7 replies to this topic

[Bruce Klein]

A very readable, solid sci-fi book for the whole family. - BJK



Amazon

In 1988, Benjamin Franklin Smith suffers a massive coronary and is placed into cryonic suspension, igniting a storm of controversy among his suspicious relatives. In 2072, on his 147th birthday, he is reanimated by his great-grandson, rejoining a world in which such procedures--along with eugenic selection, virtual reality, and nanotechnology--have become commonplace. Ben's friends, children, grandchildren ,and mother are also given second chances in this brave new world; technology has even made it possible for Ben to have his dead wife cloned as an infant, raised by their son (also frozen and revived) to an adulthood in which she marries him again.

---

Also author of "The Truth Machine"

http://www.randomhou...o/truthmachine/

In The Truth Machine, visionary first-time novelist James L. Halperin creates a prophetic, all-too-conceivable world of the near future. Groundbreaking, provocative, and ultimately hopeful, The Truth Machine will forever alter your opinion of justice and your perception of honesty. For in the next millennium, lying will be a thing of the past. Will you be ready for the absolute truth?

[Lazarus Long]

Halperin is often a lot of fun, informative and a good read. Do you think that *Ben* is named after Ben Bova? I will make a point to read this one.
Thanks

[Bruce Klein]

Hmm, not sure about the "Ben", but I know you'll enjoy this one. It's the only book I "forced" my wife to read, and she actually found it a fun read.

[advancedatheist]

I didn't care for The First Immortal all that much. First of all, it reads as if Halperin used a preformatted system of novel writing, like you can find in how-to books published by Writer's Digest Book Club. There's nothing wrong with that, if you're learning the craft. But you're not likely to write well without considerable publishing experience under your belt. Actually I think Halperin's first novel, The Truth Machine, is somewhat better, though still below what experienced writers can do. Maybe the novels, if any, he publishes in the future will be better.

Secondly, the protagonist in this novel shares with Ralph's Journey's hero a sexual obsession with a young girl that a lot of readers might find creepy. Benjamin Smith, after living to an advanced age and getting revived and resuscitated from cryotransport, marries the youthful clone of his deceased and uncryosuspended wife, who resembles his wife enough both physically and behaviorally to plug into Smith's lovemap. (Reminds me of a Hitchcock movie for some reason, if not Lolita.)Similarly, Ralph Dumbrowski literally robs the grave of his 18-year-old fiancee to freeze her brain, so he can marry her in the 22nd Century after his and her respective resuscitations from cryotransport.

Apparently some cryonicists don't understand the idea that young women might want to pursue values in life besides sexually surrendering to the men who make their existence and continuing survival possible. As a man I can understand the appeal of this fantasy to the largely adolescent male readership of science fiction, however.

[Bruce Klein]

Im not an expert in fiction, but, I can see your point advancedatheist, this is probably not the best technically written sci-fi novel out there.... but in terms of portraying the potentially beneficial and inspiring possibilities of cryonics and a future world benefited by nano, I doubt there are few better than this one... If you know of one, please let me know.

[Chuck Frasher]

Apparently some cryonicists don't understand the idea that young women might want to pursue values in life besides sexually surrendering to the men who make their existence and continuing survival possible. As a man I can understand the appeal of this fantasy to the largely adolescent male readership of science fiction, however.[/quote]



Excellent point.

Edited by Chuck Frasher, 18 May 2003 - 07:41 PM.

[bacopa]

This novel bored me, I found it jumpy and silly at times melodramatic would be the word

[Bruce Klein]

James Halperin has recently uploaded TFI online for free (word doc.):

He asked that I share with members:

http://www.firstimmortal.com

Many thanks to James for his support of the ImmInst Film Project and his ongoing support in donating more than 400 books to the Immortality Institute over the past 3 yrs.