Sims

From the New York Times–bestselling author of the Repairman Jack series, a "Frankenstein for our era" about the threat of genetically engineered beings (David Morrell, New York Times–bestselling author of the Rambo: First Blood series)

Practicing physician and bestselling author F. Paul Wilson looks to the future as he reveals how genetic engineering might change the world. Just a few hundred genes separate humans from chimpanzees. Imagine someone altering the chimp genome, splicing in human genes to increase the size of the cranium, reduce the amount of body hair, enable speech. What sort of creature would result?

Sims takes place in the very near future, in a world where genetically transmitted diseases are being eliminated. A world where manual labor is gradually being transferred to "sims," genetically altered chimps who occupy a gray zone between simian and human. The chief innovator in this world is SimGen, which owns the patent on the sim genome and has begun leasing the creatures worldwide. But SimGen is not quite what it seems. It has secrets . . . secrets beyond patents and proprietary processes . . . secrets it will go to any lengths to protect.

Sims explores this brave new world as it is turned upside down when lawyer Patrick Sullivan tries to unionize the sims. Right now, as you read these words, the chimp genome has already been sequenced and some company somewhere in the world is already toying with it. Sims is a sci-fi thriller that will come true. One way or another.

"A must read." —Brian Lumley, author of The Necroscope series

"Creepy, satisfying . . . In his frighteningly possible world, Wilson offers no simple answers." —Publishers Weekly

"Grippingly detailed [and] credible." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review