The Midnight Project by Christy Climenhage

A Clever Pre-Apocalyptic Cli-fi with a Side of Hope

I was eager to read this book and when I received my review copy, I read Julie E. Czerneda’s blurb:

“… the author draws us into the journey of two isolated scientists who, charged with designing a new kind of human, discover the best of humanity in themselves and their creations.”

Kind and accurate words of praise.

The Midnight Project has since been featured on John Scalzi’s The Big Idea and Mary Robinette Kowal’s My Favorite Bit (among of a slew of other interviews, reviews, and articles – see the publisher’s page, linked below). Check those out for some insight into what Climenhage wanted to accomplish with her novel. I’ll do my best to avoid redundancy in my review.

Raina and Cedric are disgraced genetic engineers who struggle to make a living running a bespoke reproduction assistance clinic called Re-Gene-ration in Long Harbour, Labrador. Why disgraced? They failed to ensure their last contract included a clause to prevent the misuse of their gene editing method. The company they worked for used their gene editing technique to produce insect-resistant crops … that instigated a bee die-off (remind you of a current eco-crisis?). When bees and other beneficial pollinators began to die, the company blamed Raina and Cedric, fired them, and bound them with non-disclosure agreements so they couldn’t defend themselves. Because, of course, that would clearly lay the blame at the feet of the company.

As more and more species go extinct, climate change threatens coastal cities, and gangs of hoppers—rogue genetic modification attempts gone horribly wrong and then escaped into an unsuspecting world—hunt humans, Raina and Cedric are barely getting by.

Enter billionaire Burton Sykes, who says he wants them to create a viable—and more importantly ethical, even noble—human hybrid capable of riding out the coming global destruction in the depths of the ocean. While they are savvier in their contract negotiations this time, and the money Sykes gives them allows them to set up the lab of their dreams, Raina and Cedric see signs that history may be repeating itself.

When the Ceph—the human-cephalopod hybrid Raina and Cedric engineer—learn how to speak and show signs of developing a culture and society, Dr. Sage Winters, an anthro-biologist hired by Sykes, arrives to assess the relative level of Ceph society and how best to encourage their development. Initially enthusiastic, Winters later accuses Raina and Cedric of treating the Ceph like pets, or experiments, which Cedric readily agrees to, but Raina denies. As she leaves, Winters encourages them to relocate to Sykes’ isolated enclave. Both geneticists refuse, wanting to remain independent.

During a second visit from both Winters and Sykes, the offer to move to the enclave is made and refused again. Sykes is more adamant, but Winters is almost manic.

Then, a space arc and its Earth-bound headquarters are attacked. Though no one takes responsibility, Raina sees a bioluminescent swirl on the skin of one of the soldiers. That swirl is her signature in their gene editing process. Though their contract prohibits the weaponization of their gene editing technique, they can’t do anything to prevent its theft and reverse engineering. Too late, Raina and Cedric realize that Sykes and Winters stole some Ceph serum during their last visit and used it to create supersoldiers.

With a massive hurricane bearing down, the Genome Regulatory Authority closing in, and Sykes suddenly incommunicado, Raina and Cedric must act quickly to save themselves and the Ceph they’ve come to love.

You may notice that I haven’t revealed much about the Ceph in the above summary, and that was a conscious decision. The Ceph are the most fascinating characters in The Midnight Project, and I want you to read the book so you can meet Coralie, River, Finn, Delmar, Bubbles, and the rest of the Ceph for yourselves. Coralie even has her own POV chapters, which was smart on Climenhage’s part, because the Ceph are decidedly not mere pets or experiments.

It's the characters and their relationships that make The Midnight Project such a compelling read. Raina’s is the main point of view character. She’s an ambitious, if naïve, scientist who feels the inequity of her situation and not a little desperation because the end of the world is nigh. She leaps at the chance offered by Sykes and hopes to grab her 15 minutes of fame before the sun sets on humanity, but she’s also the person who bonds with the Ceph and arguably sacrifices the most to ensure their survival. She could easily have been written in the vein of Victor Frankenstein. Perhaps the difference between the two scientists is Climenhage’s commentary on the classic speculative novel. The existence of the hoppers, the ethical failings of other genetic engineers, argue for that interpretation.

Raina’s friend and fellow geneticist Cedric is depressed, anxious, and jaded. Raina must cajole—and then drag—him into participating in The Midnight Project. His caution, fear—of Sykes and his motivation, the contract, the work itself, the hoppers, the Ceph, Winters, the enclave, the hurricane, in short everything—and rooftop greenhouse play a large role in keeping them, their team, and the Ceph alive as the world falls apart around them. His POV is presented in the form of scripts from his personal vlog and provide pleasant interstices in the text.

Coralie is the beating heart of the novel, though her sections are brief and few. Her insights into her creators are keen and largely objective. Coralie and the other Ceph prove to be better scientists than Raina and Cedric and learn from the humans’ mistakes. In the end, it’s Raina who learns from the Ceph. They give her—and us—hope.

A well-written, thought-provoking, and timely novel that speculates on the shape of the coming climate catastrophe.

---

About the Author

Christy Climenhage was born in southern Ontario, Canada, and currently lives in a forest north of Ottawa. In between, she has lived on four continents. She holds a PhD from Cambridge University in Political and Social Sciences, and Masters’ degrees from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University (International Political Economy) and the College of Europe (European Politics and Administration). She loves writing science fiction that pushes the boundaries of our current society, politics, and technology. When she is not writing, you can find her walking her dogs, hiking or cross-country skiing.

About the Reviewer

Melanie Marttila (she/her) is an #ActuallyAutistic SFF author-in-progress, writing poetry and tales of hope in the face of adversity. Her poetry has appeared in The /tƐmz/ Review, Polar Starlight, Sulphur, and her debut poetry collection, The Art of Floating, was published in 2024 by Latitude 46. Her short fiction has appeared in Through the Portal, Pulp Literature, and On Spec. She is a settler writing in Sudbury, or ‘N’Swakamok, on Robinson-Huron Treaty territory, home of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and the Wahnapitae First Nation, in the house where three generations of her family have lived, on the street that bears her surname, with her spouse and their dog.

Book Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Poplar Press

• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 20 2025

• Language ‏ : ‎ English

• Print length ‏ : ‎ 294 pages

• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1998408183

• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1998408184