by Greg Bear
First published 1999
Christopher Dicken follows reports of dead bodies and government secrets across continents. The virus hunter seeks a disease that targets pregnant women and causes miscarriage every time. When Dicken locates the source, he discovers something far more dangerous than any pathogen he has encountered. Molecular biologist Kaye Lang studies ancient retroviruses buried in human DNA. She theorizes these genetic remnants can activate after millions of years of dormancy. Dicken's findings transform Lang's research from speculation into terrifying reality. The disease spreads rapidly toward epidemic proportions. Dicken and Lang work together to solve an evolutionary mystery that will determine whether humanity survives. They race to understand what has awakened in human genetics before time runs out. The answer lies in forces that have shaped human evolution since the species began.
Genres: science-fiction, suspense, mystery, thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, race-against-time
Setting: Africa, Europe
Period: 21st-century
448 pages · Paperback · HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Content warnings: medical-trauma