A solid science-fiction thriller—gripping, entertaining, and with some surprising twists and turns and I could see this being the start of a great series. For one thing, the concept was original; an old idea, the invisible man, and taken it in a new direction by making him an international assassin. Considering what is happening in the world, this is the perfect time to get this book out to the public, as it deals with ideas and themes that are extremely relevant, both in America and abroad. (It asks the question, if you had the ability to take out a foreign dictator, would you do it? And if you did, would it make things better or worse?) The writing was fairly lean and tight, and when combined with the short chapters, the story ripped down the page. I had to keep forcing myself to slow down while editing because I kept wanting to leap ahead and see what happened next. The science was handled well—not too technical and with just enough “scientific” explanation to allow readers to suspend their disbelief. I also liked the mechanism for turning the invisibility on and off and that it wasn’t just window dressing but actually came into play during the novel. The characterization was quite effective throughout. A very common pitfall for writers is that their characters all act and talk the same way, but the characters here, major and minor, all felt distinct, with their own personalities. Standouts include the bullish Tapir (the perfect name for him!), the nervous Butler, the cheerfully optimistic Mark, the playful Linda, the somber John, and the imperious Olson.
2024 Global Book Awards Medal Winner