Jeffrey Hatcher's Tacking on the Styx is an incredible novel that succeeds on two levels. First, it's a suspenseful story that follows the life of a Mr. Edgar Thomas Meyerhold, a man stricken with epilepsy as a graduate student. Complete with unexpected plot twists and romantic subplots, the tale holds your attention from beginning to end.

Without detracting from the pull of the story, the book also succeeds on another level: It gives the reader an intimate understanding of how it might feel to be an epileptic—it puts you in the mind of the main character. Sidebars within the book give enough technical information to allow the reader to understand the science behind the disease as well as the limitations in our understanding and treatment of this complex illness.

This book would be especially valuable to college students, grad students, and, especially, anyone going into the field of medicine or psychology. Highly recommended.