"Speculum" by Darryl Sollerh is about Graham Lewis, a computer systems designer with a big problem. The morning after a great anniversary party, his wife Katie, who is a computer programmer for the government, is hospitalized. No one knows what is wrong with her, or how to fix it. Katie’s boss, Leo, finds Graham and tells him that her top secret project Speculum, which creates whole realities based on memories and feelings, could be the reason she is in trouble. Leo tells Graham to go inside his wife’s project to find the answers. As Graham is chased by two sets of men with guns, and wonders what is real with his wife’s doctor, a wine stain, and his dog, he realizes what has to be done. But the real truth is worse than anyone imagines.

The slight philosophical bent of this story fascinated me. I also enjoyed trying to put the pieces together with Graham, and thought the story did a great job of encouraging readers to search for the pieces that didn’t match up from the last time an event played out. I was saddened by the ending of this book. But sometimes that is what makes the most impact. And, by the end, I was confused about how Graham reached Speculum in the first place. I really enjoyed the plot, and I cared about what happened to Graham. Mr. Sollerh did a great job depicting Graham’s devotion to his wife, through it all. A whirlwind of a tale.

What would you do to save the one you love? Would you drop yourself into a virtual reality program that your wife created that is so advanced that when you are in it you cannot tell if it is the real world or the game? Welcome to "Speculum" and all the dangers that go with it. When a man entered the world his wife creates to save her he had no idea he would soon find himself hunted by government operatives and terrorists as well. Both sides want the game to use for themselves and their own purposes.

"Speculum" by Darryl Sollerh is indeed a very unique look into this world and what one would do for love and what you would do when pushed too far. The story line flows pretty well together and the book is interesting enough to keep your attention so that you will not want to put it down too quickly. There were a few points which I felt got a little bit mashed together; they could have been separated or explained a little better. However, even with those few points that were slightly confusing, the whole of the story is solid and with all the twists enjoyable and entertaining. I was thrilled with all of the thinking that I did while reading "Speculum". Not only was the story itself engaging to me but it truly made me ask, “would I do something like this for my husband?”, and “would he do something like this for me?”. Any book that can make me ask questions about my real life gets a recommendation from me to anyone who also likes to be challenged when he or she reads.