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The Pandora's Trilogy #1
Pandora's Genes
In this absorbing and unique novel, Kathryn Lance asks how far the folly of mankind can go, how much science can be substituted for nature before the imbalance proves disastrous. In a world of the future, great machines lie rusting as their fuel has finally run out and humanity faces the possibility of extinction as altered strands of DNA run rampant through the gene pool. Several forces emerge, each hoping to be humanity's saving grace, but which one will ultimately save the world?
The Principal: a brilliant leader fighting to keep a tide of savagery from decimating social structures.
The religious cultists: operating on an anti-science platform, promising to rebuild society according to an older, pure model free of the technology that proved to be mankind's downfall.
The Garden: a group of female scientists who live cloistered lives, searching for genetic solutions to the world's problems.
Two young lovers are caught in a situation they cannot control, desperate to find a way to be together forever.
The Principal: a brilliant leader fighting to keep a tide of savagery from decimating social structures.
The religious cultists: operating on an anti-science platform, promising to rebuild society according to an older, pure model free of the technology that proved to be mankind's downfall.
The Garden: a group of female scientists who live cloistered lives, searching for genetic solutions to the world's problems.
Two young lovers are caught in a situation they cannot control, desperate to find a way to be together forever.
279 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
16 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Lance
33 books19 followersKathryn Lance, the author or co-author (or ghostwriter) of more than 50 print books (fiction, nonfiction, for adults and children), has moved into the world of e-publishing. Several of her out of print books are available on Kindle; new work, including short fiction, novels, and an edited WWII memoir (dictated by her father) are available both on Kindle and as print-on-demand books.
A longtime member of Science Fiction Writers of America, Lance grew up in Tucson, Arizona, then moved to New York City for several years. Now she is back in Tucson, where she leads nature tours, writes, birds, and meditates on the beauty of the desert.
A longtime member of Science Fiction Writers of America, Lance grew up in Tucson, Arizona, then moved to New York City for several years. Now she is back in Tucson, where she leads nature tours, writes, birds, and meditates on the beauty of the desert.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 29, 2019
I really wanted to like the book. The premise sounds interesting at first as a romance book taking place in a mutant-infested, post-apocalyptic world. But as I go on after the third chapter it gets gradually worse. It reads like a conservative/republican's wet dream - with all the authoritarian fetish (I'm not surprised since the author is a fan of Heinlein and his borderline-fascist "Starship Troopers") and the poor and outside the District living people being literal "the unwashed and dirty masses" (aka the Traders). The World-building is almost completely absent and not very creative. The "fox-cats" are just regular cats, bigger in size. They might as well be Maine Coons. Oh, and they can read human emotions, apparently. How they evolved to be able to understand specifically humans on an emotional level remains the same mystery as everything else the author "explains" in this story. I guess it's just magic.
Evvy was annoying as hell. She is very passive and cries a lot like a toddler - she is the Princess Peach of Romance books. But the worst character of them all is the Principal - he is an abusive pedophile who lets his henchmen buy little girls for his own pleasure and rapes them. What a great love interest and role model! Of course, Evvy manages to "change" him and make him a "better man" with the power of looooooove! (*barf*)
But I also perceived Evvy's relationship with Zach as creepy because he is so much older and he fell in love with her when she was still 13. Has the author some weird daddy-fetish?
I'm still trying to decide if I should spend my time reading the second book. If it doesn't get any better, I'll DNF it hard and throw that book into the next garbage bin I see.
Evvy was annoying as hell. She is very passive and cries a lot like a toddler - she is the Princess Peach of Romance books. But the worst character of them all is the Principal - he is an abusive pedophile who lets his henchmen buy little girls for his own pleasure and rapes them. What a great love interest and role model! Of course, Evvy manages to "change" him and make him a "better man" with the power of looooooove! (*barf*)
But I also perceived Evvy's relationship with Zach as creepy because he is so much older and he fell in love with her when she was still 13. Has the author some weird daddy-fetish?
I'm still trying to decide if I should spend my time reading the second book. If it doesn't get any better, I'll DNF it hard and throw that book into the next garbage bin I see.
January 31, 2022
I usually don’t read much science fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed Pandora’s Genes by my friend Kathryn Lance, who just recently passed away. Book one of a trilogy, it blends fantasy into the science fiction realm, with believable characters and a page-turning plot line. May favorite part was the descriptive detail of a post-apocalyptic Earth , along with the inevitable loss of cultural relevancy that would occur in such a scenario. The writing is tight, captivating, and totally immersive.
January 25, 2012
I read this award-winning sci-fi novel in paperback last year, and it blew me away. I know it was written in the mid-1980s, but it's more relevant to what's happening in the U.S. right now than anything that had occurred when the author was working on it.
In Lance's dystopian tale, set in the late 21st century, all modern technology has been destroyed, a consequence of using genetically-engineered bacteria to clean up a massive oil spill. The microbes consumed all petroleum-based products, including plastics, and released germ warfare materials as the stoppers on test tubes dissolved.
