Lydia Kautz: The Genius Plague falls short in characterization, makes up for it in plot
Jul. 6—There is a type of fungus that can take over an ant's brain.
It infects carpenter ants, effectively hijacks their central nervous systems and then forces the ant to do things it would not normally do in order to help the fungus spread. Usually, this means having its ant host climb to a place where a bird can reach it and eat it, thus transporting the fungus elsewhere and helping it spread.
It's a real-life example of mind-control — the article in the Atlantic from which I'm pulling this information refers to it as a "zombie fungus" — and it's honestly kind of terrifying.
This fungus is at the center of the premise of "the Genius Plague" by David Walton (2017).
But in this science fiction novel, the fungus doesn't infect ants — it goes after humans.
The fungus doesn't seem dangerous at first. In fact, it seems downright useful. People who have been infected with the fungus don't seem like zombies at all. They gain a heightened intelligence. But the fungus has its own agenda — insofar as a mushroom can — and this intelligence comes at a price.
The story pits the main character against his brother — a mycologist infected by the fungus during a trip to the Amazon. It raises all kinds of questions — such as whether it would be better to live with the fungus and gain heightened function or if it's preferable to retain your free will, for example.
There is no evidence such a fungus exists — one that can control humans, that is. An ant's mind is much different and less complex than a human's, so it's safe to say this story is still in the realm of pure fiction and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
But it's an interesting idea and one I was sad to see damaged by a really annoying protagonist.
Neil Johns is a genius. The son of a former NSA employee, Neil is a genius who cracks complicated codes by hand and can't stop getting himself into trouble.
He was expelled from multiple colleges effectively because he's just too smart. In one case, he committed the cardinal sin of figuring out that a college employee was embezzling funds. He did this by cracking into the school's computer system after seeing evidence on someone's desk — numbers that just didn't add up.
Through the whole book Neil just grated on me.
The worst part — for me — was when he backed over tire spikes after a job interview at the NSA. After the interview, he realizes he's forgotten to return his visitor's badge, so he backs his vehicle through the gate he's just left — the heavily-guarded gate of a major government agency — destroying his tires and getting a bunch of guns pulled on him in the process.
He's a very nice, responsible guy who no one seems to understand and who just can't catch a break, except for when he does.
My problem with him is that he's too perfect and the author keeps trying to convince you that he's not perfect at all by having him do really stupid things. But he's doing those stupid things because he's just such a great person — because he's too perfect. Perfection is not a valid character flaw and acting as though it is can ruin an otherwise perfectly good character arc.
In this case, it really took away from an otherwise decent piece of science fiction.
The story itself is good. While I don't like the main character a lot, I can't disrecommend the Genius Plague solely on Neil's basis.
It's a good story set back by poor characterization and while Neil is not my favorite protagonist in the history of protagonists, the story itself is still worth the read.
There's nothing much wrong with the plot and I still maintain the idea itself is a really good one.
LYDIA KAUTZ is the Managing Editor of the Junction City Union.
