war zone. T.C. McCarthy gives China Mieville a run for his money in this department (Perdido Street Station has the most palpable setting I've read). It also gives a better map of the geopolitical terrain. It paints an even bleaker picture and has a more fatalistic feel.
Germline was a gut-wrenching opener to the trilogy. It wreaks havoc with a reader's emotions. Exogene is a more thoughtful treatise, presented in the voice of a germline unit and providing an extensive look into the war landscape. I am definitely eager to read the conclusion. I need to read something in between though for a bit of a break in the melancholy. I suspect I will need to brace myself for what lies in the pages of Chimera.
April 4, 2012
This combination of the ideas in Bladerunner, military fiction and genetic engineering science fiction book is a fast paced look at a future war in which many of the combatants are genetically created humans. McCarthy's main characters are Catherine, Megan and Margaret.
Catherine and Megan are genetics decanted from the Atelier at 15 as soldiers in a global war. As part of the training, the genetics receive a constant indoctrination about God, Faith and killing. They are trained to not be squeamish at all and its part of this indoctrination that they believe that if they die they just meet God. So the young girls all believe that killing is good because they just meet God that much faster, and they have an amoral attitude about killing and life in general. They are armed with a perfect killing gun, a carbine that shoots small flechettes, hundreds in a clip.
Mostly they fight in Russia against Russian soldiers and genetics to find energy in Russia. Megan is a Lily, the leader of a group of genetics. There is a small computer embedded in her brain that helps her with her mission. Catherine is her right hand killer. A lethal killer. Like Bladerunner, the genetics have a kind of programmed shelf life. If they are not killed in combat, their bodies and minds go through a spoiling process -- their minds go through hallucinations while their bodies start to rot and get affected by gangrene, and they are hunted by humans who seek to kill them.
The novel is told in a series of flashbacks to the early days in combat and then jump aheads to the present. Catherine and Megan are primo genetics. They have survived everything the horrendous war has thrown at them. Catherine especially is a ferocious killer, who has earned the sobriquet -- the Little Murderer.
Also Catherine has had some genetic modified chemicals used on her to see if the scientists can learn why she is so lethal at her job.
Catherine has started to lose her mind to hallucinations and takes massive amounts of trank pills just to hold it together.
Neither Megan nor Catherine want to die from the spoiling or the Americans so they choose to run and try to escape to Thailand where supposedly other escapees are living.
At some point Cahterine gets help from Russian scientists who help her stop the gangrene, attach prosthetics to her limbs and make her work in a factory with second generation female genetics. But it appears that Catherine is still wanted by others or that the Russians may want to turn her into a machine man mold, so she and a fellow prisoner, Margaret, try to escape from Russia and begin a run across Russia, through China and Korea. Betrayed constantly, Catherine must battle through her deteriorating mind and all of the humans who want to sell her or Margaret or both, until she can figure out how to live on her own. Still a lethal warrior, but more and more reluctant to kill unless she has too or because the hallucinations inhibit her.
The book is fast paced and furious. The treatment of the genetics and the warfare in the future is brutally imagined and perfectly told.
Not for the faint, Catherine's story is interesting and fresh take on war in the future.
Catherine and Megan are genetics decanted from the Atelier at 15 as soldiers in a global war. As part of the training, the genetics receive a constant indoctrination about God, Faith and killing. They are trained to not be squeamish at all and its part of this indoctrination that they believe that if they die they just meet God. So the young girls all believe that killing is good because they just meet God that much faster, and they have an amoral attitude about killing and life in general. They are armed with a perfect killing gun, a carbine that shoots small flechettes, hundreds in a clip.
Mostly they fight in Russia against Russian soldiers and genetics to find energy in Russia. Megan is a Lily, the leader of a group of genetics. There is a small computer embedded in her brain that helps her with her mission. Catherine is her right hand killer. A lethal killer. Like Bladerunner, the genetics have a kind of programmed shelf life. If they are not killed in combat, their bodies and minds go through a spoiling process -- their minds go through hallucinations while their bodies start to rot and get affected by gangrene, and they are hunted by humans who seek to kill them.
