Karma’s Envoy by Kevan Houser

Karma’s Envoy by Kevan Houser is very clear in its mission to displace the reader along with Todd, the main character, in a narrative that is at once humorous and haunting.

The story begins with the rapid thoughts and memories of a man who has just committed something unspeakable, which triggers a memory of his mom and dad, and the family’s trips to Oregon. However, it turns out that none of it was true, as Todd asks, “Was it a scene from a movie, or something I made up?”

With this page-turning ending to the prologue, we are thrown with Todd into the body of an 8-year-old boy called Peter. It’s 1962, Oregon. Todd lives out this child’s life until he is thrown violently back into his own body and the search for meaning begins.

Karma’s Envoy portrays the confusion of being disembodied in a way that is both fantastical and relatable. The way Peter’s life fuses with Todd ramps up the intensity of the story, where the overriding theme gives the book its title. There are some bleak, brutal moments in the novel, so it is not always for the faint of heart, but Todd’s voice and story are engaging from the start.

Overall, the novel is a continually engrossing read because it conveys so many moods and tones – a mixture of science fiction and mystery, with writing that is sardonic, sympathetic, harrowing, amusing, and more. A unique and multi-layered novel.

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