The Eyes of Heisenberg
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| The Eyes of Heisenberg | |
.jpg/160px-TheEyesOfHeisenberg(1stEd).jpg) Cover of first edition (paperback) |
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| Author | Frank Herbert |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction novel |
| Publisher | Berkley Books |
| Publication date | 1966 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 158 pp |
| ISBN | NA |
The Eyes of Heisenberg (1966) is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert.
[edit] Plot introduction
This short novel takes places in a distant future, in which a global society is stratified into genetic and reproductive classes. All humans are genetically modified ("cut") at birth by surgeons answering to the Optimen (who include women), a class of genetically superior humans. The Optimen are distinguished by genetic excellence, but also by a potential for their chemistries to be further modifiable, such that treatment with the life extension enzymes available to most members of the society induces - in the Optimen - biological immortality.
This ruling class exercises absolute dictatorial control over Earth from an enclave in North America. Global society is held in stasis through manipulation of the human genome and by culling any form of naturally selected mutation. Only selected people are allowed to reproduce - the vast majority are "Sterries," kept sterile through a prophylactic gas. The Optimen are naturally sterile. As with many oppressive societies, an underground exists in the "Parents Underground" and the "Couriers," networks existing in the megalopolises and sponsored by the Cyborgs, mechanically enhanced humans opposed to the immortals. As the story unfolds, the setting is revealed to be at least 80,000 years in the future (the age of the oldest Optimen). The Cyborgs are implied to be rather long-lived themselves - an Optiman-Cyborg War is briefly referred as having taken place in the quite distant past, but it stated that this was no more than three Cyborg generations ago.
[edit] Characters
- Harvey and Lizbeth Durant - protagonists, Couriers
- Vyslav Potter - a surgeon, performs the "cut" on Harvey and Lizbeth's embryo, refuses to destroy it
- Thei Svengaard - a lower-ranking surgeon. Shanghaied by the resistance after becoming suspicious
- Glisson - a high-ranking Cyborg
- The Tuyere - the ruling triumvirate of the Optimen, elected for a century. Comprises Calapine, Nourse and Schruille
- Boumard and Igan - high-ranking surgeons in the service of the Optimen
- Max Allgood - the Tuyere's Chief of Tachy-Security
[edit] Major themes
The novel is about the negative impact and inherent problems in any static system.
