Title: The Odyssey Gene
Author: Kfir Luzzatto
Publisher: Echelon Press

Just recently, I received a copy of The Odyssey Gene by Kfir Luzzatto. I had heard about this book originally via an advertisement I saw on the Internet. Following that link sent me to the website for the book, where I was able to read the first chapter. I was immediately hooked, and I quickly obtained for myself a copy.

Being rather excitable at the prospect of reading and reviewing new books, I quickly opened the package, and pulled out the book. While they say that you can't judge a book by it's cover, and as a reviewer, it is my duty to tell you about what was inside the book, I will admit that the cover of a book heavily shapes my initial impressions of the book, and impress upon my mind a certain expectation of the book.

The cover of the book immediately shouts Science Fiction at you. With the author's name and the title of the book occupying the top and bottom positions of the cover, what immediately caught my attention was the double helix which appears over top of a planet in what seems to be a nebula of some sort. Immediately, the double helix and the title worked together to suggest to me that this book was hard science fiction.

My initial impressions were quite mistaken. This book is less of hard science fiction than it is of the journey of the central character, John Hektor. Let me assure you, though, that this is a very good. Let me set the stage for a moment.

This book is placed far into the future, in a universe where earth has colonized other planets through our galaxy. The people of earth suffer from strong prejudice, as a result a plague which had decimated the population years before. Certain humans, who were genetically immune to the plague, were now cast as secondary citizens to those who did not have the immunity gene.

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The book starts out with John Hektor, a young computer programmer on earth, moving up into a new government job. In order to obtain clearance for his new job, John must undergo the mandatory test for the immunity gene. John fails the test, and is suddenly ostracized by his family and friends, who have no desire to associate with a “D-positive”.

Outcast from his family and friends, John emigrates to New Australia, a planet across the galaxy where there is a promise of freedom, a promise of a world where positives are treated equally, and one can have a life and a family as a normal person.

New Australia is an interesting setting for this book. In step wit the history of earthly Australia, New Australia originally served as a home for convicts, exiled away from the rest of civilization. Also on the planet is the free city of Andania, which is settled by D-positives. There is constant conflict between the Andanians and the 'newists', the descendent's of the convicts, who regard the Andanians as usurpers on land that is rightfully theirs.

Upon arriving at Andania, John finds himself pulled into a new life of military service, where he becomes mixed in with powerful figures, political intrigues, and mass subversion.

Kfir Luzzatto focuses primarily on character development, and the interplay of relationships in this book, yielding a strong depth of character, which is rare in much of today's literature. In addition, the pace exhibited by this book is well-thought out. Luzzatto times the book, so that it never feels rushed, and that proper attention may be paid to the details of the story, while at the same time not letting himself get so bogged down with irrelevancies that the story becomes tiring. Rather, Luzzatto brings you on a nonstop journey through the life of John Hektor, with all that entails.

There are some very strong themes present in this book, and some strong allegories are visible to the reader. There is a large focus on the prejudice between the D-positives and the rest of society. At the same time, in Andania, the conflict between the Andanians and the newists very much reminds one of the current state of turmoil in the middle east.

This book is a fairly quick and easy read. I finished the book in approximately eight hours' time. This would be a great book to take along for a weekend away at the cottage, or something easy to read in the evenings following a long day at work.

I would recommend this book to anyone who follows the science fiction genre. Kfir Luzzatto brings us a great story with masterful descriptions, and a story that keep the reader thinking. I would highly recommend at least going to the book's website, where you can read the first chapter, and watch the trailer for the book – you won't be disappointed!

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