From Sky to Sky, by Amanda G. Stevens

Following immediately on the heels of No Less Days, Amanda G. Stevens picks up the story in From Sky to Sky.  If you haven't read From Sky to Sky, don't bother opening No Less Days.  You can't have one without the other.  You'll be confused and bored.  But if you enjoyed the first book, you don't want to miss this one.

The characters in these books were treated with an experimental serum from a frontier doctor back in the 19th century which essentially immunized them from death.  They can still be injured or sick, but if they experience a fatal injury or illness, they will regenerate and continue to live.  In From Sky to Sky, a new longevite comes along claiming that some of his fellow longevites have been killed.  This leads to a search for the doctor who originated the serum and an answer to the mystery of the dead longevites.

Stevens deals with the question of immortality.  If someone never ages or dies, how does one have relationships with mortals?  Perhaps longevites desire a "cure," the ability to actually age and die a natural death.  And what about faith?  How does one deal with God when one is essentially immortal?  And when one has a century of sin, can God forgive?

I enjoyed Stevens's characters and some of her thought experiments.  She holds back what's happening just enough to have some surprises and suspense.  But the limited scope of the story and the shallowness of many of the characters' actions and interactions kept this from being a really great book.  Still, I couldn't help but wonder about where to find that serum. . . .


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!