Review: Rise and Run (A Broken Man Novel #1) by RJ Plant

From the first few pages of Operation Rise and Run, readers know they are in for a grim, mysterious, and well-crafted novel. Author RJ Plant has delivered a stunning introduction to her vision of the future, not one of atomic destruction or a zombie apocalypse, but rather a fate that seems disturbingly probable, where science fiction and geopolitical realities have brutally collided.

Following the destructive end to the war on terror, the world has turned a new page, one in which power is more centralized – in the Government Directive International (GDI). The reason this book sends shivers, however, is the frighteningly realistic image of the future it depicts. The GDI doesn’t feel that far off – it is distinctly possible after a few more serious terrorist attacks, a few continental wars, a few million deaths…this novel doesn’t seek hyperbole, but grim predictions. The proximity of Plant’s vision is what makes this book so engrossing, and difficult to forget.

While the futuristic premise is fascinatingly subtle and creatively delivered, the real appeal of this novel is Felix and Conor Quinn, two brothers genetically engineered to occupy the same body. Although Felix is in control most of the time, those who know how to release Conor will do anything to get their hands on this human chimera.

Once Conor is released, after Felix is exposed to a deadly virus by a GDI operative, he must make the hardest decision of his life – escape and experience the pleasure of his life unleashed, or bring down the shadowy government that threatens the fundamental idea of freedom in the world. This modern-day Jekyll and Hyde protagonist is a complex character that the author clearly spent a great deal of time developing. The flexible narration and his fluctuating personality come across particularly well, lending the entire story more credibility and encouraging emotional engagement.

Ireland is a wonderful setting for the novel as well, and the book is closely tied to the Emerald Isles. The colloquial speech rarely slips, and the whole novel has a tangible intimacy to it, despite the high-intensity nature of the plot. Not only is Felix/Conor a marvel of genetic advancement, but he is also deeply human, wrestling with the same familial issues and questions of loyalty that average people – and readers – experience. On top of that, just as the GDI seems eerily plausible, the science upon which Felix/Conor is based is not so far off, let alone impossible.

In terms of plot, Operation Rise and Run is excellent, but technically the prose could be cleaned up quite a bit. The occasional awkward sentence or hiccup in grammar could be easily avoided with a final editing sweep, while some word choices and phrases should be polished to make the text richer and more immersive. That is the one weak spot in what is an electric novel, and beginning to a series.

In a novel that sings with creativity, the underlying message – and warning – in this book is more than enough to carry it past any stumbles. By avoiding cliché and embracing a unique style of storytelling, RJ Plant has created something timely and powerful in this science fiction thriller.