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Nannion
On a secluded Greek island in the 1950s, an enormous abandoned mine is filled with sea water for a major international experiment in marine biology. It is intended to study natural selection and, perhaps, evolution in a new aquatic ecosystem. However, the experiment and the island are eventually abandoned.
Decades later, a sailor’s photograph of the corpse of a large shark prompts a team of biologists to visit the island. The team discovers unique environments, including an underwater brine lake. The life forms act in ways that affect the fauna on the island as well as themselves.
The new ecosystem is dangerous. How to cope with it? The biologists will need some form of interspecies communication with the sea life and even with a cat that has been stranded on the island. It’s simple in theory...
Decades later, a sailor’s photograph of the corpse of a large shark prompts a team of biologists to visit the island. The team discovers unique environments, including an underwater brine lake. The life forms act in ways that affect the fauna on the island as well as themselves.
The new ecosystem is dangerous. How to cope with it? The biologists will need some form of interspecies communication with the sea life and even with a cat that has been stranded on the island. It’s simple in theory...
- GenresScience FictionFiction
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 11, 2017
14 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Andreas Androutsellis-Theotokis
1 book2 followersI was born in Athens, Greece, at a time when progressive rock music still got radio play. After finishing high school, I studied Biochemistry and Neurochemistry at Imperial College, University of London, obtaining my BSc and PhD degrees.
Following my studies, I completed my National Service duties in the Greek Army. Having experienced severe research withdrawal symptoms, I moved to the USA to resume professional science work, first at Yale University and then at the National Institutes of Health. Afterwards, I started my own research lab in Dresden, Germany. In parallel, I became Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, in the UK, just in time for Brexit…
My research focuses on novel molecular mechanisms that allow us to manipulate resident stem cells and other types of cell, in different organs. The work of my team relates to neurodegenerative disease, neurological disorders, cancer, and diabetes.
Currently, much of my thinking concerns how to best bring all of our work to the clinic and how to make sure I see it provide benefit to the patient. There are plenty of avenues, and none is simple.
When I don’t obsess with science or write mystery stories, there is a good chance I may be composing music (often in odd time signatures) and playing the drums. I also like photography and I seem to have a knack at enticing cats to pose for me.
Following my studies, I completed my National Service duties in the Greek Army. Having experienced severe research withdrawal symptoms, I moved to the USA to resume professional science work, first at Yale University and then at the National Institutes of Health. Afterwards, I started my own research lab in Dresden, Germany. In parallel, I became Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, in the UK, just in time for Brexit…
My research focuses on novel molecular mechanisms that allow us to manipulate resident stem cells and other types of cell, in different organs. The work of my team relates to neurodegenerative disease, neurological disorders, cancer, and diabetes.
Currently, much of my thinking concerns how to best bring all of our work to the clinic and how to make sure I see it provide benefit to the patient. There are plenty of avenues, and none is simple.
When I don’t obsess with science or write mystery stories, there is a good chance I may be composing music (often in odd time signatures) and playing the drums. I also like photography and I seem to have a knack at enticing cats to pose for me.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 31, 2017
Nannion is a unique story that is a blend of mystery, suspense, science fiction and marine biology. Not only is the underlying premise entirely unique, but the style it is written is unique as well. A book written with a cat as a main character is not something you see every day, and the author obviously has an active imagination and a talent backing him up in order to be able to write interesting scenes of interspecies communication.
My thought during those parts of the book was how many times have I as a pet owner wanted to get inside the heads of my cat or dog, wondering what they were thinking or feeling or whether such thoughts and emotions could be comparative in any light to the thoughts and feelings we have as human beings. This was what stood out for me the most in this book.
I found the idea of the cat getting stuck in a strange ecosystem to be something worthy of the twilight zone, and the idea of her living for as long as she did in this isolated place in order to give us the story to tell in the first place, its interesting if not all that realistic to me. But the author makes it sound plausible, and he uses his knowledge of science and his command of science fiction to make his world real, and compelling, and a place that you can imagine in your head.
