Frek and the Elixir : Book

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1) Hardcover Book Frek and the Elixir by . I fell in love with Rucker´s work after reading Spaceland, and Frek and the Elixir proved to be yet another science and literary masterpiece. Rucker makes the most complex aspects of science obtainable to the average reader who has a bit of imagination. Rucker is a pure creative genius. Frek and the Elixir is a wonderful tale that I would highly recommend to any reader who enjoys imaginative stories that offer a bit of science education at the same time.¤

2) Hardcover Book Frek and the Elixir by . This has got to be one of the most inventive and imaginative novels in recent memory. Rudy Rucker has created an astonishingly creative story by mixing well-drawn comedy and drama with the latest knowledge in biotech, computing, and quantum physics. Not to mention a visual richness that will turn on the inner freakiness of even the most stoic reader. Here we have the adventures of 12 year-old Frek, who lives in the 31st century in a world of forced conformity, and where a megalomaniac biotech corporation has eliminated most of the Earth´s life forms, patented the genomes of the few remaining utilitarian species (including humans), and prohibited reproduction except by contract. Meanwhile, several different species of aliens are trying to turn the human race into a giant reality show, via interactive technologies controlled by weird multi-dimensional demigods. In short, Frek is the chosen human negotiator, and decides to bargain for the return of Earth´s lost species in a deadly high-stakes production deal, becoming a hero in the process.

Thanks to Rucker´s knowledge of advanced science and the wildest future possibilities of technology, this novel benefits from a setting and characters quite unlike most sci-fi. The story is overflowing with crazy but strangely possible biotech and interactive technologies, while Rucker has also turned up the creativity meter with loads of inventively bizarre and truly "alien" aliens (I especially liked the wisecracking Orpolese and the droll Unipuskers). Rucker has also envisioned a completely mindboggling method of space travel called yunching, which is based on actual currently-known concepts from superstring theory. In a few places, Rucker lets the plotline slip while breathlessly inventing pile upon pile of future phenomena, but this is a novel that is as relentlessly fascinating as it is fun and empathetic. There are even good themes of friendship and family lurking beneath the wild and wooly sci-fi wonderments. This novel is highly recommended for any reader looking for something both really new and really different. [~doomsdayer520~]¤

3) Hardcover Book Frek and the Elixir by . Here is a rather delightful novel from Rudy Rucker. Frek and the Elixir is set more or less at the next millennium -- to be exact, in 3003. Hundreds of years before, NuBioCom destroyed the remaining natural species on Earth, and replaced them with a very few genetically engineered variants. They even destroyed the records of the genetic code of the natural species. Now, in 3003, Houses are grown from trees, the only pets are dogs, much of the food comes from anyfruit trees, and in many other ways it is clear that species diversity is rare. Frek Huggins is a 12-year-old boy living with his mother and his two sisters. He resents the fact that his father, Carb, left for the asteroids several years before. His life is nominally fairly pleasant but he doesn´t quite fit in.

Then a flying saucer shows up, looking, it appears, for Frek. Frek is suddenly the object of the not-entirely-friendly attentions of the "counselors" of Gov, the worm-like alien that controls his city. He finds a saucer under his bed, and inside it is an alien cuttlefish, who assures him he will save the world and find the elixir that will restore the natural species to Earth. But Gov´s representatives are not happy, and soon Frek is fleeing, at first into the dangerous Grulloo woods, home to many unusual kritters such as the Grulloo, intelligent people consisting of only a head, a tail, and two arms. Frek and a Grulloo make their way to Stun City to free the captured saucer and kill Gov -- but that doesn´t work quite as expected. Soon they are off on a trip around the Galaxy, and indeed to different "branes". The situation is a lot more complicated than expected. Frek is to act as agent for a group of aliens who want to control the broadcasting of human experience to eager alien "viewers" -- but that broadcasting might also include mind control. And there are other aliens interested in controlling the same rights. Moreover, Frek meets his father, in the company of his new girlfriend and her daughter Renata. Naturally, sparks fly between Frek and Renata. So things continue, with visits to a number of alien milieus, some really fun and wacky SFnal ideas, and with Frek always keeping in mind not only the saving of the Earth´s ecosystem, and the freeing of humans from potential mind control, but the restoring of his family.

I don´t think I´ve really captured the fun of this novel very well. Rucker has long been known as an ideas man, and he doesn´t disappoint here, with a couple of nicely portrayed alien species, some interesting mathematical and physical notions, and lots of clever biological ideas. The plot is not quite as successful, though it is fun to follow -- still, Frek´s powers grow alarmingly as the novel continues, and the ultimate resolution, though emotionally satisfying, isn´t fully convincing. The novel, with its 12-year-old protagonist, has a rather YA feel to it, though distinctly in the "YA to please adults" mode -- that is, I think it´s a novel that will wow teen readers, but it´s also quite fun for adults. I liked it, at any rate!

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4) Hardcover Book Frek and the Elixir by . This book is simply one of the best science fiction titles to be written. The main character is young, true, but this is soon forgotten in the complex, intriguing, and yes, allegorical storyline. The book is Rucker´s denoucement of monoculture, a perfect statement for our day and age. The innovation in this book is spectacular; no old reused ideas here. I strongly recommend this book.¤

5) Hardcover Book Frek and the Elixir by . A joyful, picaresque novel full of mind-blowing concepts from veteran mathematician-cyberpunk-sci-fi writer guru, Rudy Rucker.

