Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Review of Metaphysics, published by Philosophy Education Society, Inc. on September 1, 2008. The length of the article is 7203 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Potentiality, possibility, and the irreversibility of death.(Essay)
Author: Jason T. Eberl
Publication: The Review of Metaphysics (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2008
Publisher: Philosophy Education Society, Inc.
Volume: 62Issue: 1Page: 61(17)

Article Type: Essay

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Issues in Law & Medicine, published by National Legal Center for the Medically Dependent & Disabled, Inc. on June 22, 1992. The length of the article is 1447 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Donaldson v. Van de Kamp. (premortem cryogenic suspension and assisted suicide)
Author: Daniel B. Griffith
Publication: Issues in Law & Medicine (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 1992
Publisher: National Legal Center for the Medically Dependent & Disabled, Inc.
Volume: 8Issue: n1Page: 105-108

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Product Description
Star Pebble is a fast-paced action novel.The action takes place in the near future, in space colonies orbiting the Earth.It explores a culture where life is more precious than in Terran cultures and looks at how this affects the individual lives as well as the relationships between the characters.It also looks at the very question of how to define life and what our destiny as sentient humans might be.Star Pebble is a look at what your future may be like, sooner than you think. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

exceptional science fiction
Alwaysthought I loved science fiction, but came to realize I'm actually very fussy and selective of what I read.This story was of the class I chose to read and enjoy over the years.It's entertaining and thought provoking.It is one of the few books I've read from cover to cover and enjoyed.It was sufficiently action packed, while not being full of needless action and violence.Many famous science fiction books have failed to capture my attention; while this one certainly has.As a great additional benefit it provides some ideas for saving ourselves from what has seemed an inevitable annihilation. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from BIOTECH Patent News, published by Biotech Patent News on November 1, 2003. The length of the article is 521 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Integrated Biosystems expands cryopreservation patent portfolio.
Publication: BIOTECH Patent News (Newsletter)
Date: November 1, 2003
Publisher: Biotech Patent News
Volume: 17Issue: 11

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Product Description
This digital document is a journal article from Studies in History and Philosophy of Biol & Biomed Sci, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
One of the first envatted brains, the most cyborgian element of J. D. Bernal's 1929 futuristic manifesto, The world, the flesh and the the devil, proposed a technological solution to the dreary certainty of mortality. In Bernal's scenario the brain is maintained in an 'out of body' but 'like-body' environment-in a bath of cerebral-spinal fluid held at constant body temperature. In reality, acquiring prospective immortality requires access to very different technologies-those that allow human organs and tissues to be preserved in a quite 'inhuman' life-world-the cryogenic storage chamber. Like Bernal, today's cryonicists consider that immortality can be secured through preservation of the brain alone. In this article I trace attempts to preserve or suspend life, and especially brain function, through the application of new 'technologies of immortality'. Drawing together historical information on the development of refrigeration, cryopreservation, transplantation, and nanotechnologies, I explore the uneasy relationship between cryonics and the technology on which it depends for its success-cryogenics. In so doing, I argue that the ability to successfully realize the science fiction fantasy of human immortality will rest on a moral and scientific parasitism: the capacity to use the biotechnological artifacts or proxies-cryogenically preserved brains, archived brains, tissues, and immortalized cell lines-derived from the dead, in order to prolong life. ... Read more

Product Description
Physical Evidence is a timely thriller about experimental genocide. An elderly woman has died of heart failure, but her estranged daughter believes there is something suspicious about her death, especially as her mother and spoiled younger brother were disciples of cryonic suspension, whose loyal followers pay big bucks to be frozen, then thawed sometime in the medically improved future. As. Dr. Eric Parker, formerly of the L.A. Coroner's office and now a private detective specializing in forensics, examines the corpse, he wonders if the daughter is just a gold digger anxious to change the stipulations of a will that left her high and dry. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Saturday Evening Post, published by Saturday Evening Post Society on October 1, 1989. The length of the article is 3184 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The case of the frozen embryos.
Author: James Lieber
Publication: Saturday Evening Post (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 1989
Publisher: Saturday Evening Post Society
Volume: v261Issue: n7Page: p50(4)

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Product Description
            Miles Vorkosigan is back!

            Kibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. Barrayaran Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan can hardly disapprove—he’s been cheating death his whole life, on the theory that turnabout is fair play. But when a Kibou-daini cryocorp—an immortal company whose job it is to shepherd its all-too-mortal frozen patrons into an unknown future—attempts to expand its franchise into the Barrayaran Empire, Emperor Gregor dispatches his top troubleshooter Miles to check it out.

            On Kibou-daini, Miles discovers generational conflict over money and resources is heating up, even as refugees displaced in time skew the meaning of generation past repair. Here he finds a young boy with a passion for pets and a dangerous secret, a Snow White trapped in an icy coffin who burns to re-write her own tale, and a mysterious crone who is the very embodiment of the warning Don’t mess with the secretary. Bribery, corruption, conspiracy, kidnapping—something is rotten on Kibou-daini, and it isn’t due to power outages in the Cryocombs. And Miles is in the middle—of trouble!

