The Immortals
Podiobooks.com in association with Dragonhearth Productions, presents New York Times Best Selling Author Tracy Hickman’s cautionary tale… The Immortals.
The future story of United States Internment Camps … of the dreams of the pre-deceased … and of triumph beyond oblivion.
It’s 2020, and an attempted cure for AIDS has mutated into a deadlier disease, V-CIDS. The U.S., under martial law, has set up “quarantine centers” in the Southwest. Searching for his gay son, Jon, media mogul Michael Barris smuggles himself into one of centers only to discover that it and the other centers are actually extermination camps. With a strange assortment of allies, including the leader of the camp’s gay barracks, an army officer and a local cowboy, Barris precipitates an inmates’ rebellion that promises the unraveling of the death-camp system and the overthrow of the government that established it.
As read and performed by Tracy and Laura Hickman. Published as a podiobook during the ten-year anniversary of its first printing.
“Powerful… disturbing… A vision of the future that is all too possible.†– Margaret Weis
“Masterful … sensitive … controversial … Hickman holds up a mirror to our society.†R. A. Salvatore
“Excellent and exciting … An important book.†– Robin Wayne Bailey.
May 24th, 2006 at 7:56 am
Oh.. wow.. this is going to be a pretty rough book for me. I’m on chapter 2, getting chapter 3, 4, 5 tonight.
This is one of those books that you just have to read/listen to. It’s that important. The production value is stunning and introspective.
May 26th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
I love this production. The quality of the recording is superb. The voices are richly textured and easy to understand. Music is used to great effect. Often in other podiobooks muscic comes booming in abruptly and loudly, playing much to long. Here, the music is incorporated into the story, supporting and enriching it. After listening to the first two chapters, I was ready to purchase the book. I haven’t ready anything by Mr. Hickman, but am now going to explore his works. Unfortunately, The Immortals is no longer in print. I checked Amazon and e-Books to no avail. I then visited the Dragonhearth website and read that the book was available for download and with great excitement clicked on the link, only to find the dreaded “coming soon” message. I hope that they make the book available soon, or I may have to go looking at the used books store. This is a compelling story and very well produced.
May 27th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
After hearing Tracy’s podcast at http://dragonhearthproductions.com, I knew we were in for a special treat with this book. He not only met those expectations, he’s shattered them beyond belief. We’ve got some great books on this site, but Tracy’s performance has shown us all what is possible with this format. I’ll stack this one up against any “professionally” produced audio book out there. Well done.
June 1st, 2006 at 8:12 pm
Maureen, the Immortals will be published again from Margaret Weis Productions. I’m not sure on the release date. I’ve listened to all five chapters thus far, and I’m astonished. It’s like an audio version of a TV mini-series. The themes come from our own present day, yet work wonderfully to present a possible dark future. I can’t wait for chapter six! Bravo, Tracy!
June 25th, 2006 at 6:44 am
I am enjoying this book very much. It is gripping, and shows a believable and scary future.
Two thumbs up for Tracy Hickman.
July 30th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
Don’t make me beg! I’m ready for another episode!!!
August 16th, 2006 at 10:59 am
When do we get another episode or three? It’s getting to the point that the story is fading, which is too bad, since I had been absolutely captivated. Sigh…
Matt
August 24th, 2006 at 7:17 am
Sorry about the hiatus. Laura and I have been on a combination six-weeks book signing tour and convention blitz. We’re back and you should be getting several chapters in the next few weeks while we catch up.
September 14th, 2006 at 10:48 am
Care to examine the locations in ‘The Immortals’ more closely? Maps showing the location of the ERIS 477th District 7 and a detailed layout of Newhouse Center may be downloaded in PDF format at the following address:
http://www.dragonhearthproductions.com/Immortals/ERIS_Maps.pdf
September 25th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Listened to the first two chapters, and Im sorry to say that this one dosen’t hold water for me. Its too far fetched, too extreme and not credible enouigh to convince me.
