What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I read this book quite some time ago. I feel like it takes place in an isolated colony where these clones are living, with very specific diets, go through testing, etc. when some find out they are clones being kept alive and healthy for rich people who may need an organ donation in the future. A few escape and are on the run - through the desert maybe? Help???

Are you thinking of the 2005 movie The Island? I don't think it came from a book, though.

You know what, you are right. I could have sworn this came from a book though. Bummer - thanks for your help!!

Larry Niven's A Gift from Earth had an organ donor society setup on an isolated colony. They aren't clones though, but any criminals, no matter how small the crime, are killed and their organs harvested.

Also similar to The Experiment by John Darnton.

Amanda wrote: "Larry Niven's A Gift from Earth had an organ donor society setup on an isolated colony. They aren't clones though, but any criminals, no matter how small the crime, are killed and their organs harv..."

That sounds a lot like his story "The Jigsaw Man" from Dangerous Visions. Did he expand from it?

Never Let Me Go maybe?

I think it's The House of the Scorpion- can't remember the author

The House of the Scorpion

Scott wrote: "That sounds a lot like his story "The Jigsaw Man" from Dangerous Visions. Did he expand from it? "

There is an afterword of "The Jigsaw Man" out there that has the following comment: On Christmas Day 1965, Harlan told me he was collecting material for an anthology. I was halfway through a novel dealing with the organ bank problem on one of Earth's interstellar colonies (almost finished), and I took time out to demonstrate how the problem may affect Earth.

So looks like it was the other way around, actually.

I would say Never let me go as well, it centers on two girls and boy with love-triangle themes

Another vote for Never Let Me Go, and the horrid movie they made from it. Had it not been clones, I would have suggested Unwound by Neal Shulsterman

I vote for Never Let Me Go either, but they don't really escape nor is there a dessert so I'm not 100% sure.

Jenn wrote: "I read this book quite some time ago. I feel like it takes place in an isolated colony where these clones are living, with very specific diets, go through testing, etc. when some find out they are ..."

Maybe Spares by Michael Marshall Smith? Although primary focus is on the guy who discovers what's happening rather than the clones

Jenn wrote: "You know what, you are right. I could have sworn this came from a book though. Bummer - thanks for your help!!"

Solved then?

Kaitlyn wrote: "I think it's The House of the Scorpion- can't remember the author"

That's the book that immediately sprang to mind for me as well!

Kaion wrote: "Jenn wrote: "You know what, you are right. I could have sworn this came from a book though. Bummer - thanks for your help!!"

Solved then?"

We'll have to wait on the OP but I really think the OP should check out The Experiment by John Darnton. In IMDB, people have complained the 2005 movie The Island was a rip off of The Experiment.

Hi Jenn! Were any of these your book, or do you still think it was the 2005 movie The Island?

I think it could be Never Let Me Go, too, as I remember seeing the 2005 movie & thought the way your question was worded sounded familiar; they are clones (one of the girls thinks she sees herself one day) & most of the clones who are operated on don't survive the procedure. Does that sound familiar to you?

It was the movie.

SOLVED! 8D

Or not. When you say it was the movie, do you mean the 2005 movie The Island or the 2010 movie Never Let Me Go?

The Island

Okay, definitely solved. Thanks, Jenn!

Thanks everyone for the help!

I put this in Other-Solved for now, do mods remember if there is a place where we put book queries that end up being movies? Do we put them in Just to Chat?

(Just to be clear, please do not create movie threads intentionally since this is a book group.)

I think "Other-SOLVED" is the folder we've been using.

Jenn wrote: "I read this book quite some time ago. I feel like it takes place in an isolated colony where these clones are living, with very specific diets, go through testing, etc. when some find out they are ..."

This is definitely Harvest, by Michael Marshall Smith. They based The Island off of it, I'm not sure about Never Let Go. He's this washed up military guy realizing he's raising clones in a deep cave for their rich counterparts. Unlike Island that has them in this weird spa paradise until they are needed, in Harvest it's like their raising veal... and he starts humanizing them by treating them a little better. Hard to find his books in print, but I love every one of them I've gotten my hands on. He wrote One Of Us, and to this day it's one of my favorite science fiction books.