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Twin-Bred (Twin-Bred #1)

by Karen A. Wyle (Goodreads Author)

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 62 ratings · 41 reviews

Can interspecies diplomacy begin in the womb?

Humans have lived on Tofarn, planet of creeks and rivers, for seventy years, but they still don't understand the Tofa. The Tofa are an enigma, from their featureless faces to the four arms that sometimes seem to be five. They take arbitrary umbrage at the simplest human activities, while annoying their human neighbors in seeming...more

ebook, 343 pages

Published October 15th 2011 by Karen A. Wyle (first published October 13th 2011)

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Mar 19, 2012 Jojo rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was very satisfied with how Twin-Bred turned out. It was a very unique story. Don’t expect a lot of action though. This book is more about character relationships and growth. It follows the project, from how the plan started to the inevitable conclusion that comes. We learn about what happens from third person POVs from many different characters as well as “status reports”.

The author did a ridiculously good job with the characters. Mara was just so strong even though she had so much loss in he...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Mary Findley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Who Is "Us" and Who is "Them"?
Humans and Tofa share a planet but don't understand each other. Tofa make loud noises night after night. They object to the color blue at election time. We only know the human viewpoint but assume the Tofa don't understand humans either. Universal translators don't fix this perplexing relationship. The "evil aliens" aren't trying to wipe us out. In this classic "Us or Them" story, "Us" isn't who you think it is, and neither is "Them."
Mara Cadell lost a twin brother...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Todd Fonseca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Twin-Bred: A Richly Imaginative and Thoughtful Look into First Contact

Rating: 5 of 5
Author: Karen Wyle
Format: Paperback, Kindle

Communicating with the planet's indigenous species - the Tofa – was close to impossible for the human colony. As a result, it was inevitable that tensions between the two races continued to escalate. If there was going to be long term success and at least a neutral if not successful partnership between Tofa and Humans, something different needed to be tried. One scienti...more Twin-Bred: A Richly Imaginative and Thoughtful Look into First Contact

Rating: 5 of 5
Author: Karen Wyle
Format: Paperback, Kindle

Communicating with the planet's indigenous species - the Tofa – was close to impossible for the human colony. As a result, it was inevitable that tensions between the two races continued to escalate. If there was going to be long term success and at least a neutral if not successful partnership between Tofa and Humans, something different needed to be tried. One scientist - Mara Cadell - suggests something radical - an experiment of sorts - but one that could forever change the interaction between species and potentially create a new ruling class. Working on the theory that twin born children share a special bond of communication due to their unique shared experience, Cadell hypothesizes that a human / Tofa twin pair could potentially form bounds, empathy, and communications not otherwise possible. But Dr. Cadell has a secret that neither the Tofa or Human know - a secret that could either spell success for her experiment or result in its failure.

Karen Wyle's “Twin Bred” is a richly unique and imaginative look into the challenges of first contact with an alien species. This is not a laser gun, spaceship, shoot ‘em up popcorn flick of a novel, but a well paced progression into an intriguing situation of two species hesitant and more than just a little suspicious of one another. Wyle crafts a tale following the grand experiment first through the chosen mothers of each species then the eventual birth and cohabitation and maturation of the offspring and their challenges. Though there is little in the way of action to drive the plot forward, I could not put down Twin-Bred in much the same way I was addicted to Nathan Lowell's Trader Tales series.

The story’s uniqueness and Wyle’s ability to carefully inject numerous thought provoking concepts were the reasons I had to give this five stars though I would have liked a stronger climax and ending. And while the main story arc is complete, I see how a series could be made from this concept (which I would gladly read). If you like works from Heinlein and Lowell, I think you will definitely enjoy Twin-Bred.

Note: A complimentary copy this novel was provided in return for a review.(less)

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Nov 29, 2011 Sheila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: current_issues, relationships, scifi-fantasy

Long years ago humans colonized a planet already occupied by Tofa. The parallels with Europe invading America are obvious and delightfully underplayed. The science fiction aspects of a brave new world, genetic engineering, and ordinary people pursuing ordinary lives under extraordinary circumstances are enjoyably low-key and convincing. With misunderstandings between human and Tofa abounding, scientists and politicians look for solutions, and in Karen A. Wyle’s Twin Bred, bereaved twin Mara offe...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

TWIN BRED is the fantastic debut novel by Karen A. Wyle, about the human colony on Tofarn as it struggles to interact with the native Tofa. The two species can barely communicate, and fundamentally do not understand each other. But Mara has a solution.

