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基因賊
他要孕育一個手足，而不是要自己的孩子！
他一直知道自己是帥男美女生出來的醜孩子，他的長相讓他有個難聽的外號「小豬」，甚至因為外貌而從小遭排擠，被霸凌。
即使他的研究成果受到國際注目關切，甚至因此成為億萬富翁，他仍然只是自卑又寂寞的基因科學家。
他認為自己是基因錯誤的結果，他渴望有一個血親，一個擁有他父母美貌與所有優點的孩子，他要創造一個比自己更好的手足，一個能夠真心愛他，他也能全心給予愛的孩子，一個能改變他生命所有的錯的孩子。
為了完成心願，他千方百計謀略合法孕育的驚世計畫，同時，他著手解開不老基因的祕密，卻引發一連串爭奪，他想圓滿生命的渴望，竟把身邊所有的人都捲入險境……
他一直知道自己是帥男美女生出來的醜孩子，他的長相讓他有個難聽的外號「小豬」，甚至因為外貌而從小遭排擠，被霸凌。
即使他的研究成果受到國際注目關切，甚至因此成為億萬富翁，他仍然只是自卑又寂寞的基因科學家。
他認為自己是基因錯誤的結果，他渴望有一個血親，一個擁有他父母美貌與所有優點的孩子，他要創造一個比自己更好的手足，一個能夠真心愛他，他也能全心給予愛的孩子，一個能改變他生命所有的錯的孩子。
為了完成心願，他千方百計謀略合法孕育的驚世計畫，同時，他著手解開不老基因的祕密，卻引發一連串爭奪，他想圓滿生命的渴望，竟把身邊所有的人都捲入險境……
- GenresScience Fiction
373 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2009
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Maria Quinn
13 books3 followersMaria’s writing career began in Sydney as an Advertising Copywriter. After working in the US and Canada, she graduated to Creative Director of a London agency. Returning to Australia after several years absence, she launched a second career as magazine editor, feature writer and columnist. Her television credits include presenting current affairs on the nine network, being a Channel 10 presenter and writing and producing the long-running national cookery programme, King’s Kitchen. Maria has had non-fiction published and is a long-time member of the Australian Society of Authors and a Varuna Alumni. Now she is writing fiction and is the winner of the 2007 Todhunter Literary Award for short story and a prestigious Varuna Fellowship. Her first novel, The Gene Thieves, is just released, published by Harper Collins/Voyager. Maria Quinn lives in Sydney, with her husband and the world’s cutest dog. She has two amazing sons sons and three gorgeous little grandchildren.Visit her at http://www.genethieves.com
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 21, 2025
1.5 stars
I really wanted to like this. Its premise had potential, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to it.
For a thriller, it felt flat. The pacing never built any real momentum, and even when the book tried to crank up the tension, the intensity stayed at the same low level throughout. It never quite grabbed me. The sci-fi elements are there (I guess), but the core premise didn’t feel convincing or compelling enough to carry the weight of the story.
The narrative was also a bit of a struggle. There were frequent, abrupt shifts between characters, sometimes within the same paragraph, which made it hard to stay immersed. On top of that, the characters all felt like they had the same voice, which made it even harder to connect with or distinguish between them.
Overall, it read like a book that had a set plan but didn’t quite know how to make that plan come alive on the page. A stronger editorial hand might have helped bring more clarity, pacing, and variation in tone.
Disappointing, but at least now I can say I gave it a fair shot.
I really wanted to like this. Its premise had potential, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to it.
For a thriller, it felt flat. The pacing never built any real momentum, and even when the book tried to crank up the tension, the intensity stayed at the same low level throughout. It never quite grabbed me. The sci-fi elements are there (I guess), but the core premise didn’t feel convincing or compelling enough to carry the weight of the story.
The narrative was also a bit of a struggle. There were frequent, abrupt shifts between characters, sometimes within the same paragraph, which made it hard to stay immersed. On top of that, the characters all felt like they had the same voice, which made it even harder to connect with or distinguish between them.
Overall, it read like a book that had a set plan but didn’t quite know how to make that plan come alive on the page. A stronger editorial hand might have helped bring more clarity, pacing, and variation in tone.
Disappointing, but at least now I can say I gave it a fair shot.
November 8, 2011
The premise for this book is interesting. The plot is reasonably solid.
However, right from the start, I found myself increasingly irritated with the unrealistic assumptions about the future and about the lives of those who work in science.
Much as we complain about childbirth being painful, and children being expensive little buggers, the process of creating them is FREE. Never in the history of humanity has anyone had to worry about too few children born naturally. Children are born even if we don't want them to be.
I totally get that high-class women, suffering a case of 'too posh to push' would outsource the act of breeding. But everyone? Nup, no way not on your nelly. It's FREE. You do the deed, you get pregnant. End of story. Now, it would have been really easy for the author to plug this gaping hole by throwing a disease into it. Suddenly, women *can't* fall pregnant naturally anymore.
Anyway.
While the background science is OK, it became increasingly clear to me that the author knew little about the lives of scientists. How does science get done? What sort of people do science? How do they live? That sort of stuff.
In general:
They don't smoke.
They don't drive expensive cars (if they have wealth--through their spouse, because scientists get paid bugger-all--they don't flaunt it)
They don't work alone.
Sorry, but the mad scientist working alone in a secret lab in a basement is SUCH a bad cliche, and SO untrue to boot. Scientific results are achieved by large teams of people. Even if the scientist works mainly alone (which doesn't happen in research, but, OK, for the sake of the plot), he would have needed some assistants to do work. Major achievements are never made by lone people. Not realistically at least.
While I would have been happy to swallow stuff like this for a book that was obviously set in a different time or place, this was a major turn-off for a book that is trying to portray a realistic future based on our lives today.
