Bios

by Robert Charles Wilson
Bios cover
Good Books rating 3.5
Science Fiction (Sci-Fi)
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  • ID: 8288
  • Added: 2025-12-21
  • Updated: 2025-12-21
  • ISBN: 9780575117471
  • Publisher: Hachette UK
  • Published: 2012-08-06
  • Reviews: 3

Set in the 22nd century, Bios follows Zoe Fisher, a woman born and bred for exploration. Cloned and genetically modified, she is sent to Isis, a planet teeming with life but deadly to humans. Zoe's mission is to uncover the planet's mysteries, but she soon realizes that there are secrets within her own DNA that she never suspected. /n/n As Zoe delves deeper into Isis, she discovers revelations that challenge our understanding of life in the universe. The planet holds more than just toxic flora and fauna; it holds the key to a new era of human knowledge and evolution. Zoe's journey is not just about exploration but also about self-discovery and the true meaning of life.

Reviews
Challenging Destiny · 2025-12-21
positive 4.00

This review contains extensive spoilers, revealing and discussing the ending of Bios. The tension never lets up and the ending is surprising but, in retrospect, inevitable. The novel is a remarkable tale which is hard to put down.

Challenging Destiny provides a detailed and spoiler-filled review of Bios, emphasizing the novel's ability to maintain tension throughout. They find the ending surprising yet inevitable, making it a satisfying conclusion. The reviewer praises the book's remarkable tale, which is hard to put down, indicating a high level of engagement. They appreciate Wilson's ability to weave a compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked until the very end. This review is particularly useful for those who don't mind spoilers and want a thorough analysis of the book's plot.

Quick quotes

    The tension never lets up and the ending is surprising but, in retrospect, inevitable

    a remarkable tale which is hard to put down

    a high level of engagement

Infinity Plus · 2025-12-21
mixed 3.00

Bios is an interesting and, at times, thrilling and moving piece of writing, but it also comes as close as Wilson ever does to disappointing. The novel is a mix of engaging and letdown, with moments of brilliance overshadowed by some underwhelming aspects.

Infinity Plus offers a nuanced take on Bios, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. They appreciate the novel's thrilling and moving moments, which showcase Wilson's storytelling prowess. However, they also note that Bios comes close to being disappointing, with some aspects falling short of expectations. The reviewer acknowledges that the book is engaging but feels it could have been even more impactful with stronger execution in certain areas. Overall, it's a mixed but intriguing read.

Quick quotes

    Bios is an interesting and, at times, thrilling and moving piece of writing

    it also comes as close as Wilson ever does to disappointing

    a mix of engaging and letdown, with moments of brilliance

Maa Ja Wentz Blog · 2009-08-24
mixed 3.50

Robert Charles Wilson is a wonderful writer. His story is deft and I like the way he hints at a greater political universe, while the characters mostly aren't very well drawn or very interesting. The mysteries and conspiracies weren't very impressive either.

Maa Ja Wentz Blog offers a mixed review of Bios, highlighting Wilson's strengths as a writer while also pointing out some weaknesses. They appreciate Wilson's deft storytelling and his ability to hint at a greater political universe, which adds depth to the narrative. However, they find the characters to be not very well drawn or interesting, and the mysteries and conspiracies to be underwhelming. Despite these criticisms, the reviewer acknowledges Wilson's talent and finds the book to be a worthwhile read, albeit with some flaws.

Quick quotes

    Robert Charles Wilson is a wonderful writer

    His story is deft and I like the way he hints at a greater political universe

    the characters mostly aren't very well drawn or very interesting

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