Mara is a scientist who lost her twin brother, Levi, in utero. She always knew about him, and over the years, kept his memory by imagining him as he would have been. As a result of this connection, Mara believes that communications between the spec...more TWIN BRED is the fantastic debut novel by Karen A. Wyle, about the human colony on Tofarn as it struggles to interact with the native Tofa. The two species can barely communicate, and fundamentally do not understand each other. But Mara has a solution.

Mara is a scientist who lost her twin brother, Levi, in utero. She always knew about him, and over the years, kept his memory by imagining him as he would have been. As a result of this connection, Mara believes that communications between the species can be improved by implanting one human and one Tofa embryo into host mothers of both species, creating ‘twins’ designed to act as liaisons between communities. It works.

The story follows Mara and the children as they grow and mature, facing challenges that none had anticipated. Deep-seated prejudice on both sides threatens the project and the twin-bred’s lives.

Characters: *** 3 Stars
There were simply too many points of view in this novel. Mara and Levi were great characters, both well-developed with distinct voices, and the two primary host mothers and their children are fantastic additions to the story, but at times I got lost in all of the voices and it could be difficult to remember all of the relationships involved.

Plot: **** 4 Stars
I loved the concept of TWIN BRED. The plot was both imaginative and well-designed. My only complaint really goes back to the characters, because I would have liked to have had longer sections from the main points of view, and could have done without some of the lesser points of view. In addition, the beginning background could have been a little better interwoven with the overall story.

Setting: *** 3 Stars
I wanted more description. The Tofa were described in detail, and certain of the surroundings were beautifully rendered, but overall I felt the setting wasn’t built into the story with enough frequency. I kept imagining Earth, and would get shocked in a scene when things suddenly didn’t match up to my vision.

Relationships: **** 4 Stars
There wasn’t any romance built into the story, at least not in the traditional sense, so for this review I’m looking at the relationships between characters. In particular, I thought the depth of emotion and familial love was fantastic between the twins and their families. Mara and Levi were prominent in this, of course, but so were many of the twin-bred, particularly Judy and La-ren, and Jimmy and Peer-tek.

Genre – Science Fiction: **** 4 Stars
This was a great novel for a debut science fiction. Karen A. Wyle thought outside the box and developed a fantastic story with fun characters. I can’t wait to read the sequel!(less)

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Oct 13, 2011 Carien rated it 4 of 5 stars

An original and beautifully written SciFi story.

Twin-Bred is written in a calm, narritive, almost detached tone of voice which fits this story about a scientific experiment really well. The story is really intriguing and I couldn't stop reading as I wanted to find out where this experiment would lead and what would happen to the human and Tofa children who were brought in to the world. Would they really be able to make a difference?

The Tofa are interesting and well worked out aliens. Wyle really...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Rachel Cotterill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, sci-fi, indie-and-small-press

In many ways, Twin Bred reminded me of China Mieville's Embassytown. In both, humans have reached out into space, forged a home on a planet already inhabited by another sentient species, and struggled with their limited ability to communicate with said aliens. And in both, the proposed solution is a kind of bioengineering involving twins.

Twin Bred starts with the conception of this project, and proceeds with great leaps and bounds through the following twenty or so years. The sparse style makes...more

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May 09, 2012 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

After 70 years of colonizing on the planet of Tofarn, humans and native Tofa still can't find a way to communicate or learn about each other in order to live in harmony together. Blended Tofa / Human communities have not done well, some have formally disbanded and others are on the verge of falling apart. Because of continued misunderstandings and communication failures, a new way to learn about each other is needed. Dr. Mara Cadell, a scientist comes up with a plan proposing to have Human and T...more After 70 years of colonizing on the planet of Tofarn, humans and native Tofa still can't find a way to communicate or learn about each other in order to live in harmony together. Blended Tofa / Human communities have not done well, some have formally disbanded and others are on the verge of falling apart. Because of continued misunderstandings and communication failures, a new way to learn about each other is needed. Dr. Mara Cadell, a scientist comes up with a plan proposing to have Human and Tofa host mothers carry twin fetuses (one human, one Tofa) in the hope that the Twin-Bred will initiate interactions and communication in utero that will bond them together and bridge the gap between future generations of Humans and Tofa on Tofarn. Mara names the project LEVI (Long-Term Emissary Viviparous Initiative) after her twin brother that died in utero, but to others it is referred to and called "The Project." Will Mara's project succeed as she had planned? Can the Twin-Bred forge a new community of Humans and Tofa that will be able to communicate and understand each other enough to co-exist and live in harmony? Or will the individual plans of the Human and Tofa establishments only serve to destroy both communities and possibly have an irrevocable impact on Tofarn?