I give this book five stars, and I suggest it as a piece of reading for anyone who likes a good science fiction story, and who is looking to read something a little bit different and unique.
My thought during those parts of the book was how many times have I as a pet owner wanted to get inside the heads of my cat or dog, wondering what they were thinking or feeling or whether such thoughts and emotions could be comparative in any light to the thoughts and feelings we have as human beings. This was what stood out for me the most in this book.
I found the idea of the cat getting stuck in a strange ecosystem to be something worthy of the twilight zone, and the idea of her living for as long as she did in this isolated place in order to give us the story to tell in the first place, its interesting if not all that realistic to me. But the author makes it sound plausible, and he uses his knowledge of science and his command of science fiction to make his world real, and compelling, and a place that you can imagine in your head.
I give this book five stars, and I suggest it as a piece of reading for anyone who likes a good science fiction story, and who is looking to read something a little bit different and unique.
March 27, 2017
I’ve always been fascinated with stories about nature and its mysteries. The nature, the world that surrounds us (and here I do not refer to buildings, shopping malls and highways) is mysterious. The way how everything is created and how things are... That is something that many people tried to understand and something that we still cannot understand. “Nannion’’, a novel written by a Greek author Andreas Androutsellis-Theotokis, is a story about nature and its mysteries. At first I thought that this is another animal story about some cat and some abandoned mine, but when I sank into the story I realized that I was short-sighted. One must definitely not analyze a book “by its covers’’.
Nannion is a story in which nature and philosophy are combined together into one ‘complete’ whole. Even though that it may seem that this book will be perfectly ‘suitable’ mostly for biologist that is not entirely true. The book tries to find some answers on how certain things in nature were created or how they ‘evolved’, where the author tried to comprehend everything that he learned in his life as a biologist and a molecular scientist into one book. I like the book because it offers some rather interesting perspectives on the nature and the world in general. It is visible that the author invested a lot of work in it and since I respect and admire when someone invests an effort into something, I will give it 4.5 stars.
Nannion is a story in which nature and philosophy are combined together into one ‘complete’ whole. Even though that it may seem that this book will be perfectly ‘suitable’ mostly for biologist that is not entirely true. The book tries to find some answers on how certain things in nature were created or how they ‘evolved’, where the author tried to comprehend everything that he learned in his life as a biologist and a molecular scientist into one book. I like the book because it offers some rather interesting perspectives on the nature and the world in general. It is visible that the author invested a lot of work in it and since I respect and admire when someone invests an effort into something, I will give it 4.5 stars.
March 28, 2017
Nannion is a young Athenian cat who is more or less abandoned, and lives on fish discarded from Athenian restaurants. She is taken by an elderly woman (Claire) to an island that has had the centre hollowed out to make the biggest aquarium imaginable. Claire takes the cat on a boat into the centre of the aquarium, only to tilt the boat and they fall out. Both make it back to the shore, but Claire is bitten by something in the water and dies. Nannion now has to live on this abandoned island by drinking rain-water and catching fish. Living off catching sea fish is probably too much for a cat, but never mind. By herself, Nannion discovers Eel, and manages some sort of communication. Then eventually some marine biologists come to the Island, and discover that all is not what it should be.
The book is nicely written, and given that this is presumably a second language for the author, very well done. What is very well done is that Theotokis generates empathy for Nannion and Eel, and this is very difficult to do. The book is science fiction with the science being significantly stretched, and at the end there are discussions to "explain" what is going on, and I would have preferred these to be truncated because they are misleading to real science. Nevertheless it is a very pleasant book to read.
The book is nicely written, and given that this is presumably a second language for the author, very well done. What is very well done is that Theotokis generates empathy for Nannion and Eel, and this is very difficult to do. The book is science fiction with the science being significantly stretched, and at the end there are discussions to "explain" what is going on, and I would have preferred these to be truncated because they are misleading to real science. Nevertheless it is a very pleasant book to read.
