27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wrench named Alec is thrown into the works, January 9, 2005
Now that I'm caught up with Kage Baker's "Company" novels, waiting for the next one has been excruciating. At the beginning of December, however, The Life of the World to Come was finally published, and it was well worth the wait. Baker adds a lot more detail to the "Company" universe, telling us much more of the future than we even received in The Graveyard Game as we barrel toward the unknown event horizon of 2355, where not even Doctor Zeus Incorporated knows what happens. For any fans of the Company, rest assured that this book is well worth reading. If you're not familiar, then definitely don't start with this book. While it is understandable (for reasons I'll get into later), you'll lose a lot of the richness of the plot.
I was expecting this book to be mainly about Mendoza, and since I had not read the cover jacket, I was quite surprised when the book left her and never returned (except very briefly near the end). Instead, we get the story of Alec, who has appeared in a few Asimov's stories but who I never really knew how he fit into everything. The Life of the World to Come explains it all. Were you bothered about how Mendoza always seemed to be meeting reincarnations of her old lover? This book explains it quite rationally, making the Company seem even darker even as the scientists involved with his origin believe that they are doing good for the world.
The book does a wonderful job of explaining everything and keeps up a good pace as well. We see extended scenes of Alec while he's growing up and see how his personality is shaped by the strange, overly politically correct world that he's surrounded by, as well as the feeling that he was completely unwanted by his parents. His only true friend is the Captain, a former computer playfriend that he reprogrammed to be the ultimate artificial intelligence and now his companion in everything he does. He even goes so far as to get a cyborg implant so he can always be connected to the Captain. Mixed in with these scenes so we never get too bored by too much Alec are the scenes with the scientists. These are, at times, even better than the Alec scenes.
Rutherford is a historian that wants desperately to return to the old times. His ultimate goal is to recreate the Inklings, the writing group that Tolkein was a member of. He and his companions, Frankie Chatterji and Foxen Ellsworth-Howard have fake wine, fake tea, a fire that only their service to Dr. Zeus allows them to have (fires are against the law). They serve a couple of purposes in the book. First, they explain Alec's background so the reader knows it before Alec does, along with explaining what happened with Mendoza in the 16th century and the 19th. Secondly, they give us a little bit of insight into the company workings, or at least one side of it. When they realize that the third incarnation of what they are doing is happening in real time (contemporary to them, rather than in the past), they get an odd thrill. There's no way to know how it will turn out. It makes them nervous, too, as Alec has already become too unpredictable for them. Baker captures these scientists perfectly. They have many idiosyncrasies like a lot of scientists have and each one is truly three dimensional.
The star of the show, however, is Alec. He is a very rich character and Baker is able to fully examine him. He is damaged by the way he grew up, and he's even more damaged when he finds out the truth behind his childhood. Baker never falters in her telling of the two intertwining stories, always capturing the reader's interest and moving on to the other story just when the reader needs a break. The opening, told from Mendoza's point of view, gives us an update on how she's doing and becomes even more important when we see the same scenes from Alec's point of view later on. For not being in the book much, we find ourselves caring even more about Mendoza as she does something that leaves her in quite the precarious circumstance.
For fans of Joseph and Lewis, Mendoza's fellow immortals, I'm sorry to say they are not in this one. The way The Graveyard Game left off, that's too bad, but we must wait until the next one. Baker is slowly building up to the event in 2355, and she's ratcheting up the tension as she goes. The Life of the World to Come progresses the story a little bit, but it also fills in a lot of back detail. It's clear that Alec will play an important part and so it's imperative we get to know him first.
Both Baker's characterization and her plotting skills are on vivid display here. Do yourself a favour and pick this book up.
David Roy
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Baker's latest Company novel is a must-have, December 5, 2004
After a long wait, it was thrilling to get my hands on "The Life of the World to Come." It is a superb installment in the line of Company novels, yet functions just fine on its own chronicling the life of Alec Checkerfield in the sterile dystopia of the 24th century. Baker's books and short stories constructing the intricate legacy of Dr. Zeus, Inc. have been hilarious, heart-breaking, and compelling. "The Life of the World to Come" finally gives readers insight into the more mysterious inner workings of the Company and what might be done to ultimately bring about its demise.
Sure, this latest novel leaves quite a few unanswered questions while tying up a whole slew of open ends left by "Mendoza in Hollywood" and "The Graveyard Game." That's really the beauty of this series, though - its captivating nature through the well-timed revelation of more and more pieces of puzzle as the overall story progresses. These glimpses of the truth are satisfying tidbits of Company lore that keep us reading. This novel delivers the truth about Alec/Edward/Nicholas; a little more insight into the silence that falls in 2355; knowledge that the Company might not be as infallible as previously thought; and a time-travelling trip to Mars. It's quite a ride.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book (as well as the four preceding it, plus the short stories contained in "Black Projects, White Knights" and the chapbook "The Angel in the Darkness"). It's an excellent addition to Baker's previous works. I, for one, can't wait to find out what Joseph and Budu are going to do once they've reemerged on the scene and how Labienus and his band of immortal malcontents have managed to stay under the radar. But these are questions for another book, and you can believe I'll keep reading after being given a prize like "The Life of the World to Come."
Alex Richards
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15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
masterpiece will be on most sci fi fans' short lists, October 31, 2004
In the twenty-fourth century, Dr. Zeus, Incorporated discovered time travel. However, rather than benefiting humanity, the firm plundered history taking valuable artifacts so the shareholders became wealthy. One of the top agents the botanist Mendoza fell in love with an apparent sixteenth century English native only to watch him die at the fiery stake; next Mendzoa fell in love with his doppelganger in nineteenth century Hollywood only to see him murdered. This time the cyborg killed the culprits. Threatening to expose Dr. Zeus while grieving, the firm exiles her to 150,000 BCE ("More or Less").
The millenniums pass as Mendoza waits for rescue until the arrival of a time-shuttle piloted by the twenty-fourth century, one of the wealthiest people in the world Alec Checkerfield. He is a triplet to her deceased beloveds and wants to destroy Dr. Zeus. Mendoza wants to believe him as he is identical to her two loves, but has doubts about his sincerity and questions three men born in different centuries over a millennium looking like identical triplets. Dr. Zeus must be involved but how?
Each book adds to the complexities of the previous novels yet keeps the underlying theme and principles, and Mendoza consistent as no series (at least that this reviewer can think of) has previously accomplished by book five. THE LIFE OF THE WORLD TO COME is an excellent entry that can stand alone yet enhances the story lines from the previous tales making them and this entry even more enjoyable and multifaceted. If a reader was stranded in 150,000 BCE with one series of novels to accompany them, Kage Baker's masterpiece would be on most sci fi fans' short lists.
Harriet Klausner
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