ANCESTOR
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© Copyright 2023 Scott Sigler
Description
Every five minutes, a transplant candidate dies while waiting for a compatible heart, liver, or kidney. Imagine a technology that could provide those life-saving transplant organs for a high price, and imagine what a company would do to monopolize that technology.
On a remote island in Lake Superior, a team of geneticists has unlocked this holy grail of medicine. By reverse-engineering thousands of genomes, they dial back the evolutionary clock to re-create the progenitor of all mammals. The method? Illegal. The result? An AI-designed animal whose organs can be safely transplanted into any person.
There's just one problem: these "ancestors" are not the docile herd animals the scientists envisioned. Instead, the project spawns something big, something evil … something very, very hungry.
As creators become prey in an ultimate battle for survival, the research team must fight for their lives — even while government agents close in to shut the project down, and the deep-pocketed company backing this research reveals its own cold-blooded agenda.
ANCESTOR is a complete, serialized fiction podcast by Number One New York Times bestselling novelist Scott Sigler, with all episodes available -- binge the entire story now in your favorite podcast app. Or for print, eBook, and ad-free audiobook versions of the tale, visit scottsigler.com/ancestor.
PRAISE FOR ANCESTOR
"This story sizzles with tension. Danger and drama mix with cutting-edge science to produce a top-notch, action-packed adventure. If you think Scott Sigler just writes horror, you're dead wrong. This guy is one heck of a thriller writer."
Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of THE PARIS VENDETTA and THE CHARLEMAGNE PURSUIT
"Michael Crichton may be gone, but he has a worthy successor in Scott. This book takes thriller and science fiction conventions and slams them together to make something new and fascinating."
Simon R. Green, New York Times bestselling author of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNCANNY and AGENTS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS
"Sigler has a unique talent for keeping readers on the edge of their seats; I absolutely had to know what was going to happen next. Infected is full of mayhem, action, and gore -- and you won’t be able to put it down."
Dave Wellington, author of 13 BULLETS and the MONSTER ISLAND trilogy
"Fun, creepy, and impossible to stop reading, Ancestor is the rare thriller that's based on cutting-edge science and is entirely possible. Long after you're done with the book, you'll still be looking over your shoulder. Just in case.”
Phil Plait, PhD, author of DEATH FROM THE SKIES and UNDER ALIEN SKIES
CREDITS:
- Presented by Empty Set Entertainment
- Written and narrated by Scott Sigler
- Audio engineering by Steve Riekeberg (SteveRiekeberg.com)
- Podcast production assistance by Allie Press and Evo Terra of Simpler Media Productions (Simpler.media)
- For more audio fiction from Scott Sigler, please visit ScottSigler.com
41 Episodes
Reverse
"The ancestors are out there… you have to believe me."
Acclaimed author Scott Sigler, the New York Times bestselling creator of Infected and Contagious, offers a chilling tale of what can happen when hubris, greed, and madness drive scientific experimentation past the brink of reason.
Every five minutes, a transplant candidate dies while waiting for a compatible heart, a liver, a kidney. Imagine a technology that could provide those life-saving transplant organs for a nominal fee … and imagine what a company would do to monopolize that technology.
On a remote island in the Canadian Arctic, PJ Colding leads a group of geneticists who have discovered this holy grail of medicine. By reverse-engineering thousands of animal genomes, Colding's team has dialed back the evolutionary clock and re-created the progenitor of all mammals. The method? Illegal. The result? A computer-engineered living creature, an animal whose organs can be implanted in any person, with no chance of transplant rejection.
There's just one problem: these ancestors are not the docile herd animals that Colding's team envisioned. Instead, the work has given birth to something big, something evil … something very, very hungry.
As creators become prey in an ultimate battle for survival, Colding and the woman he loves must fight to survive — even as government agents close in to shut the project down, and the deep-pocketed company backing this research reveals its own cold-blooded agenda.
