Blood MusicBlood Music
Score Classic
What it's about
Vergil Ulam, a brilliant, reckless researcher at a biotech company, secretly creates living cells that can think. When he's fired and told to destroy them, he injects them into his own body to smuggle them out. The cells begin to transform him, then to spread, and soon they are remaking all life in North America into something new.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula. It was one of the first great novels about nanotechnology, and it's mind-bending and eerie.
You'll love it if you liked
Darwin's Radio
The Forge of God
AnnihilationGood to know
It has body horror. The second half becomes very strange and philosophical.
By the numbers
- Readers17 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller22 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #242 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #362 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #679 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2395 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Epic
More by Greg Bear
Moving MarsThe Forge of GodDarwin's RadioIf you like this, read next
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Quick answers
Is Blood Music worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula. It ranks #2,395 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 59.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Blood Music about?
Vergil Ulam, a brilliant, reckless researcher at a biotech company, secretly creates living cells that can think. When he's fired and told to destroy them, he injects them into his own body to smuggle them out. The cells begin to transform him, then to spread, and soon they are remaking all life in North America into something new.
How long does it take to read Blood Music?
About 6 hours (232 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Blood Music?
If you liked it, try Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear, The Forge of God by Greg Bear or Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer.