He is a shell of man, molded that way by those who wish to exploit his talent. His potential as a killer is matched only by the emptiness in his soul. But he is not completely empty, and he is not completely dark. A chance encounter triggers a spark of recognition, and Carl is reminded that he is human, thus beginning his journey to rediscover the man he once was and how he came to be the killer he currently is. However, this is not without a price, and once the X Group discovers his revelation they dispatch The Englishman, a ruthless monster of a man with a supernatural power that eclipses even Carl’s. His mission is to eliminate Carl and the threat that he poses to their organization.

It is difficult to develop a character who has had his humanity erased and his emotions blunted, but Dekker did it very nicely. And the ferocious Englishman acts as a superb villain almost as though they were battling within the pages of a classic comic book. The powers they possess seem supernatural, but are they? Could this extraordinary ability be explained by simple physics and represent the next level in man's evolution?

The reader seems to feel the hero's confusion as his world is turned inside out repeatedly, and the truth of his past, present and future becomes foggier as his handlers manipulate him ruthlessly. Filled with action, this book will not disappoint those who like fast-paced reads. On the negative side, Dekker tries to build a romantic connection for his hero and seems to fall short. I'm wondering if the good-versus-evil clash would have been better without it. But, overall, this one is a winner.