One of the biggest misconceptions of science fiction is that Christianity has no place in the future.
Frank Creed is set to challenge this myth in his futuristic novel, Flashpoint.
Set in 2036 Chicago, Flashpoint opens with a Peacekeeper raid on Calamity Kid’s church. Calamity
escapes with his sister, e-girl, and makes contact with the Christian underground. They devote
themselves to fighting the oppressive One State and its Peacekeepers in the hope of freeing their
family.
Now armed with enhanced senses, faster reflexes, and God’s Word, they must learn to trust the Holy
Spirit to survive a high-stakes fight against a ruthless enemy.
To be sure, not much will change by 2036. Christianity will still be around, and so will Campbell’s soup
and Winterfresh gum. But, now, Christianity is fighting for its existence in the one place we all thought
it would never happen: the United States of America. This may earn some raised eyebrows from sci-fi
fans who are used to reading stories set centuries or millennia in the future, with no mention of our
modern religions. However, for Flashpoint, this is the MacGuffin, the thing that moves the story along.
Take this out, and it would be like taking the titular Ring out of The Lord of the Rings. You would just
have people fighting for no clear reason.
Flashpoint is an excellent example of what is likely to happen if we, as Americans, become too willing to
give up our freedoms for the sake of security. The Underground (called Saints) frequently refers to
servants of the One State as Neros, after the first century Roman Emperor. An alert reader will notice
that the Peacekeepers even speak German.
Cyberpunk? Sure. One of the best parts is that advanced technology doesn't have to get in the way of
God's Will. Saints are able to use "mindware," an innovation that allows them to hack into Nero networks
with their own brainwaves, enhance physical capabilities, and connect a recruit more completely with
the spiritual world. This makes them able to see angels, hear the Holy Spirit communicating in relevant
Bible verses, and, in one scene, leap ten meters uphill. Neros have similar mindware, but are crippled by
lack of faith in God. Like any tool, mindware can only do so much when a person relies on his own will
rather than God's Will.
Flashpoint is an excellent fast-paced read. Even non-Christians will enjoy the action in this novel. Kudos
(and plenty of Winterfresh gum) to Frank Creed for a job well done.
Reviewed by Heidi Hecht, scifi author
Review of Flashpoint
by sci-fi author Heidi Hecht
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