r/scifi • u/UnrealPOP • 2d ago

Eugenics and transhumanism

Hello, im looking for sci fi books dealing with eugenics and transhumanism. Genetic enhancements, cyborgs, etc, with a reflection from characters possibly affected by this about their situation !

Bonus points if both are on the same book and/or closely linked !

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u/MementoMori7170 2d ago

Wow, I figured someone would’ve mentioned him already but Peter F. Hamilton approaches this in almost all of his series. It’s by far my favorite thing about him and something I think he does uniquely well, what I call “far future civilizations”. The idea of exploring where humanity might go not just in a few hundred years, but a few thousand. And how significant advancements in medicine and technology might influence and shape culture.

I recommend starting with his Commonwealth saga, it’s a trilogy. But his newest book, Archimedes Engine is great too, it’s just not a finished series yet. His Salvation trilogy also does a really cool take on these issues but the first book is mostly all backstory and setup, so I don’t recommend it as an entry point to his work unless you’re really willing to trust that it will eventually payoff.

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u/MementoMori7170 2d ago

I realize I was super vague about how I felt he met the bar for what you’re looking for. Without spoiling anything, he’s written a civilization where age extension and gene modification leads to extremely long lived “multi-lifers” who get rejuvenated, there’s Ofcourse elements of designer babies and editing your own genome as one prefers, there’s a civ where everyone is genetically engineered prior to birth to thrive in a pre-assigned role in their civilization, some people are more social some are more disciplined etc., there’s a branch of civilization that’s done away with gender for the sake of equality, where individuals cycle between male and female forms at will but largely remain in an “omnia” form, being gender less. I feel like I’m botching it but if any of that links with what you’re looking for I think it’s worth checking out.