Rogue

Marc Dane #5

by James Swallow

The explosive new thriller from the master of the modern espionage thriller and Sunday Times bestseller James Swallow - available now to pre-order in hardback, eBook and audiobook.
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In modern espionage, every action has a reaction. One wrong move could sink an entire region into turmoil - even war.

Ex-MI6 operative Marc Dane understands this better than anyone. Dedicating his life to protecting the country means he's collected enemies, and a lot of them.

But for those hellbent on bringing the West to its knees, each failed plot has one thing in common: The Rubicon Group, the elite private intelligence agency, and Dane's employer. Destroy Rubicon, and the world order falls with it.

With the clock ticking, Dane, along with sniper partner Lucy Keyes, must unpick a monstrous and deadly conspiracy that stretches from the marinas of Monaco to the mountains of Mozambique - one that threatens not only Rubicon, but ultimately the lives of millions of innocent civilians. And time is fast running out . . .

Dark secrets of the past, a decades-long quest for revenge, and a brutal conspiracy of lies all collide in ROGUE - the explosive new novel by the bestselling author of Nomad and Exile.
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*** AVAILABLE NOW TO PRE-ORDER IN HARDBACK, EBOOK & AUDIOBOOK ***

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Action, Espionage

494 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2020

About the author

James Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon #1 bestselling author and scriptwriter, a BAFTA nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over sixty-five books, along with scripts for video games, comics, radio and television.

DARK HORIZON, his latest stand-alone thriller, is out now from Mountain Leopard Press, and OUTLAW, the 6th action-packed Marc Dane novel, is published by Bonnier.

Along with the Marc Dane thrillers, his writing includes, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Tom Clancy, 24, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and many more.

For information on new releases & more, sign up to the Readers’ Club here: www.bit.ly/JamesSwallow

Visit James's website at http://www.jswallow.com/ for more, including ROUGH AIR, a free eBook novella in the Marc Dane series.

You can also follow James on Bluesky at @jmswallow.bsky.social, Twitter at @jmswallow, Mastodon at @jmswallow@mstdn.social and jmswallow.tumblr.com at Tumblr.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 5 in the series and imo the previous 4 books have to be read to be able to get 100% from the book, the characters, organisations and stories are ( mostly ) on going.
Marc Dane is back, one of my fav action blokes and as in the previous 4 books this is a non stop ride of close calls, 24 esque situations and high drama as Marc and the team battle the worlds baddies, be it terrorists, Governments or just plain nasties ( ie the shady Rubicon organisation ).
As always the settings are diverse, this time as varied as Monaco and Mozambique and again as always the author makes you feel you are ‘there’ experiencing it all
There’s little else to say, I am a fan and love the series, roll on book 6 ( as always this book is left on cliffhangers ), one thing I would say is the author obviously decided on obfuscation as the favoured word of the book but thats a tiny thing in what was a good as expected rampant thriller

10/10
5 Stars

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Follow Marc Dane in another quest against some bad guys with this fifth novel in the series.

This can be read as a stand-alone simply because characters and incidents from the previous four books are mentioned time and time again throughout Rogue. If you have read the other books, then the repetitive repeating of the back stories is tiresome.

Many of the old characters return in Rogue and they are looking to cause more trouble. While the previous novels have a good central plot, Rogue is a tale not unlike a turf war between rival drug gangs. There was no hacking or terrorist plot in Rogue and nothing really clever. I was very disappointed that Rogue lacked a unique plot and had no technical WOW! Factor. There was lots of fighting and guns discharged which made for a boring read. Even members of the AK-47 fan club would stifle a yawn. What is a gun first produced over 70 years ago doing in a modern day 2020 thriller?

Previous novels in this series have seen the relationship between Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes develop, slowly but surely. However, in Rogue their relationship does not move on from when they left off in Shadow.

I was disappointed with Rogue and I feel James Swallow has damaged his Marc Dane brand by having reduced character development and a shallow plot. If Rogue had been the first novel in the series, I would not have bought and read the others. James plans to publish book 6 next year but I shall not bother as we get enough bangs in the UK from fireworks, I do not wish to read about more discharges from an Avtomat Kalashnikova AK-47. I think Rogue is a POOR read, so it gets 2 stars from me.