Twin-Bred is a unique science fiction novel with an intriguing concept of whether Twin-Bred species can form a bond in utero and when born, use this twin bond to help create a harmonious society for future generations to come. This imaginative storyline encourages the reader to ponder this concept as they turn the pages. The author creates a lot of interesting characters in the story, in fact I felt the need to write them all down so I wouldn't get confused. It was interesting to follow the characters throughout the story, their individual stories added depth and intrigue, it seems like each of them had their own agenda for "The Project." I liked Mara's complicated and complex character the most, you couldn't help but feel for her as you learn about her own tragic story. The author does a good job of providing the reader with more than just a typical sci-fi story, she provides a thought provoking look into social, political and scientific aspects of humanity.

While science fiction is not one of my favorite genres of books to read, I did enjoy reading Twin-Bred. I typically do not like far-fetched stories, but with this story I found myself engaged by the intriguing concept of twin-bred species. Twin-Bred is the story of a scientific attempt to promote a stable, peaceful and harmonic society between two species. Twin-Bred is a very intriguing and thought provoking novel that Sci-Fi fans should put on their reading list!

RATING: 3 STARS *** (My Rating) / 4 STARS **** (Amazon Rating)

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in hosting a virtual book event on my book review blog site.

Virtual Book Event: On Wednesday, May 9, 2012, author Karen A. Wyle participated in a virtual book event with an Author Interview on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

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Oct 19, 2011 Sandra "Jeanz" rated it 4 of 5 stars

Initially I found the book a bit hard going as the concept is quite complicated, but as you get further into the book and more is explained about "The Project" things become much clearer and you soon become attached to the main character Mara and of course the twin-bred themselves. Mara is a complicated character and at times you wonder if she has made up an imaginary friend whom she talks to and then you learn her true tragic story. You learn about the Tofa, the race that the planet really belo...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Rachel "Rai29" rated it 5 of 5 stars

On Tofarn, the human colony and the indigenous Tofa have great difficulty communicating with and basically comprehending each other. Scientist Mara Cadell, who lost a fraternal twin in utero, proposes that host mothers of either or both species carry twins, one human and one tofa, in the hope that the bond between twins can bridge the gap between te species. Mara has secretly kept her own twin, Levi, alive in her mind as a companion and collaborator.
Mara succeeds in obtaining governmental backin...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Jessica Buike rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is an interesting new concept all revolving around the idea of twins and the unique connection that they seem to share. A science experiment involving the lives of both human and Tofa weaves a story of hope and determination in the face of severe discrimination. The story jumps around a bit at first so it's hard to keep everything straight. I wished that there were lines or symbols that distinguished between scenes - but that could have been because I was reading an electronic copy rat...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Opal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, book-submissions

I had a hard time connecting with anyone but the “main” character until much, much later on in the book. It wasn’t that anyone wasn’t appealing to me, it was that character development was very slow in coming. There were also too many points of view in the book and it left me feeling disconnected.

The pace of the book was very slow. There wasn’t much action to the book as it centered more on the development and the growth of the twins. It turned out to be more of a drama rather then an action/adv...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Indie e-books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, reviewed-at-indieebooks

One of my favourite science fiction authors is Ursula Le Guin, someone who is known for exploring cultural differences in an extra-terrestrial setting (think The Dispossessed and The Left Hand of Darkness). What I liked most about Twin-Bred is the detail with which ‘differences’ between species was explored and how this naturally unfolded throughout the story. It may have also helped that the fairly controversial ‘Project’ is an attention grabber. Would it work? Or could it be considered going a...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Red Haircrow rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

Quoting myself from a previous review, “Human and alien interaction in sci-fi is one of my favorite themes when it’s done in an intelligent manner, such as in C.J. Cherryh’s Foreigner Universe and many others by her, or with humor, such as in the League of Peoples series by James Alan Gardner’s, which began with Expendable.”

