Rating: 
Summary: Good story, scientifically not profound, rushed at the end
Review: I usually don't buy books without having read a few comments upfront. However, in this case I got intrigued by the cover, because it looked really cool (a very cheapish criterion, I know). In addition, the synopsis on the back side of the book looked interesting and promising and reminded me a bit of Ship of Fools (Richard Russo) in regards to the unknown alien species: "Ten years have passed since an unknown alien species invaded Earth. Hundreds of unmanned alien weapons platforms armed with deadly nanogens were unleashed throughout the solar system...a new weapon platform enters the solar system and is heading towards Earth...." When reading the synopsis of this book, someone might expect a story mostly concerned with this new alien weapon platform. My expectation was certainly headed in that direction. However, as it turned out, the weapon platform was just a small piece in the puzzle and the actual story was much broader and went beyond a simple 'stop-and-destroy-mission'. A vicious conspiracy manifested itself and entered the story at unexpected stages, enriched the overall plot and created a good level of suspense. For a moment I was a bit disappointed when the actual 'stop-and-destroy-mission' suddenly ended and the main character Alex returned back to earth. The book lost a bit of its momentum at that stage but quickly got back on track and rewarded the reader with a superb, almost emotional phase, when the protagonist faced problems only known to nanogen 16 and 17 infected people. In general, the characters are amazingly crafted and go far beyond the average sci-fi character development. I wouldn't say this doesn't come at any cost, because the scientific part of the story is somewhat not comprehensive and sophisticated enough. For example, at one stage in the story, cloning comes into the picture and is used to move a human being into a new body, including memories, feelings, experience, and even the personality. This whole process is very simplified and only talks about downloading someone's existence onto a hard drive and uploading it into the new body's brain. Fundamental questions, such as are we human beings only a combination of our experience/memory, therefore we can create clones of ourselves and therefore we reach immortality? The author uses this concept without looking at least into the hypothetical issues and details of cloning and mentality transfers. He simply ignores the fact that he created the concept of immortal humans with this cloning solution! Don't get a wrong idea about the story, it is definitely not a stupid cloning type of sci-fi plot! The last thing which I found disturbing is the almost prompt ending. Mackay rushes towards the end and tries to cover too many facts in not enough pages. He could have easily expanded the book by another 100 pages without creating any bored second at all. In summary, I loved the story, the rich characters and the fast pace of events happening. It is for sure one of the better sci-fi books I have read over the last couple of years!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the best science fiction discoveries of the year
Review: It is the twenty fourth century and obviously Earth is nothing like we know it. It is made up of five city-states (Hawai is succeeding) and our once great country is a shell of its former self. Ten years ago, aliens from another galaxy launched Alien Weapons Platforms (AWPs) that released nanogens sixteen and seventeen on an unsuspecting populace. Number sixteen affected the children changing their DNA so they died at the age of thirty and number seventeen melted body tissues that in order to survive survive, humans were turned into cyborgs, fighting machines that frightened the normals. Dr. Alex Denyer is a scientist who knows more about alien technology than anyone else does. His son Daryl is a sixteen and he is working frantically to find a cure for him and others that are infected. A new AWP is traveling to Earth, this one bigger and more lethal than its predecessors. Alex and his team are sent up in space to find a way to divert the weapon away from Earth. While he works on solving that problem, nanogen seventeen infects him; he becomes a cyborg, one that the government still has a use for. OMNIFIX is one of the best science fiction discoveries of the year as the plot is innovative and action packed and stars characters that readers will care about and hope they regain the humanity they lost. Alex is a true patriot who cares about curing what the aliens did to mankind. Adding to the feel of overwhelming odds is the ominously and sinisterly aliens never seen since they self terminated. Renowned mystery writer Scott Mackey proves he is an excellent science fiction author. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: One of the best science fiction discoveries of the year
