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The Chimera Seed
As the sole heir to his late father's pharmaceutical company, Michael Tiernan inherits more than just the struggling family business. Following a reluctant trip to Sardinia to settle his father's assets, Michael discovers he is not only part owner of an extraordinary vineyard but of the key to immortality itself. The experimental drug Dionysinol is the culmination of his father's life's work and has the potential to transform human existence, but at what cost? The phenomenal aging remedy is at the center of a dangerous tug-of-war motivated by greed, corruption and revenge in this tense tale of pharmaceutical espionage.
- GenresScience Fiction
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 3, 2010
Nominated for the USA Book News Best Books 2009 Award, The Chimera Seed is a novel of intrigue and suspense. Michael Tiernan follows a mysterious trail set by his deceased father, a path on the hunt of an anti-aging drug. Forced to keep on the run, while attempting to prove himself worthy of his father’s secrets, Tiernan must work with his father’s lab partner to hunt down the lost vials of Dionysinol before they reach the hands of the enemies. Surrounded by pharmaceutical espionage, enemies become co-conspirators, and the good guys become the bad in Matthew Tully’s debut novel.
A host of characters and information are packed into the 387 pages of this novel. From scientists, to spies, to hired drivers, each character has a place in the story which is more than the search for the drug, it’s about these people’s lives before the drug, and the reasons they seek revenge on each other. There are several plot lines, all of which kept me interested, along with a helping of scientifical mumbo-jumbo to make the Dionysinal sound legitimate to skeptical readers like myself.
Perhaps it’s Tully’s advanced degrees in philosophy, education, and mathematics that make the writing flow so well, but I was impressed with the skill of the words on each page. This is not an amateur writer who decided to make a “political” thriller for the heck of it, this is an intelligent author with the necessary skills to make the reader understand without feeling overwhelmed, or worse, having it dumbed down to be made to feel like an idiot. From a writers point of view, I also appreciate the realistic voice for each of Tully’s characters. Ranging from geriatric scientist, to middle-aged love-sick employee, to southern belle with an edge, each of the characters is completely believable.
If you like stories with twists and turns, with gruesome death scenes (the kind that almost made me sick which NEVER happens), with heros and villains who may or may not die and then may or may not come back to life, you will relish this novel. You don’t know who will live or die, who will be brought to justice or escape, who will end up happy or alone with nothing. But it’s best that way, don’t you think?
A host of characters and information are packed into the 387 pages of this novel. From scientists, to spies, to hired drivers, each character has a place in the story which is more than the search for the drug, it’s about these people’s lives before the drug, and the reasons they seek revenge on each other. There are several plot lines, all of which kept me interested, along with a helping of scientifical mumbo-jumbo to make the Dionysinal sound legitimate to skeptical readers like myself.
Perhaps it’s Tully’s advanced degrees in philosophy, education, and mathematics that make the writing flow so well, but I was impressed with the skill of the words on each page. This is not an amateur writer who decided to make a “political” thriller for the heck of it, this is an intelligent author with the necessary skills to make the reader understand without feeling overwhelmed, or worse, having it dumbed down to be made to feel like an idiot. From a writers point of view, I also appreciate the realistic voice for each of Tully’s characters. Ranging from geriatric scientist, to middle-aged love-sick employee, to southern belle with an edge, each of the characters is completely believable.
If you like stories with twists and turns, with gruesome death scenes (the kind that almost made me sick which NEVER happens), with heros and villains who may or may not die and then may or may not come back to life, you will relish this novel. You don’t know who will live or die, who will be brought to justice or escape, who will end up happy or alone with nothing. But it’s best that way, don’t you think?
April 27, 2012
The Chimera Seed by Matthew Tully is an exciting action/adventure science fiction thriller that is set in the present day. In The Chimera Seed, Michael Tiernan is the current CEO of Oisín Pharmaceuticals, a company founded by his father, Richard. Michael discovers after his father's death that Richard, along with his research partner Ivan Falters, were collaborating on a secret project in Sardinia involving the Niamh grapes. The grapes are unpalatable, but one small dose of the purple wine-like liquid produced from them is called Dionysinol, and it apparently not only stops aging, it reverses it.
Michael wants to sell the Dionysinol and the vineyard and make a fortune, while Falters wants to destroy it. Michael's father also did not feel there was enough research to safely release the drug. There is a whole lot of other intrigue, espionage, deceit, greed, and scheming whirling around, and everyone has their own agenda. It soon becomes apparent that there is more to the Dionysinol than meets the eye.
