Foreign Bodies (Hardcover)

by Stephen Dedman (Author) "I woke just before dawn (not by choice: All the springs in my biological clock wore out last century) and Swiftie was sleeping on the..." (more)
Key Phrases: shield suits, cell house, city cops, San Francisco, Mike Galloway, Sacramento Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
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 WINnerAan official citizenAin a world full of losers. Overzealous social reforms and increased environmental distress have eliminated the legitimacy of the lives of myriad peopleAcalled strippersAwho 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 jungleAas 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.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Trapped inside the body of a young woman from the future, Mike Galloway faces the challenge of surviving in the grim world of 21st-century San Francisco while he searches for a way to recover his true form. Galloway's quest leads him to a racist conspiracy of Apocalyptic terrorists whose actions may lead to the destruction of the world. The author of The Art of Arrow Cutting explores the illusory borders of gender and race in this fast-paced sf adventure, which belongs in most sf collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books; 1st edition (December 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312868642
• ISBN-13: 978-0312868642
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,607,311 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid but confusing, April 5, 2000

By	Jesse S. Walker "doomjesse" (Huntington, WV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This books switches between characters and characters switch between bodies so often that it is often hard to keep up with who is where. The premise of the book is quite good though so it is worth the read. The ending will catch the reader by suprise and is definitely worth the wait. Be prepared to be confused on which body the main character inhabits.