book review: The Punch Escrow

I'm not much for fiction. If it's not by Greg Cox or Stephen King, then I typically prefer non-fiction. That way, I figure, even if the book turns out to be a bore or disappointment, at least I've learned something.

Every once in a while, though, I make an exception. Usually, I'm disappointed in a manner that, in my mind at least, confirms my usual preferences. But sometimes -- rarely, but sometimes -- an author surprises me with an entertaining read.

The latest example is The Punch Escrow, by first-time novelist Tal M. Klein.

The story takes place in a future where teleportation is the most common -- and widely considered the most safe -- form of long-distance transportation. One day, a series of accidents and highly unusual circumstances leads to an unprecedented event, when the main character, software engineer Joel Byram, is accidentally duplicated in what should have been a routine teleportation. Now there are two Joels, one still in New York City, the other successfully teleported to Costa Rica, and they both become pawns in international intrigue between the powerful company that controls teleportation, and the various fringe groups opposed to the technology.

Now, take out some of the details, and pare it down to the bare bones of the concept, and it may sound familiar. Transporter accidents are a common subject for various incarnations of Star Trek. Klein makes sure to address this source of inspiration, as Joel and his wife are Star Trek fans, and sometimes (at least in the beginning, before things get too hectic for pop culture references) allude to the show as a frame of reference. (As fans of the original series, Joel and his wife never mention the most obvious Trek parallel to their situation, the Next Generation episode where Commander Riker is duplicated; just like Riker in that episode, both Joels share equally valid claims as the "real" Joel Byram.)

This is a good book in a number of ways. The technological advancements depicted in Klein's vision of the future are easy to accept and understand as a daily part of the characters' lives. The characters are believable and likable (except the villains, who, of course, aren't supposed to be likable), and speak in a naturalistic manner that makes them seem instantly familiar. There is more than an element of humor to the proceedings, but not enough to turn the book into a spoof. And the action is exciting.

According to the front cover, the book is "now in development at Lionsgate as a major motion picture." I'd like to see the movie whenever it comes out, but I doubt it could improve on the book, which I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. My main concern: How would they cast main character Joel Byram? He has to be believable as an action hero at times, an everyman at others, a loser at still others. Go too far in any one direction, and the casting might suffer in the other two.

Byram's wife Sheryl, the other main character, is equally multifaceted in the story. She's a brilliant scientist, a wisecracker worthy of the best screwball comedies, and a sexy woman -- at least in Joel's eyes; it's intriguing that her sexuality is never a defining aspect of her identity, but rather an indicator of just one aspect of her husband's love for her.

Now, some of you may be turned off by science fiction. It's a genre that just isn't for everybody. I say, make an exception. This book is so well-written that it deserves a look.