The Chimera Seed really does have elements of science fiction, a medical thriller, and an action/adventure novel all wrapped up together. Tully nicely blends several ethical questions into the plot without getting too heavy handed or preachy. The whole cast of characters he has created are memorable and very well developed. Tully's plot really keeps moving along at a break-neck speed right to the end and will hold the attention of just about any reader. There will be a sequel: The Chimera Spawn.
I very highly recommend The Chimera Seed. http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
Michael wants to sell the Dionysinol and the vineyard and make a fortune, while Falters wants to destroy it. Michael's father also did not feel there was enough research to safely release the drug. There is a whole lot of other intrigue, espionage, deceit, greed, and scheming whirling around, and everyone has their own agenda. It soon becomes apparent that there is more to the Dionysinol than meets the eye.
The Chimera Seed really does have elements of science fiction, a medical thriller, and an action/adventure novel all wrapped up together. Tully nicely blends several ethical questions into the plot without getting too heavy handed or preachy. The whole cast of characters he has created are memorable and very well developed. Tully's plot really keeps moving along at a break-neck speed right to the end and will hold the attention of just about any reader. There will be a sequel: The Chimera Spawn.
I very highly recommend The Chimera Seed. http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
August 22, 2010
Matthew has written a book about the powerful, I mean the really powerful that we don't even know about because they are never in the news or on television. These are the people that invent new drugs and make millions and billions of pennies and dollars.
Surely there has to be someone somewhere who will do the right thing when all the rest of the world is grabbing all they can hold and pushing everybody off a cliff. ( Like the times we are having now!)
I'm saying this because in the world of The Chimera Seed there are some cleverly bad people and there are some just plain evil people so when the good guys peek around the corner, thank goodness, we can breathe a little easier.
I don't want to say anything about the book because I don't want to give anything away!
This a great read, You will start reading and never want to stop til you get to the end.
Surely there has to be someone somewhere who will do the right thing when all the rest of the world is grabbing all they can hold and pushing everybody off a cliff. ( Like the times we are having now!)
I'm saying this because in the world of The Chimera Seed there are some cleverly bad people and there are some just plain evil people so when the good guys peek around the corner, thank goodness, we can breathe a little easier.
I don't want to say anything about the book because I don't want to give anything away!
This a great read, You will start reading and never want to stop til you get to the end.
January 28, 2022
Best book!
November 19, 2020
Sluggish start... no hook to get my interest going. Moved on to better...
December 16, 2021
BEST book ever!!! It's incredible a human could have written a book that flows as nicely as this one does and is just overall beautiful. Truly a work of art.
January 30, 2024
Hi Mr. Tully! It’s rania & lucas. We hope your back is feeling better! We wish you the best! You’re still our favorite math teacher, and always will be.
July 1, 2013
Oisin' CEO and founder Richard Tiernan is a scientist of genius proportion, creating a hybrid "Chimera Seed" to produce corn quality and in abundance, without the harsh chemical pesticides. It is to be one of the world's greatest achievements wiping out famine forever, but the production is costly. And another pharma corporation has ousted Sr. Tiernan of this discovery taking the Chimera Seed for their own, cutting costs in its productions and destroying atmosphere in the process. Young Tiernan has to battle over the Seed's prototype and negotiate when his father suddenly dies, leaving him in the driver's seat.
Michael Tiernan is the heir of the family pharma business called Oisin'. His father leaves him an impressive legacy.. if he could only maintain it. Michael finds that his father also lived and worked on an island establishing a lab in Sardinia valley in Italy, in which he has hired Falters, a Russian man who looks 30 but has seen at least 90 years. Tiernan Sr. and the Russian Falters have produced a hybrid grape, the Niamh grape and along with a jelly fish DNA structure, it is essentially the fountain of youth. The little vials of purple liquid that the two have created creates an eternal anti-aging serum that cannot be administered in more than one dose. Overdosing can cause rapid decomposition. The struggle between the two men ensues as to what and how to handle such an eternal gift, and they don't quite see eye to eye on any of the basics. Falters has a huge responsibility to Sr. Tiernan and keeps his word as agreed to destroy the vineyard and the purple liquid should things get out of hand. And that is exactly what he does.
So much happening within this story's plot, but it was interesting to try figuring out who would eventually win. Top pharmaceutical company's vie for the latest greatest discoveries, paying top $ bribes and its all about who knows whom.
