Deepfreeze

"Deepfreeze" by Robert Donald Locke is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The story explores themes of survival and betrayal against the backdrop of a dying Earth plagued by a catastrophic epidemic. The novel follows the journey of Edwin Dollard, a wealthy industrialist who believes he can escape the impending doom of humanity and establish a new empire on Venus. The plot revolves around Dollard's desperate attempt to flee Earth as it succumbs to chaos. He collaborates with his trusted advisor, Garth, but ultimately betrays him, believing he can survive alone. Dollard's plans go awry when Garth sabotages his escape, leading to an accident in space that leaves Dollard trapped in a failing spacecraft. Deciding to undergo a radical method of preservation, he opts for deep-freezing in hopes that some future civilization will revive him. However, when he awakens millennia later, he finds himself a curiosity and ultimately prey for an alien species that has replaced humans on Earth, highlighting the story's dark irony and moral undertones.