The Second Ship

The Rho Agenda, Book 1

By: Richard Phillips

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1948, an alien starship crash-landed in the New Mexico desert and brought with it the key to mankind’s future. Code-named the Rho Project, the landing was shrouded in secrecy, and only the highest-ranking US government and military personnel knew it existed. Until now.

The US president is preparing to unveil one of the nation’s greatest secrets when three students stumble across the wreckage of a second ship outside of Los Alamos. With a single touch, the alien technology the government has spent untold resources trying to unlock is uploaded into the minds of three teenagers — teenagers who now know the frightening truth about the Rho Project.The battle for humanity has begun.

©2012 Richard Phillips (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Gets things going but ends abruptly

I really enjoyed everything about this but the ending. It leaves things hanging for the second book. No resolution to the story. I have been drawn into the story and the characters and am looking forward to the second book. Those meddlesome kids are trying to thwart the goings on of a mad scientist working on an alien space craft. Also Jack "the ripper" is getting the job done on some of the bad guys.

Well written but ultimately shallow Y.A. novel

Part of larger series that starts to feel aimless after the half-way point.

Characters are the rather 2 dimensional (sometimes only one) type found in a lot of young adult sci-fi / adventure stories.

In the end this book just sort of fizzles with little resolved. When will modern authors realize that even though they are writing for a series, any given installment needs it's own complete story arch? It's not enough to just stop writing with an implied "to be continued" after a certain number of chapters.

I'm not bothering with the rest of the series.

Screen Writers! Put this on the SciFi Channel

Good science; Great fiction; Engaging characters. Best of all, it's a Trilogy. Buy this book!

A very suspenseful book!

The Second Ship
The Rho Agenda, Book 1
By: Richard Phillips
Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
This book has everything a good sci-fi book needs. A space ship, teens that find it and keep it a secret, evil powers that be, powers enhance those exposed to the ship (the teens), and suspense never ends!!! There are so many side things going on that are also involved, all suspenseful too. This is one nail biter book!!!
The narration is perfect for this book! Not once did I stop to think that I was listening to a book, I felt I was watching a movie. Great job.

A Great book, A Great series.

I have listened to the whole series and other spin-off books. I would highly recommend all the books in this series. I now wait for anything new from this author and quickly pick it up and listen to it.

Intelligent non dystopian teen fiction

Not that I don't love dystopian teen fiction but this one breaks the mold with highly researched and intelligent writing. It's a fun read, intense and addictive. Highly recommend it

YA writing that no kid should read

Well, I fell into an Audible trap - bought books 2 and 3 on sale but I hadn't read book 1. I won't do that again. It's not that I hated these books, but had I listened to The Second Ship before I bought the next two, I wouldn't have bought the next two. Live and Learn.

Since I had all 3, I listened to the whole trilogy and it's not the worst I've ever heard but I did have some problems with it. Much of the writing and definitely all of the characterizations are standard YA. You have 3 SUPER SMART teens, 1 rogue Black Ops agent who might as well be Super Man (seriously - chiseled features, body like a brick house, flashing eyes - somehow with these stellar good looks, the guy is never recognized???), well-intentioned but completely oblivious parents, and a slew of evil scientists and government baddies. Oh yeah, also one intrepid reporter who goes so far beyond the call of duty that it isn't funny. The plot is a step above that with a lot of action, some pretty interesting and decent science, and quite a lot of suspense. However, the entire series is chalk full of sadists, psychopaths, rapists, and murderers and there are several scenes in each book of torture, kidnapping, rape, gang rape, and gruesome murders. Each of the books in this series made me feel like taking a shower when I finished because they pushed me past my disgust limit. Kind of a shame because I don't think that added anything to the story.

I've heard MacLeod Andrews perform better - I didn't think he added much or took much away from this book.

Most adults can probably handle the seamier parts of these books, but I would not recommend these for teens.

All in all pretty good.

The narrator was pretty solid. His character voices were subtle but helped distinguish between them.

The story and setup are compelling and enjoyable. The main characters were well written for the most part but sort of transparent/cliche. The book mostly sets up the universe so don't expect much in the way of storyline resolutions at the end. It reads almost like a comic book or something. Overall pretty fun and ill probably listen to more books set in the Rho universe.

Didn't live up to expectations

I bought this based on the positive reviews, and for me this didn't live up to what I'd read.

There is a very interesting premise here, but the story is let down by:

* one dimensional characters
* too many subplots
* too much exposition

The author doesn't write convincing teenage voices, doesn't create characters we can identify with or care about, and certainly doesn't know how to create strong female characters. Women in this story are either simpering housewives or seductive vixens. It really grated on me by the end.

I'm not sure I care enough about the characters to come back for more. I need a break from them at any rate,

Very good.

I read the book several years ago and I forgot how much I liked this series of books. Mr Andrews did a good job of bringing the characters to life.