Love is one of the main underlying themes in my novel.

Let me start with a reminder that “Geniuses” is a fun read.  It has adventure, sci-fi, suspense, conflict and romance.  But it also subtly reflects certain underlying values.  In an earlier blog I discussed two of the novel’s important themes: liberty and respect for others.  In this blog I deal with a number of other themes, but especially with the theme of love.

It may sound odd that love is one of my themes. Love is usually something that happens in a novel, but not a fundamental theme. But love plays a critically important part in the human condition. It helps fulfill and empower us.

Please keep in mind that the Geniuses in my novel are human beings.  They may be distant outliers on the bell-shaped distribution curve of human intelligence, but otherwise they are ordinary people with the same feelings and issues that we all have.

Let’s start with family love. In my novel Roger, Rebecca and Roxanne Reynolds (good Western Geniuses) are a very loving family. In contrast, the evil Geniuses think of family love as a weakness. They intend to take advantage of that weakness, by threatening the lives of Roger’s wife and daughter.  Roger’s love for Rebecca and Roxanne will drive him to do all he possibly can to save them.

Please forgive me for a short scientific (or pseudoscientific) digression. Human babies are born helpless. They cannot walk or provide for themselves. The survival of our species requires nurturing parents to care for and educate the young. This is made easier by the natural bonding that takes place between parents and among parents and children. (Biologically speaking, some of these “loving” feelings are encouraged by the release during and after childbirth of the hormone Oxytocin.) So family love evolved with, and is inherent in, our humanity.   The evil geniuses’ contempt for family love makes them seem unnatural and inhuman.

I could be wrong, but I think children observing parents who love each other may incline them to similar relationships. If this is so, family love may also lead to romantic love in the next generation. In any case, romantic love is also a part of who we are. There is the love story between Roger and Rebecca, and the teenage romance between Roxanne Reynolds and the Eastern Genius Andor Lysenko. Since Roxanne and Andor are from opposing groups, their growing relationship is somewhat reminiscent of Romeo and Juliette.

The story of the teenagers, Roxanne and Andor, are a major part of my novel.  We see them assert their independence and discover who they really are.  With the story of Roxanne and Andor, the novel reflects the challenges facing teenagers today.

The novel also describes, and provides insights into, some of their teenage classmates, including Roxanne’s closest friends. It also shows her being mercilessly bullied by a group of girls that are threatened by her beauty. Other teenage challenges are reflected when a group of armed teenagers, under the influence of drugs, attacks the students and teachers in Roxanne’s high school.

The book also has a not too subtle message about virtue.  Integrity, loyalty, courage and the desire to help those in need are important virtues.  All the good Western Geniuses have those virtues, but those virtues are conspicuously absent from the characters of the villains.

I’ll end where I began this blog.  I believe that “Geniuses” is an enjoyable read.  Please let me know if you agree.