One Million Tomorrows
Encyclopedia
One Million Tomorrows is a science fiction novel by Bob Shaw
and first published in 1970 in magazine form by the American magazine Amazing Stories
. The paperback version is somewhat different, and was published the same year by Ace Books
.
on a single application, without any need for follow up treatments. The immortality treatment did not and could not wear off. All it took, was a single dose and the human would become immortal. However, it had an unusual effect on males that drank it. It effectively neutered them, causing complete cessation of sexual desire, and the ability to perform sexually. In this kind of world, many men put off taking the immortality treatment for as long as possible.
But the main character, Will Carewe, is not yet immortal, and wishes to involve his wife in questions as serious as this one. They have not yet had any children. He is a high ranking employee for a transnational corporation that one day approaches him with a confidential question relating to the discovery of an immortality potion that does the same thing that the current one does. But without the undesirable side-effect of turning off the sex drive in males. The desirability of patenting the process required the corporation to handle related matters under a cloak of secrecy. But somewhere someone has spilled the beans, and competitors will do anything for the magic recipe, especially if this can be done before the patent is filed in the US Patent Office. They will do anything, including bribery
, extortion
, and murder
, to get the information out of the pharmaceuticals lab before the process is made public. The hero of the story, Will Carewe says he is willing to test the new chemical, even if it backfires and results in permanent sterility
and complete loss of physical desire and physical ability. But it appears there is someone out there that is willing to do anything to kill him before he does.
Bob Shaw
Bob Shaw, born Robert Shaw, was a science fiction author and fan from Northern Ireland. He was noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980...
and first published in 1970 in magazine form by the American magazine Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
. The paperback version is somewhat different, and was published the same year by Ace Books
Ace Books
Ace Books is the oldest active specialty publisher of science fiction and fantasy books. The company was founded in New York City in 1952 by Aaron A. Wyn, and began as a genre publisher of mysteries and westerns...
.
Plot
In the 22nd century, no one had to die of old age any more. The pharmaceuticals division of a large corporation had devised a potion that bestowed immortalityImmortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
on a single application, without any need for follow up treatments. The immortality treatment did not and could not wear off. All it took, was a single dose and the human would become immortal. However, it had an unusual effect on males that drank it. It effectively neutered them, causing complete cessation of sexual desire, and the ability to perform sexually. In this kind of world, many men put off taking the immortality treatment for as long as possible.
But the main character, Will Carewe, is not yet immortal, and wishes to involve his wife in questions as serious as this one. They have not yet had any children. He is a high ranking employee for a transnational corporation that one day approaches him with a confidential question relating to the discovery of an immortality potion that does the same thing that the current one does. But without the undesirable side-effect of turning off the sex drive in males. The desirability of patenting the process required the corporation to handle related matters under a cloak of secrecy. But somewhere someone has spilled the beans, and competitors will do anything for the magic recipe, especially if this can be done before the patent is filed in the US Patent Office. They will do anything, including bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, to get the information out of the pharmaceuticals lab before the process is made public. The hero of the story, Will Carewe says he is willing to test the new chemical, even if it backfires and results in permanent sterility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
and complete loss of physical desire and physical ability. But it appears there is someone out there that is willing to do anything to kill him before he does.