September 26th, 2006 at 8:16 am
There were those who said the same thing about Auschwitz, Dachau or, for that matter, Manzanar or Topaz — American ‘relocation centers’ for Japanese Americans in WWII. These examples are, arguably, from the past — today we are enlightened to the point where the United States Government only holds a limited number of Terrorist without formal charges or recourse. What is more, given the extremist views of BOTH political parties in the United States today supercharged by ‘instant analysis’ of the mass media — I really have to disagree.
This book is far MORE likely to become reality than it was ten years ago when I first wrote it. Hitler believed in social engineering through genocide and he was not the first in a long line of history. It is still a reality in Africa today although the Western World turns a blind eye to it … there’s no profit in caring about Africa.
Far fetched? Too extreme? Not credible? I certain hope so … but history seems to argue otherwise.
Tracy Hickman
September 26th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
I stand by my origional statement, and disagree with your assertions about what history argues for or against.
However,
I honestly am not trying to be an ass about this. And these passages will probably leave you thinking im some right wing nut. Im not a radical, and Im not a naysayer who’s running around with his eyes closed and his fingers in his ears. Im not, and I consider myself open minded more often than not.
My dislike of your story is rooted as much in its microscopic elements as in its macroscopic ones. But I dont want to turn this into an arguement, or a line by line review.
If you wish, I would gladly entertain a direct corispondance through e-mail.
But at this, I end, I don’t imagin you would want to be troublmed by my minority opinion of your novel.
Best of luck to you.
Cisco Cividanes
September 26th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
I believe you are correct in one point … I am untroubled by your opinion. You may stand by your statement and I shall stand by my book.
And if you are someone reading this who has not experience my book … here is a chance to make up your own mind. All it costs you is the time to listen and decide for yourself.
Tracy Hickman
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:20 pm
Well, I have listened to the audio book to this point and feel the premise is emminently plausible. just look at how we, the people and government, responded to terrorists murdering 3,000 people on 9/11.
Tracy’s description of the response to a deadly disease outbreak within the USA does not seem far-fetched. Some other key facts revealed later are harder to accept.
Tracy thank you for the book, both as entertainment annd as a lesson to us.
October 4th, 2006 at 1:34 am
this is an awsome book. Cisco, don’t know really what your problem is - maybe you just don’t like the implication that america *could* do this to itself, as could any nation. I like the undertones of right wing christian america cleansing the more ’subversive’ elements of society. Ho Hum - its off to the camps for me then. By the way - does anyone know what guantanamo bay is construct from……
Cant wait to finish it up - look forward to the next chapters
October 12th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
I am still enjoying this book. Sadly somehow the feed did not give me the newer episodes…
I just noticed that we are at episode 18. My feed still showed episode 14 as being the latest (has done that since september 13), I didn’t notice the hiatus, because there had been a hiatus before…
I guess I’ll have to update it myself for now.
*Agrees with devilshands*, I too look forward to the next chapters.
Oh and I really, really hope that this story will not become reality…
November 8th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Wow…
I never understood the music played over the intro/outtro.. it just didn’t fit, in fact I was on the verge of being annoyed by it (and going to come and comment about it). After Chapter 21, I understand, and it had me teary eyed.
Well done..
November 15th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Just finished Chapter 8. Fantastic book, Tracy has a great reading voice, I love the extra effects which generally add to the atmosphere. However I do feel some of the echo effect on the voices is a little to much, but that seriously is a very small criticism and no way detracts from the quality of the book. I gorged on the first 8 chapters and have now downloaded the rest of the book which I will super gorge on.
I have always been a great fan of Tracys fantasy works and am pleasurably stunned by this departure in style. Great work.
November 20th, 2006 at 2:13 am
More chapters please!!!!! I need more!!!!!! withdrawl symptoms setting in!!!!!! if you haven’t listened - listen now - become addicted!!!!!
December 2nd, 2006 at 1:51 pm
A quick apology: I have a terrible headcold currently which is going to delay the recording and posting of the next two chapters in ‘The Immortals.’ I am sorry for the delay but my voice is entirely gone at the moment.
Tracy Hickman
December 12th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
Thanks for the update, Tracy! I was worried there was a problem with the feed. Waiting with bated breath for the next episode but more importantly I hope your feeling like new soon.
