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Act One
"One of the best of the year...a compelling novella about a once-famous actress and her devoted manager who get much more publicity of an unfortunate sort when they inadvertently become embroiled with an act of biological terrorism with potentially world-changing results."-Gardner Dozois, Locus ****
104 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2010
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165 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Kress
452 books904 followersNancy Kress is an American science fiction writer. She began writing in 1976 but has achieved her greatest notice since the publication of her Hugo and Nebula-winning 1991 novella
Beggars in Spain
which was later expanded into a novel with the same title. In addition to her novels, Kress has written numerous short stories and is a regular columnist for Writer's Digest. She is a regular at Clarion writing workshops and at The Writers Center in Bethesda, Maryland. During the Winter of 2008/09, Nancy Kress is the Picador Guest Professor for Literature at the University of Leipzig's Institute for American Studies in Leipzig, Germany.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
Excerpted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 2, 2010
Few authors have won my heart as quickly as Nancy Kress. Two years ago, I had never heard of her. Suddenly I have seven of her books on my shelf, only one of which I've read. Like Octavia E. Butler does in
Lilith's Brood
, Nancy Kress uses genetic engineering to comment on what we consider human. With Nothing Human, Kress looks at humanity through posthuman eyes, asking where we draw the line between human and inhuman—when we can cut down the chromosomal level, what criteria are we using to decide what is human and what isn't?
"Act One" is set even closer to the present day. An actor is preparing for her role in a movie about "Arlen's children," girls who have been genetically engineered at birth to be more empathic. The novella opens with the actor and her achondroplastic manager (our narrator) meeting with representatives of the Group, a radical organization that advocates genetic engineering by any and all means. Jane Snow just wants to be prepared for her role, but she finds herself an unwitting participant in an act of bioterrorism.
Engineering children to be more empathic seems innocuous, right? Or, as Jane's manager, Barry, puts it: "Prospective clients loved the promise of kids who actually understood how parents felt." As creepy children Bridget and Belinda Barrington demonstrate, however, super-empathy is not all it's cracked up to be. Nurture is as important as nature, and from Belinda's sociopathic behaviour it's clear that her super-empathy does not mitigate her spoilt, emotionally-distant relationship with her mother.
The Arlen's Syndrome children plot, while central to the story, did not affect me as much as Barry's relationship with Jane and his relationship with his ex-wife, Leila, and his son, Ethan. As a dwarf, Barry knows his share of genetic woes. He is the product of a genetic disorder, a mutation that, while not a disease, carries its share of disadvantages and drawbacks, both physiological and social. When genetic screening indicates his unborn son will not be a dwarf, Barry decides to use genetic engineering to change this. But
Barry and Leila fall out, and Barry meets Ethan for the first time when he is forced to flee with Jane and the Barringtons to his mountain-side cabin. Ethan's reaction is . . . less than warm, at first. But soon we see there is a glimmer of hope.
Children . . . such enigmas, such complicated bundles of information. Intrinsically innocent, yet blatant reminders of past mistakes or triumphs. And that is the point: when we dabble in our genes, we dabble in the future of our species. We are changing our children, arguably our most precious assets. It behoves us to think long and hard about any such changes before we make them.
Barry is also hopelessly in love with Jane. Jane knows this, but it's an unbroached topic between them—at least, until Belinda broaches it:
Jane's serial marriages to very attractive men combined with Barry's dwarfism, not to mention their professional relationship, seems to make anything more than friendship impossible. It's more than that, of course. As Belinda points out, Jane recoils from Barry's accidental touch:
On a visceral level Jane's body rebels and displays a bigotry that disgusts her. As enlightened as we like to think we are, sometimes our involuntary reactions bely that and surprise us. I'll admit to having such reactions before.
And so Kress explores not only the consequences of genetic engineering but the motives as well. She goes deeper than the stock reasons of eliminating disease or, for those of a sinister bent, breeding a master race. To some extent, those visceral reactions we find so shameful make us human, and they contribute to our desire to give our children better futures.
Although genetic engineering is in its infancy (no pun intended), it is real. We have sequenced the human genome, and we can screen for genetic disorders. Gene therapy is a reality. It is only a matter of time before we are able to choose the sex of our children, and from there, even more complex traits. With the shadow of World War II looming over the last century, and the spectre of biological determinism always waiting in the wings, there is no area of science for which the phrase "playing God" is more apt. Our ability to alter individuals and our species at the most fundamental level raises hard questions for which there are no easy answers. Kress and other authors like her are using science fiction to show us thought experiments, potentialities inherent in our future capabilities. "Act One" is a powerful reminder that advancements in science and technology bring with them challenges to morality and ethics that must not be ignored. This is, as the title of Kress' novella says, only the beginning of the show.