The novel is told in a series of flashbacks to the early days in combat and then jump aheads to the present. Catherine and Megan are primo genetics. They have survived everything the horrendous war has thrown at them. Catherine especially is a ferocious killer, who has earned the sobriquet -- the Little Murderer.
Also Catherine has had some genetic modified chemicals used on her to see if the scientists can learn why she is so lethal at her job.
Catherine has started to lose her mind to hallucinations and takes massive amounts of trank pills just to hold it together.
Neither Megan nor Catherine want to die from the spoiling or the Americans so they choose to run and try to escape to Thailand where supposedly other escapees are living.
At some point Cahterine gets help from Russian scientists who help her stop the gangrene, attach prosthetics to her limbs and make her work in a factory with second generation female genetics. But it appears that Catherine is still wanted by others or that the Russians may want to turn her into a machine man mold, so she and a fellow prisoner, Margaret, try to escape from Russia and begin a run across Russia, through China and Korea. Betrayed constantly, Catherine must battle through her deteriorating mind and all of the humans who want to sell her or Margaret or both, until she can figure out how to live on her own. Still a lethal warrior, but more and more reluctant to kill unless she has too or because the hallucinations inhibit her.
The book is fast paced and furious. The treatment of the genetics and the warfare in the future is brutally imagined and perfectly told.
Not for the faint, Catherine's story is interesting and fresh take on war in the future.
June 13, 2012
Having really enjoyed the first novel of the trilogy - Germline, I have to say I was similarly impressed with Exogene. Germline for me was an excellent read and got 5 stars, Exogene told from the perspective of a germline soldier Catherine was again a book I rate very highly.
Catherine's story goes from initial training, to war against the Russians, escape into the hands of the Russians and a momentous journey to Thailand.
The surroundings are bleak & grim, the tech descriptions and violent battle scenes are excellent.
Its not difficult to empathize with Catherine even though she is a genetic with a short live span and her story is disturbing, interesting and impossible to put down.
She decides she does not want to die when her two year life span has expired and questions everything - her religion, the orders she receives and the expectations that she is to give up and die because her two years are up.
She wants to escape the war and kills a lot of people in the process with little or no remorse.
Looking forward to the third book in the series, Chimera, which is due out later this summer.
Catherine's story goes from initial training, to war against the Russians, escape into the hands of the Russians and a momentous journey to Thailand.
The surroundings are bleak & grim, the tech descriptions and violent battle scenes are excellent.
Its not difficult to empathize with Catherine even though she is a genetic with a short live span and her story is disturbing, interesting and impossible to put down.
She decides she does not want to die when her two year life span has expired and questions everything - her religion, the orders she receives and the expectations that she is to give up and die because her two years are up.
She wants to escape the war and kills a lot of people in the process with little or no remorse.
Looking forward to the third book in the series, Chimera, which is due out later this summer.
February 24, 2012
Rating: 4.5
Review forthcoming
Review forthcoming
May 9, 2012
Original Post: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/05/....
“Excellent military sci-fi. Dark, page-turning, this is one of the best science fiction novels that you’ll see in 2012. Enjoyable, and not to be missed.” ~The Founding Fields
Last year, I read and enjoyed Tc McCarthy’s début – the first in this trilogy, named Germline, so much that I knew I had to get my hands on Exogene as soon as I could. Germline was so good in fact, that I named it the best début novel of 2011, which included novels from both fantasy and sci-fi. So, naturally – I would have had high expectations for Exogene. And, were they met? Yes. Oh, hell yes. Exogene was amazing. No, I mean it. Really, really amazing.
Exogene (n.): factor or agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system. Also: classified Russian program to merge proto-humanoids with powered armor systems (slang).
Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She’s a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.
And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they’re not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can’t shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.
