In this new book by the author of Blackcollar and the #1 New York Times-bestselling Heir to the Empire, Timothy Zahn imagines a technology that could alter our perception of life and death forever For Dr. Adrian Sommers, a split second of driving while distracted leads to tragedy-and obsession. His family destroyed, he devotes his entire being to developing Soulminder, a technology that might have saved his son as he wavered on the edge of death. Sommers's vision is to capture a dying person's life essence and hold it safely in stasis while physicians heal the body from injury or disease. Years of experimentation finally end in success-but those who recognize Soulminder's possibilities almost immediately corrupt its original concept to pursue dangerous new frontiers: body-swapping, obstruction of justice, extortion, and perhaps even immortality. "Implications of Soulminder's premise] mount up in interlocking stories, which make for an intriguing thought experiment. . . . Those who enjoy deep philosophical questions will appreciate being left with much to ponder." -Publishers Weekly Timothy Zahn is a New York Times-bestselling science fiction author of more than forty novels, as well as many novellas and short stories. Best known for his contributions to the expanded Star Wars universe of books, including the Thrawn trilogy, Zahn won a 1984 Hugo Award for his novella "Cascade Point." He also wrote the Cobra series, the Blackcollar series, the Quadrail series, and the young adult Dragonback series, whose first novel, Dragon and Thief, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Zahn currently resides in Oregon with his family.