Immune

The Rho Agenda, Book Two

By: Richard Phillips

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Length: 15 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Anyone who dares challenge the Rho Project is being systematically picked off. At the top of the hit man’s death list: NSA fixer Jack Gregory, and the three teenagers who first exposed the Rho Project’s dark agenda to the world.

On the run for their lives, Heather, Mark, and Jennifer know that the Rho Project’s alien nano-technology has been released into the world, disguised as a miracle cure. But what they don’t yet know is that the serum has taken on a life of its own, modifying human DNA in a way that even its engineers cannot control - one that will alter the very fabric of humanity.

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

Brooke 2 as good as 1

This is Book 2 in the series and it was just as good as one in fact I have not read book 3 yet but it could stop right here and still be very good as a conclusion. And that's what I like in a sequel

Good read. Where is it gonna go next?

The story is good and suspenseful. Some of the characters are pretty disturbing but that's the same as the first book. I can't wait to listen to the next book.

great book>read with caution

There are several graphic descriptions of sadomasochistic rape scenes. I would not recommend for a teenager.

Odd story

Good story, gory though, at some point in writing the author must've been smoking crack. Overall it turns out to be pretty good.

An excellent continuation of book 1

Book 1 ended with Raúl missing and Heather lamenting that despite his mean act of drugging Mark's water, he didn't deserve what had happened to his family. In Book 2 we find out more about his whereabouts and, chillingly, about unbelievable torturous procedures he was forced to undergo. Procedures that would forever change his purpose in life ... and NOT in a good way.

While book 1 focused on the esoteric uses of the second ship's quantum entanglement technology, book 2 shifts its scientific focus to the gradual repair of the first ship and it's massive energy-demanding wormhole creation technology, along with the hint of the probable devastating effects with the outcome of creating an event horizon near Earth. Heady stuff.

We also find the teenage threesome gain more abilities as they continue the use of the mind-expanding headsets. This, to their dismay, gets them into unforeseen trouble with the rest of mundane society. Gee, who would'a thunk it?! We even find Jen ensnared with a Columbia drug lord and El Chupacabra.

Jack and Jill, erm, Jan find themselves hunted and on the run, keeping one step ahead of fatal encounters.

In the end, as he was being led away, Dr. Stephenson was over-heard mumbling, "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids"

Stand alone good

No real need to have read book 1 (The Second Ship), this stands on its own as a good story. You can really hate some characters and want to see the good guys prevail.

Exciting continuation, artfully narrated

THIS BOOK

This exciting Part 2 of the Rho Agenda series ups the ante for the three teenage protagonists and we follow them through a suspenseful web of lies and intrigue. Phillips draws the net more tightly around the three (and the world!) without giving himself leave to reinvent his universe - the suspense he masterfully built in Part 1 continues its hold and we remain on our toes.

As the series progresses and expands outwards from Los Alamos, the plot gets a little more cluttered with characters and scientific loops that are a little superfluous, a few plot points are developed but never picked up again. The timeline also introduces some slack, while we felt pushed through a tightly woven narrative arc in Part 1, Parts 2 and 3 suddenly allow world events to progress for weeks or even months without escalating our sense of urgency.

Nevertheless, Phillips always picks us up again and sweeps us into the whirlwind of the Rho Agenda - despite these moments of respite, this is a thoroughly suspenseful and charming tale, leaving the listeners (and the fate of the world) in the hands of three protagonists who are supremely likable and, in no small part because of their internal dynamics, never too dull or too perfect.

The narrator deserves tremendous praise for keeping the story as sharp, quick and warm as it is. Parts 2 and 3 challenge him to even greater range than Part 1 did (or any common audiobook would) and he excels at keeping us always at the crest of the story as it thunders through its countless different characters, locales and emotional peaks and valleys.

THE TRILOGY AND THE NARRATION

The Rho Agenda is a thoroughly enjoyable sci-fi trilogy - Richard Phillips succeeds in painting a sci-fi universe that is firmly anchored on earth and in its human protagonists and accordingly doesn't require an all-round suspension of disbelief from the reader. He sets the sci-fi parameters for his story early on and diligently sticks to them, resisting the temptation to constantly introduce new sci-fi "miracles" to toss around his characters. The human story and the political thriller may be instigated by input from another world, but they remain exactly that: a huy man story and a political thriller. With some cool sci-fi stuff going on.

The author switches between points of view more than a hundred times per book, but MacLeod Andrews narrates his way through these transitions seamlessly, taking the listener along with ease. We always know exactly where we are and who, out of the large ensemble of characters, we are currently with. The books give him a wonderful opportunity to show off his range, in terms of both voices and accents, and he brings its countless twists and turns to life masterfully, instilling the main characters with his characteristic humor and warmth. His voice grips us as tightly through the densely packed action and political intrigue as it charms us during the spells of the teenage life of our heros.

One additional point: I greatly appreciated that Phillips keeps the story at a very agreeable level of "clean" - he abstains from being gratuitously graphic in his characters' language or actions, but doesn't shy away from strong language, violence and even a little carnage when they are necessary. I enjoyed not feeling myself be dragged through gore and bodily fluids at every turn as is so easily the case in contemporary otherworldly fiction.

An amazing follow-up to the first book!

What did you love best about Immune?

The book follows the story where book 1 left off, and ends when you just want more! All 3 books are incredible well written, and the characters seems so real! The story is captivating, and in lack of a propper "page turner" expression for audiobooks I will have to call it a "sleep stealer", I can not tell you how many times I had to extend the sleep timer another 30 minutes :)

.....YA Sci-Fi Becomes Spy Thriller.....

Phillips takes the story in unexpected directions with this second book. While the first installment hits on all the Young Adult clichés, with the teens being smarter than everyone else, this book forces the protagonists to face the consequences of their secretive actions. They lie and people die. At about the halfway mark this becomes a spy thriller complete with corrupt politicians, manhunts, Colombian drug lords, and dread assassins with hearts of gold. I found the plot to be steady and exciting with a heavy does of Science Fiction technology extrapolation.

If there is fault to be found it is in the character motivation. It is typical of all novels that the heroes are in the center of all the action and this is no different. I understand how the kids would be excited and protective of their discovery that they consider to be their own private playground. At some point I expect them to grow a conscience and realize their selfishness and utter inadequacy to administer the other-worldly technology they now wield. One character, Jennifer, does undergo a major personality change, turning against the others, and I thought that this would be the impetus for some soul-searching revelation. But no. The trio of friends reunite with not so much as a hint of introspection. So this loose end just unravels, forgotten and ignored, at the end.

My critique is not that the characters do not develop. By the end of this book itc is clear that the three protagonists, Heather, Jennifer and Mark, are clearly changing; and not for the better. My critique is that the characters seem blind to their personality transformations and behave in a manner inconsistent with the way they have been portrayed. Perhaps this will all be resolved in the third volume. I think it far more likely that the story will again be carried away in the hurricane force of the strong plot and that the characters will be left flapping in the wind as an afterthought.

MacLeod Andrews is a good choice for this book. He seems to get the personality of each character as needed and keeps up with the story with an energetic delivery.

Too much of the kids

Have LOVED the books, this one the least. Still worth listening. It has an Excellent narrator.