In Cherryh’s Foreigner Universe, human and alien contact began eagerly on both sides, as they seemed similar superficially similar, yet the situation precipituously dipped in...more Quoting myself from a previous review, “Human and alien interaction in sci-fi is one of my favorite themes when it’s done in an intelligent manner, such as in C.J. Cherryh’s Foreigner Universe and many others by her, or with humor, such as in the League of Peoples series by James Alan Gardner’s, which began with Expendable.”

In Cherryh’s Foreigner Universe, human and alien contact began eagerly on both sides, as they seemed similar superficially similar, yet the situation precipituously dipped into danger resulting in violence and aggression but eventually ended in a wise stalemate and limited contact between the two groups only through a translator/diplomat. In Wyle’s Twin-Bred, the situation is more ambiguous and the solution far, far more distract.

My question was, since the two groups couldn’t readily communicate and understand each other, how did they come to the conclusion something as intimate as shared fetus pregnancies would be a possible solution? How could the aliens agree? Yet it takes place, which of course, is the theme of the book, clearly though out by the author and intelligently presented.

There were times when the reflection between Mara and her deceased though “present” twin Levi might have been lessened, as I understood the concept through the description of Twin-Bred in the first place, yet I could understand how this relationship was explanatory for other knowledge and emotions experienced throughout, and the scientist’s driving force behind the experiment.

There was believable complexity and conflict in this moderately paced, lengthy novel, and a mature feel to the characters and writing style. None of the truncated or abbreviated feel some books have these days, Twin-Bred is in classic mode, which might certainly be appreciated by those searching for immersive science fiction.

Specifically for Goodreads rating system, I toggled between a 3 and 4 for this book, because I liked it but it is not one I'd likely go back and read, but there was clear enthusiasm by the author within the work. I can appreciate that immensely, which bumped up the score.

Originally posted on my review/interview site http://flyingwithredhaircrow.wordpres...(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Rosemarie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: evil-plan, reviewed

Real science fiction is back! The SF aisles in the bookstores have been overrun with seemingly endless space opera and fantasy series for a number of years. There is nothing wrong with vampires and paranormal stories, but science fiction they are NOT; and endless galactic wars get tiresome after awhile.

Intelligently conceived and written SF is speculative, challenging the reader to think beyond the norm, rather than just dressing up tired issues with new technology and costumes. It need not be '...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Jessica Lowdon rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Mara Cadell is a human scientist on Tofarn. Like every other human, the Tofa, Tofarn's indigenous inhabitants, are a mystery to her. But it's become clear that humans and Tofa are on the path towards conflict if a way of communicating and mediating disputes isn't found. She begins the LEVI project, named after her long-dead twin (who she has kept alive in her mind), in attempt to forge a bridge between species. Human and tofa children will share a uterus and be raised together, in an attempt to...more Mara Cadell is a human scientist on Tofarn. Like every other human, the Tofa, Tofarn's indigenous inhabitants, are a mystery to her. But it's become clear that humans and Tofa are on the path towards conflict if a way of communicating and mediating disputes isn't found. She begins the LEVI project, named after her long-dead twin (who she has kept alive in her mind), in attempt to forge a bridge between species. Human and tofa children will share a uterus and be raised together, in an attempt to create mutual understanding.

Twin-Bred has an interesting premise, but that's where my appreciation of the story ends. Each chapter opens with a snippet of one of Mara's reports on the LEVI project, but Karen A. Wyle may as well have written the whole book in report-form for all the excitement it engenders in readers. The book is written in such a flat, clinical way that I was unable get excited about anything that happened. I was praying for war just so some suspense would be created.

I'm a master at suspending my disbelief, but the plot had so many holes that I just couldn't pull it off for this book. I cannot accept that humans and Tofa are still so ignorant of each other after several generations of co-habiting the same planet. I cannot believe that a random science experiment is the first real attempt at communication. It's just stretching belief too far. Wyle has underestimated her characters and the people who make up her fictional world. If they're smart enough for interstellar travel, they're smart enough to know that good communication is the basis for their survival on Tofarn.