Catherine is the main character in this story, and like in the previous novel, Germline, which focused entirely from the 1st Person POV of Oscar, who was the lead star in that novel, the set up is very much the same here, apart from the occasional bit third person. Catherine is a strong, memorable protagonist, and she has to be in order to survive. She’s a very different character to normal humans, in such a way that normal humans (that will, of course, be the readers) will find a difficult way to connect to. However, she’s likeable enough to root for rather than the Russians or other enemies that she faces, and she’s memorable enough to stay around in your head longer than Oscar did. However, just like Germline, the secondary characters aren’t anywhere near as memorable as Catherine, which is a bit of a let down, however – don’t be put off by that.
Much like the Warhammer 40k novels published by Black Library, Exogene is a war story. The pace is fast, action-packed and relentless. There is no letting up as Catherine finds herself thrust from one adventure into the next, meaning that the pace is consistent, and there is no dull moment from page one right until the very end. McCarthy knows how to keep the reader hooked, and Exogene is another page turner.
This is a bleak novel, with a grim-dark setting similar to the aforementioned Warhammer 40k novels. However, both Warhammer 40k and Exogene are very different beasts, but one of the things that they share in common is that there are no happy endings. If you’re looking for a book with deus ex machina where a hero comes to rescue the heroine, or vice versa, then Exogene is clearly not the book for you. However, if you’re looking for a book about war where all the bets on character safety is off (as they should be in novels with all out warfare), then Exogene is certainly the book for you.
And that is why I really enjoyed it. Another added bonus is the fact that Science Fiction is a genre notorious for the fact that it rarely produces strong, female lead characters (I can only name one off the top of my head, and that is Nathan Long’s Jane Carver of Waar), so Tc McCarthy has created something somewhat unique here. Catherine is a strong, awesome protagonist and is not one that you will take a dislike to. The novel isn’t bogged down with introductions to the characters, nor with world building, and that’s where McCarthy has managed to do something awesome here. Catherine’s story is told through a variety of flashbacks, but these don’t slow down the novel’s pace at all, you won’t want to be skipping any of these.
I’m finding it hard to pick a favourite between Exogene and Germline. Both have different aspects of the war, and both have different pros and cons. Both novels, can – as mentioned before, be read as a standalone, so if you don’t like the blurb of one of them you can read the other. Then, go back and read the one that you didn’t like the blurb of next. Both are awesome, and Exogene is easily on my Best novels of 2012 list. I really enjoyed it, and you should too.
All that said and done, I’m wondering how McCarthy can tie everything together in the final novel in the Trilogy, Chimera, which is published in the summer, and one that I am highly anticipating a release for. I can’t wait to see what he does with the conclusion, and if the first two novels are anything to go by, then the third will hopefully be just as awesome.
Verdict: 4.75/5
“Excellent military sci-fi. Dark, page-turning, this is one of the best science fiction novels that you’ll see in 2012. Enjoyable, and not to be missed.” ~The Founding Fields
Last year, I read and enjoyed Tc McCarthy’s début – the first in this trilogy, named Germline, so much that I knew I had to get my hands on Exogene as soon as I could. Germline was so good in fact, that I named it the best début novel of 2011, which included novels from both fantasy and sci-fi. So, naturally – I would have had high expectations for Exogene. And, were they met? Yes. Oh, hell yes. Exogene was amazing. No, I mean it. Really, really amazing.
Exogene (n.): factor or agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system. Also: classified Russian program to merge proto-humanoids with powered armor systems (slang).
Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She’s a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost.
And the costs are high. Their life span is short; as they age they become unstable and they undergo a process called the spoiling. On their eighteenth birthday they are discharged. Lined up and shot like cattle.
But the truth is, Catherine and her sisters may not be strictly human, but they’re not animals. They can twist their genomes and indoctrinate them to follow the principles of Faith and Death, but they can’t shut off the part of them that wants more than war. Catherine may have only known death, but she dreams of life and she will get it at any cost.
Catherine is the main character in this story, and like in the previous novel, Germline, which focused entirely from the 1st Person POV of Oscar, who was the lead star in that novel, the set up is very much the same here, apart from the occasional bit third person. Catherine is a strong, memorable protagonist, and she has to be in order to survive. She’s a very different character to normal humans, in such a way that normal humans (that will, of course, be the readers) will find a difficult way to connect to. However, she’s likeable enough to root for rather than the Russians or other enemies that she faces, and she’s memorable enough to stay around in your head longer than Oscar did. However, just like Germline, the secondary characters aren’t anywhere near as memorable as Catherine, which is a bit of a let down, however – don’t be put off by that.
