written by James Gunn
published by Pocket Books
ISBN-10: 0671534866
ISBN-13: 978-0671534868
review by Adam Armstrong
10.03.2008
The most frightening
thing is possibility.
Marshall Cartwright
has a very unusual blood type. His blood type fights off all diseases even
death. Through a blood transfusion to a dying billionaire, Dr. Russell Pearce
discovers this unusual blood type and what it can do. Pearce finds Cartwright
and tells him to flee and spread his seed as far as possible to populate an
immortal race. The blood transfusion makes the recipient young again but it
only last for a month and then more blood is needed. Men with money begin a
search to find immortals and their children for the precious blood as hospitals
grow to envelope cities and time runs out. The future rolls out and people
begin to suffer as the price for health care cripples society. People must find
out what can be done with life they have and doctors have to find out the
difference between practicing medicine and healing.
The Immortals is a collection of five linked stories
spanning over a hundred years in the life of Dr. Pearce. Not in a very long
time have I run across a science fiction book that took such a wonderful
what-if and ran with it so beautifully. I just couldn’t put this book down for
more than a few minutes and here a few days later I find my thoughts drifting
back and back again to the story.
Spectacular, pick up a
copy: 5 out of 5