The Interchange is a work of fiction in the science fiction genre. It is aimed at the adult reading audience and was penned by Andrew Orange. The book follows a young Russian student of Jewish heritage named Tim as he is visited in his dreams by a mysterious figure from the future, offering him the opportunity to swap bodies with them in the future. Upon waking up, Tim dismisses his dream as a flight of fantasy but the longer he spends thinking about the offer and its implications, the more real the proposal seems to be. Is the offer genuine, and what could the small print be?

The Interchange contained a fascinating trope that I’ve seen in numerous places before; two people on very different paths swap bodies and get to experience how the other side lives. What keeps this version of the format fresh and exciting is Andrew Orange’s gift for infusing his work with a deep sense of unreality which keeps audiences and characters alike guessing about what is real and what isn’t. An interesting angle that the book also presented was giving Tim the offer of the body swap, then showing us his daily life, one in which he experiences hardship and prejudice because of his heritage. This is a serious social issue that The Interchange touches on and uses to create a lead character that we haven’t seen in a story like this before; one who has the option of turning down the call to adventure but whose harsh reality makes the prospect of someone else’s life deliciously tempting.

The Interchange by Andrew Orange asks the question: “What would you do if you were the unquestioned sovereign of the world?” Tim is a Russian student and on the lower rung of society. One night Tim hears a voice in his head asking if he wants to switch bodies. Dreary in his half-asleep state, Tim agrees. Has Tim sealed the deal of a lifetime or made a pact with the devil? He wakes up in a strange room, in a different body and a different era in the future. The voice spoke the truth – Tim switched bodies with Hautama, Holiest Zen Emperor of Earth. Bewildered, curious, and questioning everything around him, Tim soon finds out the sunshine and rainbows of paradise are only a grandiose illusion of hell on earth.

Andrew Orange’s The Interchange is one of the most unique concepts I have read in quite a while. Tim and Hautama showcase a dichotomy of wills and intentions extremely well and captivated my interest by showing how subtle differences in ideology and life circumstances can completely change a person for better or worse. The dystopian future Tim finds himself in is described in all its gory details with Andrew Orange holding back no punches. Just when the tragedies and crimes against the world seem to peak, a whole new layer is peeled open. A story that scrutinizes zealotry, the ways of human life, and the extremes a world can turn into when one person’s rule dictates all. The Interchange is a short but thought-provoking and enjoyable read that left me in awe numerous times.