As for the book…I am completely entranced. Upon listening to the first few chapters I didn’t think I would make it through the bleakness of the initial plot. I’ve been rewarded in full for continuing. The more that is revealed the more plausible it becomes; especially in light of recent world events and ever advancing medicine. Growing up with children whose parents endured the Japanese internment camps, I have a full appreciation that similar realities are in our country’s not-so-distant past.
Also, much like Aeryn mentioned earlier, I did not understand the complexity of theme music but as each chapter opened and closed I turned up the volume — it was just so beautiful, so haunting. But Chapter 21 brought clarity and tears. When a story can move you to that measure, you you’re experiencing a masterpiece unfolding.
Kudos for the bravery to use your craft in such a way that the reader is required to examine how closely fiction and reality can coincide — lest we forget the errors of our past and make the same mistakes in the future. ~Best Regards
December 20th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
I love this book! The quality of the audio is excellent, moreover, the content and plot are disturbingly close to reality. If we, as a people are not careful about how we treat each other, we could end up like this! There are scenes in the novel that I believe are indicative of our nation. This book is an eye-opener and should be a movie. This story moves you to tears, brings up your anger, and helps you understand the failures of past generations and what the future generations should avoid.
Keep up the good work. ~ Thank You!
December 30th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
UPDATE: (December 30th, 2006)
A recent hard drive system crash on my office computer has further delayed the release of new chapters for ‘The Immortals.’ However, the problem has been corrected and the data from the original hard drive has been recovered. New chapters for the Immortals will begin feeding once more starting next week (the first week in January of ‘07).
Sorry for the delay but we will be back better than ever this coming week.
In the meantime, may I offer you a happy and peaceful New Year.
Tracy Hickman
January 6th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
UPDATE: (January 6th, 2007)
System restored and chapters should start appearing now weekly once more. Chapter 24 was a particularly difficult chapter for me (emotionally) so I am pleased to have completed it and submitted it to podiobooks. Should be available soon.
January 15th, 2007 at 6:52 am
Well its been a while since i left a pst on here and what better way to get back into it than by thanking mr hickman for his wondeful story brought to us by the eqyally wonderful podiobooks.
I work for the national health service in scotland processing presciptions and it is a tedious jobbut worthy as people need to be kept healthy but as i sais tedious to the extreme.
I began listerning to podcasts about a year ago and initially it was mostly poor quality stuff but bit bi bit this has become less and less the norm,the quality of podcasting has risen to such a degree in sych a short space of time that i almost cant wait to get into work and start downloading my podcasts straight(i have no p.c at home:-().
People lige steve ealey,j.c hutchins scott sigler,companies of the same ilk darker projects,the sonic socity and farpoint media are breaking all the boundaries and making podcasting THE media of interest and long may it continue.
So thank you Evo Scott Tracey and Laura Steve and Murr.
From scotland to the podcasting community,
I salute you and evry1 else who is striving to make podcasting as unique and ecellwent as it currently is
Keep up the good work
January 27th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Another post from Scotland, must be our literate upbringing.
Tracy, this is a marvellous book. I am hooked and can’t wait for the next episode.
I have to disagree with Cisco here, I do not find the general premise so far fetched, how many steps from global pandemics hysteria and places like guantanamo and refugee camps in the UK are we actually at. I agree with delsmith here.
Errm that is not well thought our I think,
Anyway, good fiction, like this is, should always stimulate us and this does for me.
This is a cracking story and thanks for sharing it with us
January 27th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
Just wanted to thank Mr. Hickman for sharing his writing and speaking talents with us. Have been following the podcasts and began listening to this Podiobook. Waiting with anticipation for each chapter. This is my first experience away from the Dragonlance with Mr. Hickman and I am very impressed. Will be reading more of Tracy and Lara Hickman’s work soon. Thank you for your generosity to your fans. This is a great book and will recommend it to many others. Our fears are truly our worst enemies.
January 27th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
I would never have known about this book had it not been available on this site. Thank you to the author and podiobooks. I am really enjoying this powerful book.
January 28th, 2007 at 4:41 am
I never thought i could get into a book with this kind of subject matter. Boy was i wrong! The way it is handled and presented is both thought provoking and errie. Thank you Sir for broadding my view.
