Read Nexus 02 - Crux Online

Authors: Ramez Naam

Nexus 02 - Crux (61 page)

Similarly, the crime for which Shiva was exiled, the deliberate release of a virus that genetically tweaked coral reefs to increase their odds of survival, is not so completely far-fetched. As oceans warm and grow more acidic, corals have a harder and harder time surviving. The best estimate is that, by 2100, roughly half of all coral species in existence today will go extinct. But, of course, there are some corals that thrive in extremely warm water or extremely acidic water. They’re able to because of various genes they carry that have evolved for those conditions. In 2012, two research projects set out to find the genes that allow some coral species to survive in warm waters. It’s not a large leap to imagine a similar project searching for acidity-survival genes. And from there, the idea of deliberately transplanting such genes into corals that are struggling becomes rather tempting. Of course, this would certainly constitute the release of a “GMO” into the wild, and it would be met with tremendous opposition. (A simpler, less controversial, path would be to transport coral “cuttings” from hardy species into areas where corals are dying. Of course, given the millions of square miles of coral reefs in the world’s oceans, that would also be incredibly more labor intensive.)

If you’re interested in more on human enhancement and particularly the frontiers of neuroscience, you may want to read my non-fiction book,
More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement
. If you’re interested in the impact of climate change and other natural resource challenges – and the science and technology to overcome those problems – you may like my other non-fiction book,
The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet.

And of course, if you enjoyed this book, the very nicest thing you can do for me is to let the world know, by telling your friends, by posting about it online, and by leaving a review of this book at Amazon or whatever sites you use to buy and discover books.

We live in the most interesting age humanity has ever seen. I can’t wait to see what happens next. I hope you’ll all join me on that adventure.

R.N.

ANGRY ROBOT

A member of the Osprey Group

Lace Market House,

54-56 High Pavement,

Nottingham

NG1 1HW

UK

Angry Robot / Osprey Publishing

PO Box 3985

New York

NY 10185-3985

USA

www.angryrobotbooks.com

Kill or cure

An Angry Robot paperback original 2013

Copyright © Ramez Naam 2013

Ramez Naam asserts the moral right to be

identified as the author of this work.

UK ISBN 978 0 85766 295 8

US ISBN 978 0 85766 296 5

Ebook ISBN 978 0 85766 297 2

Cover design by Argh! Oxford

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or

otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by

way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or

otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in

any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is

published and without a similar condition including this

condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and

incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or

localities is entirely coincidental.

Contents

 
  1. Half Title Page
  2. PROLOGUE: JULY 2040
  3. Symphonic
  4. This Changes Everything
  5. Home at Last
  6. Darkness
  7. OCTOBER 2040
  8. Chapter 1: Taken
  9. Chapter 2: On the Move
  10. Chapter 3: Domestic Bliss
  11. Chapter 4: Transitions
  12. Chapter 5: Not quite a Hero
  13. Chapter 6: Q & A
  14. Chapter 7: Dreams and Nightmares
  15. Chapter 8: A Good Life
  16. Chapter 9: Consequences
  17. Chapter 10: The Mission
  18. Chapter 11: Clouds on the Horizon
  19. Chapter 12: Potential
  20. Chapter 13: Bo Tat
  21. Chapter 14: Good Night, Shanghai
  22. Chapter 15: Means, Motive, Opportunity
  23. Chapter 16: Only Forward
  24. Chapter 17: Surprise Encounter
  25. Chapter 18: Friends
  26. Chapter 19: The Long Goodbye
  27. Chapter 20: Shutdown
  28. Chapter 21: Regress
  29. Chapter 22: Memories
  30. Chapter 23: Cat and Mouse
  31. Chapter 24: Angry Daddy
  32. Chapter 25: Ambush
  33. Chapter 26: Asian Travels
  34. Chapter 27: Heaven
  35. Chapter 28: The Family
  36. Chapter 29: Neanderthals
  37. Chapter 30: Bonding
  38. Chapter 31: Stuck in a Moment
  39. Chapter 32: Separation Anxiety
  40. Chapter 33: Confrontation
  41. Chapter 34: Most to Gain
  42. Chapter 35: Last Words
  43. Chapter 36: Gods and Monsters
  44. Chapter 37: Preparations
  45. Chapter 38: Information Extraction
  46. Chapter 39: Where it Ends
  47. Chapter 40: Hell
  48. Chapter 41: Battle Royale
  49. Chapter 42: Convergence
  50. Chapter 43: Capture
  51. Chapter 44: Phuket
  52. Chapter 45: Never Let You Go
  53. Chapter 46: Lo Prang
  54. Chapter 47: New Horizons
  55. Chapter 48: Access Denied
  56. Chapter 49: Caged
  57. Chapter 50: Detox
  58. Chapter 51: Unknowns
  59. Chapter 52: Sail Away
  60. Chapter 53: Perspective
  61. Chapter 54: Brother in Arms
  62. Chapter 55: Old Flames
  63. Chapter 56: En Route
  64. Chapter 57: The Freedom Trail
  65. Chapter 58: Alone Together
  66. Chapter 59: Visions
  67. Chapter 60: War Stories
  68. Chapter 61: The Price of Freedom
  69. Chapter 62: Up the Coast
  70. Chapter 63: Decisions
  71. Chapter 64: Storm Warnings
  72. Chapter 65: A Matter of Principle
  73. Chapter 66: Halting State
  74. Chapter 67: Far from Home
  75. Chapter 68: Escape
  76. Chapter 69: The Plan
  77. Chapter 70: Mission Eve
  78. Chapter 71: Liberation
  79. Chapter 72: Into the Storm
  80. Chapter 73: Mother, Mother
  81. Chapter 74: A Last Debate
  82. Chapter 75: Sanctuary
  83. Chapter 76: Prior Days
  84. Chapter 77: End of the Road
  85. Chapter 78: Truth Out
  86. Chapter 79: Prelude to Violence
  87. Chapter 80: Brave Girl
  88. Chapter 81: Assault on Apyar Kyun
  89. Chapter 82: Friendly Fire
  90. Chapter 83: Daddy Dearest
  91. Chapter 84: All Together Now
  92. Chapter 85: Signal Strength
  93. Chapter 86: Against the Tide
  94. Chapter 87: Necessary Evil
  95. EPILOGUE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3RD, 2040
  96. Chapter 88: Safe and Sound
  97. Chapter 89: Two Scandals
  98. Chapter 90: My Daughter, My Self
  99. Acknowledgments
  100. About the Author
  101. The Science of Crux
  102. Imprint

Other books

Vampire Blood by Kathryn Meyer Griffith
To Journey Together by Burchell, Mary
The Final Four by Paul Volponi
Blindsided by Jami Davenport
Voices in Our Blood by Jon Meacham


readsbookonline.com Copyright 2016 - 2024