Hominids examines two unique species of people. We are one of those species; the other is the Neanderthals of a parallel world where they became the dominant intelligence. The Neanderthal civilization has reached heights of culture and science comparable to our own, but with radically different history, society and philosophy.
Ponter Boddit, a Neanderthal physicist, accidentally pierces the barrier between worlds and is transferred to our universe. Almost immediately recognized as a Neanderthal, but only much later as a scientist, he is quarantined and studied, alone and bewildered, a stranger in a strange land. But Ponter is also befriended--by a doctor and a physicist who share his questing intelligence, and especially by Canadian geneticist Mary Vaughan, a woman with whom he develops a special rapport.
Ponter's partner, Adikor Huld, finds himself with a messy lab, a missing body, suspicious people all around and an explosive murder trial. How can he possibly prove his innocence when he has no idea what actually happened to Ponter?
Hominids is the winner of the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
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Add a CommentReally enjoyed the parallel universe scenario. Can't wait to read the next two books.
1) Full of product placement - Coke, Taco Bell, Tim Horton's, McDonald's, Ford Explorer, CTV, Global etc. 2) Having made enough on the product endorsements, who needs a story? A man from another dimension arrives, then leaves. 3) We are subject to preaching about how bad we are as homo sapiens and summaries of anthropological studies. Choose the research instead. 4) The characters make unbelievable decisions: the worst is that three humans are quarantined in a house with a Neanderthal from another dimension and all two want to do is have sex and smoke pot. They are supposed to be scientists and yet they seem to have no interest in asking this guy about his world! I quickly lost interest.
If you're interested in paleoanthropology, this is a Sci Fi book that you won't be able to put down. It's a fast read!
This sci-fi book is pretty hard to describe, but fantastic to read (and Robert J Sawyer is Canadian - yay!)! Parallel universes collide, one is our world and the other is an alternate history where neanderthals evolved into the superior race. Those who loved the classic Stranger in a Strange Land will be able to appreciate the alien aspect of this book, and all humans will begin to ask "what if?".
I found this to be very thought provoking. Loved it.
Sounds awesome
One of my favourite SF books of all time. This was the first Robert J Sawyer book I read, and have since read almost everything he has written. One of the best SF authors out there.