“Fresh, intriguing, and, as always with Lois McMaster Bujold, superb.” —Robert Jordan

“It is such a delight to read something by such a good writer, who now seems to be writing at the height of her powers. . . . I really have seldom enjoyed a book so much . . . I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” —Diana Wynne Jones

“Living breathing characters who inhabit unusual yet believable worlds.” —Jean Auel

“Bujold successfully mixes quirky humor with just enough action, a dab of feminist social commentary and her usual superb character development . . . enormously satisfying.” —Publishers Weekly  

“One of sf’s outstanding talents . . . an outstanding series.” —Booklist

“Excellently done . . . Bujold has always excelled at creating forceful characters and she does it here again.” —Denver Post

“. . . an intelligent, well-crafted and thoroughly satisfying blend of adventure, sociopolitical commentary, scientific experiments, and occasional perils . . . with that extra spicing of romance. . . .” —Locus ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Haven't read it, but already worth it!!!
Just got the book and anxiously pulled out the CD I'd heard mentioned in other reviews.YES!!! E-book versions of ALL the Miles books.I've been doing the Amazon "request a kindle version" for all of them, only now I'm delighted to get them all for a mere $13.99 (but I have already bought paper copies of every one, yes). Plus I get the new book in both paper and e-book. I'm saving Cryoburn for a special treat when I've got more time to savor it. Okay, I did sneak a peak at the very exciting beginning. Not sure how long I can hold out.
Thank you Ms. Bujold and Baen publishing!Not exactly sure what they are thinking giving it all away, but I wish some of my other favorite series would do this.If you haven't read a Miles Vorkosigan book before, I have no idea if Cryoburn itself is a good place to start, but since you get the whole series on CD, you can find out which one would be, if you have a computer or any e-reader.And if you love them as much as I (and many others) do, go and buy the paper copies for yourself or as gifts so they stay in business and get Ms. Bujold to write more!My copies are well-worn from being passed around and re-read.

From most other writers, this would have been a solid effort
As a Bujold novel, however, this was a disappointment to me. Like most other fans of her writing, I was impatiently waiting for Cryoburn to show up in my mail box. I admit that I read it "in one sitting" (well, two, actually), but I didn't get another Vorkosigan treat that I was hoping for.
The plot did not grip me as it usually does in Ms. Bujold's books. The characters were not as well written as they usually are. Like other reviewers have said, the usual brilliant, witty Bujold language, a huge part of her appeal, is mostly absent in Cryoburn.
An enjoyable Roic of previous books is now well on its way to degenerating into a Vorkosiverse Jar Jar Binks: A clumsy comic relief with almost no redeeming value. Moreover, the new way he talks to Miles is so un-Barrayar, so artificial, so un-Roic even, that it snapped me right out of the narrative, which doesn't help.

However, I realized after having read the book, that the major problem with Cryoburn and, prior to it, DI, has nothing to do with lazy writing, being hurried or even being tired of the whole Vorkosigan series, all of which I suspect are true to some extent. That problem cannot be solved even if Ms. Bujold suddenly decides to give Miles her full attention and turns her sparkling writing back on. The problem, unfortunately, is with Miles himself.
Simply stated, he has nothing left to prove. And always having to prove himself to Aral, Cordelia, Gregor, Ivan... everyone, friends and enemies alike, had been the driving force behind Miles from before his birth. It was what made Miles into Miles. He had to drive himself and everyone around him crazy and overcome hurdle after hurdle to prove himself.Not having this subtext makes Cryoburn a reasonable sci-fi yarn, but that alone does not make it a Miles Vorkosigan book, philosophical musings about the meaning of death notwithstanding.

I don't know if Ms. Bujold is too tired to write another Miles book. I hope she isn't. I keep re-reading the old ones every once in a while, and I would love to read another quality addition to the series. I also hope she would place it earlier in his time line, when Miles still had something to prove and work for.

P.S. The fourth star is for the CD. That alone makes this book worth buying. Way to go Baen!

Forgettable... and that's rare for Bujold
Bujold's greatest strength is her characters, and this book lacked the nuanced personalities that keep me coming back. Roic is about as layered as an episode of Dora the Explorer, so I'd like to less of him, not more. The embassy staff, the damsel du jour, and especially the villains... all of them sort of flat and totally forgettable.

Where are the Tauras, the Ellies, the Ivans, and for the love of cheese, the Gregors? I want more Gregor. I wish that the author would make more of an effort to include the tried-and-true characters, rather than sending Miles off on his own over and over again, to interact tepidly with disposable one-offs. The next book (assuming there is one-- I get the feeling she is quite bored with Miles) should take place at home. Maybe Illyan can be resurrected from scenery status.

Great,but shy of mind-blowing
This is a shiny new book, and that in itself makes me happy.PLUS: Yes, it is true.The hardcover edition comes with a CD that contains ALL Vorkosigan books up to and including this one, except for my favorite: Memory.On the CD are versions to read in html, epub, mobi, etc... Also speeches, interviews, cover art... this is amazing.

Premise: Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan and Armsman Roic are on Kibou-daini to investigate a sketchy business venture that one of the cryofreezing corporations based there has planned for Komarr.Complications ensue, as usual.

