Fleshing out backstory for the upcoming motion picture Jumper
(based on Gould’s 1992 debut novel of the same name), this breakneck-paced SF adventure revolves around a character created specifically for the film. Griffin O’Conner, a precocious nine-year-old jumper (a person with the power to self-teleport), becomes the target of a ruthless cabal hell-bent on killing him. After assassins murder his parents in their San Diego home, Griffin barely escapes with his life by jumping to a location hundreds of miles away. But every time Griffin relocates, the mysterious operatives somehow track him down and kill those close to him. As the once naïve Griffin grows older, he learns to use his abilities in ingenious ways and ultimately embarks on a quest to avenge the deaths of his parents and others who died just because they befriended him. While series fans will almost literally be jumping for joy, newcomers may not fully appreciate the saga’s thematic scope and history without first reading Jumper
and its sequel, Reflex
(2004). (Aug.)
