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Vertical Run is a novel about a man having a very bad day. Dave is the vice president of a big company. He gets up, jogs to work, takes a shower in his office bathroom, gets dressed and finds everyone he knows trying to kill him.
Vertical Run provides examples of:[]
- Alternative Character Interpretation: Dave is either a good guy trying to avoid a bad past or a Complete Monster who has the perfect opportunity to let loose. In-Universe, Dave's actions in Vietnam can be be read as him being either a hero or a traitor. The other characters who are aware of Dave's history are divided.
- Bavarian Fire Drill: Played with. The Genre Savvy Mr. Ransome expects one, Dave changes his clothes and hair to help him with one, and it's almost mentioned by name. It's called a "Chinese Fire Drill".
- Big Applesauce: The setting.
- Big Bad: Mr. Ransome is not very nice.
- Berserk Button: Dave delivers a groin shot to Mr. Ransome with his handgun. It missed, but narrowly.
- Cluster F-Bomb: Mr. Ransome's reaction to almost having a bullet aerate his testicles.
- Et Tu, Brute? and Heroic BSOD: Dave has one when his wife betrays him.
- It's Personal: Dave's kids are not to be messed with.
- Laughing Mad: Dave experiences this.
- Must Have Caffeine: Dave
- The Stoic: Mr. Ransome watches people die and keeps the same expression.
- You Are a Credit to Your Race: Bernie's assessment of an earlier (unheard) interaction with Ransom's forces includes them saying, "Thanks, you're a good American. For a Jew, that is."