de Lint, Charles.Trader. New York: Tor, 2/1998.

I really haven't read much de Lint in the past and what I have read I really haven't found to my taste. His brand of modern fantasy, while intellectually I can see its merits, is just not my cup of tea. But the reviews for this one were a little different, implying that Trader might appeal to a broader audience. And they were right. This is certainly the most enjoyable de Lint I have ever read. It takes the tried-and-true premise of body exchange and updates it into the present. Responsible, hard working, yet dull luthier (guitar maker) Max Trader wakes up one day to find that he has traded bodies with ne'er-do-well loser Johnny Devlin. In the process of getting back his own body, Max comes to terms with his past life and the chances he never took. This is a fun and engaging novel with a lot to recommend it to any reader.