February 5th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
I usually wait for these books to complete, since when I get into one I hate to let it go for longer than it takes to eat and sleep. It’s getting harder and harder to wait for this though, I’m checking in once or twice a week at this point. Looking forward to it.
February 20th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I’m sorry to say I didn’t really enjoy it so far (I’ve listened to it up to chapter 7). I’m not saying I find it unrealistic, it’s more that the plotline is relentlessly grim and the characters seem more like cardboard cut-outs than interesting nuanced characters. The production is excellent though, apart from the opening credit music which I found a tad corny. Perhaps it gets better as the story goes on, but I’ve decided to unsubscribe. No offence to the author intended.
February 24th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
I’m caught up with the author, and eagerly awaiting more.
February 27th, 2007 at 11:11 am
I just wanted to send a quick note to let you know how much I am enjoying this story. While I consider myself to be relatively well read, I am not often as emotionally impacted as I was after Chapters 24/25 when some previously seedy characters began walking off with the children.
I suspect that the conclusion of the story may not be particularly upbeat. However, I am looking forward to your next installment and very much appreciate your beinging this important story to light.
March 1st, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Sir, could i please have some more.
March 8th, 2007 at 7:20 am
I have to admit it, I’m greedy, I want more. This is such an excellent story and I am just champing at the bit to get on with it. I mentally speculate how it will end, I keep turning it over in my mind to try to imagine how things can come out alright in the end (I suspect they won’t, if all follows to the logical conclusion).
I am telling myself to be patient, that this is the “joy” of podcasted books, the anticipation is part of the pleasure. Nuts! I want the next installment! Any idea when the next one is coming online?
Thanks, Joan
March 8th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Thank you for making this audiobook available, Tracy and Laura. You have done a great dramatisation of such a great story that I have come to love. The characters are great and the descriptive is amazing. When I listen to this tale I feel like I am there, feeling for the characters in their dark reality. It is a great cautionary tale - a warning of what might happen if our beliefs go too extreme and we forget that we are all members of the human race. Brilliant!
And before I forget, I love the accents. You did a great job on those.
March 9th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Laura and I thank you all for your kind words about a book that means so much to us both. We have transmitted three new chapters (28, 29 and 30) and all three should be available to you soon.
Tracy Hickman
March 12th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Hi guys it took a while to get the next few ep’s out but i understand why it takes so long for u to do so ur a busy guy.Well just listened to ep30 and i listen to these ep’s in work as i jav a job that allows me to do so and wow u really have to start putting disclaimers on these things as i was so close to tears as amandas death was so touching.
As of now i’ll be goin out to waterstones and makin sure i get myself a copy of this wonderful and touching story.
Everybody deserves to read or hear this book.
chris mcgilvray glasgow march 2007
March 15th, 2007 at 10:29 am
You will soon be able to buy ‘The Immortals’ in paperback. Margaret Weis Productions is going to be issuing a new version this spring. I’ll give you more details soon!
March 15th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Thanks for this brilliant book - I too have been lucky enough to listen at work in great big greedy lumps!
… just a little reminder to all the other repondees … DON’T TELL US WHAT HAPPENS when reviewing :s It’s so easy to forget some folks will read the comments before downloading (and contributing) - don’t we owe it to everybody else to keep the mystery? Still you just can’t take anything away from this story - so powerful, and well worth the time. Thanks again
March 16th, 2007 at 11:08 am
Just a quick plea: if you are an iTunes listener to ‘The Immortals’ and you are enjoying the book … could you please leave a review on iTunes? We’ve had three reviews; one glowing and two that trashed the book because … would you believe … they believed they had the entire book and thought the ‘ending’ a bit sudden.
I’d appreciate you posting your insights into this book … and we have two more chapters coming this weekend.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:55 pm
I am so glad to soon be able to buy this book in print but I must confess, I have moved all the files to permanent storage on my hard drive so I can listen again later to this fine audio production (ya know, in case it leaves podiobooks for some reason or the internet implodes, whatever).
