Call number
Series
Genres
Publication
Tor Science Fiction (2005), Paperback
Pages
406
Description
From idea to flesh to myth, this is the story of Alec Checkerfield: Seventh Earl of Finsbury, pirate, renegade, hero, anomaly, Mendoza's once and future love. Mendoza is a Preserver, which means that she's sent back from the twenty-fourth century by Dr. Zeus, Incorporated - the Company - to recover things from the past which would otherwise be lost. She's a botanist, a good one. She's an immortal, indestructible cyborg. And she's a woman in love. In sixteenth century England, Mendoza fell for a native, a renegade, a tall, dark, not handsome man who radiated determination and sexuality. He died a martyr's death, burned at the stake. In nineteenth century America, Mendoza fell for an eerily identical native, a renegade, a tall, dark, not handsome man who radiated determination and sexuality. When he died, she killed six men to avenge him. The Company didn't like that - bad for business. But she's immortal and indestructible, so they couldn't hurt her. Instead, they dumped her in the Back Way Back. Meanwhile, back in the future, three eccentric geniuses sit in a parlor at Oxford University and play at being the new Inklings, the heirs of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Working for Dr. Zeus, they create heroic stories and give them flesh, myths in blood and DNA to protect the future from the World to Come, the fearsome Silence that will fall on the world in 2355. They create a hero, a tall, dark, not handsome man who radiates determination and sexuality. "Now," stranded 150,000 years in the past, there are no natives for Mendoza to fall in love with. She tends a garden of maize, and she pines for the man she lost, twice. For Three. Thousand. Years. Then, one day, out of the sky and out of the future comes a renegade, a timefaring pirate, a tall, dark, not handsome man who radiates determination and sexuality. This is the beginning of the end. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.… (more)
Awards
Locus Recommended Reading (2004)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
406 p.; 6.6 inches
ISBN
0765354322 / 9780765354327
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User reviews
LibraryThing member kencf0618
I used to look forward to novels of The Culture; nowadays I look forward to another Company novel. That said, Paul Youll deserves to die a miserable death as a protagonist in one of Iain Banks's Culture novels for the hackneyed botch of a cover. That said, it's a ripping good yarn. Ah, cyborg love
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and intrigue...! Show Less
LibraryThing member 530nm330hz
The Life of the World to Come had several problems for me: I found the Inklings unbelievable (yes, I know people that geeky, but I can't believe Dr. Z. would give them that much unsupervised power). The dystopia was a little over-the-top and unrelenting. (OK, I get it already, the mob will take
In general, my reaction to these books has been (1) she's stretching an interesting story into too many books, and (2) everything reminds me of something else. (In no particular order, some of these have been: All of Me, Ruddigore, Captain Feathersword, Real Science....)
So the series is above average, and I'll keep on reading to find out how the series ends, but I don't think I'll miss it when I'm done.
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away our right to enjoy ourselves, can my head have a break from being bashed now, please?) The Captain was a cute concept taken too far, I felt. The triune savior scenes were comical but felt like a writing exercise.In general, my reaction to these books has been (1) she's stretching an interesting story into too many books, and (2) everything reminds me of something else. (In no particular order, some of these have been: All of Me, Ruddigore, Captain Feathersword, Real Science....)
So the series is above average, and I'll keep on reading to find out how the series ends, but I don't think I'll miss it when I'm done.
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LibraryThing member redswirl3
I really love the character Alex but I was disappointed in him by the end of the series. I thought his original character was very winsome.
LibraryThing member angharad_reads
In which much is revealed, mythic time paradoxes are noticed, too little is seen of Mendoza (apart from her "altogether" in Chapter One) or her colleagues, material from a previous short story is included, we meet the Flying Dutchman, and a character development near the end promises to buckle some
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swashes in a future installment. Good Stuff. I was up until past four in the morning finishing it. Can't wait to read the next one! Show Less
LibraryThing member ChrisRiesbeck
This novel is a direct followup to The Graveyard Game, even though it follows a completely different set of characters. It begins in -- and repeatedly returns to -- 2351, just 4 years from the looming mysterious silence that has been troubling the time-traveling history-manipulating forces of the
While you need to have read the prior books to get up to speed on the various plotlines, this book, unlike The Graveyard Game, does have a satisfactory conclusion, that also suggests possible paths for the remainder of the series. There's lot of adventure and surprises, and it's all well-told. To me though, this is more of a comic book than the previous entries. Magical technology -- electronic, computational, and biological -- is invoked at the drop of a hat to make the necessary events happen. If The Graveyard Game was too much in-between everything, with no beginning or ending, this suffers a bit from tying too many things up too neatly. Still, I recommend it for anyone who's even moderately enjoyed the previous volumes.
