(3.5 / 5)

Set at a time in the future when robots (or Artificials) have been taught to not only think for themselves, but to have emotions, and even the option of pain, there is still a lot that is unknown about how similar robots are to humans. Do they have souls? Can they believe in and worship God? Kestrel Hathaway doesn't know, and neither does her Artificial, Jordan. Amidst their discussions of these concepts, Kestrel is pulled into a plot to put an end to the advances in AI by people known as Purists. Working with federal agent Nick Vernon, Kestrel and Jordan do their part to help prevent a deadly attack.

This book was an interesting mash-up of theology exploration and sci-fi elements. For much of the book, Kestrel is simply trying to cope with a fresh tragedy, while being slowly dragged into a deadly cat-and-mouse game between federal agents and terrorists. Jordan was probably my favorite character, as he tried to figure out what hope there was for him, especially in eternity. And there were some twists near the end that I enjoyed. But overall, the book was mostly just okay.

The very beginning of the book shows Kestrel delivering a stillborn baby (that she didn't know was stillborn). This event is told in 2nd-person perspective, so it's describing the events as if they happened to you. I think this is important to know for those who have gone through this or something similar. She is a pastor, and spends most of the rest of the book idly questioning her faith in God. I say idly, because it's as if she'd forget her questions now and then, and have to remind herself she was still uncertain about if God existed, or he was actually all-powerful, or if he cared about her. She also carries some PTSD from a tragedy 9 years old, and I was surprised by the way some of that played out as well. But I suppose PTSD is not a consistent syndrome (meaning it's not the same from person to person, and probably difficult to pin down and define). I would say that maybe the way she does respond shows her strength, but I didn't really get that characteristic from her otherwise.

I believe Jordan's role in the book was to parallel humanity's question of an afterlife. How can we ever know for sure if Heaven exists, if no one who has been there can return to tell us about it? Artificials are told that there is a manufactured afterlife where their consciousnesses will go when they "die." Jordan's mother "died," and he is desperate to know if she's in the afterlife. Where this parallel falls apart, though, is that Artificials are guaranteed this afterlife by a fallible man, while humans who follow Christ are guaranteed their afterlife by an infallible God. Some of the discussions that arise between Jordan and Kestrel about afterlife and the ability to believe in and worship God are interesting though. Except for the times that Kestrel is just mean to Jordan about his inhumanness.

As for the twists near the end, they did mostly catch me off guard. But there was a weird thing that happened that got my heart pumping about a possible twist coming, but instead, it turned out not to be true. It was a huge letdown, and I can think of a few ways that some dialog could have been written to avoid this letdown. I had some questions that were left unanswered--about Jordan's mom, about some of the Purists' involvements and questionable actions, and some other things that came out during the climax, but are never given any kind of explanation.

I think the sci-fi plot were simply a vehicle for the theology discussed in the book, which is why the plot was fairly weak. And for me, at least, some of the theology was weak too. Kestrel's brother, an atheist, asks her some very good questions about God, and her replies are the type I often see from the token "religious character" in TV or movies. She does go deeper than the stereotype sometimes, but I still found myself wishing for more. And very likely, this can all be chalked up to the author and me having different views on some theological aspects, which will certainly happen. I just found myself very sad about Kestrel's brother's view of God, and wished her responses had been more fulfilling.

In the end, I would recommend this book for those who are interested in the exploration of how humans approach God and the afterlife, and what it means to have a "soul," and understand that there is some sci-fi around that. I don't think I'd recommend this for readers of sci-fi, unless they are willing to wade through the theology.

One more thing that adds to my lower rating, which I almost forgot, was the way the story was told. As I mentioned above, it starts out in 2nd person ("you"), then switches to 1st person out of the blue ("I"), but is only 1st person when the perspective is on Kestrel. When it's on a plethora of other characters, it's 3rd person. And to make it even more confusing, when the perspective is on Jordan, it's 3rd person and present tense, when it's past tense the rest of the time. There's a reason jumping POVs, tenses, and even character perspectives is meant to be kept simple, and while it's not completely impossible to try something different...it was just confusing in this case, and made the reading disjointed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ( )