As for characterization, there's both too much and not enough. It seems as though every test subject in the LEVI project gets a chapter. But most of these characters are nothing to readers; readers don't care about them. It becomes painfully monotonous reading the dry conversations between these filler characters. And don't get me started on the authorial choice to create such a terribly boring species as Tofa. They have no facial or body expressions, they don't have sex, and they don't seem to form personal relationships. What kind of entertainment value can a book with Tofa making up half the cast of characters have? There are some moderately interesting characters (Mara, and two of the human host mothers), but you only get to see them on occasion, and they don't really seem to grow or change over the course of the story; their interactions are almost as lifeless as the Tofa's.

If I had been editing this book, I would have told the author to pick a few characters and chronicle their lives during the project, so that readers could see the difference between human life, Tofa life, and twin-bred life, and have the chance to form an emotional bond with the characters. I didn't get to speak to the author, but I do get to speak to you, and I say pass over this one.

To read more of my reviews, visit my blog, StarLit.(less)

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Nov 05, 2011 S.J. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Concept/World
The idea that twins have such a strong bond that it would transcend even difference of species is an interesting one. People of strong anti-abortion or religious views might find some aspects of The Project controversial. There is also a moral question as to whether it is justifiable to create “abnormal” babies either for scientific or social purposes. Those issues make this a powerful, thought provoking book.

Story
The story covers a broad range of time, alternating narrative with ex...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Charlie Kravetz rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: sci-fi readers looking for something a bit different.

This review is for the Kindle edition ebook.

Disclosure: I was offered a copy of this book by the author as a review copy.

Fraternal twins, born together, sharing a bond, diplomats between species.

Twin-Bred is about the ability of twins to communicate with each other. It is also about the inability of humans to get along with anyone different from ourselves. This book is very much about the struggle to understand and communicate with others who may be so radically different speech is impossible.

I...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Michayla rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you enjoy reading about other planets and the aliens that inhabit them, this is the book for you. When Tofa (the aliens) and humans can't seem to figure out how to get along on the alien planet of Tofarn, a haunted woman named Mara comes up with an ingenious plan to unite the two races: the Twin-Bred. Human and Tofa embryos are placed together in one womb, thus beginning a new form of inter-racial diplomacy. As the Twin-Bred are born and grow up, things don't work out quite the way Mara had p...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Lee Holz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Twin-Bred is one of the best science fiction novels I’ve read in decades. It is literary fiction as well as S-F. While the author mentions (and thus pays homage to) Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land and Rebirth, John Wyndham’s 1955 classic, Twin-Bred is anything but derivative. To the contrary, it is one of the most original stories I’ve ever read, not an easy thing given the countless variations on human/alien encounters and relations already published. In addition, the book is be...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sci-fi fans

Shelves: sci-fi, review-requested, reviewed-on-blog

From the blurb:

Can interspecies diplomacy begin in the womb?

In Twin-Bred, the human colony on Tofarn and the indigenous Tofa have great difficulty communicating with and basically comprehending each other. Scientist Mara Cadell, who lost a fraternal twin in utero, proposes that host mothers of either or both species carry twins, one human and one Tofa, in the hope that the bond between twins can bridge the gap between species. Mara has secretly kept her own twin, Levi, alive in her mind as a co...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Sally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wyle offers us an interesting twist on the alien contact genre, putting Humans on another planet, but in a situation where their own impatience/intolerance makes war a seeming inevitability. In order to ward off that conflict, Mara Cadell comes up with the radical proposal of intentionally developing fraternal twins, one human and one Tofa, in order to create a bond. Of course, such a bond is only as good as the intentions behind it, and when the government believes in knowing the enemy . . . we...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

The summary may sound very sci-fi and off-putting to some readers, but this was a very accessible sci-fi story. It is very character focussed, with very likable characters. I may be a bit biased since I love sci-fi, but found it was a great story that should hold wide appeal to readers.

I loved the extended length of time covered in the book. The story was told over decades, which really allowed the reader to see the longer term effects of the project, and the growth of individual characters. I p...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Lissette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having exhausted Earth's resources, humans have been forced to find another planet which will sustain them. Crossing galaxies, they finally come upon one that looks as if it'll be able to do just that. Unbeknownst to them, another indigenous race already lives there. Nonetheless, the humans will not be deterred and are determined to live amongst these weird, yet intelligent, beings whom they have learned are called Tofa.