Review: It is the twenty fourth century and obviously Earth is nothing like we know it. It is made up of five city-states (Hawai is succeeding) and our once great country is a shell of its former self. Ten years ago, aliens from another galaxy launched Alien Weapons Platforms (AWPs) that released nanogens sixteen and seventeen on an unsuspecting populace. Number sixteen affected the children changing their DNA so they died at the age of thirty and number seventeen melted body tissues that in order to survive survive, humans were turned into cyborgs, fighting machines that frightened the normals. Dr. Alex Denyer is a scientist who knows more about alien technology than anyone else does. His son Daryl is a sixteen and he is working frantically to find a cure for him and others that are infected. A new AWP is traveling to Earth, this one bigger and more lethal than its predecessors. Alex and his team are sent up in space to find a way to divert the weapon away from Earth. While he works on solving that problem, nanogen seventeen infects him; he becomes a cyborg, one that the government still has a use for. OMNIFIX is one of the best science fiction discoveries of the year as the plot is innovative and action packed and stars characters that readers will care about and hope they regain the humanity they lost. Alex is a true patriot who cares about curing what the aliens did to mankind. Adding to the feel of overwhelming odds is the ominously and sinisterly aliens never seen since they self terminated. Renowned mystery writer Scott Mackey proves he is an excellent science fiction author. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Good story, scientifically not profound, rushed at the end
Review: The synopsis on the backside of the book looked interesting and promising and reminded me a bit of Ship of Fools (Richard Russo) in regards to the unknown alien species: "Ten years have passed since an unknown alien species invaded Earth. Hundreds of unmanned alien weapons platforms armed with deadly nanogens were unleashed throughout the solar system...a new weapon platform enters the solar system and is heading towards Earth...." When reading the synopsis of this book, someone might expect a story mostly concerned with this new alien weapon platform. My expectation was certainly headed in that direction. However, as it turned out, the weapon platform was just a small piece in the puzzle and the actual story was much broader and went beyond a simple 'stop-and-destroy-mission'. A vicious conspiracy manifested itself and entered the story at unexpected stages, enriched the overall plot and created a good level of suspense. For a moment, I was a bit disappointed when the actual 'stop-and-destroy-mission' suddenly ended and the main character Alex returned to earth. The book lost a bit of its momentum at that stage but quickly got back on track and rewarded the reader with a superb, almost emotional phase, when the protagonist faced problems only known to nanogen 16 and 17 infected people. In general, the characters are amazingly crafted and go far beyond the average sci-fi character development. I wouldn't say this doesn't come at any cost, because the scientific part of the story is somewhat not comprehensive and sophisticated enough. For example, at one stage in the story, cloning comes into the picture and is used to move a human being into a new body, including memories, feelings, experience, and even the personality. This whole process is very simplified and only talks about downloading someone's existence onto a hard drive and uploading it into the new body's brain. Fundamental questions, such as are we human beings only a combination of our experience/memory, therefore we can create clones of ourselves and therefore we reach immortality? The author uses this concept without looking at least into the hypothetical issues and details of cloning and mentality transfers. He simply ignores the fact that he created the concept of immortal humans with this cloning solution! Do not get a wrong idea about the story; it is definitely not a stupid cloning type of sci-fi plot! The last thing which I found disturbing is the almost prompt ending. Mackay rushes towards the end and tries to cover too many facts in not enough pages. He could have easily expanded the book by another 100 pages without creating any bored second at all. In summary, I loved the story, the rich characters and the fast pace of events happening. It is for sure one of the better sci-fi books I have read over the last couple of years!
