Human Error — Paul Preuss

"[W]onderful, enlightened, and convincing beyond any reasonable expectations of what a science fiction novel should be." -- Greg Bear


Compugen has become a giant player in the tech field overnight by making genetically altered viruses into "biochips" that are replacing silicon chips as the brains of computers.


Toby Bridgeman and Adrian Storey are an odd-couple of scientists -- Toby, the programmer, and Adrian, the sloppy genius and genetic artist, have formed an enduring friendship and produced Epicell, a biochip so powerful that it will make all others on the market obsolete and save Compugen from financial disaster -- if it can be rushed out fast enough.


But Epicell, elemental living virus, is so awesome in its capabilities that tests have not yet established any limits to its multiplication or its computing sophistication. Adrian wants more testing -- he believes that Epicell is potentially dangerous. Instead, it is rushed to market to save the failing company.


Then those in contact with Epicell begin to come down with bad colds -- the virus has spread outside computers, living and growing in the human body. Adrian, and perhaps the human race, are doomed unless Toby can reprogram the Epicell inside Adrian -- and inside himself.