I'm not sure if anyone here has read the series, so I thought I'd mention it here.

It's a mainstream SF book, published by Tor, written by one Robert J. Sawyer (a Canadian). The surprising thing is, there's a castration subplot that runs through all three books (mostly in the second and third though).

The essential storyline is that on a parallel earth, Neanderthals developed intelligence, and Homo Sapiens did not. So, while we died off ,they thrived, developing a fairly advanced society. One of the ways they helped their gene pool develop was through an unusual form of eugenics.

Essentially, anyone convicted of a violent crime, hereditary disease, or genetic defect was castrated, along with anyone posessing 50% or more of their genetic code.

What is more surprising is that in the third book, there appears to be a reference to Sherry's Geocities site. Several paragraphs, actually. Honestly, I was hoping for a reference to the EA as well, but that was probably too much.

I'd highly recommend people buy these books. While castration content is not all that high, it is unusual to see in a mainstream book put out by a big name publisher.

For reference:

The Neanderthal Parallax

- Hominids

- Humans

- Hybrids

by Robert J. Sawyer

I must say I am proud to be a Neanderthal descendant I will read them.

MacTheWolf

MacTheWolf (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 20, 2003 1:23 am I must say I am proud to be a Neanderthal descendant I will read them.

MacTheWolf

Well, I'm not all that familiar with anthropology, but I don't think you are descended from Neanderthals. If what little I"ve read is correct, they were an offshoot that may have co-existed with early man, and been replaced by our ancestors (possibly our race's first genocide). If so, nobody is descended from them. Apparently there is some evidence to support this theory.

It's still quite a good series of books, though. Sawyer is quite a good author, with more than a dozen books to his name. He's won a Nebula, and been nominated six times for a Hugo award (if you read SF, you'll be familiar with those awards.) And did I mention he's a Canadian, and a large portion of his books (at least of the ones I've read) take place at least partially in Canada?

BossTamsin (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 20, 2003 1:50 am Well, I'm not all that familiar with anthropology, but I don't think you are descended from Neanderthals. If what little I"ve read is correct, they were an offshoot that may have co-existed with early man, and been replaced by our ancestors (possibly our race's first genocide). If so, nobody is descended from them. Apparently there is some evidence to support this theory.

It's still quite a good series of books, though. Sawyer is quite a good author, with more than a dozen books to his name. He's won a Nebula, and been nominated six times for a Hugo award (if you read SF, you'll be familiar with those awards.) And did I mention he's a Canadian, and a large portion of his books (at least of the ones I've read) take place at least partially in Canada?

In reference to IE's comment: I hold two college degrees including one in anthropology/archaeology B.A. 1978 but I chose to agree with my compatriot IE in this matter. The majority of the Neanderthals died out as they were unable to compete effectively with the CroMagons.

There is a slight possibility that some Neanderthals survived which would explain the existence of certain right-wing conservative republicans within the United States government.

Mac

...

MacTheWolf (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:53 am There is a slight possibility that some Neanderthals survived which would explain the existence of certain right-wing conservative republicans within the United States government.

Mac

How true, how very true...

Go MacWolf GO

As far as I know, there is no genetic evidence that modern man is descended from any Neanderthals. Some DNA was recovered from at least one Neanderthal skeleton in Central Europe, and it showed only a small correlation between genetic markers when compared to DNA of modern man. I.e., the tests showed common ancestry, but not descent from one to the other.

Of course, there may have been isolated populations of Neanderthals with different traits and different DNA, who did interbreed with humans. A skeleton from >30,000 years ago, which apparently has features of both homo sapiens and homo neanderthalis, was found in Spain. Some researchers have speculated that hybrids of the two species could not reproduce.

MacTheWolf (imported) wrote: Thu Nov 20, 2003 11:53 am There is a slight possibility that some Neanderthals survived which would explain the existence of certain right-wing conservative republicans within the United States government.

SCORE!!!

:D

SCORE!!!

:D

Personally, I would have said that there were grounds for a libel suit. Fortunately, all of the potential litigants are no longer alive.

kb57z (imported) wrote: Sat Nov 22, 2003 10:42 am Personally, I would have said that there were grounds for a libel suit. Fortunately, all of the potential litigants are no longer alive.

I was under the impression that neanderthals were kind and gentle and caring. It seems a bit unfair to compare them to a bunch of self-righteous scumbags. This reminds me of a joke I heard on CNN after Rush Limaugh got out of the spin-dry... What's the difference between Rush and The Hindenburg? One is a flaming Nazi gasbag and the other one is a derigible.