Product Description

Brilliant scientist Joe Messenger believes that people can be made to live for ever. Knowing the human body can be frozen indefinitely, Joe devises a way of downloading the human brain into a supercomputer called ARCHIVE. But Joe's wife, Karen, is worried by his preoccupation with ARCHIVE, which seems to be developing signs of a distinct and sinister personality of its own. Then, just as Joe is on the brink of a scientific breakthrough, a series of macabre accidents befall him and his family - and Joe finds himself facing the terrifying consequences of his own obsessions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24819 in Books
• Published on: 2000-12-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 640 pages

About the Author
Peter James was educated at Charterhouse and then at film school. He lived in North America for a number of years, working as a screen writer and film producer before returning to England. His novels, including the number one bestseller POSSESSION, have been translated into twenty-six languages. He has recently produced several films, including the BAFTA-nominated Merchant Of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes. Peter James lives near Brighton in Sussex.

Customer Reviews

Scary! Britain's answer to Stephen King!
I was given this book by a friend who said, "Well, you're in computers - I bet this isn't possible" - well, I might not be able to do it, but I believe it is possible. Based about Neural Networks (computers that can learn as well as humans), this book goes through the emotions of greed, as well as lust, into scaring the reader into believing it could happen. Described by the Sunday Express as Britain's equivalent to Stephen King, I hope I get to read more of his books. This book has also been made into a tv series called Virtual Obsession - trust me - you'll be obsessed as well. Brilliant.

An intellectual thriller!
The synopsis of this book made it sound rather technological, futuristic and scientific. None are particularly a strong point of mine. However, i decided to give it a go...and was amazed! It is about cryogenically freezing people and the implementation of computers who can learn as humans do, and consequently how things can go awry. I won't reveal any more of the plot for fear of dumbing down what is essentially a complex, suspenseful storyline and my brief synopsis wouldn't do it justice!
But do not be put off by the scientific/technological terminology. This is, in essence, a thriller/horror/suspense and i was truly gripped!The characters - all of them, human and otherwise - are truly believable. I've read plenty of horror books in my time but this was different, it plays on your fears of what may actually come with time and i found my imagination working overtime whenever i put this book down (which wasn't very often!).
If you want a great read which is more intellectually challenging than your average thriller, read this.I applaud and admire Peter James for his obvious dedication to the writing of this book, for the immense amount of research he must have put into it.

Great plot, I just couldn't put this book down!
My mother-in-law lent me this book, I read the blurb and worried that the techie stuff would go right over my head! However, I was in for a nice surprise, Mr James has written well, pulled me, a total technophobe into his book and I am gripped by the suspense, his great characters and even the whole idea of being "Cryonic-ed" myself one day!

I haven't reached the end of the book yet and I haven't even checked out the final page (a nasty habit I have) so I'm hoping the end is as exciting and believable as the first 3/4 of the book! I just have one niggling point, Mr James needs to get himself a new proofreader.... I've found 2 glaring mistakes: in one chapter his neighbour owns a silver Audi, several chapters further on it mysteriously become a silver Ford. There's also a policeman, Jim Tiptree who changes his name 10 pages on to Tim. Could I perhaps offer my services as a proofreader?