May 24, 2017
Intriguing
What an interesting read. An abandoned cat ,plus an abandoned restless scientist,equals an island used for Science experiments that was abandoned. Almost like the lost city of Atlantis,except this island holds many mysterious going ons. Claire find this adorable kitten and takes her to the island,names her Nannion. There are beings alive under the waters,left by the Scientists that have had years to evolve. And,evolve they have. With the passing of Claire,who is taken back into her waters.Nannion finds herself alone to fend for herself,or so she thinks. I don't want to give to much away, as this, is when the story takes off, and becomes impossible to put down. Like I said a very unusual book,mixes Science with evolutionary views.
What an interesting read. An abandoned cat ,plus an abandoned restless scientist,equals an island used for Science experiments that was abandoned. Almost like the lost city of Atlantis,except this island holds many mysterious going ons. Claire find this adorable kitten and takes her to the island,names her Nannion. There are beings alive under the waters,left by the Scientists that have had years to evolve. And,evolve they have. With the passing of Claire,who is taken back into her waters.Nannion finds herself alone to fend for herself,or so she thinks. I don't want to give to much away, as this, is when the story takes off, and becomes impossible to put down. Like I said a very unusual book,mixes Science with evolutionary views.
May 11, 2017
Sometimes it is difficult to find books that immediately capture your attention, but this book is not one of them. From the beginning, Nannion will instantly intrigue you.
This novel is based around a marine biology experiment on an island in Greece. This island, called Dioptra, became a designated place for scientific research. Its purpose was to be a research and experimental area for marine biologists. Eventually though, the island is deserted. This book will take you on a mysterious trip to Dioptra where you will join the characters to discover Dioptra’s peculiar secrets.
Overall, this book is fascinating. I enjoyed many aspects about it, especially how parts of the story are told through the perspective of a cat. If you’re a fan of science fiction, definitely read this one. Even if you don’t find yourself a reader of that genre, give this book a try. It will instantly captivate you and take you on an exciting journey.
This novel is based around a marine biology experiment on an island in Greece. This island, called Dioptra, became a designated place for scientific research. Its purpose was to be a research and experimental area for marine biologists. Eventually though, the island is deserted. This book will take you on a mysterious trip to Dioptra where you will join the characters to discover Dioptra’s peculiar secrets.
Overall, this book is fascinating. I enjoyed many aspects about it, especially how parts of the story are told through the perspective of a cat. If you’re a fan of science fiction, definitely read this one. Even if you don’t find yourself a reader of that genre, give this book a try. It will instantly captivate you and take you on an exciting journey.
April 19, 2017
As a cat-lover, I was delighted to read that the eponymous heroine of this book is a little cat. All in all this is a very original and unusual book that defies pigeonholing by genre. Nannion is befriended by an elderly lady and taken by little boat to a deserted Greek Island. Unfortunately, the lady dies on the journey and Nannion is left to fend for herself on the island. It soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems on the island; different species are able to communicate with each other and Nannion makes friends with a sea-serpent and a weird humanoid. When a team of marine biologists arrive, life becomes even stranger.
June 15, 2017
I really didn't get the concept of using a cat in the story, could have worked just as well with a person but hey... that's just me. Anyway, I find that the author has made the book informative with lots of factual information that I found myself googling in between the reading and learning more. I like when a book does that and I feel like I've learned a lot more about marine life. Then there's the philosophical side of the book which just ties the whole story together pulling it away from the story of a lost cat. In the end I felt like the author had a lot of different ideas and thoughts in mind but they all didn't fit into the story. I give 3 stars because it's an interesting read, definitely, but I had a hard time getting through the entire book.
June 28, 2018
Not sure
I enjoyed the first half ish of this, but I realised there was a problem when I started losing hours at a time, and not knowing why! For me it became a cure for my insomnia. Books are personal experiences, so don't listen to me, give it a try
I enjoyed the first half ish of this, but I realised there was a problem when I started losing hours at a time, and not knowing why! For me it became a cure for my insomnia. Books are personal experiences, so don't listen to me, give it a try
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews