Jumper: A Novel [Paperback]

Steven Gould (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 18, 2002

Deciding he's finally had enough abuse from his drunken father and determined to get away-any way he can-Davy discovers he has the ability to teleport anywhere he wants. Fleeing to New York but desperately short of cash he "jumps" into a bank vault. While living the high life in the Big City on the stolen money and testing the limits of his power, Davey makes another startling discovery: the mother he thought had abandoned him.

But a new tragedy and a pledge to avenge the loss will plunge Davy into a dangerous and mysterious world of terrorists and government espionage. This time there may be no safe place for the Jumper.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gould makes an auspicious debut with this playful and moving look at a hallowed science fiction concept: teleportation. Gould gives us no teleportation chambers, no shimmery beaming a la Star Trek , no worries about mingling one's own molecules with a fly's--here only one person can teleport, and he has no idea how he does it. David Rice, age 17, first "jumps" spontaneously in order to escape his abusive father. Having run away, he learns to control his strange talent, using it first to survive on the street and then to set himself up comfortably via bank robbery. Gould does not focus on moral implications so much as keep the plot moving quickly. David searches for his long-lost mother, meets and woos a girl, enjoys the pleasures of a leisurely life in New York and (despite his best efforts) eventually runs afoul of the authorities, who of course want to understand his powers and then put him to work for them. Short fiction has earned this author a reputation in "hard" science fiction, and he applies similar logic to teleportation (though he glosses over some points to make the story work). His warm, delightful and compulsively readable novel displays assured storytelling skill.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The sudden discovery of his teleportation ability rescues teenager David Rice from his abusive father. It also signals the beginning of a new life for the troubled young man. Gould's first novel features a hero who is not particularly wise and whose ethics are sometimes questionable, but whose yearnings and psychological turmoil ring true. A dollop of suspense and a dash of romance make this fast-paced sf adventure a good purchase for large libraries.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Starscape; 1st edition (February 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765342286
• ISBN-13: 978-0765342287
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (150 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,205,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good to see it back in print, May 4, 2000

By 

Christopher Dudley (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jumper: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

It's good to see this book back in print after being unavailable for a long time. Perhaps it is a sign that Steven Gould is finally getting the recognition he deserves as a writer. Jumper was a great book, and Gould's next few books were not marketed as widely as a writer of his calibre should be. Despite looking for something new from him every month or so at the local Borders book store, I never even knew about his third and fourth books until his fifth came out recently.

Jumper was his first, and it was given to me by a friend who knew I was hard to please in my reading preferences. I have to say that this was one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. As you can read in the synopsis, the main character, Davey, gains the ability to teleport. But unlike many writers who would focus the story on how and why he developed this ability, Gould instead writes about how an intelligent but not-quite-mature teenager might react to having this new ability. The actual science of it is never explained, but that doesn't detract from the story. The story is not about the ability. It's about the young man who has the ability.

Davey's reactions to suddenly finding himself with this ability are far more human than the urge to find out why. Unable to figure out why, he instead focuses on what to do with it. The early part is filled with self-serving trips to acquire stuff, and through the course of the story, Davey realizes that even these seemingly harmless actions have consequences. Some of the complications that arise later in the story are a direct result of his early endeavors with teleportation.

But Gould does not center the entire story on Davey's power. Life goes on, and the world around Davey proceeds apace even as he experiments. But when something happens to his mother, Davey uses his teleportation abilities to get to the bottom of it, and ends up in a complex scenario that Gould resolve sensibly and surprisingly.

To say any more would give away too much of the story. But this was a great book, I recommend it, and now that it's available again, I'm going to buy another copy (I gave mine away to another friend with discriminating reading tastes).

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They seek him here, they seek him there., May 17, 2000

By 

Anthony Hinde (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jumper: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I love to read this book again and again. It is light and yet absorbing, fast paced and yet it gets to the root of your emotions.

We are introduced to the main character, Davy Rice, as a young boy, escaping an abusive father. This is where the story starts because it is also the first time he experiences a Jump. Not that he believes it at first but this young lad has the ability to teleport.

OK, I know what you are thinking. That this is a tired old theme, already used to death in Sci-Fi. Well you are wrong. Steven Gould, has taken a refreshing look at this subject and deals with it in a realistic way. Davy, as a character, is very easy to understand and empathize with and for this reason we truly believe what is happening to him.

Before he can safely live a life away from his Father, Davy must get some cash, establish an identity, rent an apartment and all the things which you and I take for granted. This is made fascinating because he is a minor and has that special skill that no one is aware of. To complicate his life, Davy starts to fall for an older woman. A college girl who Davy impresses with his knowledge of the city and obvious wealth. Add to this the fact that his long lost Mother reenters the picture and Davy has a pretty full life.

This is just where the adventure begins. His mother becomes embroiled in a plane highjacking but Davy's efforts to involve himself are threatened by a police officer who is curious about his wealthy life style and questionable ID. The pace moves up to a higher level as Davy falls into international intrigue and ruthless terrorism.

This novel is a terrific first outing from Gould and I would recommend it to anyone who still has a little adventure left in their soul.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, entertaining story. Not the same story as the movie!, February 16, 2008

By 

Robert A. Fishbein (Bellingham, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jumper: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I saw the movie Jumpers on 2/14 and thought the the main idea - that of a jumper would make for great story. However I felt that the move was very flat and felt that it left out a lot of things.

The next day, I went to the bookstore looking for this book, thinking that it would fill in some gaps. Instead I found a completely different version of the story. The book is much more interesting and entertaining. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone who enjoys sitting back and enjoying a good story.