Sounds eerily relevant to today's headlines, doesn't it? Think BP oil spill. And in Lance's depiction of the messianic movement called the Traders, religious zealots who condemn all science as anti-God, you hear echoes of today's anti-evolution,anti-climate science religious-political movements.
In Lance's dystopian tale, set in the late 21st century, all modern technology has been destroyed, a consequence of using genetically-engineered bacteria to clean up a massive oil spill. The microbes consumed all petroleum-based products, including plastics, and released germ warfare materials as the stoppers on test tubes dissolved.
Sounds eerily relevant to today's headlines, doesn't it? Think BP oil spill. And in Lance's depiction of the messianic movement called the Traders, religious zealots who condemn all science as anti-God, you hear echoes of today's anti-evolution,anti-climate science religious-political movements.
December 1, 2020
This was a fast read. Interesting concept, but GD, can we stop the cycle of "romantic" abuse? This concept of a flawed love interest isn't terrible, per se, because we are all flawed, but pedophilia to assuage "dark desires", and outright physical abuse, only to be redeemed because the Mary Sue loves the dude is just plain wrong. I get this book is 35 years old now, but come on.
March 29, 2015
Here is my reviewhttp://www.amazon.com/review/R3F31WK0...
April 29, 2019
I always enjoy post-apocalyptic SF and this book was no exception. The plot revolves around the three main characters, Zack, Evvy and the Principal as they struggle to rebuild civilization after a genetically engineered virus attacks and destroys almost all the world's petroleum products. A pretty cool concept.
The science vs. religion theme was pretty run of the mill, but I did enjoy how it was portrayed. In most stories science wins out, but here it was more ambiguous. The leader of the religious cult that emerges in this future is portrayed as an intelligent, reasoned individual motived by what he believes is correct, as opposed to the mindless fanaticism we often see in these types of conflicts, although some of his followers are. On the other side, the scientists of the story are shown in a nuanced way, setting the stage for an engaging conflict between the two sides as the story unfolds.
The relationships between the characters was also quite well done and one of the highlights of this book. As they story unfolded, I was left with a really good sense of why the Principal and Zack had such a strong friendship and the reasons for the tension that grew between Evvy and Zack as their relationship developed. That said, the characters don't seem to exist outside of their relationships, and I was a bit frustrated at the lack of introspection.
One thing I really wondered about was how everyone in the story seemed to see the pre-apocalyptic world as mythology even though the story takes place a generation or two after the virus escapes to wreak havoc and the old world is still within living memory. For example calling cars "machines". I had a difficult time believing that society would lose that much knowledge that fast - unless it was a case of mass amnesia.
Overall however, I had a fun time with this. It's a fun tale which moves along well, has some fun ideas and is a good addition to the post-apocalyptic genre of SF.
3.5/5 Stars
The science vs. religion theme was pretty run of the mill, but I did enjoy how it was portrayed. In most stories science wins out, but here it was more ambiguous. The leader of the religious cult that emerges in this future is portrayed as an intelligent, reasoned individual motived by what he believes is correct, as opposed to the mindless fanaticism we often see in these types of conflicts, although some of his followers are. On the other side, the scientists of the story are shown in a nuanced way, setting the stage for an engaging conflict between the two sides as the story unfolds.
The relationships between the characters was also quite well done and one of the highlights of this book. As they story unfolded, I was left with a really good sense of why the Principal and Zack had such a strong friendship and the reasons for the tension that grew between Evvy and Zack as their relationship developed. That said, the characters don't seem to exist outside of their relationships, and I was a bit frustrated at the lack of introspection.
One thing I really wondered about was how everyone in the story seemed to see the pre-apocalyptic world as mythology even though the story takes place a generation or two after the virus escapes to wreak havoc and the old world is still within living memory. For example calling cars "machines". I had a difficult time believing that society would lose that much knowledge that fast - unless it was a case of mass amnesia.
Overall however, I had a fun time with this. It's a fun tale which moves along well, has some fun ideas and is a good addition to the post-apocalyptic genre of SF.
3.5/5 Stars
March 19, 2019
Overall, this was an interesting read. I had been looking for a good science fiction book that wasn’t too tech-heavy (is that an oxymoron?), but this novel met that criteria. I enjoyed the story, the new world, and the strong female characters. The storyline was a bit predictable and it took a while to get the explanation of how their world came to exist the way it was. While the story was creative enough, there were some uncreative names and labels used: new-smoke, new-birds and new-plants. Come on, Lance, if you are going to make a world to base a trilogy in, take some time and think of better names for these new items.
If you’re looking for something different or new to read, try this. For me, it was a quick read. The ending was good but simple.
If you’re looking for something different or new to read, try this. For me, it was a quick read. The ending was good but simple.
Read
October 23, 2025In this absorbing and unique novel, Kathryn Lance asks how far the folly of mankind can go, how much science can be substituted for nature before the imbalance proves disastrous. In a world of the future, great machines lie rusting as their fuel has finally run out and humanity faces the possibility of extinction as altered strands of DNA run rampant through the gene pool. Several forces emerge, each hoping to be humanity's saving grace, but which one will ultimately save the world? The Principal: a bril
did-not-finish-or-start
July 16, 2021DNS 7/16/2021
April 20, 2011
Intriguing romantic SF.
