In a novel with one of the most intriguing titles to date, debut writer Stauffer blends a controversial scientific subject—genetic engineering—with hard-core libertarian attitudes.

The novel is set a few years down the road from our own time, in an America sagging under the weight of welfare statism and certain ascending third world countries out to stake their claims to the global pot. Stauffer focuses his action on two sides. He exposes the candidly scheming government, self-conscious of their rule-bending when they initiate a covert biowarfare project and dovetails this with a private sector genetic engineering company and the consciences of the individuals working within that company.

The novel’s protagonist, Phil Schrock, is a basic libertarian pot-smoking scientist, who conceives of a way to literally build pest-eating insects from scratch. Working for the ABC company developing this idea, it is not long before the omnipresent government snoops in on Schrock’s discovery and begins to siphon off data, for use with their biowar project. ABC security detects this, and feeds off-center data to the government, who in the end muscles in on ABC with a government contract. Unable to steal good data, the government must approach Schrock openly, or rather, as openly as any government can, with the muted threat of force ever-lurking.

Schrock’s difficult choice, as a libertarian, is whether to continue his work and become a ”whore for the state,“ or to rebuff the state’s advances and remain pure but risk government sanction and a future of poverty.”

As always, the bioweapons imagined by the state become realities, and soon the US enters an escalating war against China. Bioweapon creatures are manufactured and become horrors against which both sides must battle.

Bats in the Belfry is frustrating because the ideas and power of a thrilling novel are there, but the final result is hampered by choppy delivery and characterization. The ideas and libertarian/scientific intent is ever present, almost too present, as characters digress into long speeches on everything from love to basic liberties. There is an unfortunate lack of subtlety among all the characters. Even evil characters are candid that their actions are underhanded, that their motives are suspect, and that they care little about others. Rather than overpowering the reader, it is more often a case of over-explaining.

Genetic engineering is a fascinating subject, rife with social and political implications. Stauffer’s science is credible, and stretches the “what if” of sf lore to fascinating limits. He also offers science as beneficial, not destructive.

Despite some misgiving about dialog and style, there is tremendous promise in this novel. I am not suggesting toning down the libertarian ideas, but rather the method of delivering those ideas. Style is never a substitute for content, but a vital element. A streamlined, more subtle approach tends to pack a harder punch. This is the challenge new libertarian sf must meet.