Much like the Warhammer 40k novels published by Black Library, Exogene is a war story. The pace is fast, action-packed and relentless. There is no letting up as Catherine finds herself thrust from one adventure into the next, meaning that the pace is consistent, and there is no dull moment from page one right until the very end. McCarthy knows how to keep the reader hooked, and Exogene is another page turner.
This is a bleak novel, with a grim-dark setting similar to the aforementioned Warhammer 40k novels. However, both Warhammer 40k and Exogene are very different beasts, but one of the things that they share in common is that there are no happy endings. If you’re looking for a book with deus ex machina where a hero comes to rescue the heroine, or vice versa, then Exogene is clearly not the book for you. However, if you’re looking for a book about war where all the bets on character safety is off (as they should be in novels with all out warfare), then Exogene is certainly the book for you.
And that is why I really enjoyed it. Another added bonus is the fact that Science Fiction is a genre notorious for the fact that it rarely produces strong, female lead characters (I can only name one off the top of my head, and that is Nathan Long’s Jane Carver of Waar), so Tc McCarthy has created something somewhat unique here. Catherine is a strong, awesome protagonist and is not one that you will take a dislike to. The novel isn’t bogged down with introductions to the characters, nor with world building, and that’s where McCarthy has managed to do something awesome here. Catherine’s story is told through a variety of flashbacks, but these don’t slow down the novel’s pace at all, you won’t want to be skipping any of these.
I’m finding it hard to pick a favourite between Exogene and Germline. Both have different aspects of the war, and both have different pros and cons. Both novels, can – as mentioned before, be read as a standalone, so if you don’t like the blurb of one of them you can read the other. Then, go back and read the one that you didn’t like the blurb of next. Both are awesome, and Exogene is easily on my Best novels of 2012 list. I really enjoyed it, and you should too.
All that said and done, I’m wondering how McCarthy can tie everything together in the final novel in the Trilogy, Chimera, which is published in the summer, and one that I am highly anticipating a release for. I can’t wait to see what he does with the conclusion, and if the first two novels are anything to go by, then the third will hopefully be just as awesome.
Verdict: 4.75/5
April 15, 2016
The Subterrene War continues in this novel. The first book, Germline focused on a civilian caught up in the war, a Stars and Stripes writer. I have a separate review for that book. The horrors of war are evident and the advent of the use of Germlines, female clones basically built to live, fight and die by age 18.
Catherine is a Germline fighter, and she is spoiling. The term spoiling is the Germline death sentence, wherein the fighter has reached or is reaching age 18. Organs begin to shut down, circulation gets sporadic, mental and processing abilities start to fade. At this time the military lines the Spoiled up and shoot them. They are replaced by more Germlines, looking just like the others. An expendable and efficient workforce.
The Germline females are taught as they grow to believe in God, and that he, or she is with them always, watching what they do, deciding their fate and using them as the tool of vengeance for the righteous arm of the military. They go first, go hard and protect and far outfight their fellow combatants. Supremely efficient, deadly and willing to die without emotion or argument to do their preordained job, the Germlines are the ultimate warrior.
Catherine leaves the military, trying to avoid spoiling, leaving with the desired One that she desires to avoid death with. They have a long journey, into and through Russia and Siberia. They hunt, forage for food and shelter, fall into the hands of evil men and women. They become woodcutters and gatherers and make their way to the "safety" of the Korean people. The goal is to get to Bangkok, Thailand and use the options given there to avoid the spoiling. The only problem is that Catherine is not spoiling as engineered and the Americans must capture and study her. They must know why she is different than her peers.
