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PROJECT RENAISSANCE MAN: A PROJECT RM NOVEL
Faithful to all. Focused on his duties. Fearful of everyone’s expectations.The Storm of 2020 wiped out most of humanity. Of the hundreds remaining, Matthew Cane lives a privileged life. His friends support him. His beautiful, caring girlfriend would do anything for him. And his brilliant, president father treats him like a prince. Yet beneath Matt’s confident exterior, fear consumes him—fear of following in his father’s footsteps and fear of everyone learning his secret. He is no genius, unlike his father, the other 43 Renaissance men and women (RMs) in their little community, and his revered grandfather—one of the brightest people who ever lived and founder of Project RM.When Matt’s dead mother speaks to him in a dream, he begins to learn the truth. Whether his fears were founded or not, the importance of his new path dwarfs them. To save our species, he and his friends must subvert their elders, risk their lives, and complete his mother’s mission.
- GenresAmazon
301 pages, Paperback
Published May 10, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 26, 2021
I have given this book 5 stars because it is well written and the plot is excellent. However I did not fully enjoy it but that is not the fault of the book it is not quite to my taste, but as I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, I really felt that I should finish the book.
The start is excellent and the characters are interesting but the time jumping aspect was what did not sit well with me. So give it a try if you like strong characters and time travel, it is well written.
The start is excellent and the characters are interesting but the time jumping aspect was what did not sit well with me. So give it a try if you like strong characters and time travel, it is well written.
June 21, 2019
I received a free copy of this book from Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review.
Project Renaissance Man really kept me on the edge of my seat. I kept waiting and waiting to find out what was going on, and when it’s finally revealed, it’s mind blowing. I never knew who was good and who was bad or who to trust. The characters were well written and believable. Definitely looking forward to a sequel and going back to read the prequels.
Project Renaissance Man really kept me on the edge of my seat. I kept waiting and waiting to find out what was going on, and when it’s finally revealed, it’s mind blowing. I never knew who was good and who was bad or who to trust. The characters were well written and believable. Definitely looking forward to a sequel and going back to read the prequels.
October 10, 2020
This is the first full length book in the Project RM series and starts off with an extinction event occurring in October of 2020, the very thing that Project RM was set up to help with, when it was started by a sixteen year old called Joseph, his grandfather on his mother’s side, and a polymath back in the 1970’s. The sort of incident in which numerous secure locations with Renaissance Men and Women (RM), would help to restart civilization afterwards. The remainder of the story takes place in 2037, with the main character being the grandson of Joseph and son of Eric Cane, the president of the Washington DC hub of Project RM. The small community wear colour coded clothing depending on their roles, such as RM of which there are about 43, ID which are security and intelligence, students, those that help to grow their food and so many more.
Matthew is about to start his final year of school and is surprised by his father and asked to do his speech instead of him, one of the things he is afraid to do. He is not a genius or polymath like many of the few hundred people in their small community, all that remains of mankind. His father expects him to take over his role as president when he retires and has been grooming him for this role for his whole life. Matthew feels like he can never do as well as he is expected to, and it is only the help of his best friends Rich and Bobby that he manages to get through this first hurdle, only to find that his father has a few more placed in his path. He woke that day with a very real conversation with his mother, in what must have been a dream. His mother died in a lab accident shortly after they arrived in the safe haven underground, when the Storm event hit. He never really knew her and has few memories. She tells him that he has a decision to make and a path to follow. The only items he has of his mother’s is a small book of poetry, which has a photo of a girl about his age, with a strange code of letters and numbers on the reverse. He doesn’t know who this girl is and he has had this image all his life.
One of the other things his father expects him to excel at is the game of comBaton, the chosen sport of the community, which was a mix of martial arts, basketball and football, which his father was a champion at. Matt’s two best friend’s Rich and Bobby have played with him on a team the previous year and start with trials to get some other players for this season’s games. It is whilst one of their training sessions, that he loses focus completely, as he sees the girl from his photo for the first time, and is knocked out cold! He tries to meet up with her, to speak to her and it turns out she was also expecting something to happen and had received a message of her own, and his speech triggered it. She is called Sophie Jackson and has an autistic older brother David. When Matt meets with her, David is also there and is part of this secret message and a locket she wears is key to future messages and what they are to do. Soon they receive messages saying the Rich and Bobby can also be included in the group, but they can’t tell anyone else and must keep what they are doing secret!
The main problem this causes, is the fact that Matt has been going out with a girl called Lori, a fairly mild relationship with no real deep feelings on his side, she is just always there for him, but this may not be quite as natural a twosome as you might expect. The circle of five have to become trusted friends, some already were, and now Sophie and her brilliant brother David may well be the key to what comes next. Unfortunately his father Eric is taking his rule of their community to extremes, and Matt and his group will soon learn that not everything is as perfect as they have been raised to believe. What they discover and is revealed slowly to them, will give them the chance to save mankind and complete the mission his mother Zoe tried to do all those years ago and which she died for. They will be putting their lives at risk, but the ultimate goal they are reaching for, is so much more important than just their existence.
