Sims (novel)
Encyclopedia
Sims is a science fiction
novel by F. Paul Wilson
that explores a near-future event where Humanzees (Human
-Chimpanzee
hybrids) are created as a de facto slave race.
In the near future, there have been amazing advances in genetics research. Through gene therapy, many deadly diseases have been cured. The SimGen Corporation has created a transgenic species called SIMS, creatures that are part chimpanzee
and part human
, and are treated as slaves. Suddenly a group of sims working as caddies at a golf course decide they want to unionize. They hire lawyer Patrick Sullivan to represent them, and Sullivan begins to ponder whether or not sims are entitled to equal human rights
.
During the course of the novel, Patrick meets activist Romy Cadman and a mysterious man called Zero, who are on a crusade to destroy SimGen and stop the creation of sims. While the three of them try to protect the sims, they come close to uncovering a sinister secret within SimGen, a secret the company will stop at nothing to prevent from getting out.
The story touches on a possible future for genetics research, including the idea of primate hybrids with human DNA, and asks the question: Where would such creatures stand in human society, and would they be considered animal or human?
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by F. Paul Wilson
F. Paul Wilson
Francis Paul Wilson is an American author, primarily in the science fiction and horror genres. His debut novel was Healer . Wilson is also a part-time practicing family physician. He made his first sales in 1970 to Analog while still in medical school , and continued to write science fiction...
that explores a near-future event where Humanzees (Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
-Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
hybrids) are created as a de facto slave race.
In the near future, there have been amazing advances in genetics research. Through gene therapy, many deadly diseases have been cured. The SimGen Corporation has created a transgenic species called SIMS, creatures that are part chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
and part human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
, and are treated as slaves. Suddenly a group of sims working as caddies at a golf course decide they want to unionize. They hire lawyer Patrick Sullivan to represent them, and Sullivan begins to ponder whether or not sims are entitled to equal human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
.
During the course of the novel, Patrick meets activist Romy Cadman and a mysterious man called Zero, who are on a crusade to destroy SimGen and stop the creation of sims. While the three of them try to protect the sims, they come close to uncovering a sinister secret within SimGen, a secret the company will stop at nothing to prevent from getting out.
The story touches on a possible future for genetics research, including the idea of primate hybrids with human DNA, and asks the question: Where would such creatures stand in human society, and would they be considered animal or human?