THE SIMULTANEOUS MAN

by Ralph Blum ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 1970

Ever since that original transplant before the Garden of Eden, the infinite possibilities of man's creation and re-creation have exerted their fascination. Now, in ""Buchenwald on the Schuylkill,"" a prisoner has volunteered as a Remake and Subject 233/4 (a lifer convicted of murder) will be phased out from 233 to 234 after a hideously complicated electroneurological procedure which will destroy everything except his ability to remember. He's the subject of Andrew Horne who will be ""on stage all the time,"" playing God and feeding in material to the mind of the body in the coffin. But 234, or Black Bear, will be sending to Horne, and will also revive memories of Horne's Margot who had died. Eventually Black Bear will defect to Russia and Horne goes there to find him fading away like a ghost. In giving life, he had overlooked the ""quality"" of life he was giving. . . . Even if the story here per se could have used more voltage to supplement the idea, Mr. Blum programs it with definite flair. The Input includes a quizzical dark humor, nightmare terror and certain spiritual conjectures.

Pub Date: March 16, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Little, Brown--A.M.P.

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1970

Categories: FICTION