I’ve always admired Kevin J. Anderson for his business
acumen. I’ve always been grateful to him
for helping expand important Science Fiction universes, such as Star Wars and
Frank Herbert’s Dune novels. Meeting him
at conventions and book signings has always proven a great pleasure. Yet, while I’ve enjoyed his novels, I’ve
always felt as if I had missed something crucial in his storytelling. His novels--filled with exciting plots,
richly portrayed worlds, and interesting characters—told me everything I needed to know about
that particular story...and nothing about him.
Some people say that a pastor or priest only has one sermon,
and that he repeats that sermon, in infinite variation, every time he stands
behind the lectern. That sermon, and the
passion and thought behind it, drove him to enter the ministry. I suspect the same can be said of authors, as
each day’s effort involves sitting down before a blank page, and imbuing it
with meaning. Writing is demanding work,
and while a lucky few reside atop the bestseller charts year in and year out,
most toil in obscurity, and would make far greater incomes if they devoted
their energies and creativity to other pursuits. In a career spanning a quarter-century, Kevin
J. Anderson has written, co-written, or edited well over 100 books. I wondered what ignited his passion for
storytelling, and what fire still burned inside him, fueling his literary efforts.
In Resurrection, Inc., his first published novel, I found
the answers I sought. In the near
future, blue collar workers are rapidly being displaced. Servants, reanimated corpses driven by computer
chips and synthetic organs, are filling all jobs involving repetitive
tasks. Francois Nathans, the head of
Resurrection, Inc., conceived of reanimating the dead as way to free the living from drudgery. Now he
watches as displaced workers choke streets and welfare offices. Where is the drive, the enthusiasm for reinvention,
the fervor for forging greater futures individually and elevating mankind?
When he decides that something else must be holding mankind
back, his attention turns to religion. And
why not? It’s been argued that, all
too often, when seeking value and meaning for their lives, people choose
comfortable beliefs over uncomfortable truths.
So Nathans wonders: might religion be inhibiting humanity from achieving
the social progress he desires? With the
aid of Vincent Van Ryman, the son of a business partner, he forges a new religion: neo-Satanism. He intends to create no more than an elaborate sham. He wants converts to
later see through the religion, and in so doing help them see beyond the
falsehood he believes underlie all religions.
Yet people—even those he views as smart and intelligent—keep finding
value and meaning in the rituals, services, and scriptures he and Vincent
create.
As usual, Kevin J. Anderson provides readers with a compelling
future world, a fast-moving plot, interesting characters, and dramatic
situations. With Resurrection, Inc., he offers
us a book that's difficult to put down. But it’s the ideas behind the story, and the
questions they raise, that I'll take away from this novel. For example: What is the proper role of Faith and
Belief? Is Truth something that exists
outside us, that we either accept or reject?
Or is Truth something we create for ourselves, and sometimes even knowingly
construct from the most outrageous lies.
For some of the biggest, and perhaps the most compelling lies of all,
are not Religions, but Fictions. Some
stories and characters grow so important to us that they become a part of us,
and guide us through life in crucial ways.
In Resurrection, Inc., Francois Nathans learns that what
drives others, and what they perceive as truth, is at odds with the passion that
drove him to create his company, and fueled his efforts to elevate
mankind. I wonder: in his first published novel, did Kevin J. Anderson share a part of his soul? Did he hint at the passion that caused him to start writing stories, and still fuels his creative engine? The novel suggests not only why he writes his
stories, but perhaps also why I keep on reading him. It suggests the reason he’s become one of my
favorite authors. For there must be a greater, better, and more elevated reason than that I simply like the
guy.
At least, that's what I believe.
Dragon Dave
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