I have many books that I have truly enjoyed in my bookcase but there are a special few that represent ideas and reflections on society that I like to visit every so often to see how my point of view has changed, how my understanding has matured and how society in reality compares to the fictional. Examples of these books would be “1984″ by George Orwell, and “Anthem” and “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. I would like to see my own copy of “The Immortals” sitting along side them.
I have enjoyed Tracy’s earlier works, which came to me via my liking for fantasy and SF. “The Immortals” is a couragous departure. It is well written and the concept is extremely daring in today’s political climate. I think that it is an absolutely plausible scenario. Many governments throughout history have segregated, detained or erased certain portions of the population for the “good of society”, as mentioned in previous posts. This cautionary tale is relevent to current affairs and should be read and heeded. I say this without even hearing the last few chapters, as the warning runs clearly and irrevocable through the narrative and can only conclude in one way (as much as I am dreading it) that will be true to the theme. I believe that is the strength of the story and the power in the lesson.
Thank you for writing this, Tracy. It’s a good one and will stand.
Joan
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Tracy - I wish I could leave a comment at itunes but they won’t let me create an account without a credit card which I never use over the internet (I’m a Paypal gal).
Joan
March 24th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I think this is an excellent production, this is a vision of the future that is all to prevalent among those of us who listen to Alex Jones and Jeff Rense. The author should be interviewed by either one or both of these truth seekers. I don’t think getting Americans into the camps is going to be this easy though. People are getting wise to the 9/11 scam and the crime families that are running our lives. There will be a very active resistance. The story was beginning to drag a bit around chapter 30. I haven’t listened to the latest additions yet but am hoping for some more action.
Phil
March 24th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Cisco, if you want to be perceived as being intelligent, learn to spell or at least how to use spell check.
March 26th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Wow.. I couldn’t keep a dry eye with episode 30.
I doubt anybody could.
*grabs for a handkerchief*
April 12th, 2007 at 10:10 am
At first when I started listening to this, I thought that the music was kind of creepy, but as the story went on, it became extremely fitting and rather touching.
April 13th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
UPDATE: We should have FIVE new chapters up this coming week … bringing us to chapter 37. Three more to go to the end of the book.
Tracy Hickman
April 17th, 2007 at 6:08 am
Cant wait for the end of this wonderful story but also i can if u know what i mean.
Hate it when a story comes to an end and as we can all feel this one is building up to a climax that none of us wants but whicj cannot be avoided.
Anyway bribg on those next 5 chapters Tracey the hankies are at the ready:-)
April 17th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Looking forward to hearing more! I agree with Chris. I don’t want it to end!
P.S. A conspiracy fruitcake was just what this comment blog needed. Grats!
April 17th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
UPDATE: Laura and I are proud to announce that all 40 chapters of “The Immortals” will be completed this week. We are so excited to get the complete book to you at last — and are grateful that you have come with us on this journey.
April 18th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Tracey and Laura!
Best news I’ve heard all week. I seriously can not wait for the rest of the episodes.
On a side note, I’d love to hear the classic dragonlance books performed like this.
Keep up the amazing work.
April 21st, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Production value is amazing, and what can you say he’s an award winning author and the story is amazing, it’s an incredibly touching story about a possibly scary future, based on a scary past.
April 24th, 2007 at 12:40 am
Well just finished the book and what can you say other than genius uplifting tragic and inspiring in a time when mass shootings are becoming more commonplace you have given us a stark future storyline that runs a parallel with reality that is scarily close with the president you all have in power today(he would do something like this we all know it).How long before we have a story where lone gunman plays games on generic console all day then goes out to rack up his own high score.I feel another knee jerk reaction comingas games get the blame whenever something like this occurs.Yet tv & films skate on by when there is much more violence perpetrated on a daily basis there.
Anyway i digress congratulations on a truely touching book must go to the hickmans im a big fan of the sigler hutchins type of podiobook but this was a break from the norm and a welcome one at that i hope we hear a lot more from the hickmans not only in their fantasy genre of choice but in many more as it seems they can turn their hand to whatever genre catches their eye.
Thanks again.
April 24th, 2007 at 12:42 am
Any update on when the written book will be released in britain guys i need this book in my collection???
