Otzi's Curse is a science fiction novel written by Mary June. Adam Barfield had been on the final day of his sabbatical in the Otztal Alps in Italy and was finishing up a seventeen-mile hike that had been a bit over ambitious when a broadcast over his shortwave receiver grabbed his attention. The Hauslabjoch, which was not that far from where he was right then, was the site of a monumental discovery: a frozen corpse holding an axe and thought to be at least 150 years old had been discovered in near perfect condition. Excitement proved to be the antidote for his exhaustion, and he quickly made his way over to the area in the hopes of seeing the specimen while it was still at the site. It was nearly dark when he got there, and the site was deserted. The Iceman was resting in icy water that had not yet refrozen. Adam's training as a neuroscientist made him contemplate a momentous, invasive and not terribly ethical act, and somehow he was unable to resist following through on that impulse.

Mary June's science fiction novel, Otzi's Curse, is a fascinating and plausible tale about a young man with a most amazing genetic background and the remote professor father who alone knows the secret of his son's lineage. I enjoyed watching as the Iceman's son grows up in the modern world even as I cringed along with Gene, as he dealt with a father who kept him at arm's length and treated him like a laboratory animal. Otzi's Curse give the reader a lot to think about. There's the ethics of what Adam does balanced against the incredible opportunity to bring to life hominid genes from the past. June's plot is well-developed, and her characters are intriguingly flawed and all-too-human, even the most marvelous Gene, whose coming of age is beautifully merged into this tale of science fiction and fantasy. Otzi's Curse is highly recommended.

Dr. Adam Barfield always wanted to be great. His chance came in the form of a mummified ice corpse in the Italian Alps. The locals refer to this iceman as Otzi, a combination of ‘Otztal’ and ‘yeti.’ Adam stole Otzi’s sperm and created a child to raise as his own, all for the sake of science and greatness. He has been able to keep the lies secret until his son, Gene, had to test his DNA for school. How will Adam keep his elaborate web of deceit from unraveling. What is Otzi's curse and will Adam succumb to it. Read all in Otzi's Curse by Mary June.

Otzi's Curse by Mary June is a marvelous story with a very original concept. It was thrilling and a page turner from the very beginning until the end. It was tragic and sad, but still an amazing, hopeful story. The writing in this book was also impressive; it flowed smoothly and will take readers into the scenes and setting of the story. I know that the world probably thinks what Adam did is dishonest, but I can’t help but be supportive of him and I rooted for him all the way to the end. I always thought that his objective was pure. Adam’s character was both vexatious and pleasing; I think for most of the book he was just misunderstood. The ending was inevitable, considering the curse. Overall, a well-deserved five star read.

Otzi's Curse, a new release in the genre of science fiction by author Mary June, is a story that readers won't soon forget. Truly unique in its story line, this book is one that I was engrossed in as soon as I started reading. Protagonist Adam Barfield leaves his job as a neuroscientist for a nine-month sabbatical in the Italian Alps. When he comes back with a baby boy, his colleagues are astounded. Adam, who has Asperger's, has never had a friend, and his focus has always been on his work. Now with a baby, and a new serum that could have a profound impact on medicine and health, all are wondering just what went on during his sabbatical. And Adam's secrets go much deeper than just these things. In fact, his greatest secret is one he knows he must keep. What is it? You'll need to read this book to find out.

I so enjoyed Otzi's Curse. What a story author Mary June has provided to her readers in this great novel. Readers will find themselves deeply drawn into this dark and twisting tale, and will have a hard time putting the book down once they start it. In fact, the only piece of advice I have for readers who enjoy science fiction, besides being sure that they read this book, would be to set aside enough time to read it all at once! I can confidently give this book my highest recommendation and sincerely hope that author Mary June is already at work on her next novel. I, for one, will definitely be watching for it!

Wow! Just, wow! That's exactly what I thought when I finished reading Otzi's Curse by debut author Mary June. This story was one that grabbed me from the very start and kept me obsessively reading throughout. Follow the story of lead character Adam Barfield, a neuroscientist with progressive Asperger's syndrome. He has no friends, no children, and that seems to be the way he likes it. But when Adam goes on a sabbatical to the Italian Alps, hoping for quiet, he ends up with much more than he could have ever imagined. And when he comes back to work after nine months with a baby son, as well as an immune serum that could likely change all aspects of medicine for the better, no one is quite sure what is going on. Only Adam knows, and he also knows that he must keep his secret at all costs.

I loved Otzi's Curse. Loved. It. How's that for a review? Well, it's truly how I felt about this book. Author Mary June has done a simply spectacular job in creating characters that her readers will be very intrigued by, and will even come to care about, thinking about them long after the last page is read. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. This book is a fantastic piece of science fiction, but beyond that genre, is a great work of general fiction as well. I highly recommend this book, and I certainly hope to see more from the very promising author, Mary June, in the near future. If it's anything like Otzi's Curse, it's sure to be worth a read.