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clones - Looking for a story where a person is threatened with repeated murder


A novel I read in the early 80's but was most likely published in the 70's(?) begins with a woman being woken up. She is shown pictures of herself and it is explained to her that these were earlier clones of her and that she is herself a clone. She is pressured to perform some task and threatened with similar treatment if she tries to escape.


Can anyone help me recall the title?



Answer



There is a forcing people to do things by serially murdering them sub-plot in John Varley's novel The Ophiuchi Hotline.


Other things that may be memorable about the novel include a trip far into Trans-Plutarian space with pilot whose body has been heavily sculpted to the point where her head is the widest part of the body; several instances of people being active in two or more bodies at once; and partial answers to questions about the Invaders and what is to become of humanity.


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