Review of The Personfid Invasion

The concept of transferring one's soul into a machine in an attempt at immortality has been an ongoing scene in science fiction for many decades. The example that is most prominent in my mind is the Ghost in the Shell anime series. The series deals with many new issues that come about because of humans having their minds transplanted into a "prosthetic" body. The concept is both fascinating and frightening at the same time. Is it still really "you" when your memories are transferred into an artificial body or is it just a copy?
Almost all of the science fiction that I have read about that theme have pushed a very pessimistic and secular humanist view. I have always wondered what a Christian would have to say on the subject. Would we lose our souls and spirits in the process of soul transference? Would salvation still be possible for a person who had undergone the procedure?
The New Zealand author R.E. Bartlett has written her own answer to these questions. In "The Personfid Invasion," we meet the shy--and very childish--Aphra. She works for a company that has not learned how to scientifically detect the human soul, but also how to transfer it to an artificial body called a personfid. Her bounty hunter brother, Antha, informs her that he has located their long lost sister Ashley. Aphra becomes very excited. She and Antha travel to the city of San Edhem in attempt to find her. Little do they know that Ashley has undergone the procedure to become a personfid. The brother and sister team up with Christians who live in the city to try and rescue Ashley before she is possessed by a group of mysterious beings called Inters. These beings claim to be inter dimensional beings who have to come to Earth to help save mankind from himself. The only problem is that they love to take over personfid bodies with or without the permission of the owner. Antha and Aphra have to race against time in order to get to Ashley before the Inters do.
The story has a lot of action and adventure. I loved Antha's wisecracking nature. (Those kind of characters always appeal to me.) I have to admit that Aphra's constant whining got on my nerves at times, but I have to remember that I resort to that childish state on more occasions that I care to admit. The best part of this novel is that it also tells us that we are never too far from the hand of a loving and caring Savior.
Please stop by Marcher Lord Press and pick up a copy. You can also visit Ms. Bartlett's website to learn more about her.