I liked this book, and was slightly sad that I did not love it.I do want to emphasize that I did enjoy it very much, and had it not been for sky-high hopes, I would probably have loved it without reservation.This is the double edge of having authors that you trust to be great: you can be disappointed if they're not amazing.

Many of the Vorkosigan books are About something, with a capital "A", but not in that annoying way that I remember from grade school.Memory is about life changes, and unexpected paths.A Civil Campaign is about love and romance, Barrayar is about motherhood.Cryoburn is about life and death; children and old age.

The planet Kibou-daini is obsessed with cryofreezing, and they put almost all of their populace in cold storage before they die in the hopes of future cures or longevity treatments.This, combined with some unorthodox voting policies, creates some interesting political problems and a nasty series of monopolies running most everything.It's a really neat setting.

Where this book shines brightest is in the character interactions.It's been 7 years in-world since the last book, and Miles is almost 40.You can feel him, not slowing down, but changing, settling a bit, with age.His interactions with other recurring characters speak to their shared history, almost to the extent of repeating old jokes. It doesn't always make for scintillating dialogue, but it feels real; people gently reference their past adventures with each other, and give into a bit of nostalgia now and then.

This runs the risk of feeling like old hat to those of us fans who are familiar with the entire series, but mostly I think Bujold rides the line well. The only place I think she goes too far is in the tangent about Taura, and I know she had to leave that scene for those same fans.

The other two main characters are (20-something) Armsman Roic, last explored in Winterfair Gifts, and a young orphan named Jin who befriends Miles, giving a spectrum of ages in the viewpoints.Miles' children (4 total, plus step-son Nikki!) are almost entirely off-screen, so to speak, but a presence nonetheless.

I absolutely loved the beginning chapters, but felt that the plot wandered a bit through the middle.I look forward to reading it again, now that I'm not racing ahead to find out what happens, just to enjoy the writing.It probably won't be one I re-read and re-read, though.In the scale of this series, I'd put it in the lower middle: above Ethan of Athos, Falling Free, The Vor Game and Brothers in Arms, right below the level of Cetaganda and Mirror Dance, maybe?

Enjoyable, but Not Great
Lois Bujold's strengths are, as usual, on display with this book.Her strong characterization is on prominent display, with the two characters we know a bit older and more mature, but still the comfortable characters fans of the series have grown to love.The new characters, primarily Jin, are well fleshed out and believable, and we quickly come to care for him.The returning minor character(Raven Durona) gets a good fleshing out.

Ms. Bujold's fascination with medical/life technology and it's effect on society is once again on display, and once again she creates an interesting society based on those changes.How would easy, convenient cryogenics affect society?This is something that could happen before long, and it could have a large impact on society.While the scenario she paints in this book is far fetched, it does a good job of illustrating the kinds of things society will face at some point.

The story is fun, the action exciting, the humor laugh out loud.Pacing is perfect.So why does it fall short?Well, to be honest it really doesn't, except in comparison to her own earlier work in the series.The first thing to note is that except for Miles and Roic, the rest of the large cast of characters we love to read about simply are not there, or only there briefly.No Cordelia, no Aral, no Ivan, no Simon, no Alys, no Gregor, no Ekatrin, no Pym.Mark and Kareen show up, but briefly.This is very frustrating to longtime fans, as [art of the pleasure of the Vorkosigan books is seeing how all those characters grow and interrelate.

More importantly, while the story is fine, it's not up to the standards of most of Bujold's books.The plot feels disjointed at times, and it felt as if she had a great idea's on the themes to tackle, but just was going through the motions on the story itself.It's not a bad story, but I expected better as she has shown herself quite capable of writing much better stories.And I think that is the biggest problem with this book, that Ms. Bujold has spoiled us, and we almost expect too much.

I sincerely hope that she does revisit the Vorkosigan universe again, and in much less time that it took her to do this book.I just hope that we see some of the old characters(especially Ivan, who does deserve his own book), and she returns to the form she is capable of.I do recommend this book to her fans, and to those who have not yet discovered the joys of the Vorkosigan books.It's not bad, it just could be better. ... Read more

Product Description
Teenage girls always want to be cool. But frozen is another story.

Floe Ryan was frozen-or 'vitrified'-at sixteen. She and her parents had a rare disease, so it was their only choice until a cure was found. Now she's been thawed and it's ten years in the future-but she's still a teenager. And her parents are still chilling out...

So now her little sister is her older sister, and she's making Floe suffer for every snotty thing she ever did. It's hard getting used to...not to mention a new school, new technology, and a zillion other new things that happened while she was napping in the freezer. Luckily, she has Taz, the hottie skater boy who was a popsicle too, so they get to reintegrate together. But now they're trying to close the Venice Beach Cryonics Center-with Floe's parents still in it! It's up to her to save the clinic and her parents-so she can finally have a somewhat normal life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A fun book about the near future
A great introduction to young readers about 21st century science and the exciting field of cryonics.

