In its subjects and themes, Richard Powers’ most recent novel is both timely and timeless. The novel’s main character is Peter Els, a seventy-year-old retired professor of music who becomes a target of Homeland Security after firefighters whom he calls to his home to resuscitate his dog, which has suffered a heart attack, focus instead on a makeshift laboratory in his home. Suspicious about the purpose of the laboratory, the first responders notify Homeland Security, which decides to conduct a raid on his home. Peter, however, avoids detention and abruptly becomes a notorious fugitive—a cable-news sensation referred to as “Biohacker Bach”. Despite all of the media attention, he somehow manages to remain one step ahead of his pursuers, relying on the assistance of a variety of…
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Citation: Kich, Martin. "Orfeo". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 18 March 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=41551, accessed 31 October 2024.]
