Replication: The Jason Experiment

This book is a page turner .... there's lots of action and suspense. I like books that cause me to think, too. This will get you thinking about the value of life and how far the boundaries of science should be pushed.

Never imagined a Christian science fiction story that young adults will adore? Jill Williamson delivers that in this book.
Because there were a few areas where I couldn't quite swallow the story and the quick and tidy wrap-up, this book earns 4.3 out of five stars from me.
I love Williamson's voice and will be seeking out some of her fantasy titles. This is a great read for adults and teens. You'll be challenged to consider your thoughts on some of the scientific practices that are alive and well in the world's medical research laboratories.

Because lists are all I've been capable of recently, let's have some:

Things I liked:

1. Martyr. Awwww! He's so cute! He's been kept underground in a lab all his life, so he knows very little of what's above him. And he is adorable.

2. The plot. It was fast paced and left me jolted. In a good way, of course.

3. The writing. Jill Williamson, as I've said before, is the master. I especially loved Martyr's POV.

4. Look at this!!! You can enter your birthdate to see if you're a clone and when you're expiration date is. I'm J:32:71 and I'll expire in 1237 days. [...]

Things that are okay:

1. Abby. Something was off about her, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe her lack of relatablity? Overall, she was decent.

2. The ending. It was fine, I guess. Not By Darkness Hid OHMYGOSH or anything, but it was okay.

Things I disliked:

1. The story was on the preachy side. Abby wouldn't let JD in the house unless one of her friends was there, but she let Martyr sleep on the other side of her bedroom with no qualms. It's not like she could have told a clone to go sleep in the living room where someone could find him, but still. You'd think she'd be a bit bothered.

2. JD Kane. Again, something is off about him.

3. Dr. Kane's purpose for the clones was not as grand as it could have been. I felt like you needed a larger reason for cloning other than the one that was given.

3. It's really too bad this isn't going to be turned into a trilogy as it originally was going to. There's quite a bit unfinished business going on. I might email Jill Williamson and ask her what happens. ;)

Would I buy other books by Jill Williamson? Every single one.

the book was well written and engaging. my preteen son enjoyed it. I would recommend it to other parents for their child.

The opening scene of Replication hooked my interest with a Nazi style medical human experimentation prison. The hero, a 17-year-old called Martyr, was about to be "expired," echoing "the reaping" in the opening of The Hunger Games. Accordingly I thought I had another futuristic, dystopian tale on my hands, until the heroine, Abby, turns out to be a not so everyday contemporary, seventeen-year-old going about the business of a high school junior with a troubled dad who also happens to be a genetics scientist. The plot thickens as Abby is sucked into the vortex of solving the mysteries surrounding the small Alaskan community of Fishhook. Unexpected turns mark the story as we root more and more for Martyr's escape, liberation of all the captives and resolution of Abby's conflicts.

Williamson's diversifies her characters well, even among clones. Moral All-Star, Martyr, contrasts nicely with the evil Dr. Kane, his creator, and with other clones. The heroine rises above authentic teen struggles and the romantic moments were tastefully and mostly realistically applied. The Christian world view was unflinching, the suspense riveting and the writing compelling. The unique plot forces you to consider some of the moral fallout of human cloning. I loved this book and highly recommend it for young adults and adults alike.

Glenn Haggerty Author

Interesting book; appropriate for all avid readers; bought it for my 13 year old daughter who finished reading it within 4 days.