April 26th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Just finished listening to the last chapter. This is the best audiobook I have listened to. If I had read it in paper form, I’d probably say it was one of my favorite books.
I have many criteria that I measure books by - story, plot, believable characters, etc. But books that move me, that make me feel something always have the most impact on me. I was genuinely choked up many times listening to this book, and I was teary eyed several times as well. This is a book that will stay with me a long time.
Thank you Tracy for writing this truly touching and provocative book and making it available in this format.
April 27th, 2007 at 11:20 am
My thanks to everyone who has joined us this journey and for your touching responses to this book.
I am please to announce that Margaret Weis Productions will be releasing the print version of this book in September of this year (2007).
April 29th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Its rare that I find a story that has so much impact on me emotionally. It is truly a beautifully written piece. Thank you Tracy for such a thought provoking book, I shall recommend this to many and most certainly will be adding it to my list of books to purchase.
May 4th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Tracy,
Thank you. This has to have been one of the most emotionally impacting books I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
No. Scratch that. Not “one of”. THE most emotionally impacting books.
I admit that I had a hard time listening to it, at first, it was too slow-paced, too strange. I’m glad I kept subscribed to the feed, though. This was worth every moment of my time that I spent listening to it.
Bravo, say I, for a spectacularly written story. And an astoundingly well-produced audio novel, as well. Your recognition as a master worldsmith is not unfounded. Please, I hope you’ll continue writing these masterpieces for many years yet to come.
May 11th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child. I couldn’t even begin to guess at the number of books I’ve read so far, but I’ve thought about it and can honestly say that I can’t remember ever being as moved by a story as The Immortals has moved me. How often can you say ‘I laughed, I cried’ and mean it? Thank you, Tracy for writing this.
I’ve read some of the other posts here, and I have to agree with those who find this scenario plausible. In fact, I could see myself jumping on the bandwagon and voting yes on internment camps and feeling justified doing it if I lived in a time like that. This story has caused me to think of myself in a way I never had. This is a beautiful story, and I’m sad to see it end. Hopefully there’s another podiocast in the works.
May 14th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Great book! I might have missed this along the way or in a podcast, but what is the name of the theme music? I would like to add it to my collection. Any help would be appreciated.
Tracy, you are a great writer. I look forward to reading some of your other works.
May 15th, 2007 at 5:51 am
Very touching. Thank you Tracy Hickman.
More than the problem of judging others or forgivenes, what touched me in the story was the immortality of what we leave behind. We bleed data and information but so rarely we leave something organic, alive. It can be a paperbook or a podiobook, a movie or a youtube flick, but if it lived within the creator before it was even made, it will live after the creator is no longer alive. And how is any of us now different from the predeceased? Most of us waste our lives assembling the same useless contraptions over and over without taking a step back for a better view. Never realy meeting the people around us. Using euphemisms and drawing lines whereever we feel uncomfortable.
I thought it was just another sci-fi when I subscribed. Now that it’s over, I see the world in a different way. I will die someday, but how much alive am I right now?
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:36 pm
I downloaded about 10 chapters for my trip to Europe, and got through all of them, ending up with 20 at the moment.
At chapter 19 ‘Sunshine’ that was the most well written, read, and thought out portion as well as the most disturbing, sad, and awful thing I’ve read/heard in a long time.
I mean I was struggling through the earlier chapters hoping that it couldn’t get much worse and it really needed to ‘get better’ and then hit that. Wow. Probably didn’t help that I have a little girl close to that age (5 goin on 6) so it hit me emotionally pretty hard.
Great work. Can’t wait to finish the rest.
June 14th, 2007 at 4:12 am
Wonderful, devastating, moving… and terryifying. I bought this book as an American import many years ago. Listening to it now, the terrible thing is that we seemed to have moved closer in so many ways to this frightening vision of the direction of American policy. Guantanemo, anyone?
Thankyou, Tracy, for giving us hope and a vision of what it really means to be human is these troubling times.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Just read the book blurb and I am intrigued enough to download the first chapters to see how it goes
BUT
I do have problems with how the blurb reads. It seems to imply that AIDS and is a mostly gay disease. The blurb may have just been poorly worded (”the camp’s gay barracks”?) it reads as a cliche and sort of implies the book might be filled with similar simplistic cliches and viewpoints.
