A Step Too Far

What happens when a coin is the symbol for someone’s untimely end? Paul Thorne and his partner, Rif Slater, are about to find out. They carry out assignments for Syrch Corp. The coin represents a death warrant for the intended recipient. They are contacted by a doctor who tells them that his niece is marked for death. The young lady is named Jillian Caldwell. The reason for her imminent demise is unknown. Paul and Rif are not to ask questions, just to carry out their jobs efficiently. The abduction of Jillian is ruthless, and her driver is quickly dispatched. The complications arise when Paul begins to question the assignment. Why does Syrch Corp demand the elimination of a school girl? What threat does she pose? A fallout between Rif and Paul leads to a shoot-out and to Paul’s abandoning of the assignment. Paul is determined to hide Jillian and obtain some answers regarding the death warrant. His previous posting hadn’t worked out, and he is considered a black sheep within Syrch. Paul’s meeting with Syrch Corp ends with a soon-to-be-meted-out punishment and unknown circumstances for Jillian. However, a bond has developed between the corporate assassin and the child. Jillian has a hold on Paul in a way, and Paul frees Jillian from her captors and plots an escape. The escape involves the crew of the Dorothea flying them away from the grips of Syrch to another planet that wouldn’t care for the arrival of escapees. Paul ponders the apparent powers that Jillian possesses, mental powers that can render anyone paralyzed and powerless. The more Paul mulls this over, the more the picture becomes crystal clear. The experiments done on Jillian were done at the insistence of her uncle and possibly known by Syrch. Is Jillian safe from Syrch and her uncle? Is Paul safe from Jillian’s powers? What happens when the heart starts making the decisions in the mind of a killer?

A Step Too Far is a tour de force of a sci-fi thriller. Daniel Hunt has crafted a world where the rules fall in the gray, money can buy your health, a coin foretells death, and killing is routine. The writing is crisp, the action is never far behind, and the drama is compelling. Paul seems like a typical corporate drone, but his heart is evident in his actions. Hunt portrays a brave new world filled with danger. An excellent novel that doesn’t fail to capture the imagination.