The Eyes of Heisenberg

by Frank Herbert

Paperback, 1972

Status

Available

Call number

813

Genres

Science Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

SF & F

Publication

SPHERE (1972), Paperback

Description

Public Law 10927 was clear and direct. Parents were permitted to watch the genetic alterations of their gametes by skilled surgeons...only no one ever requested it.When Lizbeth and Harvey Durant decided to invoke the Law, when Dr. Potter did not rearrange the most unusual genetic structure of their future son, barely an embryo growing in the State's special vat-the consequences of these decisions threatened to be catastrophic.For never before had anyone dared defy the Rulers' decrees...and if They found out, it was well known that the price of disobedience was the extermination of the human race.

User reviews

LibraryThing member GlennBell

This story had real potential but had a truly disappointing ending, which ruined the story. The basis of the story involved futuristic genetic manipulation and ex vivo gestation. The different factions involve those who are sterile or fertile,those who do not age or do age, and cyborgs. The story

was fine up until the capture of the underground runaways. The demise of the Optimen is truly irrational and ridiculous. It is sad that such a famous author wrote such a lousy story.

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LibraryThing member Radaghast

Herbert's writing was not at the same level as Dune in The Eyes of Heisenberg. Still, this novel deals with a lot of issues mirrored in the Dune series in a completely different way. Here the immortality of the God Emperor is a weakness. Herbert is also writing about issues like genetics that are

not dealt with by most sci-fi authors until much later. It's a good, but not great book.

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LibraryThing member dsoj84

i have to say that while i liked Frank Herbert's Dune, this was nothing like it. The book deals with very interesting ideas; however, it seems to short. The book lacks a lot of the detail that was put into Dune. It seems as if all the ideas that he wanted to cover were mapped out and then a story

was put together; not a complete story rather just a rough draft. I have to say that after reading the book it will give you a few things to think about. it is a quick read and entertaining. I would recommended that everyone should read it at least once.

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LibraryThing member JulesJones

Short sf novel from 1966 about a far distant future where genetic engineering has brought longer lives for all and immortality for a minority -- but at the cost of genetic engineering being both compulsory and necessary, as humans no longer reproduce naturally. Many are naturally sterile, and for

the rest, there is the contraceptive gas that ensures that only the chosen few with a potentially viable gene mix are allowed to try their luck at creating a zygote for the gene surgeons to improve. The immortal Optimen have ruled, largely by consent, since not long after the first of them was created some eighty thousand years ago, but there are challenges to their rule.

This is one of the sf books I first read as a teenager, and was hoping would still hold up. I had occasional problems with suspension of disbelief, but it's staying on the keep pile rather than going into the Oxfam box. The opening sequence with a genetic surgeon preparing to cut a new embryo with Optiman potential, and finding that it is something even greater and forbidden -- that still has the power to evoke sensawunda for me. The rest of the novel doesn't quite hit the same heights, but there's still a worthwhile story about the price and effects of immortality. And will this short novel doesn't have the same depth of world-building as Dune, there are still some lovely little details, such as the hand-pressure language used by the Parents Underground to communicate secretly in public.

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LibraryThing member Carl_Alves

Set in the far future in a time when Optimen lived for tens of thousand of years, The Eyes of Heisenberg is kind of like 1984 on Steroids. In this society, the rulers only allow certain people to procreate, and when they do so, genetic engineers manipulate the embryo seeking to make these

superhumans, who can virtually live forever. The concept is okay, but I thought by and large the execution is poor. For one thing, I think to fully understand the story, you need an advanced degree in biochemistry. Secondly, it was never fully explained why things were happening. Why the embryos are engineered, what was so important about the embryo belonging to the Durants, which is the focus of the story, that makes all hell break loose. The other thing that really annoyed me was how Herbert jumps from one scene to another skipping all sorts of scenes in between that are necessary to set up the scene. It almost seemed like I was reading an abridgement. So although the concept was interesting, and there was good character development in the story, I found the novel more exasperating than anything else.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street

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LibraryThing member AndreeaDaia

Reading notes:
*** There is something fascinating in Frank Herbert's characters: they feel as if they have supernatural powers although nothing in the texts suggests so. I believe it's what they do (how they read people, how they fight, how they communicate) that gives them this magic vibe.
*** The

book started well, but the most I listen to it the less I am interested in it.
*** The main characters are very, very annoying. I feel no connection to any of the Resistance people, and least of all with the Durants. In fact the bad guys are more likable than the good guys!
*** I can't discern any particular message and the philosophy is weak too.
*** It's shocking how little is going on in this book!

There is a lesson in each book:
*** Any good book should have a MESSAGE. If it doesn't, it's just an action/love/horror/mystery book. And if the message is well hidden then the better: it's rewarding for the reader to find that message himself/herself. Plus if it is something in your face, most readers will reject the book as moralizing. Better create some character people can identify with and have them pass the message through their actions.
*** Make the main characters likable even if they have flaws.
*** Avoid too many technical details. For worlds that have little connection to the "Old" Earth avoid details about food and animals.
*** MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SOME PLOT OR ELSE EVERYONE WILL DIE OF BOREDOM.

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LibraryThing member TheCrow2

This short novel unfortunately isn't Herbert's best. Set into the distant future the humanity divided into several classes ruled by immortal übermensch. The description of the world is a bit sketchy so not much will be known about these 'supermen', the illegal cyborgs or the ordinary people. The

book is over fifty years old and unfortunately it shows. The biological descriptions and explanations look a bit funny today.

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LibraryThing member Frenzie

A par for the course theme with a great beginning, slightly disappointing second half, and a satisfying end.

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