Elixir

by Gary Braver

Book Overview

Biologist Christopher Bacon returns from the New Guinea rainforests with a flower rumored to prevent aging. As he conducts his research on the flower's extract in his Boston lab, Chris finds that the test animals are not only rejuvenated, but they stop aging altogether. Soon, Chris finds himself tampering with nature, and the consequences are unimaginably horrific.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812575911
• ISBN13: 9780812575910
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

Elixer

Elixer... The best thriller in a long time. The suspense and plot twists kept me up late into the evening. Couldn't put it down. The character development was rich and full. I hated to see this tale of moral intrigue, greed and redemption end. Please do yourself a favor and pick up Elixer, by Gary Braver. You won't be disappointed.

connection

In today's modern bestsellers it is hard to find an author who connects with his audience through the actions and thoughts of his characters better than Gary Braver. In a literary time of wild sci-fi thrillers and seemingly clued-in mystery novels, it is refreshing to read a novel that allows for a combination between high drama and action as well as a clue into the minds of the characters. Braver's style is a true tribute to the east coast, and i look forward to reading more of his novels in the future

Think it'd be neat to live forever?

Lots of guys write books about big themes. Plenty of writers can tell a story. Gary Braver does both, a real accomplishment It's easy to see that Gary Braver teaches creative writing - he does some things that every novelist would do well to emulate - he puts his characters in big trouble and just keeps piling it on. Every character has thick spider web links with all the other characters. Best of all, normal people find themselves in situations where they do abnormal things. He plays the "what if?" game over and over - what if Elixir's hero is shown an immortality plant while bio-prospecting in New Guinea? What if he tries to synthesize it? What if, what if, what if? Think it'd be neat to live forever? Read Elixir. And take one of Braver's writing courses - the only way Elixir-challenged folks like us will live forever will by writing books that last

Be Preared to Consider Your Own Mortality!

As an avid reader of medical mystery/thrillers, ELIXIR rates at the top of my favorites list. Long after memories of other novels I've read have faded, this book will continue to make a lasting impression on me. The concept of longevity is endlessly fascinating, and Gary Braver presents thought-provoking questions surrounding the ethics versus practical aspects of this issue. The reader finds himself/herself immersed in the action-oriented plot, in which the central character handles the implications of his potentially dangerous discovery in a sensitive and realistic way. What helped to set this novel apart from others I have read is the skillful manor in which the author involves the reader in the riveting drama and makes it impossible for him/her to avoid imagining himself/herself dealing with the same fates as the characters. The surprising twist at the end of the book prompted me to do some inner-self searching about my values regarding the length and quality of my own life.ELIXIR has all the elements of a superb read: an edge-of-your-seat plot, nonstop action, mystery, romance, and sensitive portrayal of realistic characters, with the added fascination of imagining... "what if this could really happen?! " "Would I want it to?!" I look forward to Gary Braver's next novel, and hope he continues to contribute his high quality writing for years to come.

ELIXIR

ELIXIR, Gary Braver's biomedical thriller, offers the best of why we read. For fiction fans, the storyline moves along at a "can't put it down" pace. For information junkies, we learn about tribal medicine men - both from Papua New Guinea and America! For those of us over-50s, we learn that getting old has its drawbacks, but that "Forever Young" is best left to Rod Stewart lyrics. For those who long for deep insight from their reading, there's a wealth of points to ponder long after the last page is turned. Gary Braver explains just enough about the biology of the aging process to help us put the book in a proper context. The reader won't get bogged down in too much science but will learn to understand the implications of what we hear each evening on the news health reports. It teaches the reader to look beyond any headlines of "miracle drugs."I anxiously await Gary Braver's next offering!