Speculative Fiction
CHARIS JONES
Dystopian Sci-Fi | Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi
Published by: Charis Jones
Publication Date: October 2022
Paperback ISBN: 979-8986384900
Paperback Trim: 5" x 8" - 363 Pages
Available: all major retailers
Wholesale: via IngramSpark
CRISPR Evolution
Book One of the CRISPR Evolution Series
By Charis Jones
Brilliant geneticist Howard Wake has one life-defining dream: to advance human evolution, starting with his own kids. Under the radar of agencies that have outlawed all but the tamest science, he builds a tool designed to probe the darkest crypts in the human genome for buried treasure. But rousing ancient DNA from its age-old slumber is a risky undertaking. To create his children safely, Howard needs to enlist Jacqueline Witt, who has engineered a secret of her own. Before he can convince his friend and colleague to help him, Howard is forced to disappear into the science underground. Deciding that it’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission, he takes everything he needs with him.
Eight years later, Howard’s kids are helping him run a garage lab in Massachusetts—but federal agents are only a step behind, the twins’ sleeping DNA is beginning to stir, and Jacqueline has tracked down the man who stole what she values most ... and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get it back.
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Fans of Michael Crichton, Paolo Bacigalupi, and Octavia Butler will love this tale of genetic roguery in a world where free inquiry has become a rare and dangerous commodity.​
Contact the author to purchase multiple copies at a discount for your book club.
Awards for CRISPR Evolution
Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award Finalist
Eric Hoffer Awards Grand Prize Shortlister
Eric Hoffer Awards Honorable Mention
BookLife Prize Semifinalist
American Book Fest Best Book Awards Finalist
National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist
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Readers' Favorite Awards Finalist
Foreword INDIES Finalist
Indies Today Awards Finalist
Page Turner Awards Finalist
PNWA Literary Contest First-Place Winner
Chanticleer International Book Awards Semifinalist
Praise for CRISPR Evolution
"[A] gripping and accomplished debut novel ... Jones spins this heady story in smart, engaging prose ... It’s a thriller but anchored in the literary wing of science fiction, driven by character, given to colloquies, and often evocative ... This superb science fiction novel ... is rousing, moving, and rewarding."
—BookLife Reviews (Editor's Pick)
"A dark but believable extrapolation from present-day attitudes ... the novel handles its moral questions sensitively and fairly ... a tale that provides readers with a penetrating and thought-provoking glimpse into a possible not-so-distant future."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Sci fi that promises to reshape its genre ... a heart-in-your-throat page-turner ... it conveys the spinning sense of a future that outstrips a single existence and feels synchronously optimistic, poignant, and even celebratory ... an explosive panorama of what makes up our genetic formation ... richly imagined characters and settings. The author is strong on atmosphere, illuminating vast tracts of imagery, and her uniquely supple and powerful style is even more clear-cut ... wildly original and intelligently drawn."
—Reader Views
"This thoroughly engaging work of speculative fiction rejuvenated my love for science fiction ... The characters are spellbinding, each shining in their own light and demanding center stage ... As a brilliant and dedicated rogue scientist with a questionable sense of ethics, Dr. Howard Wake changed my outlook on a hero. While hardcore scientific facts form the book’s foundation, Jones’ literary tweaks help it soar to unprecedented heights ... Jones recounts the beauty of life and imagines the unleashing of one’s full potential."
—Readers' Favorite
"A layered and engrossing work of dystopian speculative fiction ... prose is finely rendered and Jones shows a finesse for worldbuilding ... a wholly convincing and well-informed narrative. The characters’ personal journeys and the moral dilemmas they grapple with offer a contemplative exploration of the interplay between science, ethics, and human nature ... a striking work of speculative sci-fi."
—The BookLife Prize
"A beautifully moving book centered around humanity’s relationship with genetic engineering."
—IndieReader
