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Based on the principles of A Course in Miracles, a spiritual guide written by Helen Schucman in 1976, this is the story of Captain Jack Ballard, who finds himself undertaking a secret mission at the end of the Vietnam War. Ballard is aware that the mission is one from which he will probably not return, yet in light of the fact he will face a court-martial should he refuse, he readily agrees to become an assassin for the government. He is trapped, but he is also adept at all the skills necessary to accomplish the mission. Surviving a devastatingly brutal childhood, Ballard has long mastered the art of mind over matter, making him the perfect candidate for braving the jungle alone. What Ballard doesn’t expect is the path down which the mission will lead him—or the psychological impact it will have.
Weighing in at only 63 pages, this book is none-the-less a heavy read. The author delves into the life of the mind through Ballard, a journey which is, at times, extremely disturbing. Not for the squeamish, the book is filled with episodes of graphic violence. It is a fascinating psychological look at a man who has survived the torments of an abusive childhood and war. Carangi explores the connectedness of all humans through his story, one of the principles of A Course in Miracles. Yet, in this book, the spiritual connection is as disturbing as it is miraculous. This story grabs readers from the beginning and carries them to unusual and sometimes uncomfortable places. It is a gripping read that engages and intrigues.