Every story has a theme, a focus running side-by-side with the plot that thoroughly defines the very nature of the book. When a person asks what a book is about, there are always two answers; the plot, and the themes. For example, The Lord of the Rings is about the battle between good and evil, and the nature of heroism. It is also the story of a hobbit crossing the world to throw an evil ring into a volcano. In a similar vein, Splintegrate, by Deborah Teramis Christian, is a story about bodily autonomy and the nature of identity. It is about what happens when outside machinations violate one’s body and personality without consent. It is also an engaging science-fiction thriller about a professional dominatrix charged with assassinating a mob boss. The high level of technology present in a science-fiction setting allows for a practical examination of identity outside of the thought experiments of today.
