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Idolon by Mark Budz
01/05/2007 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Bantam Books. 448 page paperback. Price: $ 6.99 (US), $ 9.99 (CAN). ISBN: 0-553-58850-8. Buy Idolon in the USA - or Buy Idolon in the UK  check out websites: www.bantamdell.com
The reality as depicted in Mark Budz' 'Idolon' brings a whole new dimension to body painting as it turns the body into a walking study of art or movies. A lot of it is still experimental and indeed, one of the key players, Detective Kasuo van Dijk has just recently been fitted with a new grid and philm technology. Considering how this body philm covers the body and can even make you look like a walking film or even an actor from the same, Budz fails to explain how anyone can recognise each other given that much of this is changing all the time.
While van Dijk is investigating a homicide other things are moving along. Pelayo is another person loaded with an experimental grid while his cousin, Marta, borders on doing such things illegally. She meets Nadice, an illegal worker who happens to also be illegally pregnant which seems to be spreading as the same happens to Marta. No, I'm a little confused by this as well as it doesn't appear to be the normal way of conception. Both Marta and Nadice are kidnapped and independently of each other Pelayo and van Dujk appear to be looking for the same thing, hindered or helped by an odd hologram talking fish.
Despite reading the book, I have to confess to reading the back cover to make some sense of what I've read. Budz' book spreads itself through several different viewpoints and you have to keep up to follow and build up the picture of what exactly is happening. It moves at such a breakneck speed that you really aren't allowed that much time to think about what is going on before you move on to another character. I quite liked the idea of the philm but it just wasn't exploited enough. If anything, it was more a backdrop and trappings to what would otherwise have been a rather more conventional plot and of hide and seek of people.
This isn't to say the book isn't interesting but I suspect it would take more than a single reading to peel away the layers and dig away for any hidden meaning. Whether that's a good idea or not depends on the mindset of the reader. On some levels, this story is straight forward and the SF is mostly window-dressing simply cos it isn't used effectively enough as a means to see more of this reality.
If anything, despite the number of characters, little time is given to truly develop them beyond the depth of the trouble they are in. With no single strong thread through out, it is more a depiction of life in this reality than anything. It would have been interesting had Budz exploited this reality more but it should give many of who are into body decorating thoughts on how far this would go.
GF Willmetts
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