Liv's Book Reviews
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I don't think the writing or the plot was particularly remarkable, but there was something in it all that drew me in. I wasn't flipping pages manically or anything like that, but it was interesting enough that I wanted to keep reading. I think the whole futuristic world that the author created was a little far-fetched, but it was just wacky enough to be fun and entertaining to read about. The unitards, sked-pets, and hover blades probably won't happen in the next ten years, but there's a thing about the future world that is undeniably drawing to me. You know how your parents told you stories about how things were so much different in their childhood? It'll be cool to see the stories we're telling our children in 20 years. Will they be as appalled at our ruggedness as we were by our parents'? I think that single aspect of the book was what drew me in. Because really, other than that, there wasn't anything hugely amazing about the story. The plot was predictable as was Taz and Flo's relationship, and the ending was perfect and happy. There needed to be lots more excitement, but I think the book did fine because of its actual subject matter. So although I Was a Teenage Popsicle wasn't terrific, it wasn't horrendous either. I'd recommend it and I myself will try to get to reading the sequel, Beyond Cool, soon.

Clever, fun, unique!!!
I loved this book. The characters were so real and interesting. The plot was very unique and creative. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book, Beyond Cool.

Fun teen futuristic tale
Imagine waking up ten years later and finding out, while your friends are now young adults, you've still a teenager.

I WAS A TEENAGE POPSICLE by Bev Katz Rosenbaum is about Floe, a sixteen-year-old, who wakes up ten years later after being 'vitrified', or frozen until a cure comes for a rare disease. If that's not bad enough, she has to live with her now 'older sister' and try to fit in her high school where the Star Trek look is all the rage. Her parents are still 'chilling out' and might not be awaken if this one congressman has his way.

Funny and upbeat, I found myself turning the pages wanting to know how Floe will deal with the Mean Girls of the future and still find a way to save her parents. I think teens will enjoy this book and relate with the issues Floe and her guy friend Taz go through while readjusting to life.

Hip! Hilarious!Hot!A must read for teens!
As I've always said, books that attract me are the ones with really clever, original plots ... and this is definitely in that category.Actually, it's so unique it fits in that elusive category agents and publishers are constantly seeking: HIGH CONCEPT.

Author Katz Rosenbaum has created a teen character (Floe Ryan) who is frozen (cryonics) along with her parents because of some rare disease they carry.Now it's ten years later and she's unfrozen, so must learn to cope with all the changes that have taken place during that time.One of the hardest problems is the trauma that comes from being different in the eyes of her classmates.Equally hard on Floe is that her younger sister is now her older sister.And what teen can't imagine the consequences that could arise from a "combustible" sibling situation like that?

Unfortunately, her parents are not thawed yet, and when a problem arises at the Cryonics Center, it's up to her to help solve it.Adding to the intrigue is a hottie boyfriend, Taz, who ...But that's enough of the plot; don't want any spoilers here.You'll have to RFY (read for yourself).

This is a hip book set in a hip California clime, a book that you won't want to put down until the satisfying ending.Chick lit at its best ... with an exciting touch of sci-fi to add to the broader appeal.

Congratulations to Ms. Rosenbaum on an awesome job of structure, characterization, dialogue, description and all the masterful writing that creates a terrific book.

SIDENOTE: You may have noticed that Amazon has made some changes to its website. If it looks the same to you right now, look out for a new format that will be rolling out gradually in the weeks to come.If you can see the changes, especially the review format, I'd like to know what you think. Please leave me a comment with your opinion.

"Love the new look" or "Hate the new look" comments are perfectly acceptable.

My e-mail address is at top of this review.Thank you for your time."
... Read more

Product Description
A woman nearing middle age at the end of the millennium, tragically dies and is cryogenically frozen.Eighty years later she is cloned and given a second chance at life and love.Then her very existence is threatened by calculating scientists who refuse to believe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

another must-read!
Great book! Keep writing Jude, you are an enormous inspiration to wannabe female writers like me!

A refreshing love story with a lot of soul!!
**Copied from review posted by Goldisis at groups.msn.com/judesplace**

It's really different from anything I've read in science fiction. usually the stuff is very technical, very scientific, and has no room for love or romance in it. in fact, most characters in a sf book are not developed -- they are one dimensional and subservient to technology and events. your book doesn't have so much hard science, but it has beautiful characters. i just loved Brandy.

Another difference was that it explored the ethics of cryonics, and delved into deeper issues like does a clone have a soul, and what it means to Brandy to be created out of her own eggs. usually, one has only technological advancements of science paraded out as if it were all ho-hum, meant to be, you know, without really examining what the effects are on the people who live in such times.

A memorable moment for me was when Dr. Grey Brentwood is taking Brandy out on their first date. Her reaction to the car, and the alcohol tester suddenly made me realize that if this had been available "formerly" Brandy would never have been the victim of a drunken driver accident. [at first, i rather thought that Stan,the disgruntled employee, did Brandy in.]

Formerly Brandewyne is a refreshing love story with a lot of soul, which we don't often get in traditional science fiction. in fact, i don't recall ever reading one in the genre that had such well-rounded characters.

