Nancy Kress' "Fountain of Age" (novella, science fiction): An old man cannot get over love of his youth

Quite readable story while you are at it; completely forgettable one you are through.

While every individual is different, I could not quite identify with the hero. I can understand passion, even in an old man. But I found his behavior totally contrived.

Also, there is too much techno-babble - & none of it original. Medical rejuvenation of old is common. A treatment exists to make your biological age freeze to the age you have at the time of treatment, but will guarantee you are dead 20 years down the line (title comes from this). Luna City exists (but is mentioned only in passing). There is art least one space hospital (named "Sequene") - of the kind seen in Arthur Clarke's "Islands in the Sky". Invisibility paint. Robots all over. Human tissue trading. Covered cities aka Asimov's "Caves of Steel". Invisible force-field fences. There are dozens of other pieces of technology that the story doesn't really need.

There is also something on social tension among Jews, Romanian Gypsies, & rest of Europeans. I don't quite have a background in the subject, & just ignored it.

Full text of this story is available for download.

Story summary.
Story is set about the year 2100 AD.

Max Feder, 86, is a very rich man through his ownership of Feder Group plus sundry rather shady businesses, has given up on life, & lives alone in Silver Star Retirement Home - an old age community. His son, Geoffrey runs his businesses. During an energy-packed visit of Geoffrey with his two sons & their toy robot, Max loses a ring that meant a lot to him.

Turns out, he had a passionate love affair with Daria, a prostitute in Cyprus when he was an army man in his early twenties. She ended up marrying a very rich man, she also had helped Max become the rich man he is now, but the two have never really been long together. But Max still cannot get over that love affair. The ring that has just been lost contained a strand of her hair, & her lip marks on a piece of paper!

This ring loss gives Max a purpose in life. To go back to Daria, & get back her hair etc again! And may be build a new life with her (her husband is now dead).

Thus begins the silly adventure that will see him get disillusioned that a lot of time has passed. The adventure will culminate in the death of Daria at the hands of terrorist who also happens to be an employee of US CIA. But Max still hasn't quite gotten over her! End.

In the background, we learn the sad tale of Daria. She had married a rich man, Peter Morton Cleary. She has had a tumor in brain & in spine. While in hospital, it is found that her tumors are special - they are a kind of Elixir; they freeze your age!

Thus begins a business empire that will mine Daria's tumors; & she will be made to carry them rest of her life! Many get the treatment. Then there are sudden deaths of several treated. Turns out the elixir works indefinitely only for Daria; for everyone else, you get to keep your current age for next 20 years, then you die! "D-treatment" is the name given to this very profitable elixir - D for Daria.

She will spend rest of her life a prisoner who exists primarily as a factory for producing this elixir!

Fact sheet.
"Fountain of Age", short story, review
First published: Asimov's Science Fiction, July 2007.
Rating: B
Winner of Nebula Awards 2007 in novella category.
Nominated for Hugo Awards 2008 in novella category.