Teleportation is murder: Old trope gets new twist in The Punch Escrow

The teleportation accident is an all-too-common trope of science fiction. The moral quandary of teleporters as "suicide boxes" and as potential human duplicators has been grist for many science fiction and speculative fiction writers, from George Langelaan's 1957 short story "The Fly" to China Miéville's 2010 novel Kraken (and yes, a few Star Trek episodes). But that trope has been given a fresh spin by Tal Klein in his debut novel, The Punch Escrow—fresh enough that, even before its release, the book was optioned for a film by Lionsgate.

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.