The Flip Side of Eternity

This book was originally conceived at the end of the last century. It was meant as a cautionary tale, a warning to humanity to look before it leaped into the wondrous world of technology which had been laid at its feet. It was an attempt to stimulate the conversation which was necessary before we plunged willy-nilly into a world that might just lead to our demise. For at that time we were but kids in a candy store, gobbling up the goods with no regard as to the stomachache which was sure to follow. That said, within these pages you will find extremes at war with each other. On one hand we have Calif, our token Luddite who lives alone in a cave deep in the Permafrost. From here he conducts various clandestine missions, all of which are meant to bring about the demise of the medical technocracy which has overtaken the world. This group is controlled by a handful of medically enhanced individuals who have found a way to vastly extend the lifespan, with the ultimate goal of achieving immortality. However there is a downside to their plan, a flip side to eternity, so to speak. For their obsession has led to a world which is a drab colorless place where evolution has come to a standstill, a world with very little diversity or change. Ah, but change is life, and like two peas in a pod, they cannot be separated for long. Enter into the formula, a young bio-technician who is well in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Unhappily married and discontent with her life, Colleen is ripe for the picking. Then her father dies, and she finds herself in a full-fledged breakdown. She somehow stumbles into Balsam, an oasis within the Permafrost, where an old friend now resides. Here she meets Calif, and from that point on everything in her prior life is simply referred to as BC. Her infatuation makes her easy game for his anarchist schemes, and he has no qualms in using her position and knowledge to further his own agenda. But over time, they genuinely do fall in love, as opposites often do. This is their story, which provides the backdrop for many a philosophical debate before shifting into a universal love affair which transcends both space and time. As with any a good story, it is reflective of the hero's journey within us all. So on that note, may you take it for what it is: both a wake-up call and a lullaby. Whatever the case, may it help you to awaken within the dream.