"Act One" is set even closer to the present day. An actor is preparing for her role in a movie about "Arlen's children," girls who have been genetically engineered at birth to be more empathic. The novella opens with the actor and her achondroplastic manager (our narrator) meeting with representatives of the Group, a radical organization that advocates genetic engineering by any and all means. Jane Snow just wants to be prepared for her role, but she finds herself an unwitting participant in an act of bioterrorism.
Engineering children to be more empathic seems innocuous, right? Or, as Jane's manager, Barry, puts it: "Prospective clients loved the promise of kids who actually understood how parents felt." As creepy children Bridget and Belinda Barrington demonstrate, however, super-empathy is not all it's cracked up to be. Nurture is as important as nature, and from Belinda's sociopathic behaviour it's clear that her super-empathy does not mitigate her spoilt, emotionally-distant relationship with her mother.
The Arlen's Syndrome children plot, while central to the story, did not affect me as much as Barry's relationship with Jane and his relationship with his ex-wife, Leila, and his son, Ethan. As a dwarf, Barry knows his share of genetic woes. He is the product of a genetic disorder, a mutation that, while not a disease, carries its share of disadvantages and drawbacks, both physiological and social. When genetic screening indicates his unborn son will not be a dwarf, Barry decides to use genetic engineering to change this. But
something went wrong. The retrovirus that was the delivery vector mutated, or the splicing caused other genes to jump (they will do that, or maybe God just wanted an evil joke that day. The soma-gene correction spawned side effects, with one gene turning on another that in turn affected another, a cascade of creation run amok. And we got Ethan.
Barry and Leila fall out, and Barry meets Ethan for the first time when he is forced to flee with Jane and the Barringtons to his mountain-side cabin. Ethan's reaction is . . . less than warm, at first. But soon we see there is a glimmer of hope.
Children . . . such enigmas, such complicated bundles of information. Intrinsically innocent, yet blatant reminders of past mistakes or triumphs. And that is the point: when we dabble in our genes, we dabble in the future of our species. We are changing our children, arguably our most precious assets. It behoves us to think long and hard about any such changes before we make them.
Barry is also hopelessly in love with Jane. Jane knows this, but it's an unbroached topic between them—at least, until Belinda broaches it:
Something unnamed could, just barely, be ignored. Could be kept out of daily interaction, could almost be pretended away. What had been "given words" could not.
Jane's serial marriages to very attractive men combined with Barry's dwarfism, not to mention their professional relationship, seems to make anything more than friendship impossible. It's more than that, of course. As Belinda points out, Jane recoils from Barry's accidental touch:
It wasn’t the words Belinda had said. Yes, I loved Jane and yes, that love was hopeless. I already knew that and so must Jane. How could she not? I was with her nearly every day; she was a woman sensitive to nuance. I knew she hated my accidental touch, and hated herself for that, and could help none of it.
On a visceral level Jane's body rebels and displays a bigotry that disgusts her. As enlightened as we like to think we are, sometimes our involuntary reactions bely that and surprise us. I'll admit to having such reactions before.
And so Kress explores not only the consequences of genetic engineering but the motives as well. She goes deeper than the stock reasons of eliminating disease or, for those of a sinister bent, breeding a master race. To some extent, those visceral reactions we find so shameful make us human, and they contribute to our desire to give our children better futures.
Although genetic engineering is in its infancy (no pun intended), it is real. We have sequenced the human genome, and we can screen for genetic disorders. Gene therapy is a reality. It is only a matter of time before we are able to choose the sex of our children, and from there, even more complex traits. With the shadow of World War II looming over the last century, and the spectre of biological determinism always waiting in the wings, there is no area of science for which the phrase "playing God" is more apt. Our ability to alter individuals and our species at the most fundamental level raises hard questions for which there are no easy answers. Kress and other authors like her are using science fiction to show us thought experiments, potentialities inherent in our future capabilities. "Act One" is a powerful reminder that advancements in science and technology bring with them challenges to morality and ethics that must not be ignored. This is, as the title of Kress' novella says, only the beginning of the show.
December 8, 2012
....Act One is quite a dense piece of writing, I needed a couple of days to reflect on this story before I began this review. It's one of those stories one should savour, it's not a long text but one that demands some time to read it properly. It is definitely one of the stronger stories by Kress I have read. She must have had some fierce competition to miss all those awards. It's an emotionally intense look at some of the questions raised by advances in genetics. Recommended reading.
Random Comments review
Random Comments review
December 17, 2014
Nancy Kress weaves beautiful short stories around the theme of science fiction intertwined with the philosophy of life in the most effortless way! The choice of characters is absurd to say the least- but her description of their life's stories will make your heart wrench. A short and an excellent read.
PS>I will most definitely, genetically modify my children to be more empathetic after reading this book!!
PS>I will most definitely, genetically modify my children to be more empathetic after reading this book!!
July 10, 2020
Jane Snow and her brilliant dwarf advisor (hmm) become tangled in a ill-considered bio-terrorist plot. A quick-reading novella with some interesting ideas about genetics, empathy, and human nature - more ideas than Kress chooses to engage with, really, and ones that might be better served in a longer novel.
