Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"If you don't care about science enough to be interested in it on its own, you shouldn't try to write hard science fiction."
- Frederik Pohl
 |
| Scientific Reincarnation | ||
| Technology to allow a person to transfer themselves to a new, healthy body. |
In this excellent Hugo award-winning novel, Zelazny describes a planet that is set up on the same social structure as the Hinduism of 2,000 years ago. Except that, thanks to the technology brought with them to the planet, a pantheon of "gods" controls actual reincarnation for the populace.
The newly-incarnated Mahasamatman (Sam, to his friends), was determined to break the power of the ruling group, and stole the reincarnation technology.
| He burned his old body, along with all the others... While the banks of sperm and ova, the growth tanks and the body lockers could not be transported, the transfer equipment itself was dismantled... and its components were loaded under the horses of those who had fallen in the battle. |
| Technovelgy from Lord of Light,
by Roger Zelazny. Published by Doubleday in 1967 Additional resources -
|
In the story, people who support the ancient social structure, which deliberately stifles innovation, are well-served when they present themselves (old and gray) at the Hall of the Masters of Karma. They receive a healthy, young body of their choice.
However, people who have committed crimes against the ruling order can be sure to be reincarnated as animals (like dogs and apes) or be given bodies with genetically engineered defects, like epilepsy.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from Lord of Light
More Ideas
and Technology by Roger Zelazny
Tech news articles related to Lord of Light
Tech news articles related to works by Roger Zelazny
Scientific Reincarnation-related
news articles:
- China To Control Reincarnation Of Tibetan Buddhists
| 3D Printed Organs From Space |
| Health Kiosk Has No Human Doctor |
| NEO Brain Computer Interface (BCI) |
| MIT Computerized Bionic Leg Is Part Of The User |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
'Once in the very first weeks of the war, before everyone had been evacuated from the surface...'
'For a while your colonists will have to come up to the [orbital] Hospital...'
'...it raised its front end off the ground and waved its antennae at them, then raised one armoured claw as if to snip them out of the sky.'
'Henry... assumed the curious absent look of a robot talking on the TBR circuits.'
'The king, an old hand in the running of tyrannies, instantly grasped the directions...'
'...a hemispherical force field enclosing his head.'
