Interesting book, but felt a bit let down by the ending.

The idea is very engaging and the background / untold story of how the world got to this place is exciting to think about.

At first I loved it, but as the story progressed certain inconsistencies started to appear. I also felt the ending was rushed and came out weak.

Still worth to read, and the concept itself is worth giving it a go. I would recommend it to any Sci-Fi fan.

It's good, in that I admire the author and sympathize with his themes, but Dune covers the same ground MUCH better. I would be so disappointed if anyone read this before Dune, or even read this instead of reading Dune for a second time.

The author's obsession with these themes does make me more likely to read his biography to find out his backstory!

A short novel about a future where immortality is possible for all, but only allowed for a small percentage of the population whose genes exhibit certain qualities. The immortals are petty and bored. When a group of mortals and cyborgs seek a different life, the immortals brutally wipe out a huge portion of the population. These immortals discover they like fighting, but their violent behavior causes biochemical changes that sicken them. Eventually, the mortals and immortals work together to give each of them more of what they need.

The novel reflects how powerful people abuse power in ways that hurt everyone, and also makes the reader consider whether immortality would really be as great as we might think.

Avendo già letto Dune in passato, e amandolo profondamente non mi sono lasciato sfuggire questo libro di Herbert in edicola, ma devo dire che non mi è piaciuto tantissimo. la prima parte troppo densa di tecnicismi abbastanza inutili, e uno sviluppo poco convincente. La premessa poteva essere anche carina, cosa succederebbe alla società se alcuni potessero essere immortali, ma sinceramente non ho ben capito come vivessero, come funzionava la società, nè i vari personaggi cosa pensassero. Un romanzo mediocre che si può anche non leggere.

Somewhat interesting premise. Weak ending.

Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...

"Frank Herbert, known to most science fiction fans for his classic six book Dune sequence, published an extensive catalogue of other novels and short story collections. A trademark of so many works of Herbert’s corpus is his near immaculate world-building skills. As in Dune, the true extent of the world and all its hidden powerplays are slowly uncovered over the course of the narrative. Although the basic premise is standard for the genre [...]"

Short and.......ODD.

For forty thousand years the immortal but sterile Optimen have ruled Earth’s billions of humans, divided into two groups - sterile non-breeders called Sterries, and those deemed genetically good enough to breed - Viables. When the Durants, a viable couple, insist on watching the stimulation of their embryo an external influence changes the enzymatic balance, producing a rare immortal Viable. Such embryos are destroyed by the Optimen as they fear the challenge to their supremacy such organisms represent. In the Durants’ case however, a conspiracy of humans and Cyborgs (thought extinct for millennia) spirit the altered embryo away. The Optimen are the result of genetic manipulation but mostly cloning and this has introduced stagnation - a cessation of evolution - and the current crop of Optimen are beset with boredom and hedonism. This makes them ripe for an insurrection, but the power of the ruling elite is phenomenal and only by dint of logic and appeals to submerged humanity can there be any hope of a human future. Frank Herbert has given us an interesting look into the consequences of immortality and absolute power, and the book is pretty enjoyable. One of those ideas that could probably have been expanded much further as the ending seemed a bit forced and/or rushed.

Herbert presents amazing ideas as usual brimming with depth that make for an intriguing story. The setting and history of immortals, cyborg wars, and the off-kilter utopia make for an amazing premise. Although the execution of these elements isn't always done neatly.

...I guess I would have to rate this book as one of Herbert's weakest. It is still strong on interesting ideas and fascinating concepts but the character development in particular is not great. There is an awful lot to recognize for people who have read Dune however. The longevity of the Optimen is a theme Herbert would reuse in God Emperor of Dune for instance, Leto II lives several thousand years. Again longevity is coupled with a tight control of human society, although some might find Leto's fate preferable to the eternal boredom of the Optimen. Recognition and strong concepts are not enough to lift this novel to the same level as some of Herbert's other books though. A bit of a shame really, this story probably was not developed to its full potential. Of course, for the real Herbert fan like me, it is still an interesting read.

Full Random Comments review

tHeisenberg, as in uncertainty, starts this story off and becomes the rationale for all the subsequent actions.
tIn this far future society, there are grades or castes of people. They are arranged by their genetics: the top are immortals, next come, the almost immortal, at the bottom are the ordinary people. The story starts with some lab preparing to process a zygote for a couple who were lucky enough to be chosen for having a baby. The zygote is examined by the doctor and he sees some unexpected change happen that makes this little one special, even more special than the immortals. He and the technician silently agree to keep the knowledge secret so the zygote will be allowed to grow up. Thus starts the chase for growth and development in this stagnant society.
tThe immortals are forty thousand (40,000), or more, years old. This age is inconceivable to us, and for most of that time they have ruled and do not allow any change. Anything that reminds them of death or decay is not recognized or spoken of. They are separate from everyone else. They rule by fear and from their little Olympus encampment. They think very little of destroying everyone in an area, they can be replaced, even if it takes a thousand (1,000) years, it is only a little inconvenience to the immortals.
tThese immortals have a tribunal that rules daily life, and as they come to understand that the zygote is special and try to find it, etc., they bring about their own destruction. You never find out quite what is so special about the little one, but the parents and attending doctor protect it, and, in the end, implant it in the woman for carrying. This becomes the seed for the new society that will be born from all this destruction. (Puns are wonderful, eh?) Everyone has hormone treatments to help them live life to the optimum best. Carrying a baby to term is a natural way to adjust and control hormones in a human, so everyone gets to have a baby to this end.
tThis is an interesting story because you never know what causes all the commotion (the zygote change), but everything turns out for the better.

Short, interesting sci-fi book about genetics and the pursuit of immortality.