December 19, 2017
Quick and fun. At the beginning of the year, I had never heard of Nancy Kress, in December I'm a huge fan.
April 20, 2020
Senza fronzoli ma dallo stile accurato, diretto, chiaro. Vicenda ben strutturata e ben sviluppata, personaggi ben delineati. Una storia breve ma non per questo poco interessante, anzi.
October 2, 2014
Narrare una vicenda ambientata in un futuro molto prossimo per parlare del nostro presente è da sempre uno dei motivi portanti della fantascienza. E questo è esattamente ciò che fa Nancy Kress in Atto primo, prendendo spunto da un tema importante per sviscerarne le possibilità e fare ipotesi su scenari non troppo lontani da noi.
Ingegneria genetica. Due sole parole che sono sufficienti a creare speranze e paure, dimostrandosi capaci di suscitare dibattiti scientifici ma anche e soprattutto etici e morali. Quando è giusto che la scienza intervenga? Quali sono le modalità di intervento legittime? E siamo davvero in grado di prevedere tutti i possibili effetti, sia fisici che sociali, di un simile intervento?
Il testo completo: http://librolandia.wordpress.com/2011...…
January 23, 2011
Very interesting Nebula nominee award story. A fading actress and her manager while researching a role get caught up in an underground group doing illegal gene research and have other plans to introduce their work. The two people have a fair amount of baggage as they deal with this situation that goes far beyond their control. The plot and the characters like the best of SF give you lots to think about.
I got this as a free eBook via Phoenix Picks monthy program, but I think this story is also available elsewhere on the internet in PDF format.
I got this as a free eBook via Phoenix Picks monthy program, but I think this story is also available elsewhere on the internet in PDF format.
June 5, 2014
This is the first time I’ve read any of Nancy Kress’ work and I am suitably impressed. Though only a short novella, Kress manages to squeeze into it an interesting idea, with well-rounded characters (though not particularly lovable ones) and a good plot.
The idea of a ‘terrorist’ spreading a ‘plague’ across the world’s population that makes all humans, to a greater or lesser degree, more empathetic is really quite intriguing and her exploration of this idea is well presented and very easy reading. In fact this novella can easily be read in a single sitting.
The idea of a ‘terrorist’ spreading a ‘plague’ across the world’s population that makes all humans, to a greater or lesser degree, more empathetic is really quite intriguing and her exploration of this idea is well presented and very easy reading. In fact this novella can easily be read in a single sitting.
November 19, 2011
I love Nancy Kress as a writer, but I think I like her long works better than her short ones. This is called a novella, and it seemed rather like a long short story to me. That doesn't leave much time for character development, but I did like the first-person protagonist. The central issue of genetic manipulation is one Kress often uses, and she deals with it well here. The ending includes a fascinating twist; I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I think it rounds out the story well.
May 5, 2013
This is a fairly interesting novella that taps into current concerns about genetic engineering, but unfortunately I didn't find it that engaging. The characters didn't seem that developed to me and I had a hard time identifying with or caring about any of them. I think this one might actually work better if it were expanded into a full-length novel. Some parts seemed like they were just glossed over and the ending especially was wrapped up a little too quickly for my taste.
March 24, 2013
Not my favorite work by Kress, but an interesting read nonetheless. She ably postulates a future where genetic manipulation is becoming more common and its potential consequences. While her ideas here are more realistic than in the Sleepless series, I feel this story lacks the characterization I enjoyed in her other work.
October 9, 2013
Stories like this are the reason I read science fiction but don't find enough of. Kress uses the genre conventions to explore the relationship between human biology and human personality, all through superbly constructed characters. The choice of protagonist is a masterstroke, as his misanthropic eyes observe the other characters as they learn the fallacy of the mind-body dichotomy.
April 13, 2011
There's enough material in this novella to become a 400+ pg novel, may be then the plot will get somewhere. The beginning is strong, but fizzles (and somewhat confusing) towards the end.
Kind of disappointing like the ending of Greg Bear's Eon.
Hope others enjoy it more than I did.
Kind of disappointing like the ending of Greg Bear's Eon.
Hope others enjoy it more than I did.
November 19, 2010
Ancora una volta l'attenzione a fuoco sulle mutazioni. Ben scritto ma meno centrato di altri lavori. Non convince fino in fondo, appare in qualche modo incompleto.
July 4, 2012
I liked the little intro explaining how the story came together, because this story is pretty random (washed-up actress, dwarves, genemods for empathy). Pretty good though.
July 29, 2012
A good novella. The science fiction was original and it does make one think. It just really didn't strike me as great or best of year even though it was ominated for the Nebula and Hugo.
September 16, 2012
Interesting plot, well-drawn characters. Is it a wonder it was a nominee for a Nebula award? I'll look around for more by this author.
December 10, 2012
A short novel. Nancy Kress at the top of her form, exploring biotech ethics within a very human framework.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews