KaeLF Skin

Rating:
Summary: Wacky, sexy, creepy, seductive, scary stuff.
Review: I liked this book a lot. It has a few problems, and I'll start with those so that you know this review is legit. But its strong points far outweigh its weak points, and I recommend it highly.

It has some of the problems associated with first novels, especially self-published first novels: namely, the prose could stand to be trimmed a fair amount, and there are some extraneous subplots that clutter up the main story. I got the impression that the writer didn't believe that the main story was sufficient, and thus kept adding on sub-plots-- an overly earnest priest, a lost love who emerges from the foggy mists of time, and so on. I think a hardnosed editor could have cut the book by 25% without changing the story in any significant way.

But the good news is that the main story IS good enough to carry the extra weight. The central conceit is a programmable frabric (the "Kaelf Skin" of the title) of incredible strength and subtlety. It can be used for therapy. It can be used to enhance the wearer's physical apperance. OK, fair enough. It can be used for erotic stimulation. . . hmmm, this is getting interesting. . . It can be used to electronically connect two-wearer's suits for mutual programming. . . *very* interesting. . . It can be used to enduce trance-like states that make its wearers susceptible to manipulation -- a little over-the-top, perhaps, but Jurek makes one willing to say "OK" and go along for the ride-- Now then: It can be programed to chemically bind with the wearer's own human skin--creepy. It can be used to control prisoners. It can be used to kill. It can be used to torture and permanently imprison. . . It can be programmed remotely. Without the wearer's knowledge. This Kaelf Skin is some wacky, sexy, creepy, seductive, scary stuff.

Jurek takes this premise and runs with it. Who would be interested in such a fabric? Fashion designers. Clothing manufacturers. Physical therapists. Prison wardens. Sadists. Quasi-legal secret government agencies. Sex-obsessed hedonists. Jurek's book has all of these kinds of characters, and a few more for spice. For example, he invents a cult centered around the fabric. While most of the actors in the book-- the protagonist, the villains, and those in between-- want to exploit the fabric to their own ends, the Kaelf Kultist literally worship the fabric and submit themselves to its control. I thought this was a great touch, both funny and creepy, and altogether plausible.

Jurek clearly is concerned with the problems of runaway technology. The questions that he implicitly raises are good ones. But this book is not preachy, and one never gets the impression that one is listening to some soapbox speech. Quite the contrary, in fact: Jurek is a very playful author, and his tongue is planted firmly in his cheek throughout.

This is an author with great imagination and heart. I'm looking forward to his next book, and I hope it comes soon.

Rating:
Summary: An Accelerating Waltz through Nanotechnology
Review: KaeLF Skin will undoubtedly rate way up there as straight SciFi, but it also fits in the Romance/SciFi genre, a new genre that I really like. It never occurred to me that fashion (couture) could be evil. But by the time I finished the book my skin was crawling. This nanotechnology and "smart" fabric business seems preposterous but I've since been assured by some of my men friends that nanotechnology is just around the corner. That doesn't give me a good feeling, but forwarned is forarmed.

The book has a nice romantic interest. Actually, the antagonist Helena Lindestrom is a woman, and she holds Maria, the love interst in her thrall, until Dr. Evan O'Brien extricates her from the evil that surrounds Helena and her KaeLF.

I never thought fabric could be sinister, but this book makes it so believable. Indeed, what I liked most about the book was its realism. There were no fantastic beasts or time travel, interplanetary wars or wizend wizards. Like the blurbs say, it could happen ten years from now.

I loved the chapter in Victoria's Secret. The scene at the Viennese ball was it bit much. It seemed like a juvenile fantasy, with people having orgasms to Strauss's Acceleration Waltz. But it was kinda funny.

The book isn't hurting for finely drawn erotic scenes, and I wish the author had put in more of those.

Jackie

Rating:
Summary: Awesome glimpse of future of technology
Review: Nanotechnology is fast becoming reality and John Jurek advances it to a much sought after yet almost common practice in his novel KaeLF Skin. With a view of what may be down the road, he adventures into situations that you will not want miss. In addition to scientific and technological aspects of KaeLF Skin, there is a basic human element about Jurek's writing. In this non-grotesque science fiction you will recognize the characters that surround you in real life. They exhibit jealousy, and competitiveness. You will read about social climbing and politicing, domination of others and the fine art and common practice of industrial espinage as you adventure into exciting environs. This novel is oozing with strong romantic and sensual episodes of an "enjoyable" nature. Though somewhat voluminous, words and thoughts flow easily and interestingly from the writer to the reader. The world is the setting for KaeLF Skin and John Jurek allows pleanty of bookmark time before you once again journey with him to Chadwick Waters, Frankfurt, Malibu or other places that you may have actually been a time or two.

Rating:
Summary: KaeLF Skin: On It's Way, Ready or Not?
Review: Nanotechnology is fast becoming reality and John Jurek advances it to a much sought after yet almost common practice in his novel KaeLF Skin. With a view of what may be down the road, he adventures into situations that you will not want miss. In addition to scientific and technological aspects of KaeLF Skin, there is a basic human element about Jurek's writing. In this non-grotesque science fiction you will recognize the characters that surround you in real life. They exhibit jealousy, and competitiveness. You will read about social climbing and politicing, domination of others and the fine art and common practice of industrial espinage as you adventure into exciting environs. This novel is oozing with strong romantic and sensual episodes of an "enjoyable" nature. Though somewhat voluminous, words and thoughts flow easily and interestingly from the writer to the reader. The world is the setting for KaeLF Skin and John Jurek allows pleanty of bookmark time before you once again journey with him to Chadwick Waters, Frankfurt, Malibu or other places that you may have actually been a time or two.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome glimpse of future of technology
Review: This books is an awesome glimpse of the future of technology, specifically nanotechnology and cybersex. Unfortunately this book is now out of print. Get a used copy if you can and hang on to it.