Soulminder
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- 39,00 kr
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- 39,00 kr
Publisher Description
Science redefines life and death in this novel by the #1 New York Times–bestselling, Hugo Award–winning author.
Dr. Adrian Sommers’s world was destroyed in a split second of distracted driving. The accident left his son wavering between life and death. When the end came, Sommers’s family was torn apart, but the tragedy gave him hope and an obsessive mission: to forestall death through science and technology.
Years of experimentation lead Sommers to develop Soulminder, a device capable of capturing a dying person’s life essence and holding it safely in stasis while physicians heal the body from injury or disease. But there are those who recognize Soulminder’s true potential: body-swapping, obstruction of justice, extortion, and perhaps even immortality.
As Sommers struggles to retain control over the use of his invention against corrupt and dangerous factions, he must question his own moral judgment and motives in creating Soulminder and determine if humanity has earned the right to harness the power of life and death. From the author of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire, this is not only a tale of a father’s desperate love for his son but also “an intriguing thought experiment. . . . Those who enjoy deep philosophical questions will appreciate being left with much to ponder” (Publishers Weekly).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Zahn, best known for his Star Wars tie-in novels, weaves a near-future narrative about a machine that can trap the souls of patients hovering at death's door. According to Dr. Sommer, the soul definitely exists, and it can be made to obey the will of science. Implications of this proposition mount up in interlocking stories, which make for an intriguing thought experiment. Each chapter looks at the ramifications of Sommer's process, with his own opinions weaving in and out of the narrative. His work is used for both good and evil, which gives rise to some great ethical debates. Unfortunately, the contemporary setting is stereotypical (populated by South American dictators and ranting televangelists) and it's hard to believe that no one else manages to develop rival technology. There are also times when Sommer's security chief, Everly, is able to save the day too easily. The choice to skip from one moral issue to the next does hurt the narrative flow, but those who enjoy deep philosophical questions will appreciate being left with much to ponder.