Christian Mass Effect? Religious Deus Ex? Fair warning on this book: It is explicitly Christian Fiction - and it is pretty damn heavy handed on the preaching. If that isn't your thing, you don't want to read the first sentence of this thing. The story itself is decent enough, but the hyper preaching aspects drag what could have been a pretty awesome scifi tale that could challenge some of the Golden Age masters into just another book that likely won't reach much beyond your local (dying) Christian Bookstore. Instead of a subtle exploration of whether robots could have souls ala Blade Runner, you get what amounts to mini sermons - which is theoretically appropriate, with the central character being a preacher. Overall a solid story that could have been so much more, and recommended if you can withstand the preaching. ( )

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. ( )

When I finished, 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 the end. I love to be surprised by who some of 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 point-of-views and even tenses for each character. Switching out of third-person past to the 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 was also fighting off dizziness the day I read this part, so I was doubly dismayed. All in all, though, I did enjoy the book. It came together well in 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. ( )

Many thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Steven James for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of Synapse. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

This story is set 30 years from now. Artificial Intelligence has advanced to the point where Artificials have been given rights under the law. There is a continuum of robots with ones that perform simple functions like doing your cooking and cleaning to ones that are awake. They have an algorithm that allows them to learn based on categories like emotion, memory, curiosity and pain. They look and feel exactly like humans and it can be hard to tell the difference. Humans are called Naturals and can be enhanced, for example, if you’ve had an accident. They can replace arms, eyes, ears, any human body part. These semi-bionic humans are called Plussers.

Kestrel is a preacher, unmarried and we meet her in the hospital having just lost her baby. She is alone and sad and after leaving the hospital she witnesses an attack at the plant where they make Artificials. She tries to give first aid to someone she finds injured from the attack. Her estranged brother, Trevor, happens to be an upper level executive at this company. They became estranged after their parents died when an older Artificial model gunned them down by mistake. This sends Kestrel off to a path toward G-d and away from technology. Trevor chose a different path towards the advancement of robots. Kestrel becomes embroiled in the investigation in trying to find out who caused the attack. There are a group of Purists who believe that these technological advancements are dangerous and have instigated terrorist attacks before.

Trevor purchases a high end Artificial for Kestrel, originally intending it to help her with the baby. Although she is against it, she ends up accepting the Artificial, Jordan. As he awakens, he struggles with his own consciousness, learning the difference between right and wrong and his ability to believe in G-d. Kestrel tries to guide him as she struggles with her own faith. Nick, the agent working on the case, protects Kestrel as she is now in danger from the terrorists. They start to develop feelings toward each other.

This story has many different levels. You have the main story with the mystery of who is blowing up the plants. You can follow the storyline of Kestrel, the loss of her daughter, reconnecting with her estranged brother and the mystery of who is causing the terrorist attacks. Then there is the storyline between Kestrel and her Artificial, Jordan. This is a separate storyline. Jordan is like an innocent child who becomes awake and although Kestrel is very reluctant to have an Artificial, she starts to develop a relationship with him. Jordan is also on a quest to discover G-d and Kestrel, a minister, has recently become disillusioned. There is a whole conversation about who can believe in G-d, what does it mean to believe in a higher power and what happens when we have a lapse in faith. Then there is a lot of commentary peppered throughout the book about the whole technology slant. You have every possible angle covered. Are we moving too fast, what is suffering while we are making all the technological advances. Basically any conversation you have ever heard about technology is covered in this book.

What I did appreciate is that is the conversations never became preachy. It wasn’t one idea being valued over another where it was being shoved down your throat. There were plenty of ideas from all different angles being presented so you can enter the conversation from any entry point. Sometimes it was a little much but it didn’t bother me that much. Also, the different strains of story never interfered with each other. The story moved along nicely, actually at a quick pace. I really liked the relationship between Kestrel and Jordan and would have enjoyed even more of the two of them. The romance was sweet but a little slow, maybe underdeveloped? I loved all the technology, it’s so interesting to me. So we are 30 years in the future and have made huge leaps from self driving cars to living, thinking, feeling AI’s. But infrastructure is still a problem, so you still have to deal with things like traffic. Hilarious! Protests still happen based on ideas that are being discussed today so it makes it very relevant. There was a lot of content and I really enjoyed this book. I hope there will be more, maybe a series? Doesn’t look like this is the plan. The book raises lots of ethical and philosophical questions that will make you think twice the next time you look at your phone! ( )