This book was an absolute joy to read. You cannot avoid rooting for Catherine. She is a strong and amazing female main character. She is broken and flawed and yet is as hard as nails and unbending as titanium. I liked this even better than Germline, and again Mr. McCarthy knocked this out of the park. Well done Sir, and I cannot wait to start the third book in the trilogy, Chimera.
Danny
Catherine is a Germline fighter, and she is spoiling. The term spoiling is the Germline death sentence, wherein the fighter has reached or is reaching age 18. Organs begin to shut down, circulation gets sporadic, mental and processing abilities start to fade. At this time the military lines the Spoiled up and shoot them. They are replaced by more Germlines, looking just like the others. An expendable and efficient workforce.
The Germline females are taught as they grow to believe in God, and that he, or she is with them always, watching what they do, deciding their fate and using them as the tool of vengeance for the righteous arm of the military. They go first, go hard and protect and far outfight their fellow combatants. Supremely efficient, deadly and willing to die without emotion or argument to do their preordained job, the Germlines are the ultimate warrior.
Catherine leaves the military, trying to avoid spoiling, leaving with the desired One that she desires to avoid death with. They have a long journey, into and through Russia and Siberia. They hunt, forage for food and shelter, fall into the hands of evil men and women. They become woodcutters and gatherers and make their way to the "safety" of the Korean people. The goal is to get to Bangkok, Thailand and use the options given there to avoid the spoiling. The only problem is that Catherine is not spoiling as engineered and the Americans must capture and study her. They must know why she is different than her peers.
This book was an absolute joy to read. You cannot avoid rooting for Catherine. She is a strong and amazing female main character. She is broken and flawed and yet is as hard as nails and unbending as titanium. I liked this even better than Germline, and again Mr. McCarthy knocked this out of the park. Well done Sir, and I cannot wait to start the third book in the trilogy, Chimera.
Danny
February 2, 2012
Exogene by T.C. McCarthy
This book is the life story of a military clone in a future war for natural resources.
Cloning is here regardless of the ethics or morality surrounding its existence. A logical step forward is to assume that the military industrial complex is exploring how cloning can impact future wars and if cloned warriors are financially viable they will probably be produced. I realize that is somewhat cynical but cynicism is a root theme in the book.
The use of religion to keep warrior clones focused is a re-visitation of the Manchurian Candidate. (The original version, I never saw the remake.) The genetics or clone warriors are supposed to be identity free, satisfied with numeric nomenclature and focused only on killing. Sadly the killing focus supported by religion seems congruent with the jihad motivation of the Islamic extremists or the 1950’s rallying cry of “kill a Commie for Christ”. The author clearly demonstrates the power of combining religion and warring into religious killing for the right to enter Nirvana.
This is a war story based on the need for resources which is obviously motivated by the current debacles to maintain the flow of oil. As much as we would like to think that war is motivated by the desire to do the “right” thing, most often it is done to line the pockets of the perpetrators.
The insights developed as the girls “spoiled” provides a somewhat depressing mental state as escape is pursued to ruined, radioactive terrain. This is a war story, fought with logical extensions of current technology and hopefully an illogical use of clone warriors (slaves).
It was a thought provoking look at a possible future of war.
This book is the life story of a military clone in a future war for natural resources.
Cloning is here regardless of the ethics or morality surrounding its existence. A logical step forward is to assume that the military industrial complex is exploring how cloning can impact future wars and if cloned warriors are financially viable they will probably be produced. I realize that is somewhat cynical but cynicism is a root theme in the book.
The use of religion to keep warrior clones focused is a re-visitation of the Manchurian Candidate. (The original version, I never saw the remake.) The genetics or clone warriors are supposed to be identity free, satisfied with numeric nomenclature and focused only on killing. Sadly the killing focus supported by religion seems congruent with the jihad motivation of the Islamic extremists or the 1950’s rallying cry of “kill a Commie for Christ”. The author clearly demonstrates the power of combining religion and warring into religious killing for the right to enter Nirvana.
This is a war story based on the need for resources which is obviously motivated by the current debacles to maintain the flow of oil. As much as we would like to think that war is motivated by the desire to do the “right” thing, most often it is done to line the pockets of the perpetrators.
