The Immortals

A poignant and relevant book set in the near future where AIDS has been cured and a new more deadly virus has emerged. The virus is so deadly the US government mandates the victims of the virus must be placed in concentration camps and categorized as pre-deceased. With no rights and no hope this bleak outlook is part commentary on the perils of a government out of control and people making impulse decisions on life-affecting topics as well as an example of the human spirit enduring when it seems despair is all that remains. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which had me sprouting tears of sadness as well as tears of joy.

Interestingly, this novel is a far departure from this author's normal genre of fantasy dragon novels. A lovely example show more that writer's can span genres successfully when the writing is incredible and the topic compelling. While I own the hardcover version, which is out of print, the book is available in paperback as well as a free serialized audiobook through podiobooks.com. show less

This book is written in 1997 and is set in 2020. I enjoyed the book although you really have to keep in mind when it was written or you will find the views expressed by the government to be outdated. I enjoyed the dystopian setting around the internment camps if you were infected with V-SIDs, the intolerance of people towards what they don't understand or wish to accept, and the conspiracy surrounding the camps. You can really imagine something like this happening with today's intolerance of "other".

I did not care for the book. I found the writing technique adequate, but the handling of government oppression of AIDS-like infected "gay" individuals seemed to be very dated. While, there are some parts of the world today where "gay" individuals are losing their civil rights and being oppressed, the language, understanding and terminology in this book is stuck in the 1990s when the book was written. It was not to my taste.

I suppose readers who might like it are fans of government conspiracy writing or those wanting a time-capsule into attitudes towards gays and AIDS from the 1990s.

The U.S. in 2010 - ravaged by disease and slowly stifled by martial law. A lthal virus known as V_CIDS strikes everyone. Despite desperate efforts to control it, entire cities have succumbed. Emergency Relocation & Isolation Services - death camps - have been created. Michael Barris, a tv star, goes into one looking for his son.