Volume 1 of "The Rectifier" series can't seem to get it's timing right

 Glenn A. Jones gives us a Borne-like hero in Frank Jackson, the Rectifier.  With no memory of his past, Frank is thrust back into his life by his handlers after only 6 weeks of physical therapy to recover from injuries he doesn’t know how he received.  During those 6 weeks, Frank is told nothing about his former life, nor does he seem to ask, as we don’t receive any of that time in print, not even as exposition.  We are propelled straight from Frank being taken to the mansion that had been his home (or base of operation more like) to him being cleared to return to active duty.  He doesn’t seem concerned that, in the intervening time, no one has bothered to tell him who he is or what he’s doing there.  He doesn’t even question why his physical training seems to focus so much on building his muscle mass back up to above the average fit physique.

Once Frank is given the rundown on his job, he is given his first assignment – kill a drug cartel hit man.  At first, Frank seems hesitant to believe that this could be his job.  He dislikes the idea of killing a stranger and potentially hurting innocent people who are connected to the target (such as friends and family).  However, he is quickly (a little too quickly) won over by a list of horrible atrocities the target has done, and the assurance that he is not married and has no children.  Frank quickly justifies to himself that this man deserves to die and no one will miss him when he’s gone, and that’s all he needs to know in order to do the job.  Of course, he doesn’t bother confirming any of the information.  He takes the word of his handler and runs off to do as he is told.

If we are to believe that Frank has a bit of a conscience, then it is hard to believe he would be so quick to overlook it.  Unless we are to believe that Frank only wishes he had a conscience, and is actually not bothered by what he’s doing, just under the impression from society that murder is generally a bad thing.  Either way, it’s difficult to sympathize with him.  On the one hand, his emotions flip too easily, and on the other, he borders as a sociopath.

Perhaps if the story was more drawn out it would be easier to get a sense of who Frank really is.  Of course, since he has amnesia, he would like to know who that is as well.  We could go on the journey together.  However, these short vignettes are too packed with action and not enough plot to make it worth toughing it out, just to see what Frank is really all about.