Two underachiever Prehistoric cavemen(brothers Grim and Dral) at the bottom of every social ladder yet again get lost in the woods and 'accidently' run into a time traveler/ET, Promethius, who is working with and sometimes against his former lover and fellow explorer, soon to be goddess, Athena. Against orders from his boss Zeus, Promethius gives Dral the ability to be a scientific/medical genius and converts Grim into a super-talented writer/musician/comic so they can advance the fledgling earthling humanoids to evolve into higher and hopefully better beings than on Promethius' home planet, which is destroying itself and is in need of people with more heart than brains. But seeds of Enlightenment don't grow as expected, causing a multitude of problems and comedic dilemmas for 'mortals' and 'gods' alike, which have to be resolved if ALL humanoid life in the universe is to continue to survive.
Neanderthal Einsteins is a genre-defying journey that merges prehistoric adventure with philosophical satire and speculative science fiction. In a world where caves have been abandoned and myths are only beginning to form, twin brothers Grim and Dral, dim-witted, underachieving outcasts in their tribe, are gifted with an unexpected chance to become more than what their primitive world expects of them.
Enter Prometheus: a mysterious, possibly divine traveler who speaks their language, rides a "big dog" (a horse), and carries with him strange tools and stranger ideas. Through music, reading, and rudimentary science, he leads Grim and Dral toward an awakening of mind, soul, and possibility. As their tribe wrestles with the consequences of progress, medicine, infrastructure, satire, social upheaval, the brothers must navigate new expectations, rivalries, and responsibilities that come with knowledge.
M.J. Politis's novel is an inventive, irreverent, and deeply human narrative that explores what happens when ignorance meets inspiration. Through humor both crude and clever, the book examines the roots of civilization, the perils of leadership, and the burden of sudden intelligence. The line between god and mentor, man and machine, history and allegory, is blurred in this bold, witty, and unclassifiable tale.
Neanderthal Einsteins invites readers to ask: What makes a genius? Can evolution be taught, or forced? And is humanity's greatest leap forward really a step away from its nature?
A riotous, thought-provoking read for fans of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Sapiens, and Kurt Vonnegut, this novel is a time-bending, mind-bending look at who we are and how far we've come, whether we like it or not.
