''The First Immortal'' (1998) is a novel by
James L. Halperin about life of a man born in 1925 who dies in 1988 and is re-animated after a
cryonics
Cryonics (from ''kryos'', meaning "cold") is the low-temperature freezing (usually at ) and storage of human remains in the hope that resurrection may be possible in the future. Cryonics is regarded with skepticism by the mainstream scien ...
procedure. The novel spans 200 years and gives a futuristic account of the first immortal human. The novel explores the future prospects of cryonics,
A.I.,
nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). At this scale, commonly known as the nanoscale, surface area and quantum mechanical effects become important in describing propertie ...
, and
eternal life. It is the sequel to Halperin's earlier book, ''
The Truth Machine''.
It is recommended as an educational resource by the two major cryonics organizations,
Alcor Life Extension Foundation and
Cryonics Institute
The Cryonics Institute (CI) is an American nonprofit foundation that provides cryonics services. CI freezes deceased humans and pets in liquid nitrogen with the hope of restoring them with technology in the future.
History
The Cryonics Institut ...
.
The novel was optioned as a ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' miniseries, but the miniseries was never produced.
1998 American novels
Fiction about suspended animation
Transhumanist books
Del Rey books
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