As adolescents, Cyrus and Cecil Bowman are not only brothers, they're best friends. Their lives seem adventurous, but ordinary, until Cyrus develops an unusual configuration of blood vessels in his brain. This condition, among other things, causes people in his direct vicinity to experience very vivid hallucinations. Doctors are able to correct the condition, but nature sees fit to endow Cyrus with replacement gifts; namely, an unusual artistic talent and a propensity to play practical jokes. By the time Cyrus completes college, he has found love and has left the memory of his earlier medical...