it has its biomechanical finger on society’s most anxious pulse and the overall result is as high-octane as it is brimming with existential crises warned about by Orwell (among so many others). While it may take some getting used or take the wind out of Marvel and DC aficionados’ sails, the overall result is a siamese twin of psychology, sci-fi, military politics, and the grit of many a horror novel – and at barely 230 pages, it practically demands you to throw yourself into its melee of ideas.

Book Review: Minute Men: Execute and Run by Lawrence C Connolly 

There were two main motivations for wanting Lawrence C Connolly to write the foreword for my recent collection – the first was that he’s incredibly kind and very supportive, but second was that he’s a fabulous author in his own right, and it pleases me to no end to say that ‘Minute Men: Execute and Run’ continues his excellent bibliography. For the most part, his work is characterised by how pleasurably disturbing it can get, elements of which are visible here; but this is somewhat of a departure for him, taking up his quill and parchment and crafting not just sci fi, but politically-shaded sci fi at its most overt.

To a degree, the plot is difficult to put into words because of how quickly it fires on all cylinders and interweaves its various characters’ lives; however, from almost page one, it has the freneticism of a cybernetic bunny rabbit as well as its inability to be contained. The premise given on the blurb is “Mission Impossible meets X Men” and it certainly lives up to that, although there’s a strong element of Ocean’s Eleven in there too. The book’s POV changes on a regular basis and despite how action-oriented it is there’s more than enough time to delve into the humanity of the premise.

The characters are definitely the lifeblood of the novel, and while there are one or two moments in which you wonder if there are too many cooks, the scenes utilise the ensemble dynamic with a fierceness and generally svelte slipstream, it’s hard not to get caught up in. From US Marines with survivor’s guilt to paralysed kickboxers, from blind doctors to self-loathing bounty hunters, the characters are held together by a biotech engineer who has given them technology that allows them to become literal superheroes – but only for 60 seconds, after which point the pain returns more explosive and debilitating than ever before.

While not groundbreaking, for someone who has always preferred characters like Batman or Spiderman because you can actually believe they’re fallible as opposed to the literal God status of Superman or Wonder Woman, it’s a nice spin on the superhero model seen in countless Marvel and DC adventures. The characters complement the setting also, and as the global ramifications reveal themselves there’s something understated and powerful about how the characters and the post-industrial oomph simultaneously reminds you of the invasion of quiet suburban life while catapulting you into a high-octane, globetrotting conspiracy.

You might argue the dialogue itself is a tad rinsed and repeated in the way catchphrases (etc.) are used, but you can’t deny that it has a great sense of pace. There’s a medley of explosions, sideways angles on certain tropes, and disorientation baked into the DNA of the narrative, all of which successfully commandeers your imagination. It never leaves you uncertain of who is in charge of the narrative though. In that vein, it actually feels like an ode to the various worlds of Michael Crichton (most keenly those of his films LOOKER and RUNAWAY) as it shares the lacerated edge he gives his storytelling and his authorial voice.

Unlike a lot of thrillers where the political overtones are so overt they’re painful or very clearly last-minute additions welded on, ‘Execute and Run’ is clearly incorporating them from the start, though without shoving it down your throat. In fact, one of Connolly’s strengths here – no doubt, his horror pedigree coming into play – is how normalised all of its pseudo-dystopian elements feel, deftly allowing you to choke on the bitter pills hidden in its wider delicacy as you observe the novel’s cruel near-future take shape.

If nothing else, for a story where the dialogue and character interplay feels like that of a crime fiction noir regenerated with sci-fi technology, it’s remarkably visual. Connolly’s prose possesses a subtle dexterity as it jumps from moment to moment and yet also has an unflinching ability to hit you over the head, as though the soul of a ballet-dancing cannonball is imparted into each chapter.

‘Execute and Run’ is actually being developed into a feature film and potential series at the moment, with Connolly writing the script (from ideas and characters by his brother Christopher) and Jonathan Sanger (producer of The Elephant Man) & his business partner M. Jones on board to produce. And deliberate or not, you can feel the Catch-22 of this situation bleed both into and out of the novel; in a way which you don’t get with a lot of novelisations/movie adaptations, the dynamic of one format has clearly informed the other.

There’s a little narrative baggage as a result, but it has its biomechanical finger on society’s most anxious pulse and the overall result is as high-octane as it is brimming with existential crises warned about by Orwell (among so many others). While it may take some getting used or take the wind out of Marvel and DC aficionados’ sails, the overall result is a siamese twin of psychology, sci-fi, military politics, and the grit of many a horror novel – and at barely 230 pages, it practically demands you to throw yourself into its melee of ideas.

Minute Men: Execute and Run by Lawrence C. Connolly 

Mission Impossible meets X-Men—with a twist: You only have 60 seconds to save the day. 

Currently being considered for a major Hollywood production.

U.S. Marine Daniel Hayes returns from the Middle East in a wheelchair. The only survivor of his team, he’s haunted by more than his physical scars. His survivor’s guilt keeps him trapped on the porch of his childhood home, watching the rust belt crumble around him.

In Africa, Dr. Christian Chase’s once-fearless hands are now useless. Blinded in a rebel ambush, she replays the life she couldn’t save as if torturing herself with endless flashbacks could change the past.

In Ukraine, kickboxer Zoya Zynchenko wakes in a cold hospital bed. Her family gone, her legs paralyzed, a missile strike leaving her a forgotten victim of war.

And bounty hunter Max “Jaxx” Jaquez hides his crippling pain behind false bravado. Drowning in guilt for letting a dangerous predator escape, he hates himself more than the criminal he failed to apprehend.

Enter Norman Blackwell, a brilliant but reclusive biotech engineer. His cutting-edge treatment transforms these broken heroes into something extraordinary. Hayes gains superhuman strength. Chase’s gaze becomes deadly. Zoya moves with lightning reflexes. Jaxx’s intellect explodes into genius.

But there’s a cost: These powers last for only 60 seconds at a time, then pain and incapacitation hits.

Together, they become the Minute-Men, a team of wounded warriors turned reluctant heroes. Their first mission: Stop a ruthless corporate warlord from weaponizing life-saving nanotechnology, turning hope into tools of control and destruction. To succeed, they must master their fleeting powers, trust each other, and find strength in their shared scars. Because in a world where everything can change in a heartbeat, 60 seconds is all they’ve got to save the day—and each other.

Horror Book Reviews on Ginger Nuts of Horror

For dedicated horror fans seeking their next chilling read, Ginger Nuts of Horror has established itself as a must-visit destination. Driven by a passion for the genre, the website offers more than just standard reviews, providing a deep dive into the world of dark fiction that keeps a global community of readers coming back for more.

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