Colonizing the new planet is not easy. Relationships between the two races a...more Having exhausted Earth's resources, humans have been forced to find another planet which will sustain them. Crossing galaxies, they finally come upon one that looks as if it'll be able to do just that. Unbeknownst to them, another indigenous race already lives there. Nonetheless, the humans will not be deterred and are determined to live amongst these weird, yet intelligent, beings whom they have learned are called Tofa.

Colonizing the new planet is not easy. Relationships between the two races are strained as both seek to govern the other. Communications between both species are practically non-existent as tensions increase and war soon breaks out. The governing power knows that something needs to be done in order to maintain peaceful relations, yet they're unsure of what to do.

Mara Cadell, a scientist in her own right, steps in and suggests that they experiment on whether human and Tofa mothers can carry a set of twins, a child from each species, within their wombs in hopes of broadening their limited communication with the Tofa. She believes that the pairs will allow them to form bonds that may transcend life as they know it so that they can learn more about the perplexing race. Yet what they don't know is that she also has a reason behind wanting to conduct the experiment - one she hopes will help her come to terms with herself and the past she's tried to leave behind.

The experiment is soon underway but the strains between the Tofa and humans continue to escalate. Mara and the surrogate mothers bond with the children, helping them grow along the way. Their plan is to slowly integrate them into society in hopes of gaining a better understanding on how the two races can co-exist.

Yet no one imagined the repercussions of such actions. Mistrust builds on both sides and lives are lost in the process as the scientists seek to better command the already shaky boundaries. Despite this, strong bonds are forged along the way that allow Mara and her subjects to remain close in the face of such adversity.

This was such a unique and quite riveting story. I enjoyed every minute. Karen did a remarkable job in fleshing out her characters and the world they live in. So much so, in fact, that it left me wanting to read more.

Mara's story is very heart-felt and I think we can all relate to losing someone at one point or another. She shows us, though, that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

The story and history behind the Tofa was also endearing, even if they frustrated Mara and the others, at times, with the fact that they refused to communicate as needed. All in all, it's quite a great read and I truly recommend it to others for reading.(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Laura Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Twin-Bred is not my usual type of reading. When I grasped where the story was going I became absorbed in it.
The planet of Tofarn. Humans and Tofa trying to live side-by-side. Lack of communication and social understanding makes them incompatible. One woman's experiment to enable both species to co-exist in harmony.
Filled with characters you can engage with and intricate detail, Karen Wyle has written an edgy story that quickly takes off and makes you believe in the possibilities.
This story i...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fascinating read. The subject of inter-species relations caught my eye but when I saw that the idea was to start diplomatic relations before birth, I had to see where Karen was going with this idea. What she did was write a great sci-fi novel! I am very selective about the sci-fi I read, it was nice to see action being taken from a female for a change. The story moves at a good pace and takes you on the journey of Mara from a young girl to an adult who plans to save the world. This is...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Danielle Evans rated it 3 of 5 stars

Karen A. Wyle has created a whole new world in Twin-Bred. In this futuristic novel, humans are now living on a planet called Tofarn where they must co-exist with the Tofa species that was already there. Of course this is never an easy thing to do, particularly when there are communication issues and huge biological and sociological differences. The main character, Mara, is a human who comes up with a plan to try to get humans and Tofa to understand each other better. The Project is then born, wh...more Karen A. Wyle has created a whole new world in Twin-Bred. In this futuristic novel, humans are now living on a planet called Tofarn where they must co-exist with the Tofa species that was already there. Of course this is never an easy thing to do, particularly when there are communication issues and huge biological and sociological differences. The main character, Mara, is a human who comes up with a plan to try to get humans and Tofa to understand each other better. The Project is then born, where both human and Tofa host mothers carry twins in utero—one human and one Tofa.

While I found the story to be very creative and unusual, I honestly had some trouble getting into it at first. The book spans a long period of time starting at the beginning of the Project and then showing the twins as they grow up into adolescence. There are so many characters presented that it was hard for me to really get to know any of them. However, Mara was definitely an interesting character, being that she still talked to her twin who died in utero. There were some characters that I wanted to see more of, such as Laura and Veda, and I also found it was hard to distinguish the personality of one Tofa from another. Just as they looked like each other, they all seemed to act the same as well. Each scene was so short that it felt like it was over almost as soon as it had begun so it was difficult to invest in what was going on.

