The Punch Escrow - by Tal M Klein (Paperback)

About the Book

When he's accidentally duplicated while teleporting, Joel Byram must outrun the most powerful corporation on the planet and find a way back to his wife in a world that now has two of him. Dubbed the "next Ready, Player One," by former Warner Brothers President Greg Silverman, and now in film development at Lionsgate.

Book Synopsis

Dubbed the "next Ready Player One," by former Warner Brothers President Greg Silverman, and now in film development at Lionsgate.

"Featuring themes similar to Blake Crouch's Dark Matter, the dense sci-fi feel of a Michael Crichton thriller and clever Douglas Adams-like charm, the book posits an intriguing future that is both inviting and horrific." --Brian Truitt, USA TODAY

It's the year 2147. Advancements in nanotechnology have enabled us to control aging. We've genetically engineered mosquitoes to feast on carbon fumes instead of blood, ending air pollution. And teleportation has become the ideal mode of transportation, offered exclusively by International Transport--the world's most powerful corporation, in a world controlled by corporations.

Joel Byram spends his days training artificial-intelligence engines to act more human and trying to salvage his deteriorating marriage. He's pretty much an everyday twenty-second century guy with everyday problems--until he's accidentally duplicated while teleporting.

Now Joel must outsmart the shadowy organization that controls teleportation, outrun the religious sect out to destroy it, and find a way to get back to the woman he loves in a world that now has two of him.

Review Quotes

"Klein's debut effort comes to us via the crowd-funded publishing enterprise Inkshares, after winning the reader-voted Geek & Sundry Hard Science Contest last year, which is pretty much aces in terms of genre cred. If you're not yet convinced this is a story that will grab you: Lionsgate Entertainment has already secured the film rights--which makes sense, because aside from being the smartest sci-fi book you'll read this month (or most months), it's also incredibly cinematic. Did we mention it's smart?" --Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

"It's hard to say enough good things about this hard-science future thriller with humor and heart--an excellent debut." --Kirkus (starred review)

"Fans of hard sf and time travel will enjoy Klein's imaginative debut." --Booklist

"I read a lot of books but haven't enjoyed one as much as The Punch Escrow in a long time. I picked it up for a cross country flight and didn't put it down until we landed in New York. Tal Klein creates a plausibly real future that sucks you in and then he powers his story with action, twists and a dash of humor. Young actors will be lining up to play the lead character and any director worth his salt would kill (or at least teleport) for a chance to adapt The Punch Escrow." --Andy Lewis, Book Editor, The Hollywood Reporter

"Klein transports us to a beautifully rendered near-future world. This is refreshingly original and immersive hard sci-fi. You'll turn the last page and yearn for Joel Byram's next chapter." --Ben Brock Johnson, host of Codebreaker podcast and NPR Marketplace Tech

"An alt-futuristic hard-science thriller with twists and turns you'll never see coming. I couldn't put it down." --Felicia Day, author of You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)

"A compelling, approachable human narrative wrapped around a classic hard sci-fi nugget, The Punch Escrow dives into deep philosophical territory--the ethical limits of technology, and what it means to be human. Cinematically paced yet filled with smart asides, Klein's Punch pulls off the slick trick of giving readers plenty to think about in a suspenseful, entertaining package." --Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica

"One part adventure journal, one part letter from the future... It's a clever way to explore this brave new world. Darting between The Bourne Identity and Blade Runner, The Punch Escrow travels through time to unwind the global conspiracy theory. Klein has written a quick-witted, self-aware thriller that is addictive and fun." --Foreword Reviews (starred review)

"A headlong ride through a future where 'huge international corporate conspiracy' is a box you check on a form and teleportation takes you anywhere--it just blows you to bits first." --Quentin Hardy, Head of Editorial, Google Cloud (formerly Deputy Tech Editor for The New York Times)

"The Punch Escrow has a cool high concept and an action-packed story that will leave your head spinning." --Daniel H. Wilson, The New York Times bestselling author of Robopocalypse and Clockwork Dynasty

"If I lived in the world of The Punch Escrow, I'd teleport around the world shoving copies of Tal M. Klein's thrilling, hilarious and whip-smart debut into everyone's hands. Save me the trip--and buy this novel now." --Duane Swierczynski, author of Revolver and the bestselling Level 26 series

"A fast-paced near-future sci-fi adventure peppered with exotic technology and cultural references ranging from Karma Chameleon to the Ship of Theseus, The Punch Escrow will have you rooting for its plucky, sarcastic hero as he bounces between religious fanatics, secret agents, corporate hacks and megalomaniacs in a quest to get his life back. If you've ever wanted to get Scotty drunk and ask him some tough questions about how those transporters work exactly, The Punch Escrow is the book for you." --Robert Kroese, author of The Big Sheep and its sequel, The Last Iota

"This book angered me to my core, because it's based on an idea that should have occurred to me. The fact that Tal executed it so well, and made such a page-turner out of it, just adds insult to injury." --Scott Meyer, author of the Magic 2.0 series

"Some writers take us to the future so we can question the effects that technology can have on humanity on a global and personal scale along with the impact upon the social fabric. Others do it to take us on a wild ride made all the more fantastic by pushing the boundaries of what we can expect from the world of tomorrow. Tal Klein masterfully balances both and sets it all to the beat of an 80s soundtrack. An excellent piece of contemporary science fiction." --J-F. Dubeau, author of A God in the Shed and The Life Engineered