Frank Herbert, famous for the Dune series, has produced another work as great as Dune, but this time on a water world.

The book is actually a sequel to "The Jesus Incident," a volume about a scientist who tampers with human genetics to help them survive on the water world. The Lazarus Effect is stand alone, however, and from I can detect, more accessible than the first (which is in turn a loose sequel of Herbert's "Destination Void").

The Islanders live on floating organically grown islands with a crowded, smelly third-world culture. The Mermen live in cities under the ocean, and are a much more "civilized" western-style culture. The Islanders are pariahs because many of them have genetic mutations, as three of main characters display with luminous eyes, a giant head one can barely hold up, or elongated arms, respectively. Mermen value genetic purity and science and look down their noses at the more religious Islanders, who worship "Ship". Yet both are human with good and bad points, just very different cultures. This book is pure genius on many levels, but I will have to write a more deserving review on another occasion.

Herbert and Ransom picks up the story on Pandora years after Ship left at the end of The Jesus Incident, and we find the kelp being replanted and coming back to consciousness. But, this is not the only rebirth here. Human society has fractured and the usual jealousies and prejudices surface. Things are at a very interesting place as we head into the third volume.

Three and a half stars. Rounding down for this awful simile: “Her nipples pressed like children’s noses against his ribs.”

Didn't compare to the Jesus Incident for me; first half was an exciting follow-up but the intrigue was lost when the characters depth reached an unexpected halt (superseded by progression of the plot). Although lacking the complexity of the Jesus Incident it was an enjoyable read and satisfying end to the series. Have yet to check out the first Destination Void

Big fan of Frank and this one takes you places that are quite ingenious. It makes you wonder what might happen in the not to distant future.

Re-read.

Book 3 in the series. The saga continues of the species left on Planet Pandora.

Lazarus Effect by Frank Herbert (1983)

Got to love mutants... this book was amazing. I really can't say much about this one because I fear I will just go on and on. This series is steadily becoming a favorite and may very well surpass my affection for the Dune Saga.

After being gravely disappointed with The Jesus Incident and almost deciding not to read The Lazarus Effect, I'm glad that I did, if for no other reason that it restored a little bit of my lost faith in Frank Herbert. So many of his less-known works have been forgettable at best and simply tedious at worst. I already vented my frustration about the Jesus Incident and it's almost complete lack of compelling characters or engaging plot. The Lazarus Effect was much better and in fact never required any strength of will on my part to stay with it. The characters were distinct and engaging if a little expectable, Brett and Scudi being a somewhat typical "opposite sides of the tracks" romance. But Twisp was an engaging everyman while keel with all of his "lethal mutations" was arguably the most human character in the book. My only disappointment was that the climax as a bit too Deus Ex Machina for my taste. I wanted to see Twisp and Gallow fight it out, whether a battle of wills, brains or brawn didn't matter, just something more satisfying than how Herbert wrote it. Lastly, I must say that I don't really get the whole Vata/Duque thing. What Herbert was trying to do was lost on me. Was her trying to personify the whole Avata/world spirit/gaia idea or what? Maybe I didn't get it because I've never found the planetary consciousness to be all that interesting. Asimov tried it in Nemesis and sci-fi writers have played with the idea all the way up to Cameron's Avatar. It just isn't interesting to me. In the end though, the Lazarus Effect was a cool sci-fi story at the very least.

Muuult mai bun al doilea volum al trilogiei, am făcut bine că am continuat. Îl voi citi și pe ultimul :)

Beautifully written, but ultimately one long deus ex machina with no real stakes.