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The Seventh Son

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The Seventh Son

By: Sebastian Faulks
Narrated by: Miranda Raison
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

A CHILD WILL BE BORN WHO WILL CHANGE EVRYTHING

When a young American academic Talissa Adam offers to carry another woman's child, she has no idea of the life-changing consequences.

Behind the doors of the Parn Institute, a billionaire entrepreneur plans to stretch the boundaries of ethics as never before. Through a series of IVF treatments, which they hope to keep secret, they propose an experiment that will upend the human race as we know it.

Seth, the baby, is delivered to hopeful parents Mary and Alaric, but when his differences start to mark him out from his peers, he begins to attract unwanted attention.

The Seventh Son is a spectacular examination of what it is to be human. It asks the question: just because you can do something, does it mean you should? Sweeping between New York, London, and the Scottish Highlands, this is an extraordinary novel about unrequited love and unearned power.

Praise for Sebastian Faulks:
'Faulks writes with great emotional authority' SUNDAY TIMES
'Faulks is a prodigiously talented writer' NEW YORK TIMES
'The best novelist of his generation' SCOTSMAN
'Faulks is beyond doubt a master' FINANCIAL TIMES

©2023 Sebastian Faulks (P)2023 Penguin Audio

 Fiction Genetic Engineering Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Science Fiction Highlander

Critic Reviews

This is a genuinely thought-provoking piece of fiction. You could devour it in a day and be wholly transported into the near future, then set it back down, dazed but enlightened, in the present day where you will see the world anew in all its wonders and frailties
A stunning novel: profoundly moving, deeply unsettling, thought-provoking and prescient but also a wonderful and life-affirming love story too (James Holland)
Once I had started I literally could not stop. It really is his greatest novel yet, and of course beautifully written in that wonderful, understated style (Antony Beevor)
Faulks is one of the most original and compelling writers in the world. This enthralling novel is right up there among his very finest work (Peter James)
A completely fascinating and extraordinary novel. A profound and moving examination of our complex human nature (William Boyd)
A beautifully written novel. On the one hand you have love, kindness, responsibility; on the other monstrous arrogance and indifference to consequences
Brilliant, original and unputdownable. An absolute cracker (Peter Frankopan)
Brilliant (Matthew Parker)
This elegant near-future novel about a daring scientific experiment explores the evolution of consciousness… Faulks is an enviably graceful and economical writer. The early chapters of the book rip along with clarity and elegance. He conjures up the various worlds, brings the central characters vividly to life and keeps the story moving intriguingly forward
A high-concept page-turner… Pitched somewhere between Michael Crichton and Ian McEwan, it’s a timely meditation on the whims of rich tycoon
All stars
Most relevant
Engaging build up to the story line, believable and superbly executed by this master of fiction 👍🏼

Unique plot to the story

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I love this author. Birdsong rates among my favourite books ever.
This story made me feel uneasy. I couldn’t listen to it in one go & had to take breaks. The subject matter is challenging & also very unique. Ultimately I enjoyed the story very much & felt better educated on its conclusion. The performance is excellent - as I’ve come to expect from Audible.

Unique and challenging

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Good characterisation let down by questionable plot execution. Illogical/unbelievable in parts. “Why would the characters do that?”, was a question that frequently came to mind.

Hit and miss

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Enjoyed sympathetic view of our human condition, loving parenting, the amoral ferocity of (some) journalists.

Fascinating Review of Effects of Genetic Engineering

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.