[Nick Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fifth in this action packed series and you won’t enjoy it unless you have read the rest first.
Marc Dane is part of a small black ops team that sits hidden within a large corporation called Rubicon. They tend to be battling agents of The Combine, a SPECTRE type organisation who seek to be agents of chaos and to benefit from the results.
In Rogue, Rubicon and Dane’s team are up against the ropes as the past of Rubicon’s boss, the enigmatic Ekko Solomon, comes to the fore and brings a lot of dangerous baggage. So, as Rubicon falls apart Solomon and his team have to go on the run and protect key data from The Combine. It doesn’t go well as they retreat into Solomon’s back yard and find much has changed.
Better than the previous books and good to finally get to have some background on Solomon. Previous books have slightly tended to be “action in one place-jump on plane-action in another place” etc, this had more logic and was more plot focussed.
A little bit of nonsense about Dane’s previous team which didn’t really work but otherwise a pacy and efficient thriller. Does end on a bit of a cliff-hanger though.

[Hanlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A narrow and wolfish face hid searching eyes behind dark aviator sunglasses, and his deliberately shabby beard matched unkempt dirty-blond hair that badly needed a trim." cue the theme song from Bonanza because his back!! Dane; Marc Dane.

Absolutely brilliant as usual with action that takes you from Europe to Africa in such a fast pace you feel exhausted when you put the book down.

In this book, Rubicon and Solomon face their biggest threat yet in a very well organised and executed onslaught by their biggest enemy the Combine. Will this see the end of both of them or will Marc Dane be able to save the day? Sometimes even the best is not good enough and we sadly have to say goodbye to a few trusty characters.

"Alea iacta est - the die has been cast"

This is definitely one of my favourite action series with a lead character one can only describe as a Jason Bourne on speed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK and Zaffre Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

[martyn H]

Underwhelming.

Pretty average story, over long, very little tension, one-dimensional and stereotypical characters......maybe it’s me.
There were only a few parts of the book where I wanted to turn the page.
Not a “ blockbuster “ in my humble opinion.

[Trevor Snape · Rating 4 out of 5]

For people who enjoy reading stories about folk who were once part of the establishment albeit in a secret part and are now working the same type of employment but either within the private sector or as a freelance, Marc Dane is one of these. Once part of MI6 he now works for the worldwide Rubicon Group, as part of a secret organisation trying to bring justice to the unlawful bits of the modern world we live in. If Rubicon represents the good guys (who still do bad things in the name of justice) there has to be a large worldwide organisation of bad guys, called the combine. The combine has its roots in China/Russia but its reach extends across the world. Its target in this book is the Rubicon Group itself. By planting seedlings in the upper echelons of the Rubicon organisation, it manifests descent against Marc Dane and his group, bringing about a life and death battle for survival. This is a cracking read. Written at pace that will have you having to pause for breath and let your brain process the action and let you enjoy every word. This is a great addition to this series with many old faithful characters from previous books.

[James Winchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. What happens at the end has me wondering how this plays out in the next book. Explosive, fast moving, exciting are the best words to describe the book. I have become a fan of the Marc Dane series by James Swallow. If you enjoy Brad Thor’s book this is a must read.

[Lachlan Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic penultimate novel of the series, wrapping up alot of threads presented earlier in the series and setting up a grand final showdown between the combine and Rubicon.

[Monsieurh · Rating 5 out of 5]

To start off, this novel was excellent. Marc Dane and his crew are part of the Special Conditions Division of the Rubicon Group. Marc realizes that he is a part of a vigilante group setting rights from wrongs. Yes his altruistic lifestyle is financed and guided by the billionaire who sits as the head of the Rubicon Group.
In this modern, tech-savvy action-adventure thriller, the author ,James Swallow, has created a ubiquitous tale that challenges the existence and future of the Special Conditions Division and the Rubicon Group. During the previous four novels, Marc Dane has grown from a simple computer- support technician for a secret task force of MI6 agents to being a full-fledged principal in the war against evil. His target usually appeared outside his comfort sphere until now, as a Board member sets to eradicate the SCD from the Rubicon Group. The Rubicon Group has been his guiding and nurturing force in his life.
Now, Marc’s life and that of the SC D team are being threatened by a Rubicon Board member. She has been shown videos of the horrors created by the meddling of a private vigilante force into other international affairs. She is determined to put a halt to this impulsive endeavour and rescue the Rubicon group from any and all negative press that will damage the good name of Rubicon.. The CEO, Founder, and heart of Rubicon, Ekko Solomon, must be unseated.
James Swallow has created the natural progression of his storyline. The SC D has discovered that another financial force, the Combine, is attempting to create a new world for its benefit and profit. Marc and his team have thwarted the past four previous attempts, but now the Combine has set its sights on Ekko Solomon, the altruistic force behind the curtain.
I found the book captivating and entertaining. It was very difficult to put down before the ending, as the action and thrills built upon each other with disastrous consequences for Marc Dane’s world. I eagerly await the next novel in the series.

