As the world's beloved Alpha Spike, Colman Cai is a god. He was transformed into a lethal weapon, an emotionless assassin, by Keepers and it makes him a celebrity.

The Country, the totalitarian dictatorship ruled by the maniacal Kendall Khan, and a place where the fundamental understanding of what constitutes a human being has been blurred beyond distinction, is the power source keeping Colman at the top of the food chain. Khan lets ordinary citizens, Sivs, attack Spikes for tax. While no Spike has ever been defeated in battle, the hope that a Siv could achieve the same fame and popularity spurs thousands of people to try their luck in the deadly battles.

What happens when an Alpha Spike wants to free himself from dictatorial rule? Colman must make a choice: is it better to live as a pampered murderous puppet or risk death and live in absolute uncertainty?