So bad it's funny
This book was so badly written, it was almost fun to read.But after a while it became so painful it wasn't fun or funny anymore.The author writes fanfiction, re-writing herself into novels such as "The Lord of the Rings" as a romantic interest, turning G-rated fiction into badly written softcore porn.Yecccch.

the perfect cuddle up for a afternoon of reading book
I received this book from a friend as a gift and I couldn'tthank her enough it was a witty fun book that mixedromance scifi and a degree of mystry I have read the reviews of this book hereand decidedtowrite myown because of a very mean and one sided one givinby sean kuhlmeyerI honetsly look forward to reading more this great writer

Great!
It's obvious that this book is a really great book!It's been out for 6 years now and there's been only one bad review, the last one, so don't listen to that one!It's a great book!!And the author is a sweet woman!So read the book!Cuz I got it and couldn't put it down!I loved it and still do!! ... Read more

Product Description

Carved into a moving island of ice twice the size of the United States, Ice Station Grendel has been abandoned for more than seventy years. The twisted brainchild of the finest minds of the former Soviet Union, it was designed to be inaccessible and virtually invisible. But an American undersea research vessel has inadvertently pulled too close—and something has been sighted moving inside the allegedly deserted facility, something whose survival defies every natural law. And now, as scientists, soldiers, intelligence operatives, and unsuspecting civilians are drawn into Grendel's lethal vortex, the most extreme measures possible will be undertaken to protect its dark mysteries—because the terrible truths locked behind submerged walls of ice and steel could end human life on Earth.

James Rollins invokes the polar environment so vividly you can hear the wind shriek and feel the ice forming on your nose, and the scientific/medical puzzles at the story's heart may remind you of Michael Crichton's best. The characters, while mostly familiar hero or villain types, are crisply drawn and in some cases quite sympathetic, but it's the nonstop action that carries you along. During several climactic chase scenes, you may find yourself laughing in pure delight--or gasping for breath--as Rollins keeps finding ways to ratchet up the tension one more notch. Ice Hunt is an escapist's delight. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

Customer Reviews (119)

This is drivel.
Mr. Rollins knows absolutely nothing about aircraft or the art of flying.Yet he devotes significant verbiage to these subjects in Ice Hunt.He should do ten minutes of research on the aircraft he is writing about and perhaps ask a pilot to read correct the passages about flying.He gets everything wrong!Do some homework next time.Where were his editors?This is crapola!

Fast and Furious!
Ice Hunt by James Rollins is a fast and furious read and written so well you feel like you're right there with everybody else wondering which way to run.The story at its core is about surviving, adapting, thinking fast and not giving up in fatal situations, and there are a lot of them.Outside the station an arctic blizzard is blowing, inside there are black ops guys with guns and incendiary grenades, the ice tunnels are crawling with hungry Grendels and staying alive means jumping back and forth between frying pan and fire fast enough not to get burned.Some of the escapes are just plain awesome.There are also a lot of characters and they all add to the flavor of this tale.Kowalski was my favorite, he had few lines but every one of them was memorable.The story is also laced with interesting things about native Alaskans, ice sailing and government science projects, which make the reading much more than just escapism.

Ice Hunt goes cold
The first two thirds of Ice Hunt was intense and interesting.However, the last third became a tiring, endless series of unprobable circumstances waiting for a movie to be made.Actually, it became boring.

Over-The-Top Mayhem And Adventure
Ice Hunt is another enjoyable over-the-top adventure with a tough guy hero, damsels in distress, and great bad guys.The whole set-up is cardboard - but it's wonderful cardboard, ha ha.The action comes fast and hard with one startling twist after another.I keep thinking he can't possibly keep it, but he does, almost leaving you woozy at times.

Once again Rollins saves his novel with innovations such as the lost Soviet ice station, cutting edge WMDs, and an even more spectacular secret that I won't spoil.Much like Deep Fathom, Ice Hunt is most easily described as James Bond meets Indiana Jones and a barrel full of fun.

Recommended.

Rollins is the man if you like action thrillers
I read this one while on a beach holiday and it makes a perfect escape from the work drudgery cycle.

Although a little similar in plot to Rollins' other novel Subterranean, don't take that as a reason not to give this one a go. Thrills and spills, suspense, great action sequences, bad guys galore (complete with a terrific final page comeuppance) and the obligatory romance make this an excellent read. ... Read more

Product Description
Timeship will be the world's foremost laboratory for anti-aging research. Examines the creation of this remarkable building. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This is a milestone for Life Extension
This is a very good book an the goal of these research scientist will be the foundation of a new era for mankind in the 21 century.

I don't get it.
What do Valentine's science-fictional drawings have to do with the real world of cryonics? Cryonics exists precariously now through a privately financed command-and-control economy, kind of like progressive talk radio in many cities, because the market has rejected it as a waste of resources (cryonics hasn't even risen to the level of a regular business, in other words); yet this guy fantasizes about building a $300 million cryonics fortress. For all the likelihood of that happening on this planet, it wouldn't make any less sense to site his Timeship on Mars.

Superb book about immortality
Stephen Valentine's book is a superb milestone. The book is a comprehensive dissertation on immortality, the history, art, practice, architecture, sociology,and practice of immortality. The book is tightly written with no wasted words. The layout and art are stunning. This is a book I wished I could tear out the pages, frame, and mount on my wall. It is an example of great book design.
You may or may not agree with the premise of the book but you will be constantly challenged by the content. This is a mark of a good book. Immortality is an important subject that challenges so much of contemporary thought.
This book is highly recommended because it is the best book of the last 20 years on immortality and because of the beautiful design. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (46)

unevenly executed
This book explores an interesting idea, but I'm unconvinced it works well as fiction. The idea is presented from various sides, and potential consequences of the idea are explored thoughtfully.

