Inherit the Earth (Emortality) - Hardcover

Stableford, Brian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312864930 ISBN 13: 9780312864934

Publisher: Tor Books, 1998

Synopsis

In the twenty-second century, biomedical nanotechnology has given everyone in the world long life and robust health. It is the New Utopia, and all live in the expectation that true immortality will soon be realized.

Damon Hart, son of the scientist responsible for much of the wonders of the new world, would rather forget his famous father and get on with his own life. But a shadowy terrorist group forces Damon to confront his heritage, launching a cat-and-mouse game that pits Damon against the terrorists, Interpol, and the powerful corporations that control the biotechnology of the future...a game Damon is ill-equipped to survive.

About this title

Review

All Damon Hart wanted was to be his own man. Being the son of Conrad "Savior of Humanity" Helier didn't leave a lot of room for Hart's own life, so he abandoned his family, his heritage, and his money. But when the past starts catching up with him, and the people he loves start getting hurt, Hart has no alternative but to accept the responsibility of his ancestry. Was his father, the inventor of the artificial womb, a savior or an evil madman? And who is the self-appointed judge executing retribution on everyone related to Helier?

Inherit the Earth begins with a good solid mystery that gets more involved and more involving as the complexities of the story pile one atop the next. Unfortunately, Brian Stableford is reworking ground that Bruce Sterling handled better in Holy Fire. Moreover, the plot is often lost in lengthy explications of future history that seem derivative, either of Sterling's work, or Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age.

With the exception of Hart's pain-in-the-ass ex-girlfriend Diana (who is a pleasure from start to finish), the characters fail to evoke much interest. It is a testament to the strength of the plot that the book carries through to the end, which unfortunately fails to deliver on the strong buildup. For the most part it's a good gripping story, with gems of beautiful language and flashes of brilliance, but it's not the ultimate science fiction book on nanotechnology and longevity. --Blunt Jackson

From the Publisher

"This is live-wire, hard science fiction, thoroughly thought through, well imagined, with no false props and easy answers. If you haven't caught on to Stableford, this is a great place to start." --Gregory Benford

"Tough, gritty, and ultimately hopeful, you can't do much better than Inherit the Earth." --David Brin

"Stableford has created in this novel a totally believable world, and wrapped it around a series of mysterious events, surprise revelations, double crosses, confused motivations, rumors, lies, plots, and counterplots...Tightly controlled and suspenseful throughout." --Science Fiction Chronicle

Edition details

• Publisher: Tor Books
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0312864930
• ISBN 13: 9780312864934
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320