Review: Grammatically Flawed, but Brilliant Idea
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 20, 2014
“The Ancient DNA” is an interesting attempt to combine modern science fiction with mythological fantasy. It is the story of Dorian Pericles and his foray into the world of genetic engineering. The science seems pretty straightforward in terms of similar scientific ideas presented in other mediums. By using the genetic components of different species, a species embodying the main qualities of those two can be created. Author John Lambrakis helps create a realistic backdrop for his fictional science by elaborating on real scientific principles. While this helps to make some of the science more believable, the writing in these scientific examples is not always too reader-friendly.Aside from the science, there are some interesting mythological aspects of the novel. First, there is the fact that Pericles uses his newfound scientific know-how to create a Pegasus. Then, he eventually explores Atlantis. Some of the details regarding Atlantis are particularly interesting. Since the author himself is from Greece, he is able to describe the Grecian settings (even the mythological ones) fairly well. As with the science, this is unfortunately not always reader-friendly. This is not due to overly detailed explanations, but rather due to the writing itself.Lambrakis seems to have some difficulties with maintaining a writing style that is easy to take in and understand. Usually, the basic message can be ascertained. Still, certain parts of his novel will take longer to read than others due simply to grammar issues that can make the overall process difficult. This is especially a shame because the story Lambrakis has written is worthy of solid writing. Were the grammar errors fixed and some of the writing tidied up a bit, this story of genetic engineering and mythological exploration would be greatly worthy of reexamination.