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The Eyes of Heisenberg

frank herbert

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A New World in Embryo

Public Law 10927 was clear and direct. Parents were permitted to watch the genetic alterations of their gametes by skilled surgeons . . . only no one ever requested it.

When Lizbeth and Harvey Durant decided to invoke the Law; when Dr. Potter did not rearrange the most unusual genetic structure of their future son, barely an embryo growing in the State's special vat-the consequences of these decisions threatened to be catastrophic.

For never before had anyone dared defy the Rulers' decrees . . . and if They found out, it was well known that the price of disobedience was the extermination of the human race . . .

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1,1966

This edition

Format
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published
September 16, 2002 by Tor Books
ISBN
9780765342522
ASIN
0765342529
Language
English

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About the author

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frank herbert

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Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. was an American science fiction author best known for the 1965 novel Dune and its five sequels. Though he became famous for his novels, he also wrote short stories and worked as a newspaper journalist, photographer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer.
The Dune saga, set in the distant future, and taking place over millennia, explores complex themes, such as the long-term survival of the human species, human evolution, planetary science and ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, economics and power in a future where humanity has long since developed interstellar travel and settled many thousands of worlds. Dune is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, and the entire series is considered to be among the classics of the genre.

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Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
41(41%)
4 stars
29(29%)
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30(30%)
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100 reviews All reviews
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Cyaano
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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I liked this book, even though there were a lot of elements and themes that I recognised from the Dune books. I thought the characters were a little bland (but maybe that's just because reading this made me miss the Atreides family), and there were too much medical terms that I think very few readers understand. So overall not the best Frank Herbert book I have read but still very entertaining.
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louise4
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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Honestly. If the chapters in the high-school chemistry books had catchy titles like this one, studying would've been actually ok.
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cutiefee
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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Frank Herbert, best know for his Dune books, also wrote quite a few others of which this is one. And I must say, a damn good one it is.

Frank envisions a world of genetic manipulation is this book, a world governed by Optimen, mortals who have been gene manipulated to the point of living forever - almost. Virtually lost from their vocabulary are words like death, killing, murder and violence. They just don’t happen any more in this sterile controlled world.

Under the Optimen are the Folk, lesser gene manipulated mortals who only live hundreds of years. Poor them. The society is well thought out, creepy in the extreme and of course you just know it is not going to last. What perfect society ever does?

This novel tells the tale of some Folk wishing to procreate on their own, and underground resistence to the overseers (the Optimen) who grand breeding licenses to those worthy. And the womb of woman is no longer used to raise children; that job is left to vats. All people in the cities are fed a constant mixture of gas, gas which renders them sterile and infertile just in case any "viable" humans are in the population and get the funny notion of procreating on their own outside the Optimen’s control.

And the creepiest of all. Any gamete which is found to be viable (a normal reproduction capable human) during the artificial procedures to join sperm and egg, is exterminated because it would ruin the world order if it ever escaped. But the underground is fighting for just that, and they may soon win.

Cyborgs also play a pivotal roll in this society and they also have plans of their own.

Now all of this may seem old hat, especially if you have been watching the Discovery or the Space channel the last decade or so, but remember this was written back in 1966. After reading this book I can safely say Herbert is a master storyteller.

I recommend this book for its ideas, plot, suspense - hell pure entertainment.

Two sterile thumbs up.

This is what great classic science fiction is all about.
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SeaCup
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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I'm a fan of Frank Herbert and read a good amount of his books. Of course, the Dune series is the stand-out. This book was average to me. You can't have a winner every time.
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Karkov05
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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Views on society and genetics which where probably more revolutionary at the time of writing than today.
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EATER101
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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Mostly gripping, but peters out. Cool ideas about genetic engineering and enduring humanity. No one is quite what they seem, with layers of reveals about who's really in control and what the stakes really are. Some gender-norm intrigue. But what's with the whole promise of "nature reasserting itself?" Could it be more conveniently vague and unresolved? And the convenient last-minute utopian solution? Just as nightmarish as the problem, if you ask me. (Maybe Herbert intended this as a cynical or cautionary note, but it doesn't read that way and is just plain weird.)
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Alonto_
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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This is a classic Frank Herbert novel. Don't let the small size fool you. In this novel, there are fully realised ideas. Be it genetic manipulation, resistance to oppression, or the dangers of safe life. To get so much into the space, you would expect dense writing, but Herbert is able to move the story along at a good pace. Characters are realised well, and maintain their, even if that changes along the journey. What is best about this is that shows Herbert's ability to create a world or civilisation and look at one issue. This world is not as complete as Arrakis, but readers of Dune will enjoy this one.
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ren0080
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 16,2025
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I got Herberted! If you've read all the Dune books you know what I mean. I think, in part, I was listening on audiobook. It reminded me of BRAVE NEW WORLD in many ways but I had liked where this story was going better. Then Herberted, meaning, your going along grooving on the genius of the story then it makes no sense. I think it happened in one chapter!! I rewound the same section several times and then tried to continue on but after the new "reveal" I couldn't get into the story anymore so I didn't finish it. So bummed!
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