5 Stars Out Of 5!
“Technology is a clock you cannot turn backward.”
“As a race, we’re capable of magnificent good and terrifying evil. We have noble desires that mirror those of the divine, and base ones that only the devil himself would approve of.”
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Heart, soul, and mind. Devotion to God that’s emotional, spiritual, and rational.”
Mind. Blown. Wow. What can I say? First off, I’ll be totally honest...didn’t realize this was going to be a futuristic novel that dealt with AI. I often avoid reading blurbs and the cover gave me no indication. So while that’s not usually a genre I prefer, Steven James unsurprising handles it masterfully. He gives us his usual stellar storytelling along with his usual profound Christian message where he asks a lot of great spiritual and theological questions. Unlike some of his other books where the questions are asked and left to the reader to answer or ponder, James does a great job answering. In fact, this is Steven James’ most Christian book to date, and I loved it. The constant theme of how humans are capable of so much good and so much evil, and why we are in need of a Savior is a message everyone needs to hear. And he does it in such a natural and wonderful way with such a beauty of words.
I found myself drawn to all the main characters: Kestral, a Christian female minister who loses a child at birth and is starting to question her faith; Special Agent Nick Vernon, the next best thing to Patrick Bowers, who focuses on the job because he was hurt by his ex-wife; Jordan, an awesome Artificial who shows he can love and care and ask hard questions; and Trevor, Kestral’s atheist brother who has a fractured relationship with his sister. Great characters and a great storyline.
In a world where we see technological advances all the time, this was a very timely read. With promises of AI, robotics, and automation just around the corner, what kind of moral and ethical dilemmas will we face? What does this mean for future job markets? How will this technology draw us closer or further away from God? All great questions, and ultimately, a great book that even throws in some great twists at the end. Read this as soon as you can!
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
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