The Death Trip

By Marion Stein
$0.99 Rating: 1 star1 star1 star1 star0.5 star
(4.50 based on 10 reviews)

Published: Nov. 16, 2009
Words: 20,611 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781452365978


Short description

The Simulated Life Elapsed Experience Process aka The Death Trip -- "comfort care for the dying" or something more nefarious? After the death of his beloved grandmother, Chuck decides to investigate. He soon finds himself torn between two women -- the activist who suspects a dark agenda and the beautiful MD who helped create create the process.

Extended description

The Simulated Life Elapsed Experience Process aka The Death Trip -- "comfort care for the dying" or something more nefarious?

Some think there's a connection to a mysterious new designer drug,while others doubt the claims made by Panicium Inc. the secretive pharmaceutical company behind the trip.

After the death of his beloved grandmother, Chuck Kowalski decides to investigate. He soon finds himself torn between two women -- the activist who suspects a dark agenda and the beautiful MD who helped create the process.

The Death Trip is a quick read novella, approximately 20,000 words, or 80 print pages. It's a techno-medical thriller for readers who like thought-provoking novels.

Tags

speculative fiction, medical thriller, philosophy, euthanasia, dystopian, corporate greed, medical ethics, right to die, assisted suicide, pharma, drug trip, dystopian future, end of life

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Reviews

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Review by: Paul Collis on Jan. 30, 2013 : star star star star
In a similar speculative vein as 'Brave New World', Soylent Green and Never Let Me Go, 'Death Trip' concerns itself with the moral and ethical questions of corporate medicine, government control and over-population. For those who consider such tales as impossibly far fetched, I offer these recent (January 2013) headlines: 'Amgen gets a [$500m] gift from Congress' (NYT) and 'Japan To Elderly: Gov’t Is Paying Your Healthcare, ‘Hurry Up And Die’ ' (Fox).
Ms. Stein's cast of characters is colorful, and their respective points of view are well researched. I really enjoyed this intriguing novella.
(review of free book)

Review by: bonzi on Aug. 23, 2011 : star star star star
The first half of this story reads like an early Greg Egan, posing questions on topics ranging from the nature of our experiences, ethics of euthanasia to politics of drug control. Despite some part of exposition being somewhat flat, mostly delivered through monologues, the reader does get drawn into considering those problems*. The end, sadly, devolves into a plain vanilla cloak and dagger story of megalomania and corporate greed, but does leave the protagonist, and the reader with him, with a tough if a touch contrived dilemma.

I did not have problems with slightly uneven pacing of the narrative. The plot does hinge too much on coincidences, but the characters are believable, reasonably well developed within the confines of the short form, and mostly free from stereotypes.

I certainly hope Ms. Stein will provide us with a full length collection of works in this vein soon.

*) As Edwin Schlossberg said, "The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think."
(review of free book)

Review by: Jayson Kerrick on Aug. 25, 2010 : star star
I was enjoying the story, even with the continual political jabs, which admittedly did date it considerably, but then...
it climaxed and ended a'la "The Lady or the Tiger?"
Very disappointing.
It felt contrived, like the whole story had been a waste of my energy reading it.
Too bad, I really enjoyed it up until the "end."
(review of free book)

Review by: GraceKrispy on Aug. 01, 2010 : star star star star star
What a thrilling ride that challenges your idea of what constitutes life and death! At the end, you're left wondering, and thinking about your own ideals and mortality. I was debating between 4 and 5 stars, and I think the ending and the original plotline make it 5 star worthy.
(review of free book)

Review by: benNaftali on July 18, 2010 : star star star star star
Wow.
I was skeptical at first, because there is a lot of bad sci-fi out there, but she nails it. It is funny, witty, wry, with great characters, and a true-to-life ending which really brings home tough moral ambiguities. Seriously, like something Graham Greene would write if he wrote sci-fi.
(review of free book)

Review by: A. J. Braithwaite on April 04, 2010 : star star star star star
A chilling premise and a well-constructed tale. I liked the side reflections on the nature of attraction and affection. A gripping read.
(review of free book)

Review by: C Koeber on Dec. 01, 2009 : star star star star star
Excellent story on a compelling subject. The story is eerily believable, and the author clearly has a solid knowledge of end of life dilemma. I have worked in the hospice field for many, many years and found this book riveting, funny and poignant. Not usually a sci-fi fan, but thoroughly enjoyed this. Five stars!
(review of free book)

Review by: PD Allen on Nov. 20, 2009 : star star star star star
Grim story, the last third is pretty intense. The author has developed some intriguing ideas about medicine, the pharmaceutical industry, and consumer culture. She has an adequate knowledge of pharmacology and ethnobotanics. I love a good corporate conspiracy, and this one is very well-done, making possible some interesting statements about the modern world in which we live. The ending presents the main character with a tremendous dilemma.
(review of free book)

Review by: Shayne Parkinson on Nov. 17, 2009 : star star star star star
Speculative fiction that's disturbingly credible, with an exploration of philosophical and ethical issues that are genuinely thought-provoking. And the ending is very clever.
(review of free book)

Review by: xhema on Nov. 17, 2009 : star star star star star
I am somewhat an avid dystopian sci-fi reader and this is funny, well written and has a surprising ending. And the thing is, I can see it happening today.
(review of free book)

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