Sun's End

Sun's End #1

by Richard A. Lupoff

The last thing computer circuit planner Daniel Kitajima remembered was being hit by a crane at an orbital construction site. Waking up 80 years later- in 2089 - he found that most of his body had been destroyed... but he had survived. A group of doctors had constructed an artificial body that gave him superhuman strength, the ability to survive without food or air, the powers of radar and infrared vision. All Daniel wanted to do was resume a normal life. But his new-found strengths had attracted the attention of powerful people with a devastating secret - that the solar system had only a few centuries to live....

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

280 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1984

About the author

Richard Allen "Dick" Lupoff (born February 21, 1935 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American science fiction and mystery author, who has also written humor, satire, non-fiction and reviews. In addition to his two dozen novels and more than 40 short stories, he has also edited science-fantasy anthologies. He is an expert on the writing of Edgar Rice Burroughs and has an equally strong interest in H. P. Lovecraft. Before becoming a full-time writer in 1970 he worked in the computer industry.

Reviews

[Sikkdays · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grabbed it because I liked the cover compared to other books that were being sold to raise money for the library. The book, written in the 80s has some interesting ideas about the future of the planet. In the book, the sun continues to burn brighter and hotter forcing people to move off world or to cooler climates. I found that interesting because we don't seem to be doing anything about the climate change. Companies, governments and citizens are too concerned with profit to make changes for the better. Perhaps, we need to build spacecraft to escape this planet we're destroying? Surely, there will be profit in that?

Anyway, enough of my soapbox. The book was not awful. The main character struggles with his humanity and it is told quite well. Most of his futuristic medical recovery is believable and a good read. There's one "ability" that he receives which is completely jumping the shark and lost me. That, and the book is part of a series! So, I then had to go find the next one.

[Jay Goemmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lupoff's Sun's End (1984) is an excellent premise which suffers from a less than optimal ending. A welder gets Mostly Dead while working in Earth orbit, and wakes up 80 years later as a Very Rich Man Indeed. I kept thinking of Frederic Pohl's The Age of the Pussyfoot (1965), with the protagonist doing his best to fit into a future society where he didn't understand all the nuances.

Lupoff examines the "Man as Machine" trope, with painfully predictable gratuitous intimate encounters. Unfortunately, the end of the story is wrapped up much too quickly in an apparent attempt to mimic Arthur C. Clarke's Starchild ending for 2001.

If you see this book, run, don't walk, in the other direction.

Dec. 15, 2012.

[James]

The last thing computer circuit planner Daniel Kitajima remembered was being hit by a crane at an orbital construction site. Waking up 80 years later- in 2089 - he found that most of his body had been destroyed... but he had survived. A group of doctors had constructed an artificial body that gave him superhuman strength, the ability to survive without food or air, the powers of radar and infrared vision. All Daniel wanted to do was resume a normal life. But his new-found strengths had attracted the attention of powerful people with a devastating secret - that the solar system had only a few centuries to live....

[Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is mid-grade science fiction at its finest. It pushes the absurdity levels to the limit while bringing up some fantastic ideas. The book's length and sudden ending are its biggest challenges, which makes its sequel, Galaxy's End, a must-read if you want to know how the story goes.

[Tom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book I ever read. Barf. Cool cover though!