The The Immortality Virus was a fast paced science fiction tale set in an alternative reality if the key’s to immortality was found. It is not a dystopian story as much as it takes place in a dystopian future. Thing about what would happen if everyone stopped being able to die, but people kept having babies? Christine Alderman takes us along for her fictional exploration of this very question. Through in a mystery, a wee bit of romance and you have a science fiction novel that even those that are not SF fans will enjoy.

Our protagonist, Grace Harper is a former Chicago cop. She is relatively young, under 150 years, and has already gotten herself blacklisted by The Establishment, basically Corporate America. Because of an “incident” she was no longer able to be a police officer and turned to being a private investigator. The world is in chaos, people are starving, she has to body surf (and not the fun kind involving a wet suit and a great set of waves in Cali or Hawaii) through the crowds to get to the trains. People are living on nutrient bars because there is not enough food to support the populace.

With The Establishment there are different factions, just as we have here in today’s world. Answering that age-old question, as much as things change, they will always stay the same. Occupying this Wall Street is completely different though. When a CEO in The Establishment offers her a job, her own personal secret of being pro-death comes to light. Can she find how The Change came about? Can she help solve a 400 year old problem? Or will she get caught up in corruption, cover up and a brewing war.

The story is a fun read and was had to put down. It kick started me out of a reading slump because it was just what the doctor ordered, something different and interesting. The author developed the characters in a realistic and as I read I could see how each were growing along with their own changing convictions. Even the name Grace is wonderfully chosen. I could picture her, almost like a white hat wearing hero from a western!

I took my time reading this, but not because I was not engaged, but because it was reading so fast. I wanted to think about what I was reading and enjoy my little trip into the future. Hard core Science Fiction buffs may not like some of the softer sides, the more human sides of this story but if you like your science fiction on the side of urban futuristic spice, a dash of mystery, a splash of romance to brood in dark introspection of”what if?” I recommend it. This is not a YA read, there are some moments that are a bit intense and would not want to have to answer questions to my 15-year-old. ( )

Like a lot of you know, I am a sci-fi fan (not as big as my sister but still a fan). The premise of The Immortality Virus really got it. It seemed action packed with mystery entailed in it. The book did deliver. I have to mention how I am not a fan of the cover. It looks...very unprofessional. I mean I had seen worse but I really wish the book can get a better cover.

The world created in The Immortality Virus kind of reminded me of Gotham City, dark, gloomy and dangerous. The poor suffered the rich enjoyed. Trust me, the world in the book is not a place you want to live.
Okay I love books set in the future because I just LOVE reading about the technologies. #GeekForLife. I can just drool over the amazing high tech awesomeness. The action was so intense and heart bounding that I wouldn't breath at times when I read the book. There were twists and turns that just blew my mind. Furthermore, Christine added splashes of romance within the novel and it was delightful. Too bad there were parts where it was a little slow for me.

Okay, I kind of knew I was going to get confused (by a little) when I read the Goodreads synopsis (yes I got confused reading the synopsis #fail). Yes indeed I got lost a few things during the reading. The plot seemed complex to me then and it was when I read it. Grace didn't have the most simple life. Grace kind of reminded me of Kiera from Continuum. I totally pictured Kiera the whole time.

Grace was kind and could kick butt. She was definitely something. Unlike Kiera, Grace was sassy with awesome comebacks and humour. Man if I was her, I would be eeeeppiiiccc! I loved Alex and Meg too. Meg was someone not "strong" like Grace but she was super kind and strong in her own way.

I don't want to spoil the ending but it did remind me of Triggers by Robert J Sawyer's ending.

Overall, I enjoyed the fast paced of the book hinted with romance and packed with mystery and twists. I do recommend this to sci-fi and dystopian readers. ( )

What if you could live forever? What if you would rather not? Some people long for immortality. Christine Amsden shows how immortality can be a disease in The Immortality Virus.

A woman blacklisted as a private investigator is mysteriously summoned to a rich man who is also under suspicion for murder. Watched from all sides, she has no idea who to believe and trust. What started off as a job to find a missing person has become something much bigger.

The story has a well developed plot that is set at a steady pace that is not too fast nor too slow. The plot keeps the reader engaged and guessing as to what is really happening and what could possibly happen next. I like that in a story.

Ms. Amsden's writing style is easy to read and not too intimidating considering what she is writing about. I have found way too often that many of the science fiction stories write in a manner that is confusing and lack in explanation. Ms. Amsden gives the reader the right amount of knowledge they need as they read. If you are not a big science fiction or futuristic reader like me, this book will actually appeal to you as you will be able to follow it easily and enjoy it.

Ms. Amsden does an excellent job weaving a story that keeps you wanting to turn the page and keeps you engaged. I'm not big on this genre, but I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it especially if you like the genres it falls into.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides ( )

In the twenty-first century, science managed to overcome one of the greatests obstacles of life--aging. Now, it is the twenty-fifth century and the world is suffering from a food shortage due to overpopulate. Grace is a blacklisted P.I. hired to find the creator of "The Change" by a businessman suspected of his father's murder. Grace must track him down while toeing the line between The Establishment who fear death and do not want a cure found and the Pro-Death businessman who hired her. Assisting her in her search is an ex-boyfriend who broke her heart and the creator's grandson who threatens to steal it away.

Christine Amsden's novel is a hidden gem is the dystopic literature that seems to be overtaking popular fiction. If I hadn't won this in a giveaway, I might not have ever picked it up do to the cover art, which looks like a snapshot from The Sims video game. The story line is refreshing and at times the action-packed scenes made it difficult to put the book down. However, at other times it does seem as if some scenes are drawn out which slows down the otherwise fast paced tempo of the work. I will be keeping an eye out for a sequel as I'm curious to see what the future holds for the world that doesn't age. ( )

It's the year 2450, and old age has been eradicated. Grace Harper has been hired by Matthew Stanton to find Jordan Lacklin, the scientist responsible for stopping the aging process. But four hundred years of near-immortality has caused a population overload. Finding one man in a world of wall-to-wall people could be impossible. Her ex-lover Sam works for Mr. Stanton and wants to help Grace with her task, but Grace doesn't know if she wants Sam's involvement in her life again.

Christine Amsden has written an interesting science fiction novel set in the distant future. The idea of a time when the aging process will be stopped is not so hard to imagine. Mankind has always been fascinated with immortality, so it is not unreasonable to think that scientists somewhere, someday will try to find the key to ending the aging process. This novel definitely has something going for it, because I don't usually enjoy science fiction. To be truthful, it was an accident on my part that I signed up for the review. When I realized the genre, I worried that I would not be able to give an honest review since I'm not really that familiar with sci-fi. However, the plot was good and held my interest so that when I finished the novel, I was sorry to see the end. The characters were well-drawn, so that the reader feels a personal connection. This is one of the most important characteristics of good writing, in my opinion.

Definitely a 4-star novel.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of The Virtual Book Tour Cafe' and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe', no payment was received by me in exchange for this review nor was there an obligation to write a positive one. All opinions expressed here are entirely of my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.* ( )