What a gem! This book really surprised me at how gripping it was and how the plot built. I thought the pacing was really excellent and the character development was well done. The two main characters felt like real people with flaws and backstories. The plot really gripped me from the beginning. One criticism the end left me wanting to know more!

The title of this book intrigued me, as did the cover. Assuming some sort of WW2 based story about the French resistance to the Nazis I discovered instead an intriguing tale of a Farage-esque politician intent on unifying Germany and France by mobilising mass support through an online poll on a domineering social networking platform called ROME. His antagonist is Miss Cliche, an independent vlogger intent on providing honest, unfiltered news through her blog with the aid of her AI fact checker Pandora and her loyal staff and mentor, Professor Sherwood. As the date of the poll draws close, both sides fight to influence the opinions of voters, challenge the dominance of ROME and fulfil their ambitions of a new future for Europe and independent media. Ranging from Birmingham, Milan, Berlin and Paris, this story touches on many prevailing attitudes towards the EU, fears of the monopolisation of the internet, populist politicians and their simplification of complex issues and the potential of the mob to resort to violence. Following recent events in America, France and Britain, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a quick, relevant, fast paced and engaging read with some residue left for future contemplation.

Alan Rhode’s The Eagle and the Cockerel is a fast-paced political thriller that blends the familiar echoes of Brexit with a chillingly plausible dystopian future. The novel weaves together high-stakes political maneuvering, the insidious influence of social media, and a dash of international intrigue.

Rhode’s exploration of a potential Franco-German union is a fascinating premise. The parallels drawn with the Brexit vote are thought-provoking. However, while the plot is engaging, it occasionally feels overstuffed, trying to juggle too many complex elements at once.

The portrayal of the social media giant, ROME, is particularly chilling, highlighting the frightening potential for these platforms to manipulate public opinion. This aspect is both timely and disturbing.

Overall, The Eagle and the Cockerel is an entertaining read that offers a believable vision of a possible future.

Despite its unique concept and synopsis, this book tried too much. The author wanted to be clever with the details and execution of ideas seemed contrived.