THE OTHER SON is a fascinating look at the intersection between science, philosophy, and religion. With advancements in cloning technology, Dr. Khodadad Jal uses the blood of Jesus Christ to attempt a resurrection of sorts.
The story in THE OTHER SON is told in chapters that jump around chronologically to reveal the plot. At first, jarring, the technique was ultimately effective in relating the struggles of New Yorkers Sean and Maddy, and the secretive Dr. Jal. After an awkward meeting, struggling artist Sean falls in love with Maddy, a lonely and eccentric woman who had been artificially inseminated by the doctor as part of a clandestine research project.
While this is a science fiction novel in its original premise, the rest of the plot flows organically from the characters. Dr. Khodadad Jal was raised a devout Muslim, studies embryology at Oxford, and is brought to question his faith before concluding that his life’s goal is to see a baby born of Jesus’ blood, no matter the cost. After the baby is born, Sean and Maddy raise Victor as their own, struggling to understand his visions while having no knowledge of the source of his DNA.
When Victor comes of age and learns of religion, he has visions that he thinks come directly from God. His investigation of his own faith leads to some of the strongest writing in this book, interactions that look at fundamentalism, intolerance, and the source of each individual’s world view. Dr. Jal is also captivating in his lack of humanity and the choices that he makes. As he becomes more loathsome, he becomes curiously remarkable.
While the initial premise of cloning Jesus is nothing new, THE OTHER SON is able to take this cliché and blend it with characters and philosophical arguments that make this an entertaining and intellectual read.
Despite initially heavy emphasis on the religious aspects of the characters’ lives, THE OTHER SON is well-constructed and should appeal to those of many faiths.
~IndieReader.