This story has all the elements of a Michael Crichton bio-thriller but in Powers' hands the material doesn't feel recycled. Spielberg said Crichton reserved his "flamboyant side for his novels" - I don't think I've seen a flamboyant side in Powers work yet? Yet, Genie is The Hollow Men's "not with a bang but with a whimper" turned on its head . Flamboyant ? Maybe not, but here life will out ! ( )

This Kindle single is about the length of a short story. Anca, a cellular biologist, is visiting Yellowstone with her boyfriend, a rule-abiding statistician, when she steals some ancient bacteria. This act of defiance drives a wedge between them. But as she begins to uncover a stunning discovery, she needs his mind and his support. This was an interesting story, but I wished there had been deeper character development. ( )