Battleship of Fools

Igor Gershengorin
BookShelf Press (2006)
ISBN 1595940588
Reviewed by Regan Windsor for Reader Views (11/06)

The year is 2063, human cloning in the form of Lover clones is rampant, and America has lost its middle class as parents spare no expense on genetic modifications to make their children the brightest and the best.  

Joseph is in bed with his girlfriend when he suddenly finds his thoughts interrupted by Doctor Lieberman, one of the FBI’s most wanted since his use of human cloning technology in 2035; a man who disappeared nearly thirty years prior.  As Doctor Lieberman jokes with Joseph about keeping his 25 million dollars and his girlfriend Gisela brings up a trip to China he has just returned from Joseph is suddenly confused.  He doesn’t remember a trip and he certainly has no idea about the 25 million dollars.  Further intrigued by the Doctor’s ability to read his mind he agrees to meet with him the next day.  However, when he shows up he finds one of the many clones of the Doctor, this one a transverse clone intent on playing games with him.  As she toys with him, he refuses to be caught in her games and decides to play back.  As he walks away with the bag of money (which he has relieved his bladder all over in the spirit of “the game”) his mind is full of questions. 

As Joseph is pulled into the web of Doctor Lieberman, through the implant of a chip allowing him to take over Joseph’s body and mind, he begins to find answers to many of his questions and learn a lot about his grandfathers’ involvement along the way.

Full of intrigue, foresight, and suspense “Battleship of Fools” will spark your imagination of the world to come.  Inspired by Bosch’s “Ship of Fools,” the premise of the novel is the desire to rid the world of “fools” through the use of genetic modifications and human cloning.  Is this a possibility …or a dire and foolish pursuit?

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