Subtraction - by K W Franklin (Hardcover)

About the Book

In a near-future world, a scientific breakthrough enables people to live for hundreds of years, causing society to splinter and factions to contend for the future of humanity.

Book Synopsis

Can society survive in a world where humans live for generations?

Professor Herbert Blane's Life-Extension Therapy (LET) has changed the world, allowing humans to live for centuries. The first recipients of LET-the so-called early generations-amassed wealth and power with no intention of ever stepping aside. Now, society is fractured. Younger generations find themselves scrambling for resources, forced into cities where skyscrapers stretch a mile into the sky, leaving streets in perpetual twilight.

As resentment deepens, the New Generations Initiative (NGI)-a covert network of disenfranchised scientists, engineers, and strategists-rises to challenge the ruling elite. Led by scientist Boris Bagan and joined by Cynthia Wu and Curtis James, two brilliant researchers from Blane's own lab, NGI launches an underground movement that engages in daring acts of sabotage to fight for a future worth living for. But will their revolt be enough to heal a broken society? Will they be remembered as traitors . . . or the only ones brave enough to change the future?

Subtraction is a gripping exploration of ambition, rebellion, and the cost of scientific progress.

Review Quotes

"[A] thought-provoking work of speculative fiction that explores the societal consequences of radically extended human lifespans. Franklin's writing is clear, precise, and intellectually grounded. Fans of Isaac Asimov will likely find much to appreciate here. A worthwhile and memorable read." -Manhattan Book Review

"K. W. Franklin crafts an engaging story of gene editing, survivors, economics, and social policies. Replete with moments of paradigm-changing decisions and humanity-wide impact, Subtraction offers scenarios and insights not seen in other sci-fi stories about longevity's impact." -Midwest Book Review

"In the intriguing dystopian novel Subtraction, ethical questions about medical science and class structures linger in a futuristic setting." -Foreword Clarion Reviews

"Subtraction is a gripping tale of greed, power, and technology fracturing social needs and norms. Read this imaginative and thrilling story that will make you think." -Ted Fitts, faculty, Boston University, The Writing Program

"From the first page to the last, this novel captivates with its imaginative vision of future life on Earth. Grounded in ingenious advances in medicine and science, it's a creative exploration of humanity's dreams fulfilled-and the unexpected consequences that follow." -Harriet Lebowitz, medical writer and editor and former senior development editor, McGraw Hill medical publishing

"A page-turning blend of sci-fi and actual medical advances, written by a doctor who knows this is entirely possible. Captivating." -Richard Scofield, MD, Weill Cornell Medical School, New York-Presbyterian Hospital