A book full of intrigue, strong friendships and loyalty to the right path, no matter the consequences. The young characters are a mix of male, female, genius and just smart amongst many polymaths, with the usual problems of young love, rivalry from others and a sporting tournament all mixed in with intense school lessons unlike many would be studying. The president Eric Cane, Matt’s father, has a huge and strong following and seems to know everything that goes on in their community. They all have a neural implant that they can use to transmit messages, but it seems to also reveal their locations and every word they utter! An experiment that his mother succeeded with along with some of her close colleagues, but his father said for the record that it didn’t work and was abandoned. It is obvious that she did succeed, or they wouldn’t have been receiving the messages and information they did and when they needed it. A huge surprise to come as to what their ultimate aim is, but I don’t want to spill the beans, so will say no more!
A great read that follows on from a brief prequel that shows the story of his grandfather, the founder of Project RM and the many problems he had to overcome to get this organisation started, in a series of short stories, as well. Well worth reading if you can, as it shows you so much about what the project should be about and what sort of people should definitely not be left in charge! The world has been changed forever and mankind almost made extinct. One man’s idea of what the next steps should be, is definitely not an acceptable, nor sane option and only Matt and his friends can change this. A fantastically put together adventure through a future vision of the world. I can’t wait to read the next full length adventure, Storm Jumper. I would recommend this to all, especially if you want to read something with a great deal of depth and something different! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Matthew is about to start his final year of school and is surprised by his father and asked to do his speech instead of him, one of the things he is afraid to do. He is not a genius or polymath like many of the few hundred people in their small community, all that remains of mankind. His father expects him to take over his role as president when he retires and has been grooming him for this role for his whole life. Matthew feels like he can never do as well as he is expected to, and it is only the help of his best friends Rich and Bobby that he manages to get through this first hurdle, only to find that his father has a few more placed in his path. He woke that day with a very real conversation with his mother, in what must have been a dream. His mother died in a lab accident shortly after they arrived in the safe haven underground, when the Storm event hit. He never really knew her and has few memories. She tells him that he has a decision to make and a path to follow. The only items he has of his mother’s is a small book of poetry, which has a photo of a girl about his age, with a strange code of letters and numbers on the reverse. He doesn’t know who this girl is and he has had this image all his life.
One of the other things his father expects him to excel at is the game of comBaton, the chosen sport of the community, which was a mix of martial arts, basketball and football, which his father was a champion at. Matt’s two best friend’s Rich and Bobby have played with him on a team the previous year and start with trials to get some other players for this season’s games. It is whilst one of their training sessions, that he loses focus completely, as he sees the girl from his photo for the first time, and is knocked out cold! He tries to meet up with her, to speak to her and it turns out she was also expecting something to happen and had received a message of her own, and his speech triggered it. She is called Sophie Jackson and has an autistic older brother David. When Matt meets with her, David is also there and is part of this secret message and a locket she wears is key to future messages and what they are to do. Soon they receive messages saying the Rich and Bobby can also be included in the group, but they can’t tell anyone else and must keep what they are doing secret!
The main problem this causes, is the fact that Matt has been going out with a girl called Lori, a fairly mild relationship with no real deep feelings on his side, she is just always there for him, but this may not be quite as natural a twosome as you might expect. The circle of five have to become trusted friends, some already were, and now Sophie and her brilliant brother David may well be the key to what comes next. Unfortunately his father Eric is taking his rule of their community to extremes, and Matt and his group will soon learn that not everything is as perfect as they have been raised to believe. What they discover and is revealed slowly to them, will give them the chance to save mankind and complete the mission his mother Zoe tried to do all those years ago and which she died for. They will be putting their lives at risk, but the ultimate goal they are reaching for, is so much more important than just their existence.
A book full of intrigue, strong friendships and loyalty to the right path, no matter the consequences. The young characters are a mix of male, female, genius and just smart amongst many polymaths, with the usual problems of young love, rivalry from others and a sporting tournament all mixed in with intense school lessons unlike many would be studying. The president Eric Cane, Matt’s father, has a huge and strong following and seems to know everything that goes on in their community. They all have a neural implant that they can use to transmit messages, but it seems to also reveal their locations and every word they utter! An experiment that his mother succeeded with along with some of her close colleagues, but his father said for the record that it didn’t work and was abandoned. It is obvious that she did succeed, or they wouldn’t have been receiving the messages and information they did and when they needed it. A huge surprise to come as to what their ultimate aim is, but I don’t want to spill the beans, so will say no more!
A great read that follows on from a brief prequel that shows the story of his grandfather, the founder of Project RM and the many problems he had to overcome to get this organisation started, in a series of short stories, as well. Well worth reading if you can, as it shows you so much about what the project should be about and what sort of people should definitely not be left in charge! The world has been changed forever and mankind almost made extinct. One man’s idea of what the next steps should be, is definitely not an acceptable, nor sane option and only Matt and his friends can change this. A fantastically put together adventure through a future vision of the world. I can’t wait to read the next full length adventure, Storm Jumper. I would recommend this to all, especially if you want to read something with a great deal of depth and something different! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
December 9, 2020
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is actual a 4.5* rating, but there are no half * unfortunately.
