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Genesis Quest #2
Second Genesis
Many centuries ago, an alien race known as the Nar were able to recreate human beings from genetic code, broadcast from Earth into outer space by a beleaguered humanity. Although the Nar are kind and benevolent masters to the humans, discontent leads the humans to revolt, and the Nar realize that they do not yet fully understand their rebellious creations. They allow a group of humans to travel millions of light years through the galaxy, in order to discover what has happened to the original occupants of planet Earth. However, none of the human participants of the expedition are prepared for what awaits them at the completion of their journey...
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1986
18 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Donald Moffitt
23 books27 followersDonald Moffitt was born in Boston and now lives in rural Maine with his wife, Ann, a native of Connecticut. A former public relations executive, industrial filmmaker, and ghostwriter, he has been writing fiction on and off for more than twenty years under an assortment of pen names, including his own, chiefly espionage novels and adventure stories in international settings. His first full-length science-fiction novel and the first book of any genre to be published under his own name was The Jupiter Theft (Del Rey, 1977).
"One of the rewards of being a public relations man specializing in the technical end of large corporate accounts," he says, "was being allowed to hang around on the fringes of research being done in such widely disparate fields as computer technology, high-energy physics, the manned space program, polymer chemistry, parasitology, and virology—even, on a number of happy occasions, being pressed into service as an unpaid lab assistant."
He became an enthusiastic addict of science fiction during the Golden Era, when Martians were red, Venusians green, Mercurians yellow, and "Jovian Dawn Men" always blue. He survived to see the medium become respectable and is cheered by recent signs that the fun is coming back to sf.
"One of the rewards of being a public relations man specializing in the technical end of large corporate accounts," he says, "was being allowed to hang around on the fringes of research being done in such widely disparate fields as computer technology, high-energy physics, the manned space program, polymer chemistry, parasitology, and virology—even, on a number of happy occasions, being pressed into service as an unpaid lab assistant."
He became an enthusiastic addict of science fiction during the Golden Era, when Martians were red, Venusians green, Mercurians yellow, and "Jovian Dawn Men" always blue. He survived to see the medium become respectable and is cheered by recent signs that the fun is coming back to sf.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 21, 2013
This is a better book than "The Genesis Quest" - for one thing, there is no human conflict, which is not as interesting as the conflict in this book.
After a journey of 37 million years from the Whirlpool Galaxy to our own, humans find an engineering project on an even larger scale than Larry Niven's Ringworld, and more complex. The Author also explains how the project was carried out, which Niven does not do. They also discover some interesting species there.
There are several scientific errors, and I noticed two problems with the physics which would prevent the project from working as proposed, but I can live with that, and there are plenty of interesting ideas and surprises to keep you entertained.
After a journey of 37 million years from the Whirlpool Galaxy to our own, humans find an engineering project on an even larger scale than Larry Niven's Ringworld, and more complex. The Author also explains how the project was carried out, which Niven does not do. They also discover some interesting species there.
There are several scientific errors, and I noticed two problems with the physics which would prevent the project from working as proposed, but I can live with that, and there are plenty of interesting ideas and surprises to keep you entertained.
May 27, 2020
This is what I want out of science fiction: big ideas, grand adventure, megastructures, bug eyed monsters, and the deadly secret that lies at the heart of our galaxy-- Moffitt is a pioneer of the new space opera that would dominate the 90s and 00s, and the Genesis Quest series shows off all of his best authorial tricks. Recommended for fans of Larry Niven.
February 28, 2009
I read this around the same time that I read Tau Zero. Similar story of people heading off at relativistic speeds and leaving their pasts millions of years behind.
I like the notion of "it kinda sucks here right now, let's just give it a coupla dozen million years and come back when it settles down".
I like the notion of "it kinda sucks here right now, let's just give it a coupla dozen million years and come back when it settles down".
October 7, 2012
Underneath the constant displays of "Look at this cool technology!" "Here's something about SPACE!" "What if in the future they had THIS technology???", there's actually a pretty pleasant and optimistic vision of how humans and human society could be.
November 12, 2013
The worst thing about this book is that it really left me wanting more! This was much better than the first book (although I really liked that one too) and although it didn't end on a cliff hanger, you can't help but want to know more about how things play out.
February 10, 2023
This novel is agonizingly slow. Seriously, hings don't begin to get interesting until about page 250. And its hard science is always assaulting you. I have no clue how much of it is bullshit; I'm not a physicist. But if you got through its predecessor ("The Genesis Quest") you'll be interested enough to manage this one.
August 9, 2024
Too much science, too little plot.
If I wanted to learn all about astrophysics and astronomy, I'd get a textbook. That's why I stopped reading about 25% through. I couldn't take the lessons any more. I would really like to have had a story.
If I wanted to learn all about astrophysics and astronomy, I'd get a textbook. That's why I stopped reading about 25% through. I couldn't take the lessons any more. I would really like to have had a story.
March 11, 2021
Good story, but...
It would have been nice to have some new characters fleshed out. There are so many typos!!! It gets frustrating to see contractions that mean 're but are 've.
It would have been nice to have some new characters fleshed out. There are so many typos!!! It gets frustrating to see contractions that mean 're but are 've.
December 2, 2024
A little better than the first one, both amazing books
May 28, 2025
Unusual and fabulously broad
What could we do, positively, with immortality and near-lightspeed travel?
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What could we do, positively, with immortality and near-lightspeed travel?
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September 19, 2016
Not as good add the first book, but a worthy read
First books often set up the story, and so it's a challenge for authors to overcome the powerful inertia of discovery in the first book. And to create a new story, which stands in its own right. Many authors become somewhat episodic, like with the "Harry Potter" series. This once ties up the fate of now immortal Man, finding out what happened to Earth, and then deciding exact to do. It is probably much tougher than writing for more mortal characters. But it presents serious food for thought on what we might be like, what we might become, and the nature of life in the universe.
First books often set up the story, and so it's a challenge for authors to overcome the powerful inertia of discovery in the first book. And to create a new story, which stands in its own right. Many authors become somewhat episodic, like with the "Harry Potter" series. This once ties up the fate of now immortal Man, finding out what happened to Earth, and then deciding exact to do. It is probably much tougher than writing for more mortal characters. But it presents serious food for thought on what we might be like, what we might become, and the nature of life in the universe.
August 29, 2007
Many centuries ago, an alien race known as the Nar was able to recreate human beings from genetic code, broadcast from Earth into outer space by a beleaguered humanity. They allow a group of humans to travel millions of light years through the galaxy, in order to discover what has happened to the original occupants of planet Earth. However, none of the human participants of the expedition are prepared for what awaits them at the completion of their journey...
August 9, 2010
This book was outstanding. Even better then the first. Long distance, intergalactic travel of nearly whole civilizations. And, aliens! What could be better than that.
Decided to read it based on the first Genesis book by Moffitt.
Decided to read it based on the first Genesis book by Moffitt.
October 15, 2015
Part II in Moffitts series called Genesis Quest. The concept is still brilliant about humans mizing with another race. But just like in book 1 of the series Moffitt's writing doesnt do the concept justice.
June 18, 2013
Loved all the ideas in this book!
January 16, 2014
Even better than the first book. Breathtaking.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews