A Twice-Dead Genius Comporting with Misunderstood Abominations

by R. Gary Raham

Rudyard Albert Goldstein, inventor of the Biomic Network Algorithm, made peace with death in the 22nd century. But an idiot doctor hijacked his mind, placing it in the care of Nessie, an impish AI guardian. Then, he died again, nearly a million years later, merged with a worm-a-pede alien male sated after completing his conjugal obligations. They expired peacefully on a cliff top, pondering the nature of existence—and the promise of abominable liaisons. Two deaths should be quite sufficient for any genius to endure. Somehow, though, Nessie resurrected him from oblivion. His descendants needed him again. New hostile aliens roamed the Earth—along with a mysterious immortal hybrid with powers that rivaled those of Nessie. Was the healthy young body Nessie had prepared for him, along with the prospect of meeting a maker of universes, enough of a bribe to risk dying a third time? Apparently so. Readers of Raham’s A Singular Prophecy (Biostration, 2011), and A Once-Dead Genius in the Kennel of Master Morticue Ambergrand (Penstemon Publications, 2018) will reconnect with old friends (both human and alien). But even those new to the author’s quirky sense of humor will enjoy this third adventure that spans the breadth of time and space.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2020

Reviews

[Patricia Stoltey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author R. Gary Raham is a scientist with degrees in biology and a very active imagination, so who better to write novels about biological beings from the far distant worlds of Earth, Jadderbad, and Grove? Raham is also an artist/illustrator, so who better to create the timeline illustrations and drawings of the Jadderbadians and Grovians. Finally, Author Raham is a humorist who’s able to let appearances and circumstances create their own laugh-out-loud moments without any obvious effort.

After reading and reviewing the 2018 release of "A Once-Dead Genius in the Kennel of Master Morticue Ambergrand: From deathbed to pethood and beyond in Earth's far distant future," I could not imagine where Raham’s distant future could take us that would outdo that fine novel. But this author is clearly writing on a different plane because "A Twice-Dead Genius Comporting with Misunderstood Abominations" is even more intriguing and entertaining.

This time around, we’re introduced to the new aliens from Grove who want Earth for their surviving population. Back when humans were confronted by Jadderbadians, they had a fighting chance to survive by actually making friends . . . or by meekly submitting to the role of pet. The Grovians are not quite as agreeable and would prefer to simply wipe the planet clean of resistant beings and take over. Our old Artificial Intelligence friend from the previous book, Mnemosyne, returns with her new genius human merger and tries to find a way to save humanity and preserve what was learned in the past before the asteroids. There are interesting options with mergers of AI and human minds, mergers of aliens and humans (some viewed as abominations), complete takeovers by alien minds, and superbeings.

And then Earth Gaia enters the fray. The Yellowstone Caldera awakens and threatens to once again clear the earth of most of its occupants.

"A Twice-Dead Genius Comporting with Misunderstood Abominations" is the third book in a trilogy. Because of the large number of characters in Twice Dead, it would be harder to read as a standalone. I highly recommend reading all three books in order.

Note: I received an advance copy of this novel for review.

[Sean McCollum · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long-time fan of Star Wars and Star Trek, I have often rolled my eyes at the two-legged, two-eyed humanoids who seem to people the universe. Gary Raham with his A Twice-Dead Genius, as well as other installments in this series, is such a refreshing change from that cliche. In a novel that ranges from distant futures to distant pasts, Earth is a meeting place for the Arthropodian Jadderbadians (who communicate through smells and body coloration), body-and-mind-possessing Grovians, planetary intelligences, wise-cracking artificial intelligences, and yes, put-upon humans some of whom are kept as pets. (There's also a brief cameo by doomed dinosauroids, showing glimmers of tool-making intelligence before their unfortunate finish.) THEN there are the cross-pollination of characters as they combine awarenesses to become beings of greater and much greater complexity. It is a wonderful metaphor for the challenges and wonders of cross-cultural (and cross-species?) understanding and collaboration—of a kind, perhaps, that can side-step self-destruction.

The story is told with Raham's loveable characters (Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!) and winking wit that reminds me of Douglas Addams, and contains many laugh-aloud moments. It is science fiction/speculative evolution that is full of love and hope, even in the conference room at the end of the universe.