In the near future, anyone can be a soldier and wage war…
The novel depicts a UK where “New Model Armies”, essentially giant, permanent flash mobs with infantry weapons, are hired by states that are too poor to have their own armies to wage war for any purpose at all. The one the protagonist belongs to has been contracted by Scotland to fight to dissolve the Union.
As a logical conclusion of the move from footie hooliganism towards a permanent insurrection the novel has its points, as well as having some nicely written combat scenes. But having set up the concept, Roberts has a hard time wrapping up. The last quarter of the book is frankly a bit weird and doesn’t deliver on the promise of the initial premise.