It´s 3003. Earth is a true nano-biotech Eden. Or is it? Well, families live in comfy house trees, food comes from the anyfruit tree, friendly dogs can talk to their masters but...

...there are only 256 highly-tweaked species created by the powerful NuBioCom corporation who also destroyed the Earth´s original biodiversity in 2666...

Sure the families might have a happy time inside their house tree but the Gov is trying hard to keep them in line. (Gov - government - giant media-controlling brain-washing worms, now that invention won´t need a 1000 years to be accomplished on this planet.)

Also there is the small problem of alien species determined to turn humankind into a massive reality TV show, each human monitored and more or less tele-controlled by an alien "player" to spice up the aliens´ own boring lives.

Frek Huggins (a modern Frodo Baggins?), a twelve-year-old kid becomes humankind´s unlikely hero and only hope after a few clashes with Gov, NuBioCom and a dozen different alien species.

Frek has no choice but to navigate the whole universe, visit different galaxies, enjoy or suffer the physics of different dimensions while fighting for his own sanity, his life and his friends and family. Can he also be the one who finds the Elixir, the DNA blueprints of all the lost biodiversity of planet Earth? Will he also free humankind from government, corporate and alien influence?

This post-modern odyssey sounds like a recipe for big time disaster (a few Hollywood script writers would fry their brains after the first scene) but Rudy Rucker pulls off the impossible with a surprisingly joyful, intense and interesting novel. Other than him it may only be Paul Di Filippo (Fuzzy Dice, anyone?) who can convincingly push his heroes through ten dimensions, hurl them into a sun or have a billion cartoon characters fight the last crusade.

Early in the book the English words and familiar mental images run out - Rudy forged some 80-100 new words to describe as many astonishing concepts regarding life in the 3000s, alien species and the joys and perils of intergalactic or transdimensional travels.

The ever wilder adventures and the thought-provoking ideas jump at the reader with an alarming speed every half page or so. Science, science fiction and a great dose of humane concerns about our future mix with a ripping yarn.

The intended audience (science fiction or science fans) might find it weird to follow a twelve-year-old character through interspecies business dealings, psychedelic space travel or battles against biotech-enhanced monsters, omnipotent aliens and evil governments. Hopefully, twelve-year-old kids, too, will pick this book up and allow it to create another few trillion neural connections in their developing brains.

Perhaps the protagonist could have been older. However, if the child is a metaphor for humankind´s lack of knowledge regarding sustainable living, space travel or using and not abusing advanced technology then I suppose we can live with that.

The novel may be a little long or is just the right size at 460 pages. It is hard though rewarding to get through all the high concepts. The joyful, humorous writing does compensate for the effort.

The only negative aspect might be the frequent recaps on the adventures. Every day or so (as the majority of the novel spans the most exciting fortnight in Frek´s life) the boy is thinking about the grand adventures he just had and we get a ten sentence summary of the last 40-50 pages. If we spent a whole delightful chapter in that galaxy or among those aliens why do we have to read a review at the end of that adventure. This happens probably 6-8 times in the book and I find it jarring.

Rudy may have wanted to follow a children´s tale structure where you have to remind the children what happened just a little while ago. As the audience most probably will be in their twenties, thirties, forties, this may be unnecessary. Don´t worry about our attention span, Rudy.

All in all, a very strong, enjoyable novel, hundreds of great new ideas, profound, gripping insight into our own government-, media-, globalisation-controlled lives.

For all aspiring writers and people fascinated by a writing process or a humanist thinker´s mind, you can read an additional 145-page PDF document available for free download from Rudy Rucker´s website. It is full of detailed notes and deleted scenes, the triumphs and nightmares of the whole novel creation.

Rudy did wrote a few pages on how old his hero should be, he was considering adolescents, teenagers, young adults and even burnt-out adults.

He mentions that he followed a heroic "monomyth" story structure, making sure that chapters reflect various significant parts such as "meeting a temptress" or "atonement with the father". This gives a strong push to the events and we don´t get lost in the wonders of these super-weird worlds.

Three (million) cheers for such a brave and ambitious attempt. A true myth for the space age. Kids, please track this book down before the H-P reading fever leaves your veins.
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In the year 3003, nothing in the world is the same, except maybe that adolescents are still embarrassed by their parents. Society and the biosphere alike have been transformed by biotechnology, and the natural world is almost gone.

Frek Huggins is a boy from a broken family, a misfit because he´s a natural child, conceived without technological help or genetic modifications. His dad, Carb, is a malcontent who left behind Freks mom and the Earth itself several years ago.

Everything changes when Frek finds the Anvil, a small flying saucer, under his bed, and it tells him he is destined to save the world. The repressive forces of Gov, the mysterious absolute ruler of Earth, descend on Frek, take away the Anvil, and interrogate him forcefully enough to damage his memory. Frek flees with Wow, his talking dog, to seek out Carb and some answers. But the untrustworthy alien in the saucer has other plans, including claiming exclusive rights to market humanity to the galaxy at large, and making Frek a hero.

Frek and the Elixir is a profound, playful SF epic by the wild and ambitious Rudy Rucker.

Frek and the Elixir

Author - Rudy Rucker ... [Goo?] [Posters]

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