5.0 out of 5 stars Good Look at a Possible Future April 21, 2014

By madbashcar

An original take on a possible future for mankind. "Biomites" are probably closer than we think and the "big brother" way they are used in the book make them that much scarier. Great creative writing about technology and the way it could be used. Highly recommend it to anyone into reality science fiction!

5.0 out of 5 stars Speculative fiction at its best April 11, 2014

By Genie

'I want my clay back. But there's no going back. She sold her body to save her brother. She wonders if she sold her soul, too.'

Again and again, Tony Bertauski has written novels that stay with you long after the last page. Clay was a riveting sequel to Halfskin which once again tackles the fundamental questions of what it means to be human. In a world where humanity is being threatened by the influx of biomites, and 'bricks' (people that are 100% biomite and artificial) are becoming increasingly common, it is rare to fins anybody 'clay' (totally natural) left. As M0ther's level of power starts to take greater form, society is faced with more complex ethical challenges than ever before.

"My anger is hot", he says. "My aches are wanting. My joy is sweet. My loneliness hollow. I feel all the same things you do. Does the body make us human?'

There is a definite theme of illusion versus reality in this book, which makes it really interesting. The extent of Nix's 'Dreamland' was again explored, which makes this book and the series itself, fantastically unique. The line between what is real and what is not is blurred, illustrating how technology powering forward at such a fast rate can inevitably cause some problems. Aside from this is the whole world that Tony Bertauski has managed to create. It is a society that has been written as if it was real, and realistic enough to make it believable. Perhaps we hope that the world as we know it will never come to the stage where machines achieve sentience and mind-reading is possible through the interwebs. The subtle changes in the POV's of the characters added a whole other layer of complexity and dynamic to the story, drawing you in further the more you read.

This book was a wonderful sequel to Halfskin, and I really enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it to any sci-fi fan, or just those who love to read. These books really make you think about what you would do in similar situations, and helped me to realize that none of us are perfect - out imperfections is what makes us human.

I am looking forward to this story continuing, and I know that Tony can deliver an interesting & riveting book again & again.

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