Becoming Human

Harmony of Worlds #1

by Valerie J. Freireich

Set against a background of interplanetary war at the far reaches of the universe, here is a sweeping tale exploring what it means to be human. Can the clone of a traitor overcome his legacy, or will he be doomed to repeat it?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, LGBT, Fantasy

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Valerie Freireich is a business attorney, concentrating her practice in secured lending and banking law, with a particular emphasis on commercial real estate and proficiency in general business matters.

In addition to lending institutions, representative clients include businesses and real estate investors. Valerie serves on the firm's professional education committee. She also writes professionally and has had four science fiction novels published, in addition to 15 short stories.

She and her husband have one son, who holds a post-doctorate appointment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, following the 2009 granting of a Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University.

Reviews

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to order this in paperback as I couldn't find an ebook on Amazon or anywhere else. I enjoyed reading this a lot. Wouldn't really call this the 2nd book of a series since it worked perfectly as a stand-alone.

It's a future where clones are being made for specific purposes - 'toolmen'. They're pretty much slaves to uncloned human beings, have to obey whoever they're assigned to, and they have built in biological clocks that kill them off around 40 or so. Alex is a toolman, made to be sort of a diplomatic aide and liaison, and he's just about to 'flare' and die. The book starts with Alex and his scheme to avert premature death, and moves on to another clone, August. August is a younger clone, genetically identical to Alex, and people keep crediting him with Alex's virtues and faults. This is a very well written future dystopia story. Not really a romance although Alex has an MF relationship and August an MM one. There's real violence and death and some of the violence is horrific, especially the episode where August is kidnapped and what he does to himself to thwart the kidnapper's intentions, but this is also a hopeful book with a very hopeful ending.

[S.E. Martens]

Finally DNF'd at 70% - I could have pushed through to the end, but this read has only become more of a slog as it goes on.

This is a science fiction story about clones (called "toolmen") and how they are treated in this society, "The Polite Harmony of Worlds," as property and not legally considered human. August is a specific class of "toolman," genetically augmented to have enhanced observation skills and used in (sort of) espionage. Everyone in this society is accustomed to being watched and recorded at all times, so it's not "spying," so much as using these enhanced abilities to interpret secrets and lies based on body language, tone of voice, and even smell.

It seems that the author was trying to write about what makes us human, but it's told from the perspective of a clone, August. We immediately see that, despite his advanced abilities, he is definitely, easily recognizable as a human being. So, what you're left with is 300 pages of this poor guy getting stepped on by everyone around him in this dystopian society.

I also wasn't sure what the author was trying to say about Atheism, with the Harmony versus the rest of the galaxy. The Harmony are basically Atheists, but under a different name, and they don't view the clones or augmented people as human beings. However, when theists are suddenly brought into the novel three-quarters of the way through, they are portrayed as hysterical, murderous, warmongers who make fools of themselves in front of the calm, cool Harmony delegates. So, everyone is just awful?

I feel like there could have been an interesting examination of how people with different philosophical backgrounds would view genetically enhanced people, but it never really digs into it.

Then there are the completely skin-crawl inducing "relationships" - if one can call them that, as there is zero consent. The clones are just expected to go along with whoever owns them. August's ridiculous, cringey obsession with the woman who owns/controls him is just painful. He is convinced that they love each other despite the fact that I think he was programmed to feel that way and she demonstrably does not care about him beyond being a political tool and looking like a previous clone, whom she forced to be her lover.

Finally, August is coerced into a relationship with Jeroen Lee, the man who "designed" him, and it's all very, very uncomfortable. But Lee said he wouldn't have August killed for refusing to sleep with him and that's presented as so benevolent that August "consents" (this is not consent.)

I'm tired. A book doesn't have to be all sunshine and rainbows, but this is just exhausting. Oh, and I didn't even mention that August melts his own face off at one point, in a weird misguided attempt to protect the woman he thinks loves him.

[Rain · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I liked Testament, I disliked this one. In chronology, it should come first, but is not important as it stands alone and doesnt affect the "universe". If I had read this first, I probably would never had read Testament. I will read the 3rd in the series, but if it startsas badly as this one I probably will not finish.

[Gordon Gravley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freireich's "Convert", which I first read in the early '90's in Aldris Budrys' brilliant peridical "Tomorrow Speculative Fiction", is my all-time favorite short story. And this novel is just as good. She has a style that is not ostentatious, nor calls attention to itself, but rather is rich in depth and details that are not always visible - like an iceberg, you only see a portion of something much greater, yet you know it's there. She creates a rich, complex world, but explains nothing; rather, she drops you into it as though it were the very world you lived in. There is nothing two-dimensional about her characters, either. They are as complicated and layered as anyone you may meet. I look forward to reading more by her, especially from this series.

[Velvetink · Rating 3 out of 5]

donated to The Smith Family charity

[Shellie (Layers of Thought)]

I had to add this one just because of the cover...

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I don't usually read sci-fi, but this one held onto me.

[Lee Schuen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. But the other books in the series suffer in comparison

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sci fi with a complex plot and some interesting social premises. Will have to get more in the series.

[George Hahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. It's a book of interstellar politics on a grand scale, with complex and different characters with a strong plot. Recommended.

[STU · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this.
Political intrigue, well-developed characters whose motivations you keep guessing at.
And a great universe with interesting premises.