That being said, I still believe that Karen A. Wyle is a very talented writer. Her descriptions of the world and of the bizarre characteristics of the Tofa were nicely done. It was a mainly dialogue driven novel that did not have an overabundance of detail, which I enjoyed since dialogue is usually my favorite aspect of reading.

While it took awhile for anything of major significance to happen (after the Twin-Bred were born), there were some intense moments later on in the story. Prior to that, I was just waiting for something to go wrong. How could anyone possibly think this Project would work out as planned?

If you are looking for a fast-paced sci-fi novel with lots of action, then this not the book for you. But if you are interested in reading an imaginative story that shows how difficult it is for anyone different to live peacefully among others, then this might be one you’ll want to pick up (or download)!
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Dec 02, 2012 Lynxie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: made-me-think, 4-star-review, indie-review-copies

Twin-bred certainly wins points for complexity and intricate plot development. It wasn't the easiest book to read and Karen recognizes that as she has included a handy appendix at the back of the book outlining the list if characters and puts them in groupings that make sense.

I am not a twin, but there are twins in my family and I found the description of the bond between twins (view spoiler) to be both fiercely strong and delicate at the same time. It was tr...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Katrina (Kindred Dreamheart) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, blog-review

Big thanks to the author for entrusting me with an honest review.

From the moment I first saw the cover, I knew this book would freak me out. I'd admit I was kind of scared. Hey cover art is a VERY powerful thing. I've been known to love a book far more then it deserved or pass it up completely as because of the creativity invested in that one single image. But Fear? Fear is an entirely NEW emotion. Therefore true to my nature, no way was I going to let an eerie drawing, as they used to say in my...more Big thanks to the author for entrusting me with an honest review.

From the moment I first saw the cover, I knew this book would freak me out. I'd admit I was kind of scared. Hey cover art is a VERY powerful thing. I've been known to love a book far more then it deserved or pass it up completely as because of the creativity invested in that one single image. But Fear? Fear is an entirely NEW emotion. Therefore true to my nature, no way was I going to let an eerie drawing, as they used to say in my old neighborhood, "punk" me. So I, with much effort, steered my eyes to the synopsis: THIS PEEKED MY INTEREST.

So naturally, I agreed to review the book. From the moment I received the ebook via email, my husband and I were is constant discussion. It reminds me of my high school days on the debate team. This is a debate worthy book. There's alot of themes that's keep your mental wheels turning and launching random conversations with strangers long after the story's over. I won't analyze every political or scientific study depicted in the book. However one rendition that was apparent was the L.E.V.I. or Twin-Bred project. It has such similarities and symbolism to the Biblical story of Jacob and Esau. The "two nations, or species in this case, in the womb" as a means of all the motives posed was genius. The personal and psychological and the public and national dimensions of the twin-bred union between the two species are awe inspiring noteworthy.

This story is told in third person point of view. This was both a positive and a negative. The positive is it allowed an insider view of every mechanic of the story and character. The negative is it made the characters look one dimensional. Even after reading the entire story, I still don't feel as if I know the characters very well. In terms of believable, everyone acted too weird to be considered normal. Heck even the main scientist Mara Cadell was kind of "off her rocker". But I won't get into all that. Mara Cadell was great lead character. She a lonely, crazy, smart, lady engrossed in her work. You can't help but love her.

Overall I liked this story. The ending was very unexpected. The reason I can't give it 5 is because it was slow in places; and I'm an action-loving kind of girl. In Summary: Tofarn is the planet the Humans fled to after they used up Earth. The story doesn't really focus on Tofarn, so you'll only get snipids of this new world. But anyway, they land and see that this safe haven is already populated. Needless to say, there is no peace. The Twin-Bred project was created to link the bridge: one human, one Tofu embryo placed in the womb of a human or Tofu host. The experient follows the twins from before IVF to adulthood. If you're wondering how this experiment progressed socially and politically. you'll have to read this to find out.

I would recommend this to sci-fi fanatics and adults. YA readers may enjoy it also, but there's very little normal teenage content to relate.

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Feb 13, 2012 Jill Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Twin-Bred involves travel into a fantastically inventive world of aliens, twins, and super-science. My review copy of Twin-Bred was oh-so-generously provided by the author, Karen Wyle.