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Company. Mendoza makes a short but critical appearance, but most of the book is about the life and development of Alex Chesterfield, Mendoza's twice-doomed (so far) lover.While you need to have read the prior books to get up to speed on the various plotlines, this book, unlike The Graveyard Game, does have a satisfactory conclusion, that also suggests possible paths for the remainder of the series. There's lot of adventure and surprises, and it's all well-told. To me though, this is more of a comic book than the previous entries. Magical technology -- electronic, computational, and biological -- is invoked at the drop of a hat to make the necessary events happen. If The Graveyard Game was too much in-between everything, with no beginning or ending, this suffers a bit from tying too many things up too neatly. Still, I recommend it for anyone who's even moderately enjoyed the previous volumes.
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LibraryThing member timothyl33
The fifth book in The Company series.
I had my trepidations at first when hearing that the main protagonist of "The Life of the World to Come" was neither Mendoza nor Joseph (the only two 'leads' of this series so far). Instead, it would have been of a (technically) brand new character of Alec
However, after completing the book (in one night), I'd have to say this is probably the most interesting of The Company books so far. It is with this book where all the connections begin to be shown. Between past and present, Dr Zeus and the cyborgs, and Mendoza and Project Adonai. And all with the knowledge that the Silence in 2355 is getting closer and closer.
Highly Recommended after reading the previous books in the series.
I had my trepidations at first when hearing that the main protagonist of "The Life of the World to Come" was neither Mendoza nor Joseph (the only two 'leads' of this series so far). Instead, it would have been of a (technically) brand new character of Alec
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Checkerfield, the third 'incarnation' of Nicholas Harpole (from "The Garden of Iden") and Edward Alton Bell-Fairfax (from "Mendoza in Hollywood"). However, after completing the book (in one night), I'd have to say this is probably the most interesting of The Company books so far. It is with this book where all the connections begin to be shown. Between past and present, Dr Zeus and the cyborgs, and Mendoza and Project Adonai. And all with the knowledge that the Silence in 2355 is getting closer and closer.
Highly Recommended after reading the previous books in the series.
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LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
Mendoza finds herself in need of a rescue, and the Princes set out to help her. Baker is a very competent world-maker. The book itself focuses on Mendoza's lover, and there are, at last, some answers to the questions of the Company's universe.
LibraryThing member RealLifeReading
I’ve been staggering my Company reads, because I’m all too quickly running out of them!
The Life of the World to Come is book number five out of a total of nine. Four more books! Just four! What else will I read when I’m done (ok that is a silly question, for there is so much more to read,
Let’s have a quick look at that cover, shall we? Now that is an example of a really bad one. I would never pick up a book with a cover like that! It’s rather cheesy and pretending to be futuristic. And really doesn’t reflect the book – or the series – well at all.
And back to the book. Baker has finally brought us to Zeus. Or rather, the three eccentric men who work for Dr Zeus and created the tall dark hero who keeps appearing in Baker’s earlier books and charming the pants off of our dear botanist Mendoza (re: In the Garden of Iden, Mendoza in Hollywood). So while it opens with Mendoza, still exiled in Back Way Back, this fifth book is more about Alec Checkerfield, an Earl and not-quite-human. Fascinating fellow, yes. But could we get more from Mendoza, please?
So in this, the fifth book, more about the world at large is revealed, secrets are uncovered, and there are hints of erm, well, The Life of the World to Come.
The Life of the World to Come is book number five out of a total of nine. Four more books! Just four! What else will I read when I’m done (ok that is a silly question, for there is so much more to read,
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even by the wonderful late Kage Baker herself).Let’s have a quick look at that cover, shall we? Now that is an example of a really bad one. I would never pick up a book with a cover like that! It’s rather cheesy and pretending to be futuristic. And really doesn’t reflect the book – or the series – well at all.
