About the Book

Book: Synapse
Author: Steven James
Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi
Release Date: October 8, 2019

Thirty years in the future, when AI is so advanced that humans live side by side with cognizant robots called Artificials, Kestrel Hathaway must come to terms not just with what machines know, but what they believe. Is hope real for them, or merely an illusion?

Soon after experiencing a personal tragedy, Kestrel witnesses a terrorist attack and is drawn into a world of conspiracies and lies that she and Jordan, her Artificial, have to untangle. With a second, more brutal attack looming on the horizon, their best chance of stopping it is teaming up with federal counterterrorism agent Nick Vernon.

But the clock is ticking—and all the while, Jordan is asking questions that Artificials were never meant to ask.

Deftly weaving suspense and intrigue into a rich, resonant tale that explores faith and what it really means to be human, Steven James offers us a glimpse into the future and into our own hearts.

Synapse is an unforgettable, gripping story of dreams shattered, truth revealed, and hope reborn.

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My Thoughts:

Synapse was a most riveting read that pulled me into a future that was different but in some ways very much the same as today.

Thirty years from now AI's are common. There are "purists" terrorists that are against them and do not want the AI's to take over (like Terminator). So the purists decide to do harm and kill people instead. Basically doing what they believe the AI's will eventually do.

The beginning really smacks the reader with humanity and the fragileness of all of it. Of dreams shattering and hopes failing. Kestrel, a woman pastor, has just suffered a great tragedy and her faith has been rocked. As she is coming home the terrorists strike. She puts aside her own pain and sets out to help those she can.

However, there is an evil underbelly in the shadows that has some nefarious purposes. And for some reason as the reader must discover, Kestrel is in the middle of it.

Kestrel is not the only interesting character. Trevor her estranged brother and vice president of the biggest AI corporation and staunch atheist. He sends her an AI by the name of Jordan, who Trevor says is different than the rest. Jordan is a unique character, almost like a Pinocchio. He is not human but he wants to be as human as possible and this in itself raises some interesting questions.

The other character is a federal agent by the name of Nick Vernon who is trying to take down the terrorists groups. All of these characters and more really made this story unique.

There is a lot of good nuggets of truth in this story that I just relished and will have me thinking about for some time to come. One of the things the author did was use scripture as part of the story, but never in a preachy way. It flowed smoothly and naturally especially in the face of such pain and suffering and questions being asked.

I highly recommend this sci-fi novel. It had a lot for the reader to think about on life, God, pain, and hope.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Steven James is the critically acclaimed, national bestselling author of sixteen novels. His work has been optioned by ABC Studios and praised by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, the New York Journal of Books, and many others. His pulse-pounding, award-winning thrillers are known for their intricate storylines and insightful explorations of good and evil. When he’s not working on his next book, he’s either teaching master classes on writing throughout the country, trail running, or sneaking off to catch a matinee.

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Publishers Weekly STARRED review

Read my op-ed on robots and faith in the New York Times I grew up reading and loving science fiction stories. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of artificial intelligence, but as I’ve thought about it over the years, I’ve realized that our lives are not based just on what we know, but also what we believe. So, I started asking myself, “What would the world look like if machines developed artificial belief?” Within a few decades, advanced AIs might very well have consciousness and self-awareness. At that point, what will they choose to believe about the meaning of live, God, and the afterlife?

All of these questions were in my mind as I wrote Synapse, a story that takes place 30 years from now in a world very much like our own. This is a cautionary tale with implications that are both chilling and revealing and I think that if you like suspense, you’ll love this near-future thriller. —

Steven Learn more at stevenjames.net Facebook and Twitter: @readstevenjames Buy the book: https://www.tnzfiction.com/synapse-a-novel/