The insights developed as the girls “spoiled” provides a somewhat depressing mental state as escape is pursued to ruined, radioactive terrain. This is a war story, fought with logical extensions of current technology and hopefully an illogical use of clone warriors (slaves).
It was a thought provoking look at a possible future of war.
October 11, 2012
Originally posted at my blog here.
I probably wouldn’t have picked this up had I realized that this was a war novel. But am I glad I did. Yes, it is brutal, and sometimes pedantic in its descriptions, but the descriptions are detailed. The futuristic landscape, much of it irradiated seems to come to life in T. C. McCarthy’s words. There are a lot of details on war maneuvers, “plasma” weapons, “tracer flechettes”, APCs and grenade launchers.
We hear of the story in the first person; Catherine is the narrator. And through her voice, and it is a voice filled with doubt, we glimpse humanity. For all her killer instinct and cold reasoning, Catherine is a heroine we can empathize with. Not having any sense of normalcy besides the normalcy of war, she still begins to doubt the “rightness” of unceasing war, weighing the “good” and the “evil” in her heavily indoctrinated and medicinally dosed mind.
I thought McCarthy’s idea novel, and the book itself (which is the second of “The Subterrene War” series, I find out now) an ode to humanity’s incessant greed and corruption. While on the face of it, this is a war novel, this also probes beneath the surface to raise questions about the relative nature of right and wrong. Well-written, this is an engrossing, thought-provoking read. Recommended.
I probably wouldn’t have picked this up had I realized that this was a war novel. But am I glad I did. Yes, it is brutal, and sometimes pedantic in its descriptions, but the descriptions are detailed. The futuristic landscape, much of it irradiated seems to come to life in T. C. McCarthy’s words. There are a lot of details on war maneuvers, “plasma” weapons, “tracer flechettes”, APCs and grenade launchers.
We hear of the story in the first person; Catherine is the narrator. And through her voice, and it is a voice filled with doubt, we glimpse humanity. For all her killer instinct and cold reasoning, Catherine is a heroine we can empathize with. Not having any sense of normalcy besides the normalcy of war, she still begins to doubt the “rightness” of unceasing war, weighing the “good” and the “evil” in her heavily indoctrinated and medicinally dosed mind.
I thought McCarthy’s idea novel, and the book itself (which is the second of “The Subterrene War” series, I find out now) an ode to humanity’s incessant greed and corruption. While on the face of it, this is a war novel, this also probes beneath the surface to raise questions about the relative nature of right and wrong. Well-written, this is an engrossing, thought-provoking read. Recommended.
July 11, 2012
I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
This was a really intense book. I loved the main character, Catherine. She was both very sympathetic and rather alien. The action is well paced, and exciting. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the series.
This was a really intense book. I loved the main character, Catherine. She was both very sympathetic and rather alien. The action is well paced, and exciting. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the series.
June 26, 2012
I thought it was interesting, I thought it was interesting how it illuded to future wars, current conflicts, and the damage caused by mass nuclear strikes across Asia. Also referred to the beauty of nature if left to its own devices. I felt a little wanting at the end. That the main character allowed herself to be destroyed after 4 years, seemed quite pointless, and not as pious as the author tried to make out. Like that in accepting ones destiny we welcome our death. Really? Maybe its because she was a clone...I dont know. What the hell is a flechette anyway.
Definitely had exciting action scenes in it. A different fiction altogether.
Definitely had exciting action scenes in it. A different fiction altogether.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2012
I don't know why I enjoyed this book so much. I read to get a happy ending and this book did not have that.
I got to the end and it felt kind of pointless and left me feeling slightly depressed - yet I'm glad I read it
I got to the end and it felt kind of pointless and left me feeling slightly depressed - yet I'm glad I read it
May 5, 2015
Really fantastic world building and characters. The lack of the final star has to do with the ending and a certain death I don't think should have played out. Just my thoughts. I look forward to the next book!
March 14, 2012
An interesting addition to the series. I enjoyed it :)
February 15, 2012
Exogene is a thoughtful and provoking story from the POV of a short lived cloned female soldier.
