I am interested in the titles, authors, and publishers of a science
fiction short story, a science fiction novel, and a science fiction
short story collection I recall seeing in print through the '70's.

There is a $10 payment for successfully tracking down the information
for one of these pieces, $15 for tracking two of the three, and $20
for tracking down all three.

The short story is about a space crew on the first Earth flight to
Alpha Centauri.  The story opens with one of the characters awakening
from suspended animation.  He reads the notes another character left
in the log six months before.  The space ship takes 500 years to make
the trip.  The crew learns in the meantime Earth has figured out how
to make the trip in four hours.  Publication I think was between '69
and '74.

The novel I saw in paperback.  A compound called the eternity drug
plays a role in the plot.  The characters in the novel are space
explorers and I think their voyages are a significant part of the
story.  Up to the point of the story, the drug has been taken by older
men.  The story centers around what happens after a young man takes
it.  Most likely date I think is '74 to '79.

The short story collection is a science fiction adaptation of themes,
concepts, and ideas from religion.  It appeared in paperback--most
likely from '78 to '81.  The front cover reproduces a painting of the
Risen Christ emerging from the tomb, but there are mechanical gears
inserted behind the Christ figure suggesting He may be a robot or
android.  One of the stories described on the back cover is about what
happens when computers develop a moral sense to rival that of human
beings.

Hello Statman,

Well, I managed to find one (for the $10).

The short story collection with themes from religion is "Other Worlds, Other Gods."

The paperback featuring Christ emerging from the tomb in front of some
sort of mechanical gears may be seen in this eBay image:
http://i13.ebayimg.com/01/i/01/4e/f5/c4_1_b.JPG
From this recently completed eBay auction (you must be a registered
eBay user to view):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3586564975&category=273

Available used from many dealers listed on Alibris:
http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?qwork=4916421&ptit=Other%20worlds%2C%20other%20gods%3B%20adventures%20in%20religious%20science%20fiction%2E&pauth=Mohs%2C%20Mayo%20%28Compiled%20by%29&pisbn=&pbest=3%2E45&pbestnew=1000000%2E00&pqty=14&pqtynew=0&matches=14&qsort=r

-------
search strategy:
google groups: religion anthologies group:rec.arts.sf.written.*
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=religion+anthologies&btnG=Google+Search&meta=group%3Drec.arts.sf.written.*

I hope this helps.  I'm sorry that I could only come up with one. I
have some leads on the "eternity drug" novel and will follow up on
them, but it's 1:30 am where I am and I need to get some sleep. :-)

---

Request for Answer Clarification by statman-ga on 23 Feb 2004 03:10 PST

Juggler:

Thanks for the quick work on one of these.  Sounds like you would like
to try to answer one or both of the other two, so I'll hold off on
closing out this answer for a bit to give you the time to research
them.

I'll add a tip to the $10 to make the final payment the $15 or $20
mentioned in the question.

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 24 Feb 2004 01:40 PST

Hi Statman,

Regarding the "eternity drug" novel...  

Are you sure that "eternity drug" is the actual name used in the
story?  Could the drug have had some other name?  Boosterspice? Somec?

---

Request for Answer Clarification by statman-ga on 24 Feb 2004 03:54 PST

Juggler:

Yes, it could have had some other name, but the two you listed don't ring a bell.


statman1959

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Request for Answer Clarification by statman-ga on 24 Feb 2004 04:29 PST

Juggler:

In follow up to my previous answer, I checked out references to
Boosterpsice and Somec.

The Card novel Worthing Saga could be what I am recalling.  One way to
clinch it would be to find the plot description on the back cover of a
paperback edition.  I'm pretty sure it mentions the drug being taken
mostly by older men first.  It goes on to describe the novel as what
happens after a young man takes it.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by statman-ga on 24 Feb 2004 05:41 PST

Juggler:

A little bit more information to help in your research.  I think the
phrase "eternity drug" may be from the Alpha Centauri story, in the
context of explaining what preserves the astronauts in suspended animation
during the flight.

