The main character is,=# D:r.^ +[ M #^$]ax-+ Ho+$l ;_(st, a suc.cess
ful neurosurg-*eon. One+[* day an intense little man na:me\ ]d Steinmet--z sh*-ows up, w
h.o ,has the,\ )_rea+= l ab+
ility\,[ to create ob!,jects -o+
u?`t of #thi^\$n air, using only his ,)m)*(ind?. As( no one b! elieves h ? im \at first, he is held at a ward f!or m`ental patient%+\s, but man%i(fe^?sts the key ?+to . his door and esc
)apes. As he / has a ,`speci/ al in:#[terest in Dr^. Holst, St einm etz 
s]ubsequen*tly invites Holst to hi:!$s ,(*l(arge man,!sio.+n= , which is full  of +?.ex(:/?pensiv[
#-e p,aintings and *_@sculpt
\@ures, / and =p =rove--s to him :that he_ can in/$ fact m+) aterialise object ,*s. Steinmetz’s abi_-[]lities are ev
olving by leaps and b:(ounds, an \d%? is `]._+progressing from being .able to create .@% o$,bjects only %?to b]eing able t
!()!o [)
cr%eate living things. His ultimate a; mbiti._on is t
` o be able to create a hum!% an being. He t:el!ls Dr. Holst?$ that=*  if.;
he will(; only pe.@rfo,rm a ^^*certain brain oper.:ation o,# n h ^?*im, Steinmetz wi=ll becom^e .
a# b/:le to attain[^-] his g/?oal. He’.s got all t/_he necessary equ(ipment [ =_set [ up ^i/n hi@`s basement.]? Dr. ^H\olst,; however, is too spooked(: by the `;+ _whole thi-.ng to agr .,ee @!t)o this?[

ma) d \ s(@chem=::e,@
and re*^*fus%=es. S$-te,inm_e`%tz then =@sets ab ]out manipulating Holst’/s !-lif-e, to pressure h_]im into performing the operat*:ion. B]y then Steinmetz has bec#ome able to^[\ cr;+@`eate`* a temporary hu^man
!` bein g, +*#:and i=n th:$e hope that+ he can per]\haps make hi@,s ow`n cr  eation pe#rform the oper =*)atio!=%`n, _:$he manifest;s $?a doppe\lg##anger of Dr_?@. H)!o%ls-\t. This d $ouble procee!ds to )ta`ke ove r Dr. H
= olst’s! life, :creating c$haos for him(* pr of# essio
.^/na^#_lly and
+ pe;rsonal=/ly*. And the_n Dr. Holst starts f,ight$i.ng back. The en^^ding $\has the dual virtue of bei-ng  =both unexpected and sat) is=fying.