title: The Fixer
author: Pinaud, Terry
description: Do you read the ending of the book first? What if your friend gives away the ending of the movie you've been looking forward to seeing? More than science fiction, The Fixer is about human reactions to knowing too much and the fallout a vision of the future could create. Eric is good with his hands, a mechanic and a Korean War veteran with no visible talents except a knack for fixing cars. He lives a quiet and lonely life in Bedford, Indiana. To the community, he is an odd man -- the Boo Radley of Bedford. Privately, all he wants is to be left alone. He is tormented by his childhood memories and the memories of war. But he has inherited a special power from his mother that he tries to use for good. Instead, he has been ridiculed and his efforts have led only to a sense of helplessness. Enter Jane, a music student at Indiana University, a modern woman, aggressive and unabashed, who happens by his shop. She is infatuated with Eric and asks him out on a date. Will the dinner lead to a one-night stand? Or can Jane do more? Can she change Eric's life? Can she give his life purpose and end the turmoil?