Review written for ClubReading.com by Linda
Alan Dean Foster always writes a good story, something entertaining and easy to read. Slipt, however, is all that plus something extra. It’s a story of hope, and what ifs that most of us leave behind as teenagers. I first read this book as a teenager, and that may be why it sticks with me so strongly.
Jake has lived at the edge of a chemical dump all of his life. He has some extra abilities, probably from the chemicals. And his grand-niece also has some extra abilities. When the chemical company has to clean up and cover up the dump, Jake shows the wrong person his abilities. The remainder of the book is a chase, with Jake trying in every way he can to get away without hurting anyone. The people chasing Jake push him into using his abilities in ways he never did before, with interesting consequences, not the least of which is the way he feels about the abilities, life, and other people. And the grand-niece gets involved as well.
Like the best of books, this ends with a true climax, but leaves you wondering about what happens to the characters after that. And it makes you question your values, and wonder what you would do in such a situation. Unfortunately, Foster’s villains in this piece are a bit dated, and not well-rounded, so it’s almost impossible to even slightly identify with them. Nonetheless, it is a book worth reading for the story, and a good introduction to science fiction for a teenager.
Note: I read an older, now out of print, edition, but believe that the current “reissue” is the same book.