Dying Inside (Robert Silverberg, 1972)

The novel's main character, David Selig, livies in New York City. He was born with a telepathic gift allowing him to read the minds of others and to manipulate people on a psychic level. In his youth, before he learned the true nature of his ability, he called it his 'luck'. Rather than use his superpower for any greater good, however, Selig squanders his gift and uses it only for his own lazy convenience (in one chapter he reads the newspaper through his father's eyes). His power has essentially made him into a lazy bum rather than any kind of superhuman.

As the novel progresses, Selig begins to lose his power and struggles to maintain his grip on reality as his perceptions change and his 'self preservation' ability to get what he wants goes down the drain.

Rating: 9/10