The Break Line is one of the best action thrillers I have had the pleasure of reading. It’s one of the books whose uniqueness and sheer unbridled violence will stay with you long after you have read it. As a debut, I have nothing but immense respect for the author’s ability to write a refined action thriller that is written extremely well for a debut. Imagine a cross between Victor the Assassin books and James Rollins thrillers, and you have The Break Line.
The Break Line debuts Max McLean as a hardened British assassin who is part of a black-ops unit, called The Unknown, that is responsible for doing the dirty work the government does not wish to be associated with. Immediately we see McLean establish his bona-fides as a competent and autonomous assassin, but one who is somewhat tired of living a life of violence in the shadows. When his gut instinct tells him that something is wrong with the target he is assigned, he chooses to forgo his mission and is called back. To make up for his lack of conformity with the program, he is offered a mission to take out a rebel leader in Sierra Leone, one whose death will end bloodshed and save lives. As simple as it sounds, it isn’t.
This is where the plot ventures from purely espionage and assassin-style to the James Rollins style, with some horror elements. On his way to the target, McLean comes across a town that is supposedly closed off for an outbreak of Cholera. But when McLean digs further, he comes across a display of violence unimaginable under normal circumstances. Bodies ripped apart brutally, bitten, torn limb from limb. This is linked directly to the rebel McLean is there to kill. As Max gets closer and closer to his target, he is targeted by forces led by a shadow group, one that has a direct link to Max himself. Without spoiling more, I will simply say there is no lull in the fast-paced narrative.
The action in this phenomenal thriller is adrenaline-pumping and visually appealing for all fans of the action thriller genre, with detailed combat sequences of fisticuffs as well as shootouts that are described in a manner that the reader feels right in the middle of the combat zone. With accurate details pertaining to technical weaponry and sequences that demonstrate the author’s research into weapons systems, the action in this book is on par with the best of the genre. McLean favors a Sig Sauer pistol, a relatively rare sight in the books but a welcome one.
Max McLean, while a badass protagonist, is also an intriguing one. As the book often reveals details about his past, we see McLean described as a “legally sane psychopath”. Early on in the book he is shown as a soldier willing to pull the trigger unflinchingly when ordered to on an unsuspecting family man. This side of him is balanced with his humanity; even operating in shades of grey, he tries to do good to innocents around him. The narrative is full of meaningful encounters where his humanity overcomes his killing nature. That being said, he isn’t the most forgiving person. Encountering several unarmed civilians who pose a threat to his mission, he shoots first without bothering to incapacitate them, yet his actions will resonate well with the readers. That is the beauty of his character.
The unique and rare blend of assassin-style vibes and science-fiction elements of biological viruses and genetic mutation is brilliantly thought out and portrayed in this story. Deep down, it is a story of mankind’s struggle in walking the line between selfish and selfless, and it applies to Max not just directly but through his discoveries throughout the narrative. There are elements of gruesome horror that will haunt readers with the unfiltered descriptions of horrifying actions perpetrated by beings that are no ordinary humans. Be prepared for some shocking twists, abrupt turns in the plot that would keep the reader on the edge of their seat, and some badass moments that establish Max McLean as the new gun on the block that no one should ever mess with. I highly recommend this action thriller, and I am absolutely thrilled to read more by the author.
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