I found this book quite refreshing and different to other extinction event books, that usually have some form of monster or zombie that one has to deal with.
The character development and relationships formed were done so well and the characters were likeable and you end up rooting for them to complete their mission.
The only negative, which resulted in a 4 star review, is that the book felt very drawn out and even though I understand that the author is setting the scene, there were times where it felt that the momentum of the book was lost, and I found myself struggling a bit to get to the next part in the book. I really love the elements that were explored in this book, and that was what kept me going, as that definitely kept me interested to see where the book was going and if I had defined the characters correctly in the book.
I enjoyed the budding romances, the strong story of friendship and perseverance, no matter what. The moments of excitement and tension were well done and had me turning pages.
There weren't too many surprises, and I was a bit disappointed in the ending, which was somewhat a cliff-hanger and an introduction into the next book. So if you are not into that, then I don't think this book will work for you, as there isn't a nice, neat ending with all the strings tied up into a pretty little bow.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the characters, as well as the plot development and interesting take on extinction events. So if you enjoy science fiction/extinction events/light romance, then this is a good choice for you to look into, as I think that it will be an enjoyable read.
I am being deliberately vague as I am trying not to spoil anything by saying too much :)
This is actual a 4.5* rating, but there are no half * unfortunately.
I found this book quite refreshing and different to other extinction event books, that usually have some form of monster or zombie that one has to deal with.
The character development and relationships formed were done so well and the characters were likeable and you end up rooting for them to complete their mission.
The only negative, which resulted in a 4 star review, is that the book felt very drawn out and even though I understand that the author is setting the scene, there were times where it felt that the momentum of the book was lost, and I found myself struggling a bit to get to the next part in the book. I really love the elements that were explored in this book, and that was what kept me going, as that definitely kept me interested to see where the book was going and if I had defined the characters correctly in the book.
I enjoyed the budding romances, the strong story of friendship and perseverance, no matter what. The moments of excitement and tension were well done and had me turning pages.
There weren't too many surprises, and I was a bit disappointed in the ending, which was somewhat a cliff-hanger and an introduction into the next book. So if you are not into that, then I don't think this book will work for you, as there isn't a nice, neat ending with all the strings tied up into a pretty little bow.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the characters, as well as the plot development and interesting take on extinction events. So if you enjoy science fiction/extinction events/light romance, then this is a good choice for you to look into, as I think that it will be an enjoyable read.
I am being deliberately vague as I am trying not to spoil anything by saying too much :)
April 27, 2018
The realism of the characters is the real strength of this story for me: They think and act like you want them to. They are flawed and sometimes unpredictable. I liked the range of characters as well with a mix of genders and the inclusion of David who is not neuro-typical. Despite being the result of Project RM (and therefore supposedly superior) the characters are likable and involving. The story is well paced and doesn't get bogged down in technical details despite dealing with lots of high-end technology. Just enough to make sense of the processes they are carrying out.
I hadn't realised that this book was part of a series though and so didn't realise until a good part of the way through that I wouldn't actually get the answers to many things by the end of it. I am however hooked and ready for the next one.
December 1, 2020
I enjoyed the premise of Project Renaissance Man, the setting, the post-apocalyptic, almost dystopian feel to the plot is appealing and well-demonstrated. I would like to see more depth in the personal interactions between characters especially the teens themselves. While I understand the need to interweave the game sequences into the narrative, I found the intricacies of the rules and the game descriptions themselves unnecessary and a bit distracting from the overall plot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 31, 2018
Great story to encourage kids to reach their potential
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is engaging, positive, and has a great theme of encouraging people to believe in themselves and live up to their full potential.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is engaging, positive, and has a great theme of encouraging people to believe in themselves and live up to their full potential.
July 16, 2018
An excellent first novel in the Project Renaissance Man series. The story is captivating and kept me wondering and guessing as I moved through the novel. I can't wait for the next installment.
September 15, 2019
What price for utopia
Grest characters with a good plot your drawn in the lives of people in a utopia but is it real?
Grest characters with a good plot your drawn in the lives of people in a utopia but is it real?
November 3, 2020
It just wasn't well written enough to hold my interest. I quit after about 50 pages.
July 11, 2018
More
A page turner, Project Renaissance Man definitely left me wanting more of these characters. So looking forward to the sequel.
A page turner, Project Renaissance Man definitely left me wanting more of these characters. So looking forward to the sequel.
May 19, 2018
Although it did take me a while to get used to its fast pace, the story quickly became so interesting I read through it quickly. The ending tho!
May 19, 2019
Well written, intriguing story.
The characters are beautifully developed. The plot keeps you guessing which characters are aligned with which group.
An enjoyable start to a captivating series.
I received a complimentary copy from VRO in return for an honest review.
The characters are beautifully developed. The plot keeps you guessing which characters are aligned with which group.
An enjoyable start to a captivating series.
I received a complimentary copy from VRO in return for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews