Title: The Human Inside
Author: Y.T. Cheng
Publisher: Book Venture Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-944849-84-9
Pages: 512
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis
Pacific Book Review
In a changing world, one that would be unrecognizable to us today, there is danger lurking around every corner. A new race of people, cybernetically enhanced young adults called amborgs, have been created to protect this world from itself. Genetically altered, these young people must deal with protecting civilization, while finding their own place in the world. Cheng’s sci-fi thriller The Human Inside deals with evil of the world and the struggle that these amborgs have in figuring out where they fit in the new society. There is fighting, love stories, and friendships, as well as ethical debates, loss, and grief, all the makings of a great tale.
Many ethical and societal questions were raised throughout this novel that I found quite interesting. Dr. John Kendrick, the creator of these amborgs, in my opinion walked along the edge of ethical lines. In order to protect the world and the innocent people in it, how far would you go? The question is raised if, within these amborgs, is there still a human aside? The candidates for amborgs were carefully selected, but it was sad to read that they were chosen from people who didn’t have much else to lose as a human being. With extreme danger of becoming a amborg, with a high risk and death rate, was it worth it? To lose one’s humanity is a dangerous thing. Yet, one of the main themes of the story was amborg 117 and his journey to feel and empathize, proving one can never really lose their true self.
Not only do the amborgs have to deal with finding and accepting their own identity, they also are frequently fighting to protect themselves and others. New weapons were introduced that could kill these once invincible beings, changing the playing field. This introduces a new twist into the storyline, as they are now risking their lives and those of their comrades while protecting others.
This novel took a lot of creativity and preparation to be written. The concept is new and fresh and written in such a way it could be believable. While the story follows closely several characters, there are a lot of minor characters also introduced throughout the pages. I at times had a hard time telling them apart, and I think the author must have been very precise in his writing of this book.
I enjoyed the way the book was written, with several different storylines going on at one time. The reader is led through the past to better understand the future. I did, however, find the length to be a little off-putting. At over 500 pages, I think the author could have broken down the complicated storylines into several books, creating a series so to fit readers’ time expectations. In all, I found “The Human Inside” by Y.T. Cheng to be very interesting. Its premise grabbed my curiosity and did not let go until the end. I am sure all Sci-Fi lovers will find it a book worth reading!
