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If we go by the textbook definition of the word, I would have to agree with others who have said that yes, Callaghan is a sociopath. His actions certainly lend credence to that. But then again, wouldn't a lot of people be able to commit some pretty heinous deeds if driven to do so by whatever means? We read or hear about heroic stories where someone avenges wrongs done to them or to another, where the result is often just as bloody or seemingly cold-blooded. Are those avenging heroes sociopaths? Maybe, maybe not. I guess my point is that the answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no. I definitely wouldn't call Callaghan a hero, but his motivation for revenge makes me more likely to lean towards him not being a typical sociopath, at very least, as I've always viewed sociopaths as more likely to do horrible things just for the heck of it as opposed to being deeply motivated for any particular reason.

I don't know. Sometimes when something terrible happens, like it did to Callaghan, a person can snap. You can only take so much. Could Callaghan be compared to Dantes in the Count of Monte Cristo? Would he be considered a sociopath, or just a man who suddenly couldn't take the abuse anymore? I'm not saying that Callaghan wasn't a sociopath, but what would separate him from Dantes' character?

weeh84 wrote:Definitely. I had a deep sympathy for him in the beginning. His character was hard to connect with as the story unfolded. However, his life would never again be what it was. His heart became cold, and he had an insatiable lust for revenge.

A perfect explanation!

I think, in my opinion, he really was sort of a sociopath. Almost everyone in the world will feel like they need to get revenge for something at one point in their life; this is normal. The thing is though that he seemed to take everything way too far without even really caring about what he was doing.

I don't know if he's a sociopath or if he just snapped. I think most of the revenge was well-deserved aside from his wife and father. There aren't that many "good" people in the book. It would be nice to see how he is around other people before the mutilation. Also, sometimes people don't regret or have remorse for things right away, especially if he's in a "revenge high". He may actually feel these things later on.

Scott wrote:This is a discussion topic for the the August 2016 Book of the Month, The Lost Identity Casualties by Kim Ekemar.


A main theme--or maybe the main theme--in the books is: what constitutes justice and what are humans capable of under certain circumstances?

What are the readers reactions to Callaghan’s behavior and revenge actions after he has been mutilated and lost his previous life? Is he sociopath, or is his course of action understandable considering his fate? Are there any real-life comparisons to be made?


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I think that Callaghan's actions were justifiable under the circumstances but then again this is a work of fiction. Do people carry out this same type of payback in the real world? To think not would be naive. There are people in this world who will stop at nothing to pay back a perceived or real slight. Will they go to the same lengths that are portrayed in the story? Perhaps. To call Callaghan a sociopath would be unfair since before the attack and mutilation, he was a fairly normal man who was a successful business man who was capable of having relationships with friends and family. Sociopaths are typically not able to fit within these social norms and function. I believe one's sanity would be stretched a bit under these extreme circumstances. Did Callaghan crack? No. Instead he developed a strategy of revenge that enabled him to cope with his new reality and to rise above the storm into which he had been thrown. I can not think of any real-life situations. The only things that comes to mind are situations that I have seen involving the mafia.

Callaghan's behaviour is pathological. It does not come across as normal at all.

When put into his shoes, I would definitely crave for revenge but I wouldn't have gone to the extremes that he went. He too was involved in the illegal activities along with his friend. So it was unfair of him to just have his friend accused for the crime. It was again unfair of him to punish his wife. I was shocked by his actions and definitely think he is a sociopath

It's difficult to judge him because the situation he's in is so unusual. I don't know how I would behave in the same circumstances.

If you show no empathy for those in pain regardless of who they are to you then you deserve the title of a sociopath. There is revenge and then there is pure and unfiltered evil. I found it hard to differentiate the two in this case.