Foreign Bodies

Sullen social commentary and a creative investigation of gender and ego prove more prominent than the slow moving plot in Dedman's second novel (after the Bram Stoker-nominated The Art of Arrow Cutting). A few decades into the 21st century, Mike Galloway is a WINner--an official citizen--in a world full of losers. Overzealous social reforms and increased environmental distress have eliminated the legitimacy of the lives of myriad people--called strippers--who are now permanently homeless. Galloway is fascinated by the strippers and, in particular, by Swiftie, a girl who has taken up residence on his balcony and shares his love of science fiction. Over cups of coffee, she dictates to him a story of a dangerous future where time travel might provide the only hope for human survival. What Swiftie doesn't mention is that she herself is from this future and that time travel is accomplished by a form of body snatching. Soon, Galloway finds himself in Swiftie's abandoned body, forced to learn to survive in the wilds of the urban jungle--as a woman. Galloway is aware of classic SF plots and often refers to them in an attempt to frame an understanding of his own situation. Readers who are not familiar with the genre might feel that they are missing something. The story concept itself will hook readers in, but the action takes second place to philosophical explorations. Ultimately, Dedman works out a satisfying ending without making his protagonist overly heroic or pushing a false-toned happily-ever-after. Agent, Richard Curtis. (Dec.)