Hopscotch - Kevin J. Anderson Book Review

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Review Summary

Bantam, Feb 2002, 25.95, 336 pp.
ISBN: 0553104748

    The four orphan “swans” grew up together as pals at the Falling Leaves Monastery. Three of them (Garth, Teresa, and Eduard) have the ability to HOPSCOTCH into and take over other bodies. The other friend Daragon cannot move about, but can “see” the true identity of an individual.

    While Garth's ardor is painting, Teresa turns to spiritualism, and Daragon joins the Bureau of Tracing and Location (BTL). Eduard “sells” his body so that others can avoid temporarily pain and illness like the flu. However, this time something is different as the person Eduard exchanged bodies with apparently has decided to keep the host body. Desperate to find his own body and cleanse himself, Eduard turns to his friends for help.

    The premise is frightening yet intriguing as Kevin J. Anderson provides a terrifying look at the future of virtual reality. The story line is loaded and fast-paced especially when Eduard and cohorts search for his body or even when the monastery monk and the head of BTL “interfere”. The central theme of the tale, when the trio switches bodies actually slow down the amateur sleuth investigation that serves as the prime plot. Still fans who relish tales that focus on the impact on society of technology out of control will want to read this science fiction novel and HOPSCOTCH over to award winning Mr. Anderson's strong back list of best sellers.

Harriet Klausner

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of Hopscotch

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Mental/magical powers focus Yes
magical powers: - mind control (scifi)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Earth setting: - medium future 22-24th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Most similar books to Hopscotch
Learning Fear by B.A. Chepaitis
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Phenomenon by Sameer Zuhad
The Mind Thing by Fredric Brown

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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