That being said, the writing can get a bit boring at times, and the characters are generally not compelling. Characters deliver several speeches which are clearly meant to be rousing, but they just aren't. Things that happen which should fill the reader with horror quite simply don't. Two significant characters die in a single incident with no discernible impact to the plot. The deaths don't raise new challenges, or derail a critical plan, or have any other significance to the story. Tearful separations and joyful reunions are nothing more than words on a page. Several times I thought I knew where a plot line was going, which made me wonder how the authors were going to twist it to surprise me. Sadly, there often was no twist. The book just isn't very engaging as fiction.

And that's disappointing, because the ideas explored are quite fascinating and well worth some thought. But, hey, it's better than L. Neil Smith.

Interesting premise, dogmatic presentation....
I was intrigued by both the premises of personal incorporation and cryonicly induced culture shock.

The book had a strong beginning, deftly providing exposition while keeping the story interesting.It even seemed to have a nuanced view of the economic complexities...for a while at least.

However, the further into the book I got, the book dogmatic the philosophy became.They took a more hard-line view of the free market that even Milton Friedman, insisting that (almost?) all government functions would be better served by the free market.They deftly ignored the inconsistencies in their story while spending droning pages explaining why the future was so much better off without those misguided, bleeding-heart, limousine liberals to ruin society.The only valid function of government seemed to be to warn of the dangers of Virtual Reality (a heavy-handed war-on-drugs allegory).Oh.. and apparently the ACLU primarily existed to protect child molesters.... But luckily private industry can save us from that too...

I kept hoping that it was going to get better, but I gave up about 65% of the way through.Maybe they would have pulled a switcheroo and gone back to a more subtle, nuanced worldview, but I just couldn't take it any more.

Great Concept, but please learn how to use POV
Let me start by saying I really wanted to love this novel. However, I only made it to chapter 3 before feeling impelled to write a review. A great concept and written -- or at least I thought it was written -- in my favorite point-of-view narrative: third-person limited. I like being in the head and POV of the character, but find first-person accounts too limiting (if not jarring). The maddening thing with the writing here is the bouncing from one person's POV to another. You think you're getting the thoughts and feelings of one character, only to find the writer jumps into the head of another character willy-nilly...and then back again! And all within a few paragraphs. I much prefer sticking with one characters POV for an entire scene. This may be transparent to some readers, especially those who are not familiar with writing themselves. And third-person narrative head-bouncing is not uncommon in first novels, but this one is particularly irksome since I was so looking forward to reading this book. Not sure if I'll be able to pick it up again. Do the authors need to improve their understanding of POV? Or was this intentional?

Outstanding Concept
In their acknowledgments, the Kollin brothers doff their hats to their editor but I am not sure why. This book offers a wonderful concept and if their editor had done his/her job this book would be a joy to read. But the wordy and clumsy sentences, flat dialog,serious errors in continuity, and the heavy, heavy, heavy emphasis on the technology and philosophy tend to wear the reader down. I haven't finished the book yet, and may not as I keep wanting to grab a pen, mark up the book and send it to the "marvelous" editor. These guys had a wonderful idea but needed guidance. Am amazed that the book won an award.

Suggest the Kollin brothers fire their editor, read Stephen King's "On Writing," then rewrite Unincorporated as a character driven story. THEN it would a classic.

Interesting concept, terrible writing.
The concept is fine, it's just that the writing is so bad."Anywho" "tantalizing scenery"

There are so many cliche scenes that it makes it hard to appreciate the good parts. ... Read more

Product Description
Ten years ago the hillbilly king of rock-and-roll, Colton Purcell, was cryogenically frozen after his premature death. Or was he? Chicago-based magazine reporter Harry Bauer intends to find out as he becomes involved in a convoluted murder plot stretching from good-old Memphis to glitzy Las Vegas, where the tenth anniversary celebration of Colton's death is in full swing. When Harry's mentor and friend, a Vegas reporter specializing in conspiracy theories, turns up murdered, Harry is intent on finding out why. But in a city where illusion often transcends reality, the truth proves more elusive than a gambler's lucky streak. Not only is there a huge Colton imitator contest going on, but the King's only daughter is set to marry the epicene Prince of Latino Pop (despite her mother's objections), and a mysterious young man has introduced himself to Harry, claiming to be Colton's illegitimate son. The trail leads Harry to the dark side of sin city, crossing paths with a bunch of mob guys, a very efficient (and very large) contract killer, and some unexpected people from Colton Purcell's past. There's also the murder of Colton's famous manager, the abduction of a mysterious figure from a Memphis nursing home, and a host of other problems that make Harry begin to wonder, is it really Colton Purcell hanging upside down in that cryogenic tube full of liquid nitrogen? If Harry can live long enough, he may just find out.

Michael A. Black has been a police officer in the south suburbs of Chicago for the past twenty-seven years. His hobbies include weightlifting, running, and the martial arts. He holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. It is rumored he has five cats. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Suspense AND Laugh-out-Loud Funny...

