I feel the need to post about my latest read. A friend recommended this book to me, in fact she loaned me her copy. My husband snatched it and read it first. Now I am reading it. I’m almost halfway through it and boy is it fascinating.

It’s definately sci-fi but it is not so far off in the distant future. We know we are moving closer and closer to this world each day and I am not sure how I feel about that. It can be unsettling, especially given the storyline in this book.

So here goes. Two brothers take the map of the Human DNA and match it up with that of chimpanzee’s. Now even if you don’t believe in evolution, you have to admit that chimps are definately our genetic cousins. The DNA is just so close. So these brothers notice the differances and figure out how to do a little splicing and they create Sims. Basically a mix of humans and chimps. I know, it’s already sounding a little Planet of the Apes.

So the Sims are definately more than chimp but people look at them as less than human. Through the entire book thus far you can see that even those with a sympathy for the Sims, there is still a little bit of distancing of “Them” and “us”. Definately a story of prejudice and how we are unwilling to accept those who are not like ourselves. But also, there are a lot in the book who think the company hte brothers found to creat the Sims are in the wrong. So this covers the fears of science.

I also see a story here about how we are trying to play God. Let’s face it, we like to makebelieve we are God now. But in this, we truly see people who are attempting to be God by creating their own species. The Sims are made in our own image. But they are also childlike. How childlike we must seem to the Creator?

The bigger story though is that of a lawyer who is trying to help a small group of Sims. They wanted to form a “union”. What it boils down to is they want to b able to remain a group, a “family”. They are well treated, they are well cared for, but still they want something they don’t have. Continuity. The practice is that a Sim is leased from the parent corporation. This is a way to make people feel good about themselves and try to say that Sims are not slaves. The parent corporation keeps tabs to make sure all Sims are taken care of, treated properly, and etc. But is it still slavery? Some might argue that it is. When a Sim is no longer able to perform his or her tasks, they can be exchanged. The returned Sim is either rehabilitated if that is the need or they are sent to a “cushy retirement complex”. The Sims in question would like to not have the changing around of Sims. The loss of friends and adopted family.

Of course this brings up the question of what is family? Is it someone you are blood related to or is it what you make of it? Can you make family of those who are close to you or should it only be those who you are legally or blood tied to?

The tale turns much darker though. I haven’t yet discovered what, but there is something sinister with The Sims that the corporation is keeping under wraps. A secret that they do not want to get out so they are unhappy with the lawyer and his nosing around. Something they were well aware of and chose to either ignore or hoped they could sort out later but haven’t yet.

Anyway, the book is called SIMS and I’m finding it very fascinating. So many topics to think about. When I finish I’m going to ring up my friend and we are going to get together. Talk about this one. Slavery, prejudice, family, how far is too far for science, animal rights, etc.