As a writer of fiction I have to get used to reviews. I recently ran a promotion on my novel The Silla Project and a lot of people received copies. As such, I’ve been getting a lot of reviews on Amazon. So far they have been almost 100% positive, and even the few three-star reviews haven’t been bad, but have focused on something specific in the book that the reader didn’t personally prefer. You have to expect that in any sample of people and I am just as thankful for these reviews as any other.

Some people rave about The Silla Project, which I appreciate very much. As with any group there are those with which you connect almost completely. Others also like The Silla Project but felt it was more technical than they prefer. I also appreciate that. Writing a techno-thriller is a tightrope between losing the technical elements that infuse the plot or overwhelming the reader with them. As a scientist you can guess which side I’m going to err on. Regardless, I appreciate anyone who takes the time to leave a review on Amazon. Thank you. However, I did want to address one of the review-topics of which I’ve seen a handful.

Some of my readers complain about the fact that there are elements of Christianity in the story. One even went so far as to call it “Hidden Christian Propaganda.” While I’m not replying to any review in particular, I can say that none of it is hidden in any way. The main character is a Christian who has lost his faith and is trying to find something in life that matters, a battle we all face in one way or another. But this recurring topic does raise many questions, two of which I’d like to address.

First, why would I make the main character a Christian when the book isn’t a Christian novel? For one thing, the story is set in North Korea. North Korea is one of the most anti-Christian nations on the planet, having executed tens of thousands since their 1948 revolution for the simple act of believing in Jesus. Despite the fact that I am a Christian, I find this to be a humanitarian atrocity of epic proportions, as I would the slaughter of Muslims, Jews, Hindu, Buddhists, blacks, whites, tall people, smart people, whatever. Giving the main character Christian traits helps elevate this humanitarian atrocity since it is relatively unknown.

Additionally, one of my jobs as an author is to make things as hard as possible on the main character. Making him a Christian in a land that is not only godless, but one in which you will be punished for your faith, greatly increases his emotional burden. An American Christian would have far less in common with his North Korea captors than an atheist American and would be forced to rely on his shattered faith providing a wonderful mix of emotions for the author’s craft.

Secondly, why would someone have a problem with a Christian character in a novel that isn’t a Christian novel? Is it because Christianity is ultimately portrayed positively in The Silla Project? Novels are generally praised for characters who are repressed in some way be it religiously, socially, racially, sexually, etc. It is their journey against stereotype and discrimination which at once creates depth and helps us understand that ultimately they are just people.

In modern Western literature Christians are generally portrayed as coming from the ruling class and impressing their faith on others. While this is a popular view it is just another stereotype. Christians are widely panned in the West in virtually all forms of media, so while they may have once been “on top” that is no longer the case. Moreover, Christians are now the single most persecuted religious faith in the world. In fact, when I decided to write this post I had been reading an article on eight Christians who were crucified in Syria and another on the Sudanese woman who received a death sentence for being a Christian. Religion – all religion – is now, and has always been, a major source of conflict between people and so must be one of the writer’s chief tools in the creation of drama. To exclude it, or limit it, is artistically and intellectually dishonest and a monumental disservice to those experiencing persecution.

Finally, I welcome reviews. I enjoy hearing about what people like and what they do not like about my novels. It challenges me and helps inform my decisions in later work. The only review I’ve ever received which I truly disagree with is a one-star review on Multiplayer which rails against the large number of five-star reviews the book had received, written by someone (probably a competing author) who has not read the book. In this brief piece I’m merely explaining why an author might choose to make a character Christian. For those who feel I may be biased or be producing hidden propaganda, I suggest you read Multiplayer in which the hero is a young Islamic boy from Iran. It is neither hidden, nor propaganda. It is just a story.