It is the end of the 22nd century. A nuclear accident has caused the birthrate to drop drastically. So the government begins to manufacture Reborns - new people from old.

Three Reborns are ready for testing and Brin, because of his exceptional IQ is chosen to monitor their behaviour. A great deal of controlled planning has gone into the experiment but the scientists have allowed the Reborns free will. How will the reborns behave and how long can Brin keep them from discovering the truth about their existence?

When this book was first published in 1980, no one had thought of cloning. Twenty-five years later what seemed like a futuristic nightmare has become more than a possibility.