The Forever Life

Book excerpt: The planet Jupiter, thrown off orbit, is poised to hit Earth in 97 years. Project Ark is humanity's only hope for salvation, and one man, traveling alone, must find a suitable location for the entire population. Major Jonathan Ryan, fighter pilot, is the one chosen for the unenviable task. With his consciousness transferred to an android, he takes the helm of Ark 1 to search the farthest reaches of space for a new home. He understands the implications of his mission all too well: he will not age, and by the time he returns home all the people he knew will be dead. His lone companion on the quest is the ship's irritable AI. Jon will not only pushed to the extremes of human exploration, but the extremes of his own psychological limits. The Forever Life follows the solo mission of a resourceful and resilient fighter, as Jon encounters unexpectedly hostile natives on the various planets he visits. He is able to befriends precious few. But as time goes by, all communications with his superiors gradually cease, leaving him in an eerie silence with more questions than answers. The home he left may have turned its back on him, but his mission still stands: save humanity, even when it refuses to save itself.