[Gareth Egerton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Rogue" is the 5th outing for Marc Dane and the Special Conditions Division and so much action and story has been packed into the first 4 novels that it's given rise to my only negative. There's a little too much "Previously on 'Rubicon'...." in the first 100 pages or so.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, read this book. Read the 4 that come before. Then read them again. Loathe as I am to use such a cliché as "a roller coaster ride of a book", I literally yelled "OH, NO!" at the end of one chapter and "HELL, YEAH!" at the end of the next. So, yeah.....rollercoaster.

Book 6 can't come soon enough. Now, go, stop reading this and get hold of a copy of "Rogue".

[Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bloody annoying cliff hanger

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rogue is the 5th book in the Marc Dane action thriller series. Marc and his boss, Ekko Solomon have many enemies and in this book these enemies hatch a plan go catch up with him and Ekko’s company Rubicon.
Marc and his colleague, ex special forces agent, Lucy must use all their skills to escape the clutches of the Combine and keep themselves safe.
The story is action packed and moves across the world at break neck speed. Ghosts of previous operations appear and the Rubicon operatives are not sure whom to trust as the plot progresses.
By the time I got to the last page I realised that the story was not going to finish with this book and another one would be on the way to continue the story. It’s a pity I will have to wait a while to find out what’s next for Marc and his friends.
This was an enjoyable distracting read which held my attention from the beginning. Marc is a compelling character, both a techie and an action hero which makes him more interesting. In Rogue the reader learns more about Ekko Solomon’s early life and important events which shaped his outlook as well as how he set up Rubicon. He also takes part in a lot of the action and shows himself to be more than a hands off boss who merely controls events from afar. He really is in the thick of it in this novel.
To enjoy this fully I suggest you read the previous books in the series as they set the scene for the action in Rogue.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review

[Nathaniel Mathies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't let the 4.5 overall star rating fool you.
This book is nothing on the previous 4. I was actively willing the remaining members of Rubicon to be killed and the combine to win just so the story would be over.

The previous books in the Marc Dane series were pretty good espionage thrillers. Highly unbelievable, but enjoyable. With a crack team of vigilantes/spies using a huge network of support teams and company assets to defeat a mercenaries army.
This book, however, sees 2 vigilantes with some minor back characters and no operational support thwart several armies of highly trained mercenaries, local police, MI6, African paramilitary gangs and international bad guys all while crashing an Airbus 350, several helicopters, various vehicles and probably a motorbike and horse.
If you threw Rambo and James Bond and Robocop into a centrifuge and then blended the resulting goo with methryl and unobtainium, planted in a mythical forest and harvested the Adonis that grew it would still posses but 1/3rd of the talent of Marc Dane.

It was a horrible book and a terrible way to end the series.
Sorry.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Swallow’s excellent Marc Dane series continues to excite and entertain with its fifth instalment, Rogue, which sees the tenacious ex-MI6 operative caught up in a plot which threatens the survival of the Rubicon Group and its founder, Solomon Ekko. When a figure from his past emerges from the shadows to cause havoc, Dane and partner Lucy Keyes set out to uncover who it is and where they came from, stirring up old secrets along the way. As the mystery unravels it reveals attacks on Rubicon from within and without, uncovering yet more secrets and bearing the unmistakable hallmarks of the Combine.

In keeping with the series so far this feels remarkably timely, Swallow consistently managing to hang these stories on themes which feel relevant and contemporary. This time he tackles questions of subjective truth in a world in which “the days of reasoned doubt and rational challenge were long gone”, and where those in power have the ability to control the dialogue on a global scale. It makes for another intriguing backdrop, demonstrating once again how Dane and Keyes thrive when their backs are to the wall – and that really is the case this time, as it proves to be perhaps the darkest of the series to date. All told it’s another tremendously enjoyable story, one that will please fans of the series and whet their appetite for yet more to come.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2020/05/...

[JL Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to @Netgalley for giving my the ARC for my honest review.

Former MI6 field officer Marc Dane, now working in a secretive black ops team for the Rubicon corporation has made many enemies while fighting to protect people from global terrorism. Now with his sniper partner Lucy, he must defeat an international threat, to save Rubicon and millions of people.
This is book 5 in the Marc Dane series, and while its a riveting read as a standalone, you will miss out on the character development and context from the previous books.
I enjoyed Rogue immensely, although some of the situations would even be questionable in a James Bond movie. That aside its a good bit of escapism and I'm happy to recommend Rogue, although with the caveat that you should read it's predecessors first. I have given Rogue four stars.

[Tony Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Swallow's Marc Dane thrillers with the Rubicon group as the centre-piece are always seat of the pants reads. Rogue is no exception. This time though the Rubicon group is very much on the back foot, struggling to survive the onslaught.