June 22, 2012
Full preview to follow. This book was received feee of charge from the publisher through the Goodreads First Reader program
June 30, 2012
Awesome book, awesome author
April 19, 2012
It was a great read. I could hardly put it down. It was the captivating study of the morality of creating clones to fight a war and using religion to motivate them. I highly recommend this book.
August 3, 2012
This was a great read. If future war is your thing, then you will love this series. T.C. McCarthy is quickly becoming one of my favorite sci-fi authors.
November 18, 2022
Another good book in the Subterrene War trilogy. I didn't enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed the first book, Germline. I didn't like the ending and how Catherine turned out in the end.
I liked seeing things from the Germline soldier's point of view and getting her perspective on the war and how it affected them. It was interesting to see Catherine's journey and how she changed across the whole story. However, there were large portions of this book that were borderline boring.
3.5 out of 5 stars. Looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
I liked seeing things from the Germline soldier's point of view and getting her perspective on the war and how it affected them. It was interesting to see Catherine's journey and how she changed across the whole story. However, there were large portions of this book that were borderline boring.
3.5 out of 5 stars. Looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
October 16, 2021
The Exogene is basically road trip in the midst of war where major characters are genetic soldiers seeking for meaning of life. Sometimes it's brutal, often murky but more than anything else it keeps the right pace so it never gets tedious or repetitive.
Suprisingly the book gets in some parts rather philosophical and it doesn't sound like complete bs, it just fits very well the whole story. The action parts are similar to previous book and there's likely nothing which should be improved.
Sadly for me, there's no happy endings even though that throughout the book I really started to like Catherine and her outlook on life.
What is interesting for me is the author's view of future evolution of weaponry and soldiers. It all leaves so many questions on how the public perceives the war and if is at all aware of nature of warfare that's in progress so far away. Definitely a potential for another books.
Suprisingly the book gets in some parts rather philosophical and it doesn't sound like complete bs, it just fits very well the whole story. The action parts are similar to previous book and there's likely nothing which should be improved.
Sadly for me, there's no happy endings even though that throughout the book I really started to like Catherine and her outlook on life.
What is interesting for me is the author's view of future evolution of weaponry and soldiers. It all leaves so many questions on how the public perceives the war and if is at all aware of nature of warfare that's in progress so far away. Definitely a potential for another books.
October 3, 2017
I wanted to like this book more but Germline the first in the series really is the better book. The sequel focuses more on the genetically engineered super soldiers and their forays in the subterranean wars. The genetic soldiers are psychotic and have a shelf life which causes them to spoil. This novel focuses more on them, their upbringing training etc. I could care less about the main character, the novel meanders from one locale to the next and honestly didn't bring anything together. The religion used to indoctrinate the genetics is expounded on more but the whole moral/religious dilemma of the main character doesn't really pan out. My favorite parts of the book were learning about the new armor units and theChinese developing their own genetic technology but this is only touched upon. I'm starting on the last book of the trilogy and I hope the series can be redeemed.
January 9, 2019
As a standalone book, this is pretty good. Following up after book 1, way less so.
If you have read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", the lead characters in this book are replicants. The book attempts to humanise them, while continuing to explain that war is hell. The hellishness is repeated a bit too often for my taste, distracting from the growth of the lead character.
If you have read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", the lead characters in this book are replicants. The book attempts to humanise them, while continuing to explain that war is hell. The hellishness is repeated a bit too often for my taste, distracting from the growth of the lead character.
October 18, 2022
I really enjoyed the first book but this one didn't hold my interest as well. There was too much jumping back and forth from the main characters past and present. I understand why they did it but I just don't enjoy books that do that. I started out liking the main character but lost interest in her as the book went on and the ending made no sense to me.
December 22, 2023
I enjoyed reading about the war elements and the psychological elements of the super soldiers. The author really dug deep into how they were thinking/feeling and I sympathized with the girls. This is a hard read and truthfully didn't finish the book; the best description is that it is not a cup of tea but a shot of raw alcohol.
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