Book Review: Soul Identity

I figured that I should start doing book reviews before they all start piling up on me. However, I have just realized how difficult reviews are, but I'll try anyway.

The first book I completed this year was Soul Identity by Dennis Batchelder. As a general rule, I stick to reading young adult/teen fiction books, but when first getting my Nook phone application, I grabbed every free e-book that I thought might be even mildly interesting. Soul Identity is an adult fiction book, and therefore it was a bit different than what I tend to devour in my reading times.

Synopsis: What if you could bank your money for your next life? Smart-aleck and computer security expert Scott Waverly is skeptical of his new client's claim that they've been tracking souls for almost twenty-six hundred years. Is it a freaky cult, or a sophisticated con job? As Scott saves Soul Identity from an insider attack, he discovers the importance of the bridges connecting people's lives. (Courtesy of Barnesandnoble.com)

Soul Identity certainly didn't fail on the realm of "interesting." The story focuses on Scott Waverly being hired by a corperation called Soul Identity. This organization provides members with a way to store treasure for their next life, which I'm sure their present-life beneficiaries really appreciate.

The theory is that eyes, like fingerprints, are different for everyone. But once a generation eyes match with a set from the past, which SI claims means these people are the same soul, just reincarnated. If previous soul holders have stored away information into SI's headquarters, it is given to the present soul holder once their eyes are matched.

The book has a lot of scenes of action, skepticism and intrigue, along with insider tension and mystery. While I liked the book in theory, I don't think I liked it enough to search for the sequel. There was some cursing throughout the book and a few vague sexual scenes, but nothing I found terribly offensive.

While the book did a great job of providing some ideas to think about, it wasn't quite what I enjoy in a book. I found nothing extremely relateable or anything that I would long for in my own life, nor did it have the humor to lighten the serious tone of the story.

I think that adults that enjoyed reading mysteries and theories on other philosophical practices would find this more interesting. But personally, it just wasn't my style.

Because of this, I give Soul Identity a 2 out of 5 on the beam scale.