Books like this always make me scared of what our future could hold but also hopeful for things like medical breakthroughs and bio-technology. It is quite frightening to think about what biotech could potentially do to harm, but there is also the potential for good. This book was short, thought provoking and engaging. Interesting concepts and characters but most of them were unlikeable in one way or another.

Thank you NetGalley and CYMO for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Cymo for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book follows Norman Klein over the course of 50 years, as he witnesses the rise of Jay Cosberg and his obsession with eternal life. It also follows the technological revolution we have been witnessing in the last 30 years as technology becomes increasing more advanced. After a chance encounter which introduces Jay to Norman’s cousin Juliette, their lives become intricately linked and Jay and Juliette marry. Norman becomes a first hand witness to their love and obsession with living forever.

I am normally a romantasy reader but with a soft spot for sci-fi particularly books which are intelligently written and serve as a warning. This books makes you think about what it is to be human, Jay is increasingly obsessed with living forever and it was quite scary reading as it’s not hard to imagine that the some of the things included in this book could actually happen. I would put this book alongside A brave new world and 1984 as it throughly demonstrates our increasing reliance on technology and obsession with youth, like the other two books I can see future readers looking back on this book and thinking it was ahead of its time as it showing things that are happening now. This book was really well thought out and had a very detailed and gripping plot, although it’s not spelled out whether Jay achieved his aim from the hints included in the story I think he did. From the author style of writing it’s clear they are very intelligent and they really have captured our obsession with our own mortality in this book. This story really will stay with me long after the last page, it was really well written and engaging. Highly recommended I give 10 out of 5 stars.

Human Without End had such a cool and promising premise—the idea of exploring the future of biotech, the concept of the “augmented human,” and the search for eternal life definitely grabbed my attention. The cover itself is stunning and ensnared me when I saw it. The world-building had moments that were genuinely intriguing and rich. But unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the concept. The story fell flat for me in several parts, and I found myself losing interest more than once. I wanted to be swept away by this book, but it just didn’t fully deliver. I appreciate what the author was trying to do, but it didn’t quite land for me overall.