I wasn’t really looking for romance when Pandora's Genes was recommended to me. I ended up falling in love with the story anyway. The near-future post-petroleum world really comes alive right from the opening scenes of the book. The characters are interesting too, but compared with the sharp depiction of the main characters, secondary characters seem a little out of focus. As the plot developed, it rewarded me for sticking with all the characters to see what happened. The strong narrative and imaginative world kept me reading.
There’s a big romantic triangle in this book, and the three characters involved are the best developed. The settings in the book seemed more alive to me than the supporting characters. I found the male characters propensity for thinking with their junk a little annoying. The female characters were strong and well-rounded, but all the males seemed too easily distracted by sexual matters. The dialogue was well written, but everyone spent a lot of time discussing their feelings. That’s romance for you! I could have gone for a little more revelation and a little less conversation.
This book was originally published in 1985, and was recently self-published by the author, Kathryn Lance. It’s great that she took the initiative to do this. I wish more published authors would do this with their older books. Despite a few minor Kindle issues (missing page and paragraph breaks, no em dashes), I still find Pandora’s Genes to be one of the cleanest self-published manuscripts I’ve read. The story was more than strong enough to overcome any aesthetic issues. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, Pandora's Children .
UPDATE: The author tells me that Kindle formatting problems should be resolved when the Kindle version reappears on Amazon. Until then, I'd stick with the paperback, or get the ebook from Smashwords.
I wasn’t really looking for romance when Pandora's Genes was recommended to me. I ended up falling in love with the story anyway. The near-future post-petroleum world really comes alive right from the opening scenes of the book. The characters are interesting too, but compared with the sharp depiction of the main characters, secondary characters seem a little out of focus. As the plot developed, it rewarded me for sticking with all the characters to see what happened. The strong narrative and imaginative world kept me reading.
There’s a big romantic triangle in this book, and the three characters involved are the best developed. The settings in the book seemed more alive to me than the supporting characters. I found the male characters propensity for thinking with their junk a little annoying. The female characters were strong and well-rounded, but all the males seemed too easily distracted by sexual matters. The dialogue was well written, but everyone spent a lot of time discussing their feelings. That’s romance for you! I could have gone for a little more revelation and a little less conversation.
This book was originally published in 1985, and was recently self-published by the author, Kathryn Lance. It’s great that she took the initiative to do this. I wish more published authors would do this with their older books. Despite a few minor Kindle issues (missing page and paragraph breaks, no em dashes), I still find Pandora’s Genes to be one of the cleanest self-published manuscripts I’ve read. The story was more than strong enough to overcome any aesthetic issues. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, Pandora's Children .
UPDATE: The author tells me that Kindle formatting problems should be resolved when the Kindle version reappears on Amazon. Until then, I'd stick with the paperback, or get the ebook from Smashwords.
September 7, 2016
I liked the premise of the book - what would happen if the DNA in a bacteria designed to clean up oil spills mutated and ate all petroleum products? How much of what we depend on would be compromised, and how quickly (and almost completely) might society break down? How might a small group of people go about rebuilding a society where everything, including animal and plant species, has changed? Pandora's Genes is a well thought out and executed look into these questions and more.
You will not like some the Principal's actions (if you've read the Amazon reviews you'll know what I mean), but they are not explicit in the book. Please don't let that sour you on a tale that explores love, trust, family, science, religion, and politics in the wake of a global man-made disaster.
I particularly liked the empathic fox-cats and wished my cats were as tuned to my emotions as Baby and Napoleon were to Evvy's and the Principal's. (Attention, spell check: Empathic is too a word!)
I'm excited to read the remaining books in the series, Pandora's Children and Pandora's Promise.
You will not like some the Principal's actions (if you've read the Amazon reviews you'll know what I mean), but they are not explicit in the book. Please don't let that sour you on a tale that explores love, trust, family, science, religion, and politics in the wake of a global man-made disaster.
I particularly liked the empathic fox-cats and wished my cats were as tuned to my emotions as Baby and Napoleon were to Evvy's and the Principal's. (Attention, spell check: Empathic is too a word!)
I'm excited to read the remaining books in the series, Pandora's Children and Pandora's Promise.
Want to read
May 4, 2016Read this in high school when it first came out and really enjoyed it, but couldn't remember the name. I did remember the look of the cover
and the "wild deenas", so when I saw this offered as a freebie, I had to snatch it up. Hope it's as good as I remember!
and the "wild deenas", so when I saw this offered as a freebie, I had to snatch it up. Hope it's as good as I remember!
May 30, 2007
This was an odd book, not for the feel-good award of the year, but well-written and a good exploration of a fantastical, bleak, possible future. Characters were strong,even if I didn't always agree with them.
January 4, 2013
Intriguing story but a little bit too predicatable for my tastes. I do not have much interest in reading the next installment. I think the postapocalyptic genre is losing any appeal for me.
December 27, 2015
So good had to buy Pandora's Children!
Want to read
February 14, 2013Kindle freebie, 2/14/13
September 9, 2012
So good had to buy Pandora's Children!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews