“Absolutely amazing must read. This was an amazing book with a completely unique story and change to the norm.”
“Finally, a story I’ve not read a hundred times before. Interesting characters, a wild premise, and an amazing world view. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.”
Do you want to live forever?
The governments of the world urged caution when it was discovered that the genome of every living human being had been secretly altered by a mysterious virus, thus ending death by natural causes. Their caution was soon justified when the world-wide birth rate dropped to zero due to additional changes to the genome that the virus had also made. The aftermath of this pandemic left the world in shambles, humanity was centuries recovering. The plague was so transformative that it became known as simply the Event.
John Fitzpatrick is consumed with exposing what, or who is behind the Event. As John looks for answers to the greatest mystery in human history, he must navigate a new world created by the Event, decades of world-wide depression and war, messianic cult leaders, and a meddlesome AI.
Civilization survives the Event depression by uniting under one government. The Federation of Nations is led by a charismatic economist who restructures the world economy to focus on one interstellar colonization. Centuries later, John’s obsession with the cause of the Event leads him to discover the forces behind the Event may threaten the launch of humanity’s first interstellar ship, Atropos, and plunge the world back into darkness.
To start with, author John Japuntich’s work is one of the best books I have ever read. Sience Fiction as it should be. A fresh way of writing and finally a story that is scientifically logical. Exciting until the last page! Some may see the following comparison blasphemous, but the quality of the story is definitely on a par with Asimov's works. Absolute reading recommendation and a must have for all Si-Fi fans. I am very curious how many books will follow and continue this epic story. Just looking forward to it already now!
This was a collection of badly dialogued, mismatched vignettes masquarading as a novel. I gave it 2 stars instead of one because it could've been a really great novel with some decent editing...
Interesting concept undermined by several factors; The author's poor understanding of economic forces kind of ruined the beginning of the story for me, but I can accept it was a necessary fiction for the rest of the plot. The biology seems more than a little suspicious, too, but I can suspend my disbelief for the sake of a GOOD story. More importantly, the writing is flat, and amateurish; short declarative sentences with little or no rhetorical style. Something I'd expect to see in a college sophomore writing class. There's little nuance to the characters, nothing about their internal motivations is revealed, they're all just a little 2 dimensional. Finally, the ending is just really abrupt. I have a feeling there's a volume two on the way. At least I hope the author doesn't think this is an acceptable way to end the story.
There are far better SF books to spend you money and time on.
A virus strikes the world that makes people not only not age but also reverses aging in some. The other side of the equation is that it makes everyone sterile. An FBI agent tries to figure out what has happened and who is responsible. It follows people that are like 300 years old but look like they are 30. It was a good book until the end which just cut out and stopped. That is the only reason it didn't get a 5-star rating.
A very thought provoking book in the midst of a pandemic! Loved the use of reality and imagination! Great characters with great stories(even the not so great ones!) I'm looking forward his next book!
The SF novel called Atropos is about a mysterious virus that infects all of humanity and has a surprising, radical effect on everyone. The cast of characters was just a little too big and difficult to keep straight, and the story line was unsatisfyingly scattered. There are a lot of big ideas in there, though, and it’s interesting to see author Japuntich’s mind at work.
Atropos is a tremendous story that never failed to entertain me as I read. It follows the lives of several alluring characters as they deal with a pandemic. Now I know, thanks to COVID-19, there has been an explosion of books about pandemics wreaking havoc written in the past year. This story is unique and takes a fresh approach. I found the story absorbing, and the characters captivating.
Retired FBI profiler, John Fitzpatrick, learns from a funeral home owner that business is down. John is not one to just let information like that slide by without looking deeper into the situation. He contacts someone who tells him that numbers of deaths are falling everywhere. Alzheimer patients are suddenly becoming lucid, cancer patients are miraculously going into remission, and people in nursing homes are walking out ready to reclaim their normal lives again. Hospitals are laying off workers because there is no business.
In the meantime, John also learns that birthrates are falling at an alarming rate.
All of this is attributed to a virus that spreads through the entire population of the Earth through all means possible. No one knows if it is a manufactured illness or a natural occurrence, but every human on the planet is infected.
John makes it is mission to find the answers as the years tick by.
After the Event took hold on Earth, two astronauts in orbit in a space station learn of what has happened. They are the only two humans in existence who are not infected. Mary Ann Jones and Vasily Ustinov decide they will return to the planet and live their lives as everyone else does. Mary learns she is pregnant upon returning to the surface and her son, Zacharia, shows exceptional brilliance at a very young age. Little does he know what influence he will have on humanity as he grows.
By far, my favorite character in the story is John Fitzpatrick. He is a very dynamic character who is like a snapping turtle. Once he gets his mind on something, he doesn't let go until he has the answers. Throughout the book, John comes and goes at regular intervals, solving mysteries and gaining fame for his doggedness. He has a sense of humor and is a good man.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead!
My favorite plot point is when John solves the case of a serial killer he has been chasing for years, but always seems to be several steps ahead of him. The killer himself is an Alzheimer's patient who becomes lucid once again because of the virus. When he finally can leave the hospital, the killer, once again, begins his reign of terror and takes a hostage. There wasn't any activity from the killer for quite some time, but thanks to an abandoned car, John is, once again on the hunt and finally solves the case.
At the beginning of the book, the author gave me the overarching theme I took away; One should never put all one’s eggs in a single basket. In the beginning of the story, decades before The Event, two friends discuss their visions of the future over beers in a club. One's vision is to see humans move out into the solar system and beyond establishing colonies. The other sees a future where we no longer carry devices to access the internet for information; it would happen inside our brains. It's a long road to the dreams of those two, but that doesn't stop them from their work of seeing those dreams come to fruition. Thanks to the virus, they will live long enough to see what happens to these magnificent dreams.
Aside from the few spoilers I revealed earlier, and the few characters, there are numerous other subplots and characters that drive the story forward at a comfortable pace. There are some parts that some may find disturbing while there is some good humor, some sadness, and times when characters are happy. The story has a wide range of emotional content. What I didn’t see coming was the plot twist at the end of the book, it is worth the read and you'll find yourself shaking your head. I recommend this as a great Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Thriller/Adventure story.
Overview: Atropos was a well written dive into a fascinating world. The story sprawls across a more than 300 year time span and shows the progression of humanity after a world altering event. It blends sci-fi with mystery and creates an engaging narrative despite the extended timeline. This story is heavily premise focused rather than being character or plot focused.
Deep Dive: My biggest complaint was that the book suffered a little from saggy middle syndrome. A lot gets set up early in the book, and in the middle, there are a few places where the narrative drifts and the story doesn’t weave together well for me. The mystery plot helps pull the story out of this dull drum, but it does slow down for a bit in the middle.
My minor grips are that there is some heavy handed repetition of exposition and that it’s a bit of a sausage fest. There are a few women present, but most are only significant as mothers and significant others. This is only a minor gripe. I tend to read books that are female centered, so I could just be a bit off center in preferring more women in books.
I was impressed by the professional polish on this book. Other than the repetitious exposition, the book was extremely well edited and read smoothly.
The expansive world of this story was incredible. I’ve come across a few premise driven books in the sci-fi genre and they are difficult to pull off. They have a tendency to be interesting at first, but get boring as there’s nothing to pull the reader through the story. This book solves that problem by incorporating a mystery that keeps the reader engaged and interested in what happens next.
The mystery itself was well written. It was planted well throughout the story and the reader had enough information to figure out the mystery on their own, but not enough to make it boring. I was engaged with the mystery until the very last page!
Atropos is a science fiction story, but it’s not just about space or the future. It’s about what happens when the world changes forever, and how people deal with that change. In this book, a virus called “the Event” spreads across the world. Instead of killing people, it makes them immortal, but it also makes them unable to have children. That one idea alone makes you stop and think.
The story follows John Fitzpatrick, a retired FBI agent who cannot let go of one big question: who caused the Event, and why? Even though centuries have passed, he keeps digging for the truth. As he searches for answers, we see a world that has gone through wars, depression, cult leaders, powerful governments, and advanced technology, including artificial intelligence.
One thing I really liked about this book is how it shows the long-term effects of the Event. Immortality sounds great at first, but the book makes you think about the cost of it. No children. No new generations. A world that has to survive without change. That lesson feels very real and very human.
The characters are strong and memorable. John Fitzpatrick is determined and stubborn, but in a good way, you understand why he won’t stop searching. Zacharia Jones grows a lot throughout the story, and his development was one of my favourite parts. The relationships and choices feel realistic, even in a futuristic world.
The space and interstellar travel parts are also handled in a fresh way. The journey toward launching the ship Atropos is detailed and interesting, and it feels earned, not rushed.
And the twist at the end, no spoilers, but it’s genuinely unexpected. It made me rethink everything that came before it.
Overall, Atropos is a smart, thoughtful science fiction novel that mixes mystery, technology, and big moral questions. It’s easy to read, but it gives you a lot to think about. I would recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction with meaning, strong characters, and a story that stays with you after you finish.
This is one of the more complex books I’ve read in quite a while, and it wasn’t quite the story I was expecting.
This book only got 4 stars, because I came very, very close to throwing it away when it took a hell of a jump into an extreme religious angle that seemed to be taking over the story — NOT something I want out of a SciFi book! But, then, fortunately, I discovered it was only The Author laying some ground-work that was to weave through the rest of the tale. And, what a tale!
This SciFi novel quickly gets mixed into world economics, wars, politics, science and religion, and makes little effort to tie everything together for The Reader. I barely survived the religious indoctrination, and only relented in my desire to jump into another book because The Author got back into the main story. While The Author literally moved away from the religious theme, though, he kept it as a needless background thread, but emphasized the rest of his tale for the remainder of the book.
And, truthfully, another reason for 4-stars rather than 5, is that The Author introduces some interesting details — but, then, completely abandons them — and they’re not re-addressed even through they were critical to stroking The Reader���s imagination … so, for instance, a huge sabotage event is detailed, but then dropped; similarly, a detective’s investigative lead into opening a coffin is mentioned, but then dropped; I’m sure there are other examples that proved similarly disappointing. Nonetheless — go read Atropos, and don’t give up on it if it seems to wander a lot …
Everything sort of fell into place at the end but getting there was a struggle; nevertheless, all the questions were answered. This book I found it rather ambitious since it implies that humans are the result of what a certain television show called Ancient Aliens is all about, and that makes it difficult to rate but as science fiction goes it actually checks all boxes, I guess, so I give it 4 stars, I ducked 1 star from a perfect score for the use of religion in what other wise could have been a more interesting and entertaining speculative sci-fi work.
Immortality means that things are going to change and boy do they ever. The after effects of suddenly finding out the world is immortal are profound. As far as I can tell this is not a series. Nothing wrong with that as a single book takes more input to fully develop the characters instead of growing them as is the norm in serialised books. I like the story. I like that it was logical and sequential. I also liked that at the end I could see how it was *possible*. That’s as good as it gets with Sci Fi.
A novel that spans time and science as easily as literary genres! AIt ends up being a good mystery whodunnit sci-fi philosophical romp, as best i can state it. Full of solid science background (with some liberties taken) unlike a lot of junk sci-fi these days. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Mojo would be proud, Zach.
As an author I try to enjoy content without being critical of spelling and grammar. If there was such mistakes I missed them because of the content. I read entire book in one day. Loved storyline and the science. Different than most virus stories. Sequel would be nice. Jack Drafahl
Nothing happens... Then cancers heal, Alzheimer's patients recover. Aging itself reverses. The last birth occurs and becomes a prophet. And, humanity's greatest detective is on the case. I almost stopped reading because the writer had no narrative hook.
4.5*. I really enjoyed the author's fresh story line. It was, I thought, reminiscent in parts, of the old masters of sci-fi in its innovative plot and interesting character development. It's even more meritorious as it appears to be his first novel. I'll certainly be looking for more from this author.
The story is intriguing, unfolding the secret behind evolution. This one pulled me in leaps and bounds to it's thoughtful and surprising climax. While the dialog can be pretty stilted (no one talks like that), the imaginative plot and twists kept me engaged in this bold sci-fi trip through a never ending lifetime.
I bought the ebook because the concept interested me. Having finished reading the book, I find myself underwhelmed. The story arc was interesting, but I never felt myself fully emersed in it. The "movie" never played in my head. I'm not sure why. Still worth reading.
Most excellent science fiction with the premise, what if humans became immortal and fertility stopped? Great characters and great science. Highly enjoyable.
This is an amazing book! I would have liked to have seen how many years had passed along the way. Although the date was provided, I kept having to go back to the chapter before to see where we now were.
Interesting new SciFi mystery story. A little hard to follow the jumping around character story lines till I got used to the author’s style. It captured me enough to keep reading till the end. It has to be a series in the making to get to the future outcomes.
Everything that an amazing story should be. I had a very hard time putting it down, you know, when I had to interact with the everyday world to eat, sleep, run errands, walk the dogs, etc. --fws
Amazing book! This book drew me in immediately and I finished it in one sitting. I love how the chapters are a different scene and different person but they all come together to form an incredible story. I am surprised this is the author's first novel because it is one of the best books I've ever read. Definitely in my top ten favorite books of all time.
Fascinating story of a virus that restores health to people and over the years allows them to grow younger. Apropos takes the form of a detective novel and how this virus was originally spread is the denouement.
Finally a story I’ve not read a hundred times before. Interesting characters, a wild premise, and an amazing world view. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.