I’m kind of an unabashed sic-fi nerd. I have many a theory on why it’s one of the best genres of fiction and how accurately it commentates on reality, but all of that heavy stuff is for another post. Today I’m pleased to be a part of the blog tour promoting Perfection Unleashed by Jade Kerrion. Here’s the synopsis from its Goodreads page:
Danyael Sabre spent sixteen years clawing out of the ruins of his childhood and finally has everything he wanted–a career, a home, and a trusted friend. To hold on to them, he keeps his head down and plays by the rules. An alpha empath, he is powerful in a world transformed by the Genetic Revolution, yet his experience has taught him to avoid attention.
When the perfect human being, Galahad, escapes from Pioneer Laboratories, the illusory peace between humans and their derivatives–the in vitros, clones, and mutants–collapses into social upheaval. The abominations, deformed and distorted mirrors of humanity, created unintentionally in Pioneer Lab’s search for perfection, descend upon Washington D.C. The first era of the Genetic Revolution was peaceful. The second is headed for open war.
Although the genetic future of the human race pivots on Galahad, Danyael does not feel compelled to get involved and risk his cover of anonymity, until he finds out that the perfect human being looks just like him.
This book takes place in today’s time in our world but with other-worldy things going on at Pioneer Laboratories, a genetic research and experimentation facility. It’s nice that the story is grounded in our world, it makes the story feel more real and it’s easy to connect to the story right from the beginning. This book is full of action: there’s undercover espionage, fights to the death, and prison breaks all in the first chapter. Jade Kerrion wastes no time getting the reader into the adventure, which I appreciate especially since indie authors’ stories have the negative stereotype of being so drawn out.
Her story was very interesting and definitely had forward motion. I have no complaints about the plot or the characters. I did find myself wishing for a more straight-forward writing style, and there’s really no way to describe this without sounding ridiculous, but her writing was almost too good. It was very flowery and wordy, and so while the story didn’t drag I thought the action parts of the novel (which is a lot of it!) could have moved faster if her writing had been less wordy.
I mentioned above my opinion about science fiction’s serious commentaries on real life. Kerrion explores the ethics of genetic experimentation and its repercussions on humanity. Even though this seems a little out there, often real-life issues like this come up in politics. Topics like cloning and stem-cell research are hotly debated today and this is where writers get inspiration for their other-worldy stories.
Here is an interview with the author to further whet you appetite:
1. When did you start writing, and was there a significant event that prompted you to do so?
I started at the age of thirteen when my school essays were returned to me with a bunch of “A”s scrawled over the top. Teenagers are impressionable. Being much more impressionable than most, and believing that my teachers knew what they were doing, I figured I was destined to be a writer. It’s only taken me tens of thousands of hours of work since then to be halfway decent at writing (and I’m still learning each day), but one has to start somewhere.
2. What inspired you to write Perfection Unleashed?
My undergraduate major from the Johns Hopkins University was in Biology and Philosophy, and I thought it was finally time to make some money off my college degree! On a more serious note, I wanted to write a novel that challenges our definitions of perfection and of humanity (without once mentioning the word “vampire.”) Science has been making one breakthrough after another in the area of genetic engineering, and the future depicted in Perfection Unleashed is more likely than most of us would believe.
3. What’s your book about?
The Genetic Revolution has transformed the world, giving rise to human derivatives—clones, in-vitros, and mutants—that are arguably better than humans. Toss the lab-created “perfect” human being into the mix, and the volatile environment explodes. Perfection Unleashed is loaded with fast-paced action, but underlying the novel are questions that society has wrestled with for centuries. What does equality mean in the face of unequal talents? How does society deal with people who are different from the norm? What does “perfection” in a human being really mean?
4. Tell us a little about your main character.
Danyael Sabre has many facets. On the one hand, he is a doctor who works insane hours for little pay at a charity clinic in Brooklyn, New York. On the other hand, he is an alpha empath. He controls emotions and channels pain. Physical and emotional pain fuels his deadly mutant powers; with a touch, he can heal or kill. Craving privacy and solitude, he shields both his mind and emotions, but we catch tantalizing glimpses of his courage and compassion.
Even among the alpha mutants who redefine the boundaries of power in a world transformed by the Genetic Revolution, Danyael is rare and coveted by many who desire to control him and his power. His hard-won normal life is upended when Zara Itani, a mercenary whose abrasive attitude exceeds even her beauty, frees Galahad, the lab-created perfect human being from his laboratory prison. Danyael learns that his genetic code was used as Galahad’s physical template; that kind of news is enough to wreck even the best day…
5. What do you enjoy the most about writing?
The creative process. I write the movie that I see in my mind. It’s amazing to see the words take shape on paper and realize that it’s bringing to life something that had previously only existed for me. My readers have likened my novels to action movies, anime, and graphic novels—that’s a huge compliment. That tells me I actually succeeded in sharing with them the movie in my mind.
6. What was the hardest part about writing your book?
The hardest part was stopping. After multiple rounds of self-editing, several weeks of working with my editor, and several rounds of proofreading, I had to put the book away and say “done.” I think it is entirely possible to edit forever, but at some point, you have to stop and send the book out into the world.
7. Where do you get the inspiration to write?
I think I’m past the stage of needing inspiration; writing is more of a compulsion now. In general, I have a compulsive personality; people like me should never get exposed to alcohol, cigarettes, or recreational drugs—we’re easy prey. Years ago, computer gaming and writing used to go hand-in-hand for me. My characters from my computer games inspired my writing. Since then, however, my characters have taken on a life of their own and thus, I have been freed to happily obsess about them without needing the occasional computer gaming boost to sustain them.
8. Who is your favorite author and why?
Neil Gaiman is pure genius in his storytelling ability.
9. What do you like to do when you are not writing? What is your ultimate luxury?
I love reading, and read widely across genres. The ultimate luxury would be to do nothing! However, I’ve realized that I don’t have the right personality type to do nothing. For example, sunbathing on a lounge chair in front of a swimming pool is agony for me (and for the people watching me.) I twitch, I sit up, switch positions, twitch some more. That said, I would love to spend several hours at a spa, getting pampered from head to toe. Maybe, sometime during those few hours, I’d learn to relax for a few minutes.
10. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If you enjoy science fiction, urban fantasy, dystopia, or just a great action-adventure, I hope you’ll consider reading Perfection Unleashed and its sequels, Perfect Betrayal and Perfect Weapon. I love to hear from readers, so feel free to drop me a note via any of my social media links.
