Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... Lifehouseby Spider Robinson
None Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I love all of Spider Robinson's writing and I am glad he chose Canada to make his home. This book is set in Vancouver and tells the story of June Bellamy who returns from a walk in the park with memories missing. She and her partner are on the run because it appears the missing memories are the result of some strange people (or are they people?) The final (so far) novel in Robinson's future history series, where human memory can be uploaded, and a group mind (though without losing one's individuality) has formed. This group mind decided that every human should be granted immortality (good idea), so back in time are despatched "lifehouses" in which human, post-death memory and personality are recorded and stored for a future revival. So far so good. This carefully laid plan goes awry. In Canada, a wandering grifter stumbles across evidence that lifehouses exist, and before her memory can be erased, she and her boyfriend flee with this knowledge. The two lifehouse guardians pursue, but along the way the two absconders ally with two science fiction fen, who together push the situation to the point of public disclosure. This would result in a time paradox, and bring the whole project crashing down. The tense standoff is resolved by the visit of the female grifters deceased mother, returned briefly from the future to the present, who reveals the true benign purpose of the lifehouse project. From here it is a happy ending. The two couples (grifter and SF) settle down and live happily ever after—or at least until they are revived. The story is told in Robinson's usual rich style: lots of emotional dialogue, insights into human nature, and relationships. In this novel the author makes a clear and sometimes humorous nod to the science fiction community, and an equally clear vote of approval to Canada over the USA. The adventure is told well, twists and turns, a perilous closeness to failure, capped with last minute success. The minor characters are each drawn well, though, perhaps a tad cliched. An amusing story, with a message or two, and an optimistic outcome. Great! I have re-read several times, maybe once more? no reviews | add a review
Belongs to SeriesIs contained in
June Bellamy had gone for a walk in a park -- and came back with memories missing. She didn't know that, but her partner could tell; she'd told his answering machine about strangers in the park.Now June and Paul are on the run from insidious super-humans who, they fear, can edit their memories and track them down no matter where or how well they hide. They are desperate. But not nearly so desperate as their pursuers. No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813Literature English (North America) American fictionLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
Speaking of which... this 'trilogy' is only loosely connected in that each book follows its own set of characters and events. In fact, this third installment is more of a prequel than sequel - but it's all sort of the same thing allowing for the time-travel conceit that Robinson posits. ( )