Immune

Immune: Book Two of The Rho Agenda" by Richard Phillips

This second book of the Rho Agenda certainly kept my attention going at high speed. I suppose it could be read as a stand-alone, but because the story continues with no break and.to get a real feel of understanding where the story has been and how it got to where it is, I do recommend that the first book in the series be read before tackling this one. You will be very glad you did because it sets up and prepares you for everything that is about to come.

Picking up immediately from where "The Second Ship: Book One of the Rho Agenda" left off, "Immune: Book Two of the Rho Agenda" is much more active and serious. A roller-coaster ride of a lifetime with no tracks! What is your talent or show more special ability? Imagine if it was increased a thousandfold? This is one of the many facets of the book. What if you find out your enemy has also increased specialties a thousandfold? Although "Immune" is a much darker story than "The Second Ship", that darkness was carefully set up in the first book and follows through, building to threshold on threshold. There seems to be no stopping it. Hang on to your hats, everyone, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Our three teen protagonists, Heather, Jen and Mark, have become even more in control of and more adept at their exceptional talents. Their focus and brilliance is amazing, but still they maintain the usual ups and downs of normal teens. I found myself wishing I had the same power of speed reading as Mark, one of his newly learned abilities. The speed reading would have made it possible for me to read this book without stopping to eat or sleep. In fact, I did forget to eat, but sleep overtook me. Richard Phillips has an incredible way of bringing his readers right into the story, one can't help but be involved. What an encompassing book, what a fantastic series! Tender moments between heart-stopping terror; horror and conspiracy, but at the same time a bonding between friends; death and new life; all there and more. There are constantly new things discovered on the Rho Ship, but Jen has shut down the Second Ship to save it. Everything from drug lords to heroes to good and evil in high places, even good and evil between the two ships, and our young heroes are on the run.

New characters are introduced, some old and new characters disappear, "poof"! Emotional ups and downs are enough to keep any reader on his/her toes. This is one very gripping tale. The story is hungry, it wants all your attention and devours you. This book crosses so many genres, or what we may think of as genres, I believe Richard Phillips could write about anything and fascinate the reader! This series is an absolute winner! We're now left hanging, breathless, wondering what will come with the next book! One thing we know, it will pack a wallop.

My review on "The Second Ship: Book One of the Rho Agenda"
http://nightreader-blog.blogspot.com/2010/07/second-ship-book-one-of-rho-agenda-... show less

Better than the first book, because it's less young adult fiction, but in some places it almost goes too far to get away from it. Still, good sci-fi if a bit long winded and melodramatic (which is what made the first book feel YA)

Richard Phillips produced an amazing ‘Roswell’ science fiction thriller with ‘The Second Ship (The Rho Agenda)’ and he certainly did not disappoint with ‘Immune (Book Two of the Rho Agenda)’. I was on the edge of suspense while submersed in his created world as the story continues with Mark, Jen and Heather trying to expose what the Los Alamos Laboratory is attempting to release to the world, as being dangerous for the population. Along the way, the teens suffer their personal trials and the team sent in to investigate the National Laboratory is left on their own as many attached to them are killed. An investigative reporter becomes involved and leaks the information on the nano-serum and others meet tragic ends.

Phillips is show more phenomenal at adding in a few new characters, giving description of all things occurring and taking this story to another twisted, but enjoyable level. If you have an overly active imagination and find violence offensive, then I would suggest you pass as descriptions on some events are just enough to provoke the wildest imagination to take over. Yet for any sci-fi lover, or those that just love to read anything ‘alien’ related, this was amazing as it grips you immediately and the conspiracies unwrap and you find yourself rooting for the main characters to overcome! I am anxiously and impatiently awaiting ‘Wormhole’, the third in this wonderful series. show less

Diese und weitere Rezensionen findet ihr auf meinem Blog Anima Libri - Buchseele

Schon mit dem ersten Band von Richard Phillips „Rho Agenda“-Trilogie bin ich persönlich nicht so recht war geworden und konnte den Eindruck einfach nicht loswerden, dass es sich bei dem Roman lediglich um eine ausgedehnte Einleitung handelte. Trotzdem hatte es mir die Idee hinter der Serie irgendwie angetan und Hoffnungen auf einen „besseren“ zweiten Band waren daher definitiv vorhanden.

Leider hat sich auch „Rho Agenda: Immun“ von Richard Phillips für meinen Geschmack als eher mau herausgestellt. Mein größtes Problem dabei waren die Erzähler, die drei College-Kids, auf deren Schultern nun quasi das Schicksal der Menschheit ruht. Mit diesen show more Herrschaften bin ich leider überhaupt nicht warm geworden, sie sind mir immer und immer wieder als zu kindisch, zu pubertär, zu unreif für ihre Situation aufgefallen und waren durch dieses Verhalten leider auch auf Dauer ziemlich nervig.

Eigentlich war das auch schon mein einziges wirkliches Problem mit dem Roman, (fast) alle anderen, kleineren Unstimmigkeiten, über die ich in der Geschichte gestolpert bin, lassen sich auf dieses Hauptproblem zurück führen. Aber so ist das halt leider, wenn man mit den Protagonisten nicht warm wird, dann kann die Grundidee der Geschichte noch so gut sein, die Handlung auf einem noch so tollen Konzept aufbauen, wirklich gefallen wird einem das Buch eher nicht. Insgesamt driftete dieser Teil der Trilogie auch weiter in Richtung YA ab, als es im ersten Band der Fall war.

Das hing auch mit dem zweiten Problem zusammen, das ich mit dem Roman hatte, das sich ebenfalls auf die Charaktere bezieht. Denn leider waren für meinen Geschmack auch die Bösen in diesem Roman nicht wirklich nachvollziehbar, sie wirkten zu flach und zu konstruiert, sie fallen in diese Kategorie von Bösewichten, die einfach nur böse sind, weil die Geschichte jemand Böses brauchte, nicht weil sie ernsthafte, auf irgendeiner Ebene nachvollziehbare Motive haben, um sich gegen die „Helden“ der Geschichte zu stellen.

Alles in allem bin ich nach wie vor ein großer Fan der Idee hinter dieser Serie, kann aber auch beim zweiten Band nicht sagen, dass mir die Umsetzung wirklich gefallen hätte. „Rho Agenda: Immun“ von Richard Phillips ist okay, aber mehr leider auch nicht, Schuld daran sind vor allem die Figuren, mit denen ich persönlich nichts anfangen konnte und die der Geschichte damit auch sehr viel genommen haben. Schade! show less

Completely worth the somewhat painful first book. This one was dark, became much more serious and in depth with each page.

The author is finding himself and rooting this story out of his imagination to give us a much more solid tale then with the first book in the series Looking forward to Wormhole.

Hair and nails continued to grow long after a corpse was dead

That's where I gave up on reading (page 28). If the author can't be bothered to check his facts, I can't be bothered to read his ridiculous book. Science fiction can only be fun if you get the science part right.

A pretty good book that stands on its own. I'm really enjoying this series and this author. Reminds me a lot of Robert J. Sawyer.