The Immortals

The reissue of this work on [...] is astounding. Tracy's natural ability of storytelling shows through in the audio production of this work. He and his wife do a great job voicing the differenct characters, and the production quality of the work is a-ma-zing... Great Stuff.

The Immortals is a masterful balancing act between the ugly and the sublime. It shows a variety of ways that we can react when put in the worst of situations. Typical of Hickman's writing there is conflict between good and evil on an epic scale as well as internal as the characters struggle against tyranny and against their own predjudices and fears. One reviewer said that the book had "painful character cliches (wise father/prodigal son . . ." I felt just the opposite. I felt like Hickman took cliche's and turned them around. The "wise father/prodigal son" turned into the prodigal father seeking redemption and the forgiveness of his son. Even though the title, The Immortals, refers to the idea that "we live because we are remembered" what really appealed to me was the main character showing that we live because we choose to live. Even if we are treated like animals we don't have to become animals. We determine who we are. And we live best when we live bravely, with compassion for others, and with enthusiasm for the beauty that can be found even in the most ugly of situations. Anyone who lives that way is definitely worth remembering and emulating, even if it is just one of Hickman's fictional characters.

It's been about 3 years since I first read this book, and I have yet to forget how I felt when I got to the last page. Hickman's realistic characters and believable social structure go a long way towards the flawless suspension of disbelief. I think people who enjoy science fiction as well as those who just enjoy speculative fiction will both find something in here for their tastes. Hickman does a superb job of discussion the issues at hand without preaching directly to the reader. I just might have to read this one again for pure pleasure!

I accidently lost my hard copy of this book and had to rush to the library to borrow a copy and finish it. Compelling, intriquing, there are not enough adjectives to describe the emotional depth of this book. As one who is often disappointed in the SF novel endings, I was satisfied with this one even though it was not a glorious salvation for the characters we had come to care about. The danger is real, and totally credible based on our historic behaviors and fears. Hickman, who should write more solo novels, made me think about my life, my priorities, my values, my prejudices in real time. This is actually my favorite kind of science fiction, that which lies just at the edge of our current earthly reality.