Leaper by Geoffrey Wood

James is just an ordinary guy-with a superpower he doesn't know about. His wife has just divorced him, and he's just getting settled into his new apartment-when he finds that he can leap through time just by thinking about it. He can only leap through the present, but he can do so nonetheless.

It takes him a while to figure out how to trigger this instinct, but once he does, he begins preforming "good deeds". His version of them, anyway.

The book is advertised as a comedy, and I must say, it is truly funny. I don't find many books funny, but James' character is so good, it's comical.

He often misplaces and forgets certain things. He has lots of hair brained ideas, most of them stemming from the many lists he makes of things to do.

There are also several comical conundrums he gets himself caught up in, mostly in public, that all stem from his character.

In fact, his character is the main thing holding the book together. Without it, the book would be very juvenile and more like a comic book than adult fiction.

Since there are not many characters in this tale, Wood gives them each special attention and makes them all entertaining characters instead of only have James be comical. His ex-wife isn't exactly a model character either. She's always checking up on him to make sure he's behaving, even though they are no divorced.

Wood controls James' power very well. He doesn't let him leap out of control, such as jumping all over the world. James' character confines him to his hometown.

The main thing keeping this book from being five stars is the lack of explanation for where he received his power. That area is left blank, and most people miss it.

However, the end of the book is original enough for it to leap onto the Elite List.

It will be interesting to see what Geoffrey Wood will do next.

4.5 stars