Rat Runners

4.5 Stars

I was pleasantly surprised by Rat Runners.  To be honest it is somewhat outside of my normal genre.  I read a ton of romances, and really any type, including YA and, sci fi.  So really I'm not sure what prompted me to pick this title, but I'm glad I did.  I had a bit of trouble getting I to it, but by about 20 percent I was hooked.  The world building was great, a really good take on a Big Brother future society.  The technology was fascinating.  And of course the story itself was riveting.  Four kids in a race to figure out the why of their current assignment, and the possible  ramifications for themselves and society.  I'm so glad I stuck with it, because it was a fantastic read.

Rat Runners is an action-packed look at our dystopian future. London is covered by CCTV cameras that use facial recognition software to track everyone. SafeGuards are assigned to those suspected of criminal activity or randomly assigned to anyone over 18. They use superior tech to know if you are hiding anything. 16-and-unders are used by criminal gangs to do all of their dirty work, since they are the only ones exempt from surveillance. Nimmo, Manikin, FX and Scope have gotten in over their heads retrieving a package for gangster Move-Easy. It is supposed to be an easy retrieval of some credit cards from a dead guys flat, but it nearly gets them killed. A connected gang boss named Vapor wants those cards and more and he's more than willing to kill anyone that gets in the way. The dead guy was Nimmo's landlord and an inventor. His invention will change the world, but will it be for the better or will it be the end?

Oooh, this book was fun. 

Every once in awhile I come across a book that has that magic formula that makes it so interesting, and this was definitely one of them! 

Rat Runners is set in a world not so different or far off from our own, where everyone is under observation, Safe Guards roam the streets keeping an eye on people, and anyone can find themselves being monitored at any time. Beneath it all is the seedy underground that flourishes with the children that are exempt from the tracking that adults get - children that know too much and have seen too much, whose intelligence would probably put many adults to shame! 

Right from the start we're plunged into this intriguing, dark world that's so familiar and yet so seamy at the same time. It's fascinating, and the story is woven in an intriguing way, moving from character to character to build the plot and also let us get to know each person a little more. It's the sort of tactic that's captivating when it's done well, and McGann definitely manages in this book. I actually wish that we'd had a bit more, but what we do see was enough to make me smile, and worry about the characters, and actually care about the build-up of tension as the book progressed. 

The world is fascinating as well. I summarised it a bit up above, but it's truly interesting. I love it when authors build worls that are so similar to our own, and yet different enough to be disturbing - and there's plenty of that in this book. I also enjoy it when a book manages to be compelling enough that I can imagine the events in the book actually happening, and that happened with this book. Who knows, a few years into the future and we might be dealing with this sort of thing!

This book also has an intriguing combination of technology and action that made me want to keep turning the page, and a mystery that unfolds as well... It's rare that it's written so well, too, with no overdone cheesiness to make me want to roll my eyes, or to throw me out of the story. It's the sort of book that I could easily turned into a sci-fi/action movie, to be honest. 

All in all, the first enjoyable action book that I've laid my hands on in 2015, and definitely something I'd recommend!

In the future world, the only people who can escape the intense scrutiny of the government surveillance system are young teens. Mob bosses use these rat runners to carry out jobs through coercion and fear. When one group of runners discovers an invention that could change everything, they decide to use their street smarts and tech skills to keep it out of the hands of their boss, but the boss has more than just a few kids on his side, and he is willing to kill to get what he wants. While I initially struggled with this book, it became much more engaging once all of the players were introduced. The teens in this book were smart and resourceful, and, despite their association with illegal activities, they had a sense of right and justice. I think YA readers of both genders will enjoy this book. While the overall plot is not like Alex Rider, the Bourne books, or Mission Impossible, the secret and covert missions carried out are just as tense and the bad guys are just as threatening. Readers who enjoy books along that line and are willing to stick to the introductory chapters will be glad they did. The language and situations are appropriate for grades 7+.