Searching for Grand Guignol, Fee, Natoma and Sequoia - characters

[lisarowan]

I recall these characters - the book was futuristic, high-tech - set in Eastern US - languages included Black Spanglish - Guig is a member of a group who has become immortal by narrowly averting death - Fee is his adopted waif housekeeper/daughter figure - Dr. Sequoia Guest is Guig's latest candidate to turn into a fellow immortal - Guig then meets Sequoia's family near the Lake Erie reservation where poisoned poppies are grown to sell - accidentally marries Sequoia's sister Natoma - other members of the immortals group are being wiped out - bad things happen - Guig loses his reailty and becomes an alternate character, Capo Rip, for a time - other characters include a caveman, a girl with an elephant, and a Rajah. Can't recall the title or the author - really would like to find it again. Thanks!

 

[chrispenycate]

At a guess (Sequoia Guess) it's "the computer connection" by Alfred Bester.

Not, in my opinion, the best 'a Bester, but I remember it quite clearly, so it must have had something going for it...

 

[Ian Whates]

Definitely sounds like it to me as well, Chris -- or Extro as the edition I read was called. I read this an age ago -- it was my first ever Bester -- and I loved it!