Mortal Gods

by Jonathan Fast

Can Nick Harmon do something right for a change as PR man at Mutagen Laboratories? Can Nick's dead father Harry get Johnny Quog elected president? Can sex with a Roolik be fun? And who is killing the Lifestylers? Lex Largesse and Sir Etherium have already gone. Can Nick solve the mystery in time to save his job and the universe?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Ira (SF Words of Wonder) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Check out my full, spoiler free, video review HERE. Fairly obscure book by an obscure sci-fi author. Plot and ideas were good but I couldn’t get past the unlikeable main character and some of the uncomfortable/cringe worthy writing and scenes. I did like the idea of the ‘Lifestylers’ and there were some parallels to modern celebrities.

[Nebula Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Her skin was sea-blue, so fine as to be almost transparent. The scintillation of light across it seemed to be caused by some sparkling oil, possibly cosmetic or else an effusion of the flesh. Her neck was long, thin and graceful; her face, surrounded by a halo of fleecy white hair, was dominated by huge almond eyes. Nose and mouth combined in a pliant beak, giving her the profile of a hawk."

And thus are we introduced to the strange and reclusive Alta-Tyberians: a species destined to extinction unless the scientists at MutaGen Corporation can find the fault in Alta-Ty DNA and prevent further generations of deformities and sterility.

Nicholas Harmon – a failed genetic engineer now working as public relations officer – is chosen to accompany Hali, the Alta-Ty emissary who brought the frozen samples of sperms and ova to MutaGen. While she is on Sifra-Mesa Spaceport (cloning and genetic engineering being outlawed sciences on Earth) she witnesses the murders of two Lifestylers – God-like genetic constructs that are worshipped across the galaxy.

To read the rest of this review or read more reviews of science fiction, fantasy, horror books and author interviews visit my blog here https://nebulabooks.wordpress.com/201... or read my interview with Jonathan Fast here https://nebulabooks.wordpress.com/201...

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, fast-paced, with several ideas I had never read in an a SF book before. Politicians enacting policy after they are dead--we are almost there now. Super-celebrities crafted via genetic engineering living in a strange dimension one skip over and worshiped like the Kardashians. Horny alien squids. The men are objectified, walking around in jockstraps and capes. I enjoyed it.

A dinosaur is cloned from DNA trapped in sap. I've read that this idea was in a story published in 1952, but I sort of doubt it. I have that 1952 story in an anthology I own, and it's in the too be read pile.

[Jaden Busnardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mutagen is sick, but also twisted. Lifestylers are ballers, but also freaks. I wish there was a female character that didn’t get sexualized. The politics feel too real to be comfortable with in this day and age. Is Johnny Quog actually just Donald Trump?

[Christopher Hellstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read. Dated, but in a fun way. This early 70s zaniness is lightening in a bottle.

[Dave Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

very much enjoyed this short novel - I like Fast's writing style and creative slightly trippy plot.

[Jules Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

[2010-08-20] Science fiction set in a future where humans have colonised a significant fraction of the galaxy, but are not the only intelligent species to have done so. Human politics haven't changed all that much, even if the technology has, and a PR man from a genetic engineering company learns this the hard way when he's given the job of liaison with an envoy from an alien species in desperate need of the company's services. I liked it a lot once I got past some clunkiness in the writing in the first couple of chapters.[return][return]http://julesjones.livejournal.com/401...

[Jeremy Kohlman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent story with interesting insights on race relations and our opinions and behaviors towards outsiders. A very enjoyable, quick read as well.

Also a few interesting takes on the American "hero worship" culture. Illustrates some of the dangers of deifying individuals.

Recommended for scifi fans and anyone interested in racial metaphor stories.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars if I could give it that. This novel features several satisfying science fiction tropes with a few original, or nearly original concepts, but the plot has untidy loose ends and the protagonist would be considered more terrorist than hero today. I gave it the benefit of the doubt in that it was written in more innocent times and I enjoyed it for the other worldly settings at least.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fair science fiction by the son of Howard Fast, now a professor of social work.