Fantastic Worlds - Retro Review of "Child of All Ages" (1975)
Phillip James Plauger is a physicist and nuclear physicist, who wrote only a dozen or so science fiction short stories, mostly in the 1970's, then in 1995 founded Dinkumware, Ltd., a company which supplies Standard C and Standard C++ libraries. The world of information technology has benefitted, but the world of science fiction sadly lost by this career move, judging by this short story.
"A Child of All Ages," set in the present day (c. 1975) is about Melissa, who looks about 11 years old, claims to be 14, and was actually born sometime around 460 BC in ancient Athens. Her father was what later ages would call an alchemist, and in his search for the secret of immortality he found a herbal potion that will indeed stave off aging indefinitely. The catch is that it only works on pre-pubescent children, and that entering puberty ends the effectiveness of the medicine.
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(read the rest at
http://fantasticworlds-jordan179.blogspot.com/2012/07/retro-review-child-of-all-ages-1975-by.html
As always, comments welcome
"A Child of All Ages," set in the present day (c. 1975) is about Melissa, who looks about 11 years old, claims to be 14, and was actually born sometime around 460 BC in ancient Athens. Her father was what later ages would call an alchemist, and in his search for the secret of immortality he found a herbal potion that will indeed stave off aging indefinitely. The catch is that it only works on pre-pubescent children, and that entering puberty ends the effectiveness of the medicine.
---
(read the rest at
http://fantasticworlds-jordan179.blogspot.com/2012/07/retro-review-child-of-all-ages-1975-by.html
As always, comments welcome