Neanderthal (novel)
Encyclopedia
Neanderthal is a 1996
bestselling novel written by John Darnton
.
government to search for missing anthropologist James Kellicut. Their only clue for their search is a neanderthal
skull. The skull should have existed 40,000 years ago, however carbon dating shows it is only twenty-five years old.
The Russian and American governments are competing to study the surviving Neanderthals, because of their power of remote viewing
. The Neanderthals are split into two tribes, a peaceful valley tribe and a cannibalistic
, violent mountain tribe. Soon, the protagonists are captured by Neanderthals and must try to escape from the cannibal tribe. They hope to do so without jeopardizing the safety of the peaceful tribe. It eventually, however, becomes necessary to train the peaceful tribe for war. The novel explains that such a completely peaceful society was doomed in any case, and would have been destroyed soon by the mountain tribe.
1996 in literature
The year 1996 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is removed from an advanced placement English reading list in Lindale, Texas because it "conflicted with the values of the community."* In the United Kingdom, the first...
bestselling novel written by John Darnton
John Darnton
John Darnton is an American journalist and author.-At The New York Times:After attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Darnton joined The New York Times as a copyboy in 1966...
.
Plot introduction
The plot of Neanderthal revolves around two rival scientists, Matt Mattison and Susan Arnot, who are sent by the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government to search for missing anthropologist James Kellicut. Their only clue for their search is a neanderthal
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
skull. The skull should have existed 40,000 years ago, however carbon dating shows it is only twenty-five years old.
The Russian and American governments are competing to study the surviving Neanderthals, because of their power of remote viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
. The Neanderthals are split into two tribes, a peaceful valley tribe and a cannibalistic
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
, violent mountain tribe. Soon, the protagonists are captured by Neanderthals and must try to escape from the cannibal tribe. They hope to do so without jeopardizing the safety of the peaceful tribe. It eventually, however, becomes necessary to train the peaceful tribe for war. The novel explains that such a completely peaceful society was doomed in any case, and would have been destroyed soon by the mountain tribe.
Characters in "Neanderthal"
- Matt Mattison – protagonist, a scientist
- Susan Arnot – Mattison's scientific rival and former lover
- James Kellicut – an anthropologist who has gone missing