Rating:
Summary: Good story, scientifically not profound, rushed at the end
Review: The synopsis on the backside of the book looked interesting and promising and reminded me a bit of Ship of Fools (Richard Russo) in regards to the unknown alien species: ?Ten years have passed since an unknown alien species invaded Earth. Hundreds of unmanned alien weapons platforms armed with deadly nanogens were unleashed throughout the solar system...a new weapon platform enters the solar system and is heading towards Earth?.? When reading the synopsis of this book, someone might expect a story mostly concerned with this new alien weapon platform. My expectation was certainly headed in that direction. However, as it turned out, the weapon platform was just a small piece in the puzzle and the actual story was much broader and went beyond a simple ?stop-and-destroy-mission?. A vicious conspiracy manifested itself and entered the story at unexpected stages, enriched the overall plot and created a good level of suspense. For a moment, I was a bit disappointed when the actual ?stop-and-destroy-mission? suddenly ended and the main character Alex returned to earth. The book lost a bit of its momentum at that stage but quickly got back on track and rewarded the reader with a superb, almost emotional phase, when the protagonist faced problems only known to nanogen 16 and 17 infected people. In general, the characters are amazingly crafted and go far beyond the average sci-fi character development. I wouldn?t say this doesn?t come at any cost, because the scientific part of the story is somewhat not comprehensive and sophisticated enough. For example, at one stage in the story, cloning comes into the picture and is used to move a human being into a new body, including memories, feelings, experience, and even the personality. This whole process is very simplified and only talks about downloading someone?s existence onto a hard drive and uploading it into the new body?s brain. Fundamental questions, such as are we human beings only a combination of our experience/memory, therefore we can create clones of ourselves and therefore we reach immortality? The author uses this concept without looking at least into the hypothetical issues and details of cloning and mentality transfers. He simply ignores the fact that he created the concept of immortal humans with this cloning solution! Do not get a wrong idea about the story; it is definitely not a stupid cloning type of sci-fi plot! The last thing which I found disturbing is the almost prompt ending. Mackay rushes towards the end and tries to cover too many facts in not enough pages. He could have easily expanded the book by another 100 pages without creating any bored second at all. In summary, I loved the story, the rich characters and the fast pace of events happening. It is for sure one of the better sci-fi books I have read over the last couple of years!
Rating: 
Summary: Almost there
Review: This writer is a great ideas man, but his delivery does not do justice to those ideas. Having read Orbis, I had decided that Scott MacKay had great potential and resolved to give him another try. Omnifix is an improvement over Orbis. The plot twists and turns with the reader unable to get a step ahead of the writer. His characterisations are deep enough without sacrificing the fast pace of the novel. Actually, it was that fast pace that kept me reading after I realised that he had written another average novel with once again a great beginning and concept. This writer's problem lies with the way he handles prose. Reading this book you get the feeling that in a sense it is a draft, a relatively polished one but still a draft. Some parts needed expanding; some other ones editing. For example, why do we spend so much time reading about the martian trek, and yet there is little focus on the way he feels while his limbs disintegrate? Why do we end up knowing the causes behind nanogen 16 but not 17? I am not trying trash this book. This book has a lot of merit, but there are some missing ingredients: better prose, an ending that matches the grandiosity of the concept instead of an ending that falls slightly off the mark. Scott MacKay once he fixes a whole bunch of small deficiencies that unfortunately do add up to his detriment will be an author to be remembered as a master of the genre.
Rating:
Summary: Almost there
Review: This writer is a great ideas man, but his delivery does not do justice to those ideas. Having read Orbis, I had decided that Scott MacKay had great potential and resolved to give him another try. Omnifix is an improvement over Orbis. The plot twists and turns with the reader unable to get a step ahead of the writer. His characterisations are deep enough without sacrificing the fast pace of the novel. Actually, it was that fast pace that kept me reading after I realised that he had written another average novel with once again a great beginning and concept. This writer's problem lies with the way he handles prose. Reading this book you get the feeling that in a sense it is a draft, a relatively polished one but still a draft. Some parts needed expanding; some other ones editing. For example, why do we spend so much time reading about the martian trek, and yet there is little focus on the way he feels while his limbs disintegrate? Why do we end up knowing the causes behind nanogen 16 but not 17? I am not trying trash this book. This book has a lot of merit, but there are some missing ingredients: better prose, an ending that matches the grandiosity of the concept instead of an ending that falls slightly off the mark. Scott MacKay once he fixes a whole bunch of small deficiencies that unfortunately do add up to his detriment will be an author to be remembered as a master of the genre.
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