This time its their familiar adversaries the ruthless Combine enemy along with a motley but very effective conglomerate of operators launching their attack from lawless Mozambique. Dane and his Rubicon partner Lucy Keyes face the onslaught as Rubicon's founder and head honcho Ekko Solomon finds himself in deep trouble. Things go from bad to worse as the action shifts swiftly from boardroom to relentless action in the air, on the water and beyond.

At times in Rogue you get the sense that its all over for Rubicon, as well as Dane and Keyes but somehow they manage to stay in the fight. Its a gripping and unforgiving story which envelops you every which way, sometimes on the same page.

Swallow delivers. Rogue is a blinder of a novel.

[Paul McIlroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth a read!

Good v Evil, Black v White, the inevitable reason for conflict. Here played out by a cast of diverse players, none of whom you would cultivate as a friend. The worlds many diverse opinions on freedom and economics are thrown together into violence and revenge. The result is the sadness of loss of life, and more unresolved issues to be dealt with in a further volume. Today’s issues will rise again in the following books, but how many of those cast will still be around when all the dying ends and the guns fall quiet? Watch this space.

[TonyAntSonWil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Mr J Swallow has knocked it right out of the Stratosphere. So much action, such a great story and a few returning characters. Couldn't ask for more in the 5th Installment. The thing I like most about the Marc Dane series is the fact it plays out like an action movie in your head, for me not many authors can do that. Page turner at is best.

Read this book, if you've not read any of the Marc Dane novels then start now.

[Ian Pruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I want to be entertained then one of my favourite places to find it is in fast moving adventure such as that provided by James Swallow and Marc Dane and I was certainly not disappointed with Rogue. if access to these stories was by films at the cinema I'd not bother because I don't want somebody else's pictures in my head.
another great story which restored my desire to read whenever I get 5 minutes to spare.

[Matthew Hickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great spy thriller. This book takes a different approach to the formula used in previous books in the series, with the whole future of Rubicon at stake.
Unlike other books in the series, this one ends very much on a cliffhanger.
Once again, the plot twists and turns and takes in a range of different locations as Eko Solomon's backstory is a significant part of the plot.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read yet again about Marc Dane and the SCD group that he is part of who in turn work for the Rubicon corporation.
It's another fast paced, high octane story dealing primarily about the destruction of Rubicon and it's founder Ekko Solomon at the hands of the Combine.
That ending? Roll on book 6 that's what I say as it can't come quick enough.

[Nicolaas Bergman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book there was lots of action the only thing that I think its dont know how to say it perhaps monotonous is is that they are always fighting against the same enemy just in a different way and I would have liked if it were like different missions against other groups.
But even still I enjoyed.

[Richard Gilbertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marc Dane, ex navy, former MI6 tech support and now field agent for Rubicon is faced with a ghost from his past while an old adversary threatens his boss Ekko Solomon and the shady Combine are poised menacingly in opposition to Rubicon. Could history be about to claim them all?
Book 5 in the series is a breathtaking, all-action thriller that leaves you wanting more

[Mark Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent Dane adventure with lots of action but can't escape the fact he is a moron and if a sign was inserted in his backside saying 'trap' he would still walk into it. He and Lucy get captured by everyone every few pages and, as a result, lots of colleagues die. Feel the story arc is ending - that is probably a good idea.

[Anna Brunskill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Airport spy thrillers of the highest possible quality. I enjoy reading the Marc Dane novels so much. The latest was my favourite in the series so far. No plot points as I don’t want to spoil anything but the big reveal at the end was a treat and I can’t wait for the next one!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to stop reading this when I was part way through as I was so invested in the characters that knowing something bad was going to happen to them wasn’t something I could cope with.

This book was absolutely heart breaking in parts but a proper thriller throughout

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another action packed adventure in the series. I did feel it lacked a little originality and the audio performance is OK in terms of expression, but pacing continues to be an issues with no pauses to indicate changes in setting and between groups.
But still a good read.

[Sean Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the whole series

Really enjoyed this book. Not as good as Nomad, which is the best in the series for me. But a brilliant writer. I read this series off the back of I am Pilgrim, so if you liked that you will love this series.

[Vicky Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to be back in the world of these characters and follow them as they defy death while on a crusade to stand up for what is right against a tyranny of greed and revenge. Looking forward to the next instalment and what feels like perhaps the last in this series.

[Samantha-jane Osmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fast paced, exciting read

This series just gets better and better. This one has more realism than it’s predecessors, and helps the audience see the characters as real people. Unexpected twists and turns keep everyone guessing. A great read,