Misspent Youth

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

It's 2040. After decades of research, scientists of the European Union believe that they have at last conquered humankind's most pernicious foe: old age. For the first time, technology holds out the promise of not merely slowing the aging process but actually reversing it. The first subject for treatment is 78-year-old philanthropist Jeff Baker. After 18 months in a rejuvenation tank, Jeff emerges looking like a 20-year-old. And the change is more than skin deep. From his hair cells down to his DNA, Jeff is 20 - with a breadth of life experience.

But while possessing the wisdom of a septuagenarian at age 20 is one thing, raging testosterone is another, as Jeff soon discovers. Suddenly his oldest friends seem, well, old. Jeff's trophy wife looks better than she ever did. His teenage son, Tim, is more like a younger brother. And Tim's nubile girlfriend is a conquest too tempting to resist. Jeff's rejuvenated libido wreaks havoc on the lives of his friends and family, straining his relationship with Tim to the breaking point. It's as if youth is a drug, and Jeff is wasted on it. But if so, it's an addiction he has no interest in kicking.

©2002 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2016 Tantor

Closure for the series

Excellent narration. Good character development, decidedly different plot twist, and fun side roads. Enjoyed the way it explains some of th3 texh from the first two books in the series, or at least the beginning of the technology.

Meh

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The book. It's barely a Commonwealth book, very soap opera-ish.

What could Peter F. Hamilton have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I was hoping for something with a larger scale.

What does Steven Crossley bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great characterizations the make the characters more interesting.

Could you see Misspent Youth being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Heavens no.

Social Norm SciFi (BrettD review)

The main characters in this book are thrown into a situation that breaks down current family social norms. I think Peter F Hamilton does a wonderful job of highlighting the consequences of a simple change in age. However, I think the story had a rapid close that missed some plot opportunities.

Another great story

If you could sum up Misspent Youth in three words, what would they be?

This is not a typical space operas in PFH style, but this is a great story about love, life, family and friendship. Also, this book is a prequel to the Commonwealth Saga.
The story revolves around Jeff Baker, a well-known British scientist who had previously developed a digital storage device based on crystals that has many more times the storage capacity of hard drives, and had given the design away for free for anyone to benefit from. He is in his 80's, with a teenage son and a "trophy" wife, and he becomes the first person to undergo rejuvenation.

Its Hamiliton - I was sold on the first line

Where does Misspent Youth rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have liked all of Hamiltons books, they have allowed me to venture into strange places with abandon. Sometimes they are long winded, but then again, the writing is so tight it is enjoyable.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Misspent Youth?

I see this question a lot -- my moments will be different to other readers, but there are several times when realization of events hit home... these are sweetly done.

Any additional comments?

You can't go wrong with a Hamilton book

bring back John Lee... the best narrator

Story is pretty good.
but the narrator's tones for sentences weren't as rich as John Lee's ...

The future is like the 60's, protests and sex

Peter F Hamilton’s Misspent Youth is a mid-21st century tale that struggles to define itself. The main character had earlier developed some electronic related technology and gave it away to the public domain. While he does financially well enough, he also achieves notoriety. As a result, when the EU has to select the first human to undergo rejuvenation treatment, he is chosen. Going from his seventies to twenty-something creates all sorts of issues with his wife and son ending with a divorce as well as dating his son’s girlfriend. At the same time, there are political forces that are marshalling against the ever-encroaching EU.

Hamilton attempts a near future story that falls flat. While carnal delights seem readily available, sex nevertheless becomes the focal point and crates all sorts of problems. The rejuvenation technology is the most ludicrous. How does anyone know if it will work, if the main character is the first? The cost is regarded as exorbitant, but then that only further limits necessary testing. In addition, it is unlikely that such as small group of females would all have the potential to be supermodels.

The narration is well done with good character distinction. Pacing is brisk.

Not what I expected.

I listen to Peter F. Hamilton’s stories, usually, for the epic sci-fi stuff, and grabbed this title in an Audible sale on impulse. The sex and open-mindedness of the interpersonal relationships in Hiltons books have always added to the story for me because of the way I feel like it lets you into the characters’ minds such that it is unique to his books. This title is more speculative fiction than others I’ve read by Hamilton, and just like the title of this review says, it was not what I expected. And it did not disappoint. It is a unique take on a certain type of pioneer story that I genuinely enjoyed. There is a great deal of open-minded interpersonal relationshipping (new word-you’re welcome) here and I feel that it kept to the type of storytelling that I have come to love from this author. I hope you read (or listen) and enjoy it as much as I did.

Exactly what’s on the tin.

Very thinly plotted adolescent male fantasy. Boys (and man-boys) behaving badly with personality-free girls/women who tolerate them with indulgent sighs. All hail! Consequence-free lives for Men! (With a side of anti-globalism). To be clear…it’s also how the man-boys treat other man-boys. We’re all going to be aholes to each other because that’s just how we’re built. I love you, man. [bro-hug].

I got this because I started the Void Trilogy and was utterly lost so I wanted to go back to the beginning. The internet said that the tech for the series was established in this book but it was not essential to the subsequent story. I should have listened.

I hope he has stepped up his game in subsequent volumes.

A house-keeping prequel to the Commonwealth saga

To describe this book in one word, when compared to the rest of the series, that word is, sadly, "boring."
The story details the family life and father son relationship of the first recipient of the rejuvenation treatment common throughout the rest of the series.
But, in this book, there is no space travel, no gates, no aliens, no SI.
It's just a brilliant scientist, his family and a snapshot of the world politics of the days leading to what will eventually become the Commonwealth stories.
If you love the series, you can skip this one without losing any sleep that you've missed out.
If you feel a sort of historian's devotion to know all the details of Hamilton's Commonwealth series, by all means, give it a go.
Personally, the story did very little for me.
It lacked all of the excitement and adventure of the other books and existed largely as a character study of an elderly man given another shot at youth.