In the world of war fiction—often populated by hardened soldiers, secret agents, and morally ambiguous generals—James Myles introduces a startlingly refreshing protagonist: a third-year medical student named Robyn Rowbotham. In his powerful novel Is It Ever Right to Kill?, Myles pushes past clichés and battlefield bravado to offer readers a gripping, morally complex narrative through the eyes of a young woman who refuses to look away when war hits home.
The story opens in London with an ordinary yet intimate moment—Robyn curled in bed with her boyfriend, Peter, a junior doctor recovering from the brutal hours of hospital life. But their peace is quickly shattered by a phone call from Kat, Robyn’s best friend and a Ukrainian refugee. The news is urgent and devastating: Russian forces have invaded Ukraine, and Kat’s parents are missing in the chaos of Kyiv.
What follows is not a retreat into helplessness but the awakening of a deeply moral and determined force in Robyn. While Peter urges reason and resignation—“It’s beyond our borders, beyond our influence,” he insists—Robyn cannot bear the passivity. Her response is neither reckless nor naive. She activates every contact, resource, and ounce of courage she has to find a way to help her friend and uncover the truth.
This is what sets Is It Ever Right to Kill? apart. It’s not just about bombs, bullets, and borders. It’s about ethical dilemmas, friendship, and the human heart under fire. It dares to ask difficult questions: Is it truly heroic to fight? Is violence ever justifiable in defense of the innocent? How far should we go to help those we love?
Myles’ storytelling excels by offering no easy answers. Instead, he presents a world where real choices hurt, where action demands sacrifice, and where the most courageous act is often deciding not to look away.
Robyn, with her sharp intellect and emotional depth, is a protagonist for a new generation—one who isn’t forged in military training camps, but in hospitals, lecture halls, and quiet moments of unwavering loyalty. Her mission is not glory; it’s compassion wrapped in fierce resolve. Her battlefield is not just Ukraine—it’s the moral terrain of doing what’s right in a world built on excuses.
In Is It Ever Right to Kill?, James Myles doesn’t just write about war—he writes about the war within. And in doing so, he crafts a deeply human story that lingers far beyond the final page. This novel is not just for fans of action and suspense; it’s for anyone grappling with what it means to be brave, loyal, and unshakably human.
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