The life prolonging drug in the science fiction novel I think
definitely is not restricted to keeping a body alive in suspended
animation.  I think it operates
equally well on a body out of suspended animation.


statman1959

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 24 Feb 2004 21:25 PST

Hi Statman,

I'm thinking that perhaps your book was Card's earlier novel "Hot Sleep" (1979).

In that particular story, Jason Worthing is a young starship captain
who takes Somec.

'Jason Worthing awoke from somec for the hundredth time within the
pilot's cabin of the starship. But now he no longer exercised - it was
all he could do to get out and walk around...he had long ceased
wondering how old he really was..'
http://users.argonet.co.uk/users/dac/sfy.html

"It's bad news for starship Captain Jason Worthing when he's found
himself amid an exiled group of failed revolutionaries."
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/abe/BookDetails?bi=22526635

"Hot Sleep, which was the story of Jason Worthing from the time he was
a child on Capitol trying to hide the fact he was a telepath, through
to his setting up the colony on Worthing (the planet)."
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22jason+worthing%22+%22hot+sleep%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=356e52f4.10599843%40news.demon.co.uk&rnum=1

What do you think?

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 25 Feb 2004 03:05 PST

Hey Statman,

I've cracked the short story question.

It was "Far Centaurus" by AE van Vogt.

See this newsgroup message:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=8F36A4078pt101594%40207.211.168.97

According to another message, the story idea was given to A.E. van
Vogt by John W. Campbell in a 1942 letter.  Campbell's letter gives
the exact plot that you describe:

 "They set out, go into suspension, and, 500 years later plow into the system
of Centaurus, to be awakened by automatic devices. They take over, make for
a nearby planet, and discover it is an inhabited, highly evolved world...
  They're men -- humans. They're natives of the planet -- their people
have been for the last three centuries since the first colonists came from
Earth by the Donaldson drive. The explorers have been expected for the last
50 years or so. They're given quite a welcome, shown around the museums,
their ship installed in one, and are returned to Earth about a week later.
Trip takes about 3 hours."
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vanvogt/message/7321

The story is in various anthologies that can be purchased for only a few dollars:
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=261082254
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=262738848
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=151135452

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 25 Feb 2004 19:21 PST

Hi Statman,

Regarding Bob Shaw's "One Million Tomorrows"...  See:
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=19775264

It seems that the premise here is the side effect of the immortality
drug is loss of male sex drive, although apparently the main character
is given the chance to try a version of the drug that doesn't have
that effect.  Does the sex drive element of the story sound familiar?

Very prompt and thorough research.  Included where I could buy the books.

I know that I've read the suspended animation story with the ironic
ending. I think it may have been written either by George R.R. Martin
or by Larry Niven. I can't be certain, though. Wish I didn't have so
many pools of quicksand in my mind.;-)

Juggler:

Excellent work and fast too.

I count Other Worlds, Other Gods and Far Centaurus perfect hits and am
ready to pay accordingly.

I remain a little uncertain about Hot Sleep.  The age of the character
is right and the emphasis on space exploration is right.  I just don't
recall entry into suspended animation being a part of the plot.

Did Card write any novels that don't emphasize or employ this device?

If you could look into this detail, I will consider your work on the
three items complete and will send you the full $20--$10 base and $10
tip.

Thank you.


statman

Juggler:

Could I ask a favor on the science fiction novel?

What information can you dig up on One Million Tomorrows by Bob Shaw?

I'm wondering if this isn't the novel I'm thinking about--which might
mean the space exploration part is not an accurate recollection.


statman

Juggler:

Kudos on the detective work.  Yes, the drive element is explicitly
mentioned on the plot description located on the back cover of the
paperback edition I saw many moons ago.

Make that three home runs and $20.  Thanks for clearing up the mystery.


statman

Statman:

Thank you for the tip.

I might check out some of these stories myself at the library. They
sound interesting. :-)
-juggler