''Rollback'' is a 2007

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

novel by Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer that was serialized in four parts in

Analog Science Fiction and Fact ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

from October 2006 to January 2007. It deals primarily with the social effects of drastic age rejuvenation technology and

first contact First contact may refer to: *First contact (astronomy), the moment in astronomical transit when the apparent positions of the two bodies first touch *First contact (anthropology), the first meeting of two cultures previously unaware of one another ...

theory. In 2008 the novel was nominated for a

Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...

and a Campbell Award.

Plot summary

The novel focuses around Don Halifax and his wife of sixty years, Sarah, an astronomer who translated the first transmission sent from an extraterrestrial source to Earth 38 years prior to the opening of the story. Sarah, now 87, is tasked to decode the second message sent from the unknown alien race—if she can live long enough to do so. A wealthy industrial billionaire, Cody McGavin, offers to put up billions of dollars to perform a "rollback" on not only Sarah but Don as well. This process, which reverts a person's body to its condition when the subject was 25 years old, is successfully performed on Don, but fails to work with Sarah. This leaves Sarah gradually creeping toward death while Don's life begins anew. Much of the story focuses on Don as he discovers the advantages and disadvantages of being young again, with periodic flashbacks to when Sarah translated the first alien message.

References

External links

*
''Rollback'' at Worlds Without End
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rollback (Novel) Novels by Robert J. Sawyer 2007 Canadian novels 2007 science fiction novels Canadian science fiction novels Works originally published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact Novels first published in serial form Tor Books books Novels set in Toronto