WOW! James is a new author to me, and "Synapse" was the best way to start, I think! I was blown away at how this book challenged me, made me think, connected me to characters and made me tear up during a few moments. I don't know how James has been off my radar up to this point, but it is safe to say he will be one I watch out for in the future. I am glad I picked it up at the library and had extra time to read it right now.
"Synapse" is set 30 years in the future, but could easily have been written in 2020 as technology continues to advance. The world the characters inhabit has a lot of the same things we do now, with the added complications of artificial intelligence and robotics that are almost as lifelike as humans, called Artificials. There are two very different schools of thought amidst the culture-- the Purists, who refuse technology's advances and have used their ideas to craft homegrown terror cells, and the rest of the world, the Naturals, who have easily adapted to the improvements over time. There are also the in between citizens, those who are nicknamed "Plussers," who have had partial limb replacements with robotics and synthetic skins or upgrades done to their bodies by adding improvements such as supersonic hearing.
Kestrel Hathaway is a woman who has recently suffered a loss, upending her faith and her vocation as a minister. She can barely begin processing her grief when she aids a victim of a terrorist attack she's witnessed at the Terabyne facility where her brother, Trevor, works as a software developer.
As the investigation develops, Kestrel is drawn into portions of the world she's become jaded to. While not being someone who rejects the tech culture, she is also cognizant of the dangers of hosting Artificials in people's homes, the oversaturation of tech addictions and the disconnect between humans.
Federal counterterrorism agent Nick Vernon is the first to cover the attack and suspects there is more danger ahead. Terabyne's new product is about to be released to the public, which means the press conference would be a perfect opportunity for a repeat attack. Nick continues to gather evidence, connecting with Kestrel and her brother during his investigation.
Trevor delivers Kestrel a gift, much to her chagrin. She doesn't trust robots and has no intention of activating this Artificial named Jordan. After Trevor discusses his reasoning behind the gift, she decides to give Jordan a chance--and that decision will alter Kestrel's life forever.
Filled with intrigue, suspense, spiritual wrestling and the discussion of what truly makes one human (or inhuman), "Synapse" is a book that pulls you in from the first page and will not let go until the very last page. I am thankful I took a chance--this book is full of thought provoking, honest discussion on weighty matters of the soul. It is not preachy, it touches on both spiritual principles and the delicate balance of life and death. I connected deeply with the characters and was sad to come to the end of this futuristic adventure. "Synapse" is one I plan on purchasing a copy of so I can mark the many moments I felt were profound. I would love to see this book made into a movie--it was awesome.
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Can AI Beings have a Soul?
When I finished Steven James’s Synapse, I am reminded why I am drawn to speculative/sci-fi fiction. Being written from a Christian viewpoint, I like the conclusions better than those of a secular book. Steven James packs a lot of solid Biblical truth into Synapse, and utilizes key story threads to do so. The lack of bad language or bedroom scenes is a real plus for me! I enjoyed seeing how James develops the characters of Kestral, Jordan, Nick, and Trevor. Interestingly enough, ALL of them show growth. You’ll have to read the book to see why that’s an ironic statement. The action really accelerated near end. I love to be surprised by who some of the the villains and allies are, and this book did not disappoint.It did take me a while to get into the book, as James uses different pov’s and even tenses for each character. Switching out of third-person past to first-person present and back again was not comfortable for me. There were spots where James felt it appropriate to write the text all next to each other, with no breaks for words. These spots could be a paragraph long, and unfortunately, I didn’t feel like working that hard to decipher it, so I was doubly dismayed. All in all, though, I did enjoy the book. It came together well at the end. I would read another of Steven James’s novels and see where he takes mankind.I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the author and publisher. This does not affect my opinions, for which I am solely responsible.
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