[NB Feb 13: I was just informed by the author that Twin-Bred is now part of KDP Select, which means Amazon Prime members can borrow the book for free, at least from now until May 10, 2012 or so, and everyone will be able to download it for free from Amazon on February 15-16. Happy Reading!! J-E]

This book was fab-yo...more Twin-Bred involves travel into a fantastically inventive world of aliens, twins, and super-science. My review copy of Twin-Bred was oh-so-generously provided by the author, Karen Wyle.

[NB Feb 13: I was just informed by the author that Twin-Bred is now part of KDP Select, which means Amazon Prime members can borrow the book for free, at least from now until May 10, 2012 or so, and everyone will be able to download it for free from Amazon on February 15-16. Happy Reading!! J-E]

This book was fab-you-less. I had a feeling it would be right up my alley when I first saw the blurb describing it. When you start gathering together strings of words that include interspecies diplomacy, intriguing, government, enigma, and ever-cynical (and those are just from the blurb!), you’re sure to catch my eye. When you couple that with compelling writing, complex and interesting characters, a plot heavy on intrigue and drama (heavy, that is, without being melodramatic) and a unique setting, well, you’re sure to catch much more than my eye. You’ll also catch my interest and my admiration.

Wyle’s story has it all – laughter, tears, head-shaking, double-takes (literally, teehee), righteous indignation, a teensy bit of shame at the use-it-and-find-a-new-one attitude of all too many people… Twin-Bred is primarily the story of Dr. Mara Cadell, a scientist with a personal interest in twins that leads her to develop a strategy to save the planet.

Not Earth, mind you, we humans abandoned that one ages ago in Wyle’s clever creation. No, I’m talking about Tofarn, her decidedly original alterna-world which the humans invaded – wait, um, I mean, moved onto – after the Earth was no longer habitable (you can guess why – humans are humans in every context, unfortunately, even science fictional ones). The Tofa and humans are having issues (surprise, surprise), and the good doctor’s plan is aimed at resolving the ever-growing tensions between the races. Tensions that are, in large measure, due to the difficulties of inter-species communication as a result of the Tofa lack of what humans consider a face.

Neato keen, eh?

The aliens are unique, and the world they inhabit is as well. So is the good doctor’s plan. She has decided that the solution to the communication gap is to genetically engineer a race of Twin-Bred – twins consisting of one human and one Tofa that are implanted in human and Tofa birth mothers. Why she thinks this will work is one of the more fascinating elements of the story – she bases her belief in the powers of twin communication on the “relationship” she has with her own twin, Levi. Why “relationship” you ask? Well, um, Levi died when Mara was a wee small baby.

Double neato keen, eh? I couldn’t agree more.

Nothing like a little dead-twin communication to spark scientific creativity, eh? Then again, is Levi really “dead”? Wyle cleverly weaves a psychiatrist into the mix in a manner that leaves the reader wondering exactly what Levi’s status is in this world (or any other) – wonder that only grows as the story develops and the plot thickens.

This is a truly unique trip into a novel, intriguing, and reader-friendly world that is populated by a mixture of good guys, bad guys, and aliens – and believe me, you will shake your head more than once along the way as you try to decide which characters fall within which categories. There are some twists and turns I didn’t see coming (regular readers already know this, but if you are new to my reviews/opinions, let me say this: there is no higher praise from me than when I acknowledge that an author threw me for a loop; when you read as much as I do, that doesn’t happen near often enough for my taste!), and the plot moves along at a brisk yet not over-quick pace. There is a nice balance of science and fiction, with an emphasis on the latter. I read a lot of sci-fi, and occasionally find myself lost in the technicalities; Wyle managed to give enough technical details to keep me feeling like I was following why things worked/happened, but not so many that I ever felt adrift in a sea of overwhelming terminology/concepts.

She also sets the ending up nicely for a sequel – and boy oh boy do I hope she’s writing one! Don’t miss this one kids, I promise you’ll enjoy it…(less)

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About Karen A. Wyle

Karen A. Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, but eventually settled in Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana University. She now considers herself a Hoosier. Wyle's childhood ambition was to be the youngest ever published novelist. While writing her first novel at age 10, she was mortified to learn that some British upstart had beaten her to the goal at age 9.

Wyle is an appellate attorney, photog...more

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“I remember that story. You have read it four times." Samson shrugged. "Why should I stop with the first reading? Nobody says, 'That was a fine piece of music. I'll never listen to that again." But some people treat books that way. Not I!” — 6 people liked it

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