Protagonist/John Farrell

John Farrell, whose name isn't mentioned for the first few chapters, has long since died when the novel begins. However, his story and insight are offered through the discovery of his laptop, some 100 years after his death in 2079. From John's collection of blog entries, magazine articles, personal emails, and journal excerpts the reader learns about the cure and John's experience after taking it.

Initially, John is seen as a self-centered young New York professional, whose only interest in life is moving ahead in the world. He works for a law firm in the downtown area and lives with a roommate named Katy. John decides that he will pay the expensive underground fee and have the cure given to him, an injection that will halt his aging at 29. At first the reader sees him celebrating the fact that he will never get old, without care to the...