Mike Black's often hilarious tale of murder, intrigue and `frozen Elvis,' and mass demonstrations across the country- this weekend's edition of MONEY & MORE serves up a veritable jambalaya for listeners around the United States!

Did I say "frozen Elvis?"I think not-if only because the name and likeness of the late Elvis is protected by a copyright held by his estate, which employs a corps of well-paid lawyers ready to swoop down on any interlopers.

Hence the term "roman a clef," a literary device that substitutes fictional characters for real-life personages... and which is used to devilishly effective impact by author Black in his just-released comedic thriller, FREEZE ME, TENDER.

"I've always been a big fan of Elvis' music," winks Michael, "and since I'm familiar with his life story, some elements of it ... uh, may have somehow found its way into FREEZE ME, TENDER. But my book is made up-it's a `what-if' story, entirely fiction."

Uh-huh. Really. Cross my heart.

But for certain, it's a heck of a good read-suspenseful, yet punctuated with moments to laugh-out-loud humor.And that's no accident, given the bonafides of the author.

For more than two decades, Michael A. Black has been a street-savvy police sergeant who has worked for law enforcement in the Chicagoland area in a variety of hands-on -and not infrequently, hazardous-- roles. He's drawn from those experiences in his second occupation, that of journeyman writer and author.

Mike Black is kind of a legendary figure among crime writers and novelists- for many of them, he's the go-to guy when they need factual information on a particularly sticky point of police procedure or insight to the criminal mind.

Sometimes they get even more: for instance, Mike is famous as the guy who took Sara Paretsky, the bestselling author of the V.I. Warshinsky novels, to a pistol range and taught her how to shoot.

In addition to his writing and law-enforcement duties, Michael is also on the case when it comes to standing watch over the community of writers. He's taken pains to identify the many scams that target the hopes of those who put pen to paper.

Noted co-host David Latko, "Mike, recently there was a flurry of news inside the writing community about a so-called publishing company which called itselfL'Abeille Publishing."

"That's among the latest examples," Michael nods. "As it turns out, this L'Abeille operation was being run by a woman who had been convicted of real estate fraud: AlexandreaStewart, also known as Andrea Delauren among several other aliases. She was a con artist who was going after would-be writers who want desperately to get published. They'd be charged for all kinds of services, with the promise they would become published authors."

"The point is, this kind of scam is all over the place, isn't it?" David asks. "People pose as `real' publishers and `real' literary agents, and they take money from hopeful people and destroy their dreams. How can a writer tell the different between these crooks and legimitate agents and publishers?"

"The rule of thumb is that `money should flow to the writer," Michael says. "Real agents only get their money when they actually sell an author's book to a publisher. And legitimate publishers pay authors, not the other way around."

FREEZE ME, TENDER is a heck of a good read-you don't miss it!

Frozen Elvis
This book is destined to be the sleeper hit of the year.

If you haven't heard of Michael A. Black before, then pick up FREEZE ME, TENDER (think: Frozen Elvis) and see what the buzz is all about.

From the opening page as two key characters head for Vegas, we know we're in for the ride of our lives. Although Elvis is never mentioned by name, the dead King of Rock and Roll in FREEZE ME, TENDER -- Colton Purcell -- is as close to the original as they come. And his entourage -- a wily manager, a headstrong ex-wife and a misguided young daughter who's engaged to the effeminate Prince of Pop --- well, you get the picture.

Add in a powerhouse Las Vegas mobster, a down-on-his luck Chicago-based reporter seeking redemption in his own life, a couple of murders, and you'll begin to see why FREEZE ME, TENDER should be on everyone's must-read list.

fine journalist investigative thriller
The tenth anniversary of the death of the king of hillbilly rock and roll Colton Purcell is coming soon.In Vegas where Colton frequently performed just before his death, there are several galas planned including a sound alike contest.As many of his fans plan to attend the events, Colton's manager "Big Daddy" Babcock is murdered with the King's scarf from his farewell show.Regency magazine CEO Bishop sends his reporter Harry Bauer to follow up on the homicide since he interviewed Big Daddy just last week; Harry assumes Bishop wants him out of town when he marries the reporter's ex-wife.

At the same time, Colton's only daughter Melissa is to marry Latino superstar Pablo while her mother Ladonna known by all as "Ladzilla" objects.Harry meets Gabriel Freeman in the Vegas airport; he claims to be an offspring of Colton at the same time rumors fly of a related nursing home abduction in Memphis by Nurse Marjorie Versette whose home is a shrine to the King.When his journalist pal is murdered, Harry investigates the dark secrets of the King and his retinue ten years after the performer died.

Obviously everyone knows who the King is, but Michael A. Black provides an intriguing refreshing spin filled with twists that take some getting used to (just ask Harry) as the story line moves forward on several flanks.Harry's inquiries, like the plot, follow several directions including the deaths of Big Daddy and a reporter friend (that left Harry All Shook Up) as well as Freeman's claim; all converge in Memphis.A delight for the Elvis crowd, fans of a journalist investigative thriller will also appreciate this fine Love Me Tender not homage to the King of Rock and Roll.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
6" x 9" hardback, gloss cover, author photo and critic blurbs on front and back. A murder mystery about the world's richest man who is suspended cryonically for thirteen years and brought back to life to solve his own murder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A glimpse of where the near future just might lead
Thomas McCollum's Palmer Lake is a disturbing novel offering a glimpse of where the near future just might lead. A wealthy man commits suicide, and his body is cryogenically preserved - but when some question of whether or not he was murdered arises, advances in cryogenic technology imply that he just might be revived to name his killer! Palmer Lake is truly compelling saga of lies, deceit, money, and power.

