SOJALS rating:

Unrated (0/5)

I first read this in April 2001.

A hundred years from now, after plagues, a holocaust and worldwide sterility, humankind is renewing itself in a near-Utopia. There are artificial wombs and ever-improving life-enhancement techniques that may allow the children to live forever, surviving and recovering cleanly from injuries that would have meant death or permanent disabilities in the past.

Damon Hart is the son of the man primarily responsible for saving humankind. However he doesn't enjoy the fame of his heritage and he tries to live anonymously as far as possible from the shadow cast by his late, great father.

So far he's had an interesting life achieving some fame as a street-fighter. He has now settled into a more mature career of software designer (the logic of this surprising progression being clearly explained in the novel). Essentially he's quite a cool dude.

Now something's going on, people are trying to kill or kidnap him. Furthermore, and ridiculously from his point of view, some people seem to think his father is still alive and furthermore that young Damon actually is his father. One can see immediately that this is going to entail Damon in a lot of blundering around.

I have never been a great fan of Stapleford. He's a good writer, but not quite my in style. I doubt I'll reread it. .

What's it got? Nanotechnology, life-extension and some long arguments about the morality of government. All well and good, just not exactly gripping.