COMMANDMENT is an allegory on life, all life, in whatever form and wherever it exists on EARTH or in the vast UNIVERSE. Extrapolating from what we know about life on EARTH, all creatures large and small share similarities: the struggle to exist, propagate, find nourishment, and overcome its enemies, even enemies of its own kind. The biblical commandment, 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' is a warning to us all. If obeyed, peace and prosperity follow; if disobeyed, we risk war, hardship, and annihilation. The novel came out of Weinberg's interest in the incredible properties of microorganisms. Numerous scientific publications describing these 'aliens' among us capture the imagination and read themselves like science fiction.