Spine Tingling
McCollum has written a good story that keeps you in suspense until the very end. It's a little far-fetched perhaps, but who would have believed cloning a sheep was possible 20 years ago either. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to combine a little sciene with suspense.

It is called fiction isn't it?
I'd call the book okay, but not much more. There is basically an interesting story plot, but the characters mostly seem artificial and wooden (couldn't use frozen could I?) If it weren't a local guy, I would have passed on it

Riveting
Palmer Lake is a real page-turner. Author Thomas McCollum combines an extensive knowledge of cryonics with an imaginative and captivating plot.Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended for fans of suspense, mystery, thrillers...and anyone who loves a pulse-racing story

One fantastic Read
This book grips you right from the beginning, with a tense scene that got me hooked before I had even flipped through the fist few pages. After that them mystery and suspense keeps building. It was one book that was hard to put down and easy to keep reading - in fact it was hard to do anything else BUT read it until I finally finished it.

It is hard to classify this book. It has elements of mystery, sci-fi, and adventure. Love and suspense. Something for everyone and a book just about everyone is going to enjoy. A must-be book, as far as I'm concerned. ... Read more

Product Description
The saga of Thomas Berger's Reinhart series continues. Carlo Reinhart, now a 44-year-old liberal, has found himself to be merely a vague shadow of the young man he once was. Bob Sweet, a high school acquaintance for whom success has become a habit walks into his life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Classic Thomas Berger, and very funny
In his mid-forties, Carl Reinhart finds himself without a job, kicked out of his house, estranged from nearly everyone except his rather pathetic daughter and an old school chum that he runs into in a restaurant restroom. This encounter sets him off on his new business (ad)venture:the new field of cryogenics ("..of course it was a complete fraud...What interested Reinhart was not eternal life itself.The one of which he had lived forty-four years was often unbearable enough as it was.")Berger's writingand phrasing I always finds tickles my funny bone, plus some of the situations Reinhart puts himself into are hilarious, if at same time pathetic (like being a Peeping Tom at his next-door neighbor's 16 year old daughter, ogling her only to then see his naked 21 year old son in room with her).I'm just old enough to remember the late 60's and enjoyed Berger's lampooning of so many of the issues and personality-types that ruled that era.I laughed out loud several time while reading this book and gladly recommend it to others.

Reinhart: Part 3

It's the late 1960s, and Carl Reinhart has grown fat and cynical. His son is angry and hates him, and his daughter is na?ve and helpless (if the book were written ten years later it would be just the opposite). His marriage is a failure, as are all his business schemes (his latest scheme involves cryonics). He continues to blunder through life, rationalizing every joker ever dealt to him. His biggest problem is being unable to believe in "certainty": "Carl is reluctant to accept the popular idea of reality with its narrow-minded emphasis on finality," one character observes. He has an affair with a young woman that really doesn't amount to anything. It's also Berger's comment on the social unrest taking place during the setting of the story, an unrest with which Berger is not totally sympathetic. He sees the anarchy that his son Blaine espouses, for example, as only another form of suppression. As in all his novels, Berger writes primarily with his ear, and he has down pat all the psycho-babble and 60s cultural slang and double-speak, which adds to the humor. It's a very dark humor, though, and sometimes depressing (anyone remembering the 60s first-hand will probably feel the same way). This was the third of the four Reinhart books, and is the most bitter (Berger himself once referred to it as a "diatribe") in outlook.

A brilliant, sardonic view of the "generation gap."
Carl Reinhart is a lovable, middle-aged loser whose hippy son hates him; his wife is leaving him for a younger man; and even his mother makes fun of his string of business failures, which leave him broke and homeless at 44.However, his simpleton daughter adores him almost as much as she lovesfood.

When a former high school classmate gives the overweight, crew cutReinhart a chance to get in on the ground floor of the cryogenics fad, i.e.freezing corpses for future restoration, the WWII veteran crashes head-oninto the 60's generation.

Berger's great talent for depicting life'sabsurdities through the eyes of a talented misfit, which he did so well in"Little Big Man," is used perfectly in "Vital Parts" todepict the plight of the middle-aged, suburban, white American male, whosepost-WWII utopia was irrevocably altered by women's lib, free love, civilrights, and the youth movement.

Between his oustal by his wife forcutting his son's long hair off while sleeping and his affair with a22-year-old nymphomaniac, who keeps her car doors unlocked because she"doesn't like to block any of her entrances," Reinhart has onehilarious adventure after another. The plot hums and it is hard to read"Vital Parts" in public without laughing hysterically.

If youliked "Confederacy of Dunces" or "Catch-22" with theirwiseguy, lost-in-a-sea-of-madness protaganists then you will love"Vital Parts."

It is a shame that so many of Berger's books areno longer in print. He's one of the great observers of late 20th centuryAmerican life. ... Read more