Like I said though, I’ll give the book a try and see for myself.
P.S.
I’m not a liberal gay rights advocate of any kind (Texas Republican), but I don’t think that the gay population makes up the majority of the AIDs cases anymore and detecting the sentiment that AIDS = GAY in the blurb made me wince.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:50 am
This is a very well written book with a great story line and superb production. Each chapter I read left me wanting more. I is a dark tale that seems that it would depress but the heroic characters just living a life in hell are an inspiration. I recommend this book to anyone that values their humanity.
Now for my usual couple of nits. They are not particular to tis particular work but seem all too common in audio books. First and least important is that the same intro and wrap up are used throughout. After even the first 20 chapters that becomes tedious. Secondly is the audio level that does not work with unpowered speakers forcing the use of headphones. It seems that producers just do not consider the range of listeners. A good example of how to do it can be found with the podcasts on twit.tv.
December 18th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Not to blow your premise or anything, but lesbians are the lowest risk group for sexually transmitted diseases of all kinds, especially those that are spread primarily through blood contact. Know your avenues of transmission, dude.
February 7th, 2008 at 9:06 am
I don’t remember how I stumbled onto this story, but I’m glad that I did. It’s been a long time since I’ve found so much entertainment and have been touched by a piece of fiction. I love the mix of sci-fi technical jargon and the old west feel that comes through this book!
February 9th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Pixiedyke but studies show the risk of STD transmission between women varies significantly depending on the STD.
Herpes, HPV (genital wart virus), and bacterial vaginosis are transmitted easily between women during sex. HIV, hepatitis B, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, though not as easy as the former to be transmitted, is not only possible but fairly common.
Check your facts and practice safe sex always.
March 5th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Wonderful! I am enjoying the story and am glad I waited until the entire book was available. I am listening and being pulled into the story along with your characters.
One question…The Music…Is there a CD available of the music?
March 12th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I liked this book and both wanted to hear how it ended and didn’t want it to end. I found myself listening to the story after I turned off the car, was done with my workouts or when the power went out in a storm. Make sure you listen to the whole thing before you listen to the author’s Final Word.
April 7th, 2008 at 4:05 am
Thank you for this information about the bacterial vaginosis natural cures.
May 27th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I liked the book…I read it several years ago and enjoyed it then….but I have to say…the beginning of each episode “A cautionary tail….blah blah blah” was sappy as HELL. I wouldnt have minded it if it had been at the VERY beginning….but GOD…stop reminding me….
August 1st, 2008 at 10:13 am
Okay the bad bits first. The title music is too loud, I found myself wincing when it came on and that detracted from it’s place in the story. My other gripe was the use of echo that some times obsured the narration. Okay that’s my rant.
The writing and the idea is excellent. This is an intelligent near future tale that is totally believable. The characterisation is outstanding with multidementional characters who really do seem to come to life. I particularly liked the fact that some very minor characters developed considerable and played strong roles.
I liked the end and will recommend this title to my friends.
Thanks
September 1st, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I was hopeful about this book and it started well enough but while the writing is fine I find the some serious flaws in both the father- son relationship and the military command. As a Jew and someone who grew up on holocaust stories - one thing that always comes up is the importance of blood, of family. The need to keep explaining why the father is there as well as his own explanation is ridiculous - he’s his son, and that’s it. We see this in other situations such as what parents will do for their sick child (including breaking the law and donating organs) or the support for a convicted child. While not all parents are like this - they are more like this than any family that is not blood related. I find the focus on hurt feelings during a time when the focus should be survival unbelievable and absurd. The reaction of the son is equally ridiculous - please read life accounts from the holocaust, Bosnia and every other war situation. Another point that is lacking is all internment camps (including the ones for the Japanese in the US) even when not set out to kill have a problem of food and starvation - and people will eat anything and hungry people usually obsess and become violent over food. Thirdly in a orderly army like the US the order of killing people would come from the top, clearly - so it was in Germany, Bosnia & probably Turkey.