Review by J.R. Parker
Martyr, or Jason 3:3, is one of fifty-five clones living in an underground lab in Alaska. The clones are closely supervised and forbidden from entering the outside world because of the “toxic air.” And, well, the guards and locks and cameras. Expiration on their eighteenth birthday is something the Jasons have come to accept. But Martyr wants to see the sky before he dies. And when he steals a card key and makes it past security, the adventure begins.
Abby Goyer, one of the lab scientist’s daughters, is Martyr’s first contact and fiercest defender. Together, she and Martyr attempt to elude those so desperate to get him back, facing down not only their pursuers, but the uncertain allegiance of her father. And the shear outlandishness of Martyr’s story makes finding allies difficult. In their flight, they piece together a trail of clues that could explain more of the secrets buried in Jason Farms and in Martyr’s genetic code. Slowly, Martyr drifts from the embrace of his expiration, toward a new purpose . . .
The mesmerizing depth of character Williamson’s readers have come to expect is woven deftly into Replication, with extra layers of gripping suspense and twisting mystery. I did not intend to stay up reading this book until the early morning hours, but that was the result. And on a computer screen, no less, making this the first time I’ve ever convinced my eyes to read a novel in its entirety on a backlit surface. They did not complain.
Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: science fiction/suspense
Part of a Series: No
Pages: 304 pages
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2011
