Inherit the Earth (Emortality)

This was the first of Stableford's books that I've read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The characterizations were a little flat, and there was more emphasis on the "thriller" aspects of the story than on the "science fiction" elements, but it held my interest and in fact prompted me to go out and buy two more books by this author.If I have any negative comments, it's that I felt I came in on the middle of a story; there was a lot of unfilled backstory. Also, I feel that the novel ended without a completely satisfying resolution, but what the heck. I don't read this sort of novel expecting great literature, just a good diversion, with some originality, creativity, and imagination. At that, it was quite satisfying.

______________________________________________Set in the bioengineered nanotech future of Les Fleurs du Mal and the eponymous novella, Inherit the Earth is a taut and well-drawn thriller. Life-extension internal technology (IT) is good enough that the people who put the world back together after the Crash and Plague Wars some 75 years before still rule the world, albeit behind the scenes. Stableford is exploring a familiar sfnal question:If rich, powerful people get life-extension first -- as they will -- how do you ever get shed of them?Stableford's writing and characters, at their best, are as good as anyone's in the business. Here's Silas Arnett, a hundred-twenty-something, entertaining his young lover Cathy: 'She was wearing nothing but a huge white towel, wrapped twice about her slender frame. The thickness of the towel accentuated her slimness -- another product of authentic youth. Nanotech had conquered obesity, but it couldn't restore the full muscle tone...."It must be strange," she said, insinuating her slender and naked arm around his waist, "to look out on the sea and the sky with eyes that know them so well...."She smiled at him, as innocently as a newly-hatched sphinx.'Stableford acknowledges his editor, David Hartwell, for "suggesting that I rewrite the final section so drastically as to obliterate any lingering similarity to the ending of the earlier version..." Perhaps Stableford should have stuck to his guns -- the last couple of chapters may remind you of Asimov or Heinlein at their most dialogorrheous. Skim. The path from novella to novel is fraught with peril... To be fair, the actual *ending* is crisp and satisfying.And while I'm nitpicking -- the American characters do sound veddy British......but don't let me put you off from reading the book, which is well-worth your while. Even if the plots, conspiracies, treacheries and wheels-within wheels do get confusing...Note: the attractive cover art SFAICT has nothing to do with the contents.review copyright 1998 by Peter D. Tillman

If you have read any of Brian Stableford's previous works, you know that he creates wonderfully drawn characters and has a highly inventive mind. He proves himself again in this 22nd century science fiction tale of mankinds fate after a century or two of nanotechnology and biotechnology being driving sociological and monetary components of society. Artificial (virtual) reality and computer interfacing are de rigeur, and there are plots within plots, and conspiracies galore. The plot is nicely developed, but the conspiracies get a bit thick and hard to follow. Unfortunately the themes of immortality and *emortality* are discussed ad nauseum and leave the storyline a bit flat.Overall a very good read, but I'd advise you supplement your reading of this novel with James Halperin's "The First Immortal", which discusses similar issues through it's storyline.