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Welcome to the mind of brilliant Chinese geneticist Liu Jian Dan. It's a bit disturbing here.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Production Assistance by Allie Press
Copyright 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
Mentioned in this episode:
ANCESTOR Intro
ANCESTOR Outro
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1Galina Porischova has a clandestine meeting with Paul Fischer. She wants to blow the whistle on Genada's research. We begin to see exactly how far Genada is willing to go to protect their profits.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Production Assistance by Allie Press
Copyright 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
Mentioned in this episode:
ANCESTOR Intro
ANCESTOR Outro
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President Gutierrez wants Murray Longworth to take charge of a new government agency specially designed to handle "Special Threats." However, Murray has some conditions that he needs to have met before he will accept the post.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Production Assistance by Allie Press
Copyright 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
Mentioned in this episode:
ANCESTOR Outro
ANCESTOR Intro
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Paul Fischer travels to Greenland to prevent a potential pandemic from escaping the Novozyme xenotransplantation research facility.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
Mentioned in this episode:
ANCESTOR Intro
ANCESTOR Outro
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Dr. Liu Jian Dan has serious mental problems. PJ Colding must reassure and calm both her and Dante Paglione, albeit in totally different ways.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Andy "The Asshole" Crosthwaite lives up to his pseudonym. Claus Rhumkorrf, Erika Hoel, Jian, and Tim Feely perform an immune response test. Bobby Valentine flies in more mammalian genome samples to Baffin Island.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Farm Girl apprises the Pagliones that Paul Fischer will be coming to shut Genada down soon. Dante convinces Magnus that he can sell their xenotransplantation concept to multiple investors, enabling Genada to continue their research. Magnus calls Sara Purinam and tells her to get her flight crew ready. Erika Hoel is in emotional turmoil after falling in love with multiple co-workers.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Magnus Paglione's office is filled with personal items which give clues to his inner self. Tim is fed up with Rhumkorrf treating him like an idiot so he blows off some steam. Dante Paglione succeeds in refinancing Genada's efforts for the time being.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Fischer's mole is commanded to destroy all of the project's data, the base's communication ability, and any means of transportation. Jian has an epiphany right as the saboteur begins their mission. Gunther is convinced he's going to be the next Stephanie Meyers. He calls Brady when he can't get the remote systems to function properly.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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The saboteur wreaks havoc on Baffin Island. The first fatality occurs.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Dr. Liu Jian Dan is the only thing standing in the way of the spy completing their mission. Can PJ get there in time to save her? Magnus arrives on the C-5 with Sara and her crew. PJ gets a rather chilly reception from her.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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The C-5 heads for Black Manitou Island. Fischer and company close the noose around Baffin Island. Sara's usage of a pet nickname for PJ gives a glimpse into their rocky history.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Jian's sanity begins to slip as they fly away from Baffin Island. Sara deals with a potential mutiny from her crew. Sara is overwhelmed when Jian explains how the God Machine works. The team defeats the immune response test. Rhumkorrf feels like an idiot when Jian shares the nature of her revelation.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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The C-5 lands in the middle of Lake Superior on Black Manitou Island. The team meets the Detweilers, the Harveys, and Sven Ballantine. Sara makes a great impression. PJ does not.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Dante finally begins to realize exactly what Magnus is capable of. PJ sizes up Gary Detweiler. The Harveys give Tim a tour of the mansion. Clayton shows PJ and Sara into the security room, where they discover how many weapons and munitions Magnus has stockpiled.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Jian, Claus, and Tim successfully implant blastocysts in all fifty cows. Jian tries to play matchmaker for Colding. Sara makes it crystal clear that she has zero interest in Andy's "gun." Jian's coding for accelerated development appears to be working brilliantly. The ancestors are growing more than fourteen times as quickly as a human fetus would. Clayton and Sara continue to bond. Clayton introduces Colding to Sven's cattle rustler, Mookie.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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The team gets to view their first ultrasound of what they've implanted. Dante's manuever continues to vex Fischer and Longworth. We find out exactly how *much* of an asshole Andy is. Sara and Peej have a heart-to-heart.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Magnus gets some important information from Farm Girl. Colding informs Dante of the team's success. Rhumkorff has to do an ultrasound after one of the fetuses mysteriously vanishes from Cow Sixteen. Everyone is startled by his shocking discovery.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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Rhumkorff performs an autopsy on the fetus from Cow Sixteen in an attempt to explain its odd behavior. Tim discovers that the Ancestors are growing much faster than Jian projected they would. Fischer finally receives the information from Russia regarding Galina. This helps him develop an innovative strategy to bypass Farm Girl. Colding & Sara share some quality time on the beach. Dante berates Colding for allowing Rhumkorff to perform multiple autopsies. Sara & Jian begin naming the herd.
Written and performed by Scott Sigler
Produced by Random House Audio
Production Assistance by Arioch Morningstar and Allie Press
Copyright 2010, 2023 by Empty Set Entertainment
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We've become spoilt by full cast productions with effects. This is one man reading his own novel, an audiobook. I found it to be slow, with inexplicable leaps from one scene to the next. Give it a try, make up your own mind, after all we don't all like the same things.