The Methuselah Effect: Book two in the MASAT Trilogy

Book Two in the Masat Trilogy: Oh, god, Paul Chandler thought as he cradled his head between his hands and stared at the display. It depicted a halogram view of the Earth below. So peaceful, so tiny, so easy to deal with from up here. He began to rub his temples as he remembered how uncomplicated life used to be, just a few short days ago. All that he had wanted to do then was to make that stupid car payment. Just a stupid car payment! Now, they expected him to Travel-to transport from one place to the other, without moving. Well, he reflected, his world had certainly changed in these last few days. In fact, it had expanded beyond just his world, he told himself. It now included the entire galaxy-or . . . not-if there was any way he could prevent it.They were the descendants of the Emperor whose madness was allowed to foment. They were the result of appetites and passions that were allowed free rein, of psychosis that was encouraged to percolate, to bubble and develop. They were the hidden rulers over the generations. They called themselves the Shapers and they watched, studied and controlled those whose lifetimes had been genetically reduced by a factor of ten and now they were ready to start. Thousands of years had passed since the Emperor founded this planet, but in all those years, the plan had remained the same. The experiment had been completed generations ago, but the thrill of the design, of the shape of the outcome, and ultimately of the bet, prolonged its implementation. Now, the satellites were in place, the nations were set to hair-trigger and the globe-ships would soon arrive . . . and, they would put it off no longer.

D. Ross Yates was educated at Marylhurst University, a prodigious west coast college-turned university, that struggled to keep its tuitions as lofty as its status. He graduated with a major in writing and a minor in literature-and, in spite of that, he can still turn out a fairly good story. He lives at the east end of the Columbia Gorge, in a small town overlooking the Columbia River, with his wife and her poodle that he endeavors to tolerate. This is his first novel, "The Methuselah Effect," and the second in his Masat Trilogy. He is currently working on the third novel of the series, entitled, "The First." Don't fret; it will all make sense when you buy the complete set.