The Personifid Project
R.E.
Bartlett
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The
Personifid Project is a Science Fiction novel with a most
interesting premise. In the distant future, science has discovered
the means to not only detect souls, but encase them in artificial
bodies, Personifids, to stave off death.
When
Aphra, a secretary at the Sevig Empire Corporation, overhears
a sinister conversation, she fears for her life. Her fears are
confirmed when she witnesses the "discontinuation" of a fellow
employee. Soon she is fleeing assassins, reliant on the help of
strangers, and desperately trying to find out what is going on.
This
is a story much in the tradition of films such as I, Robot, Blade
Runner, Minority Report, or Equilibrium, though without the detective
angle. A vision of the future where society seeks to stave off
death through aritficial means, and keep the "bad parts" of human
nature suppressed with drugs and virtual reality. And ask the
question, "Can we really separate our evil nature from our good?"
The
Personifid Project is a briskly paced story, with lots of
action, and a few good twists. Also the vision of a post-apocalyptic
earth, where people must live in shielded cities or underground,
is well realized. With a good array of believable technology that
bridges the gap from present to future.
However,
a few things really irked me. For one, the reader is forcibly
kept out of hearing the sinister conversation that Aphra overhears
at the start of the book, even though we are in her point of view.
This creates a bit of a false feeling suspense as we have Aphra
thinking about how horrible what she heard was and how she races
to cover it up through the rest of the chapter, until she finally
confides to her home computer. It made me feel a bit cheated.
Bartlett
also falls into the pitfall of a bit too much telling when describing
certain technologies or cultural bits of the story. Perhaps just
a stylistic irk for me, but I prefer these things to be blended
a bit better then have the story stop for a paragraph explaining
why Cantabrian security is different than other places (as just
one example).
I
also had a real hard time connecting with Aphra. I never really
felt sorry for her or like rooting for her. She was too whiney,
oblivious and self-centered, and never really seemed to grow out
of it. Still there were plenty of other interesting characters,
such as the minor but fun Chickenwing. And Aphra's bounty hunter
brother, with his penchant for odd computers.
Overall
the book rose above the irks for me and I enjoyed the tale. Bartlett
has created a fun futuristic world full of wild possibilities.
If you like futuristic Sci-fi be sure to give this one a go.
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