The research team of Oisin' consists of two leading scientists Debra and Graham who take on the Regenerol project. Regenerol is a project that is supposed to regenerate organs from a viable cell. And its had catastrophic test trials. A huge mistake is made without the proper authority of the government and FDA, in Mexico and many women hemorrhage and die. Graham is plagued by these flashbacks. But there is also a love story playing out throughout between Debra and Graham and its hard to see this happening with all the other things going on in between. Debra is young, Graham is an old man. Debra is in love with young Mr. Tiernan, and doesn't see Graham as anything other than a dear grandfatherly friend. Graham later takes a vial of the Niamh purple liquid, and is once again youthful, and pinning for Debra as he is, will stop at nothing to be reunited with her, but has left the country with Michael on the run from the authorities.
The only reason this book got my 4 star vote is because it was an interesting and totally original work. It was a little difficult to keep people and situations straight as you have short stories within the leading story. There are at least 3 projects going and at least 3 different pharma corporations involved. There were so many people and places that I would often look at a name of someone talking and think, "now who's that again"!? But overall it was a fantastic read.
Favorite from the book:
"Non basta una vita"
"One life isn't enough"
Michael Tiernan is the heir of the family pharma business called Oisin'. His father leaves him an impressive legacy.. if he could only maintain it. Michael finds that his father also lived and worked on an island establishing a lab in Sardinia valley in Italy, in which he has hired Falters, a Russian man who looks 30 but has seen at least 90 years. Tiernan Sr. and the Russian Falters have produced a hybrid grape, the Niamh grape and along with a jelly fish DNA structure, it is essentially the fountain of youth. The little vials of purple liquid that the two have created creates an eternal anti-aging serum that cannot be administered in more than one dose. Overdosing can cause rapid decomposition. The struggle between the two men ensues as to what and how to handle such an eternal gift, and they don't quite see eye to eye on any of the basics. Falters has a huge responsibility to Sr. Tiernan and keeps his word as agreed to destroy the vineyard and the purple liquid should things get out of hand. And that is exactly what he does.
So much happening within this story's plot, but it was interesting to try figuring out who would eventually win. Top pharmaceutical company's vie for the latest greatest discoveries, paying top $ bribes and its all about who knows whom.
The research team of Oisin' consists of two leading scientists Debra and Graham who take on the Regenerol project. Regenerol is a project that is supposed to regenerate organs from a viable cell. And its had catastrophic test trials. A huge mistake is made without the proper authority of the government and FDA, in Mexico and many women hemorrhage and die. Graham is plagued by these flashbacks. But there is also a love story playing out throughout between Debra and Graham and its hard to see this happening with all the other things going on in between. Debra is young, Graham is an old man. Debra is in love with young Mr. Tiernan, and doesn't see Graham as anything other than a dear grandfatherly friend. Graham later takes a vial of the Niamh purple liquid, and is once again youthful, and pinning for Debra as he is, will stop at nothing to be reunited with her, but has left the country with Michael on the run from the authorities.
The only reason this book got my 4 star vote is because it was an interesting and totally original work. It was a little difficult to keep people and situations straight as you have short stories within the leading story. There are at least 3 projects going and at least 3 different pharma corporations involved. There were so many people and places that I would often look at a name of someone talking and think, "now who's that again"!? But overall it was a fantastic read.
Favorite from the book:
"Non basta una vita"
"One life isn't enough"
February 1, 2013
It was... alright. I couldn't help but get frustrated and find the ending disappointing. I don't even think I can blame the book, because the entire point is that humanity can get pretty ugly when faced with something along the lines of eternal youth. But oh my gosh, I just wanted everyone to die. These characters were horrible. The only character I even remotely cared about was John Graham, and note my use of the word remotely.
I might give it another try. If I know what to expect I might appreciate it more?
I might give it another try. If I know what to expect I might appreciate it more?
June 25, 2009
I found this book to be very timely. It is about the need for a pharmaceutical company to get ahead by making a ground breaking discovery to cure aging. When greed gets in the way of science and logic many things can go wrong. It was hard to put down and I really enjoyed this book. I truely look forward to the next book!
January 5, 2015
I wanted this book to be so much more. I have a deep interest in science and genetics and I wanted the story to go more in depth with the technical side of things. I felt it followed a more juvenile plot line, and I was expecting more character development with conversations that went deeper than just the surface.
June 27, 2011
Excellent book! Fast-paced. Hard to put down. Love the characters!
February 6, 2013
It had an interesting story line, but I really didn't like the characters and the ending was disappointing.
July 7, 2014
Wholly forgettable drivel. Avoid at all costs!
January 30, 2016
My math teacher
my math teacher wrote this so I read it. It's good. There was a plot twist near the end and that surprised me
my math teacher wrote this so I read it. It's good. There was a plot twist near the end and that surprised me
July 25, 2013
A less extreme science fiction story. Easy reading for a wet weekend.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews