Further Information (MY)

Misspent Youth is set in 40 years in the future (around 2040), and follows the story of Jeff Baker, the first person to undergo rejuvenation treatment. The treatment involves a reversal in Jeff’s physical age to his early twenties, and in doing so creates havoc for his family.

Jeff Baker is the inventor of the storage crystal, the ultimate method of storing information. Not only does this invention bring about a new technological age for the human race along with the creation of the datasphere, the successor of the internet, but Jeff doesn't patent the technology and freely distributes it. What seems like a selfless act to the rest of the world eventually brings us around to his being put forward for the first rejuvenation treatment. As he is chosen for the treatment due to his past achievements, he enters into rejuvenation knowing that when he exits he will have the physical appearance of a 20 year old. One of the reasons that Jeff is to be rejuvenated is because of his knowledge and once out of rejuvenation he is to help work towards building a super conductor - a clean power source that will fit in a room.

Tim Baker, Jeff's 18 year old son, has plenty going on in his life - a girlfriend, nearly finished school and his father coming out of rejuvenation looking more like an older brother. Not only does this mean that Tim's dad is no longer the old codger he was 18 months ago, but with the combination of wealth, experience and a load of hormones he's turning into a babe magnet. The only problem is that he can't seem to control the new found hormones the way you'd expect a 70 year old to. Before long he's bedding all sorts of young girls, including Tim's friends.

We witness Jeff's relationship with his old friends crumble, the arguments he has with his family and the relationships he has with many a young lady. The story is very much character driven and the technology is impressive and a very good foundation for further books (Pandora's Star & Judas Unchained).

I very much liked this book and I still think that it's a great story even though it has had mixed reviews. Peter himself his summed it up by saying: "I could see why it didn't appeal to a lot of people. It was an unpleasant story about unpleasant people. With hindsight, it was never going to be as popular as my other works."