And back to the book. Baker has finally brought us to Zeus. Or rather, the three eccentric men who work for Dr Zeus and created the tall dark hero who keeps appearing in Baker’s earlier books and charming the pants off of our dear botanist Mendoza (re: In the Garden of Iden, Mendoza in Hollywood). So while it opens with Mendoza, still exiled in Back Way Back, this fifth book is more about Alec Checkerfield, an Earl and not-quite-human. Fascinating fellow, yes. But could we get more from Mendoza, please?
So in this, the fifth book, more about the world at large is revealed, secrets are uncovered, and there are hints of erm, well, The Life of the World to Come.
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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
The 'Company' stories all deal with the idea that, in the 24th century, a company learns how to send people back in time. To creat agents for itself, it takes children of a part time period and turns them into immortal cyborgs, who work for them on missions such as saving 'lost' artworks and
It's all very noble on the face of it, but as time goes on, the Company's motivations and methods begin to seem more suspect to many of the agents. Do the people of the 24th century really appreciate what they've done? What will happen when the agent finally 'get' to that century? Why does no one ever receive any communications or supplies from later than the year 2355? What Happens?
The series is very slow-moving, in some ways, because although the focal point of the series is the cyborg botanist Mendoza, some of the books look at events from other points of view and other characters. So although the stories themselves might be full of action, the larger picture hasn't developed very quickly.
'The Life of the World to Come' is an excellent entry in this series. Mendoza does appear - and plays an essential part - but the story focuses on Alec Checkerfield - neglected orphan, child prodigy, rogue, playboy, not to mention the Seventh Earl of Finsbury. Not to mention obsessed with pirates. A dissolute man of the 24th century - and a Company experiment. Coincidentally, he's a dead ringer for the only two men that Mendoza has ever loved, in her long, long life.
In this book, the reader finally gets a good look at the 24th century - it's worse than even the Company agents might have guessed.
My only quibble is that, although the trio of Company men who devise the Adonai project are just too dorky to be believed. They're funny, sure - but the amount of unchecked power they have, in their bungling way, just doesn't fit in with the smooth sophistication we see in the higher-ups. Perhaps it will be explained in a later book...
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extinct species, hiding them safely so that they can be 'rediscovered' in the 24th century.It's all very noble on the face of it, but as time goes on, the Company's motivations and methods begin to seem more suspect to many of the agents. Do the people of the 24th century really appreciate what they've done? What will happen when the agent finally 'get' to that century? Why does no one ever receive any communications or supplies from later than the year 2355? What Happens?
The series is very slow-moving, in some ways, because although the focal point of the series is the cyborg botanist Mendoza, some of the books look at events from other points of view and other characters. So although the stories themselves might be full of action, the larger picture hasn't developed very quickly.
'The Life of the World to Come' is an excellent entry in this series. Mendoza does appear - and plays an essential part - but the story focuses on Alec Checkerfield - neglected orphan, child prodigy, rogue, playboy, not to mention the Seventh Earl of Finsbury. Not to mention obsessed with pirates. A dissolute man of the 24th century - and a Company experiment. Coincidentally, he's a dead ringer for the only two men that Mendoza has ever loved, in her long, long life.
In this book, the reader finally gets a good look at the 24th century - it's worse than even the Company agents might have guessed.
My only quibble is that, although the trio of Company men who devise the Adonai project are just too dorky to be believed. They're funny, sure - but the amount of unchecked power they have, in their bungling way, just doesn't fit in with the smooth sophistication we see in the higher-ups. Perhaps it will be explained in a later book...
Show Less
LibraryThing member DLMorrese
This novel, which I think is the fifth in Kage Baker’s “Company” series (not counting a collection of short stories), follows the adventures of Alec Checkerfield. a hybridized human created by the Company for purposes that remained unknown, by him or the reader, until now. This selection is
I have enjoyed all of Kage Baker’s Company novels and this is no exception.
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primarily about Alec’s search for who and what he is, aided by his AI companion, Captain Morgan. That he, or more accurately, one of his previous clones was something different was suggested in the first Company novel, In the Garden of Iden. In The Life of the World to Come, we find the answer. Alec, quite understandably, has issues with being created and used by the Company and decides to act against them, only to find he is being used by them again. No spoilers but at the end, Alec has a bigger personal problem, which, if he were fully human, might be diagnosed as schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder. It does end in something of a cliffhanger - to be continued in The Machine’s Child.I have enjoyed all of Kage Baker’s Company novels and this is no exception.
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