tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33325729.post5043513258329130295..comments2023-11-05T03:47:03.674-07:00Comments on The Lost Genre Guild: Some Questions and Mark Mynheir's The Void reviewedcynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15514785429568086047noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33325729.post-63894404432321797822007-07-30T15:14:00.000-06:002007-07-30T15:14:00.000-06:00I've read the book for the upcoming blog tour and ...I've read the book for the upcoming blog tour and my guess was that cloning is so close to modern science that the CBA's "sci-fi alarms" didn't go off. And also I think you're right....the industry does seem to love "suspense" as a catch-all for genre stuff. <BR/><BR/>One of the things I found interesting about Mark's book was his idea that clones would be without souls and non-human. This is speculative fiction we're talking about, and he has every right to speculate however he wants, but it's definitely an uncommon point of view for a Christian novel, since most Christians take the high road on life issues. I don't think he intended to be controversial; the clones are pretty much a plot device to enable him to deal with the larger demon-possession idea. But still, I had to smile at the thought of a mainstream Christian author being unintentionally subversive.<BR/><BR/>I personally think clones will have souls because I believe God gives the soul at conception, whether it's in a petri dish or a womb. And you have to start with conception, even with clones. They would be distinct and individual human beings, pretty much the equivalent of identical twins to whomever was cloned. And I don't believe you can have thought or intelligence without a soul/spirit element....ie, you can't be just a body and a brain.<BR/><BR/>Even if his clones were non-human technically, they looked and appeared human, which made me a little bothered by how casually he had the police dispose of the batch of unactivated clones at the warehouse scene, near the end. I don't care what kind of cop you are, if you have to kill a biologically alive 12 year old girl, you're going to have some trouble. <BR/><BR/>I did think it was a pretty good novel. Reminded me of the X-files a little with its detective/supernatural blend.<BR/><BR/>KarenKarenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05346285975812027797noreply@blogger.com