I seem to be reading books that take medical looks at avoiding death lately. The latest such tome is Soulminder by Timothy Zahn. In this book Dr. Adrian Sommers is haunted by the accidental death of his young son & so begins a quest to find a way to prevent such accidental deaths. He devises a machine that traps the “soul” upon death. The body, absent its owner, can be repaired at the leisure of the doctors and the “soul” can be reintroduced, effectively thwarting death. All this happens at the beginning. The book then goes on to explore the consequences of new technology, intended and unintended, as we follow the growth of the soulminder technology and the use & misuse to which it is put. This exploration is what makes this book interesting.Recommended for those who like SF and those who enjoy a good exploration of morality in the face of new technology.
