To Live Forever

Just reread for first time since 1980s. Slightly aged. Concept is strong and Vance is an early explorer of the consequences for society of everlasting life within a meritocracy. ( )

This is a pretty good sci-fi story from a 1940s-1950s master of sci fi. There are some really interesting themes and questions but the characters and plot weren't the best.

Vance describes a meritocratic world, where life extension is available only to those who measure up in contributing to society. There are 5 tiers, and progression extends life -- 10 years for routine "good behavior", all the way to essentially godhood for extreme achievement.

Three interesting consequences are described. First, that overall society works well due to concrete motivation for achievement. The scoring for achievement is explicit and conducted by a powerful computer, and the consequences of failing to measure up are a visit from broadly-socially-accepted assassins. Second, that this pressure to achieve leads to some percentage of the population becoming neurotic. Third, the complexity of succession when cloning and other forms of identity-linking are possible, specifically how the artificial scarcity of top-tier immortal status is allocated. ( )

Wat een verspilling van tijd was dit boek. Het sleept zich maar door en door.

Geen eeuwig leven voor dit boek wat mij betreft..

( )

From what I've read, this is his third novel out, after two YA novels about space pirates. Starts out great, tries to do too much, runs into a little trouble in the third act, but manages to finish off okay.
Gavin Waylock at times almost seems like a serious version of Cugel: getting himself into a jam, using whatever resources he has on hand to get himself out of it, doing a lot collateral damage in the process, and not caring so much.
The immortal society that is the setting for this novel is interesting, but ultimately, it's a china shop at the destructive disposal of the rogue protagonist. Waylock's ability to move around from career position to career position like J Pierpont Finch, is a little unacceptable considering how difficult upward advancement is supposed to be in this society. That gives the proceedings a pulpish, or cartoonish feel. Equally irritating, Vance bothers to create in Jaycynth Martin, a potentially interesting female character, but then finds more use for her as a two dimensional harpy.
Not an essential Vance read. Despite that, it's fun enough, and fans will enjoy it. ( )

dubbel?