As I said, the plot was quite fast, although there was some stuff that made me scratch my head as well. But... quick to read, and I suppose that's the only reason why I read all of it.
However, right from the start, I found myself increasingly irritated with the unrealistic assumptions about the future and about the lives of those who work in science.
Much as we complain about childbirth being painful, and children being expensive little buggers, the process of creating them is FREE. Never in the history of humanity has anyone had to worry about too few children born naturally. Children are born even if we don't want them to be.
I totally get that high-class women, suffering a case of 'too posh to push' would outsource the act of breeding. But everyone? Nup, no way not on your nelly. It's FREE. You do the deed, you get pregnant. End of story. Now, it would have been really easy for the author to plug this gaping hole by throwing a disease into it. Suddenly, women *can't* fall pregnant naturally anymore.
Anyway.
While the background science is OK, it became increasingly clear to me that the author knew little about the lives of scientists. How does science get done? What sort of people do science? How do they live? That sort of stuff.
In general:
They don't smoke.
They don't drive expensive cars (if they have wealth--through their spouse, because scientists get paid bugger-all--they don't flaunt it)
They don't work alone.
Sorry, but the mad scientist working alone in a secret lab in a basement is SUCH a bad cliche, and SO untrue to boot. Scientific results are achieved by large teams of people. Even if the scientist works mainly alone (which doesn't happen in research, but, OK, for the sake of the plot), he would have needed some assistants to do work. Major achievements are never made by lone people. Not realistically at least.
While I would have been happy to swallow stuff like this for a book that was obviously set in a different time or place, this was a major turn-off for a book that is trying to portray a realistic future based on our lives today.
As I said, the plot was quite fast, although there was some stuff that made me scratch my head as well. But... quick to read, and I suppose that's the only reason why I read all of it.
August 14, 2009
Eh - this thriller/mystery left me fairly flat. I liked the futuristic Australia it was set in, with the laws surrounded childbirth and surrogacy. But the central story of Piggy, the ill-formed little man desperate to have a child from the genetic material of his parents to try and have a brother who is more handsome than himself, didn't capture my attention.
December 28, 2017
not my favorite and didnt interest me but thats just my opinion and personal taste
October 2, 2017
Interesting but not life changing
did-not-finish
July 18, 2024I got about forty pages in and just wasn’t enjoying it.
June 14, 2010
This debut novel by Maria Quinn was long-listed for the Ned Kelly Award. It's a solid near-futuristic science-fiction thriller set in Australia where marriage is considered archaic and surrogacy is a respected profession. There is a legal specialty built around arranging conjugal contracts and navigating the laws governing artificial procreation. The central character is attorney Peter "Dancer" Trebett who has built a legal empire arranging the often tricky legal contracts surrounding this specialty. His mother, in fact, pioneered the concept of surrogacy as a regulated career that ensures both the surrogate and the children will be provided for. When the world-renown scientist, Mitchell Brown , seeks Dancer's help with using his parents' sperm and eggs to create a genetic brother whom he will raise as his son, Dancer feels obligated by guilt from his childhood association with Marshall (nicknamed "Piggy") to help him negotiate the necessary legal permissions to proceed. But, Brown has made a scientific breakthrough that will earn billions for the big pharmaceutical companies who desperately want to get their hands on his research. On the other side, the United Nations Ethical Science Council (UNESC) wants Brown to turn his research over to them to ensure it will be used for the ultimate benefit for mankind and not to amass fortune and power. Thus, Brown's child that is being carried by a surrogate becomes leverage in the battle between UNESC and big pharma. When the child is kidnapped, Brown's only hope is to rely on the expertise of UNESC's expert troubleshooter, Jack Lee.
The Gene Thieves is a really engaging read that you won't want to put down. The setting is interesting; the characters are well-developed and worth knowing; the plot is creative and fascinating. I purchased this book because it was long-listed for the Ned Kelly and was available in digital format. I was not disappointed. I'd really like to see Dancer and company in another novel.
The Gene Thieves is a really engaging read that you won't want to put down. The setting is interesting; the characters are well-developed and worth knowing; the plot is creative and fascinating. I purchased this book because it was long-listed for the Ned Kelly and was available in digital format. I was not disappointed. I'd really like to see Dancer and company in another novel.
July 27, 2012
The basis for this book was good. I liked the relationship contracts and think it would be good if these were implemented for real. However for me there were too many unanswered questions. Why in the future when there is no indication that women have taken a step backwards in society would female rights re reproduction and inheritance be less than males? There should have been an explanation how this inequality came about. It said woman could no longer expect to have children without permission, but it was not explained how they would be stopped from reproducing. Forced abortion? Forced contraception? Babies taken from them at birth? It's not enough to make a statement. It should be followed through with an explanation. Although the relationship contracts were a good idea, I can't believe religious people would accept them and there was no indication what they thought of them and whether marriage might still exist for those with strong religious ideas and how this would compare to the contracts. It needed more explanation to make a satisfactory read. I found the characters mostly okay, but some of the descriptions were shallow. "A beautiful woman". Please, it sounds like a cheap soap. How was she beautiful? Don't tell; show...explain. I can't believe both the author and the editor let slip through (let alone write it in the first place) the aeroplane crashing in the Snowy Mountains when flying from Canberra to Sydney. The Americanisms annoyed me in an Australian book. I know many have crept into our language, but diapers! For me the book offered much, but failed to deliver. It gave me the impression it could have been good, but was not yet at the publishable ready version.
October 15, 2011
A book that fully exceeded my expectations. A futuristic aussie crime thriller with some scientific aspects that appealed to me. An enjoyable and absorbing read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews