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Zer0es #2
Invasive
Michael Crichton meets Elon Musk in this gripping sci-fi tech thriller, set in the eye-opening, paranoid world of the electrifying Zeroes.
Hannah Stander is a consultant for the FBI—a futurist who helps the Agency with cases that feature demonstrations of bleeding-edge technology. It’s her job to help them identify unforeseen threats: hackers, AIs, genetic modification, anything that in the wrong hands could harm the homeland.
Hannah is in an airport, waiting to board a flight home to see her family, when she receives a call from Agent Hollis Copper. “I’ve got a cabin full of over a thousand dead bodies,” he tells her. Whether those bodies are all human, he doesn’t say.
What Hannah finds is a horrifying murder that points to the impossible—someone weaponizing the natural world in a most unnatural way. Discovering who—and why—will take her on a terrifying chase from the Arizona deserts to the secret island laboratory of a billionaire inventor/philanthropist. Hannah knows there are a million ways the world can end, but she just might be facing one she could never have predicted—a new threat both ancient and cutting-edge that could wipe humanity off the earth.
Hannah Stander is a consultant for the FBI—a futurist who helps the Agency with cases that feature demonstrations of bleeding-edge technology. It’s her job to help them identify unforeseen threats: hackers, AIs, genetic modification, anything that in the wrong hands could harm the homeland.
Hannah is in an airport, waiting to board a flight home to see her family, when she receives a call from Agent Hollis Copper. “I’ve got a cabin full of over a thousand dead bodies,” he tells her. Whether those bodies are all human, he doesn’t say.
What Hannah finds is a horrifying murder that points to the impossible—someone weaponizing the natural world in a most unnatural way. Discovering who—and why—will take her on a terrifying chase from the Arizona deserts to the secret island laboratory of a billionaire inventor/philanthropist. Hannah knows there are a million ways the world can end, but she just might be facing one she could never have predicted—a new threat both ancient and cutting-edge that could wipe humanity off the earth.
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 16, 2016
About the author
Chuck Wendig
182 books6,298 followersChuck Wendig is a novelist, a screenwriter, and a freelance penmonkey.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.
Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.
He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.
Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.
He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews
April 15, 2024
If you like Michael Crichton books I highly recommend Wendig's Invasive. Prepare to be creeped out by the most vicious of crawlers.
Recommend for a smart, high velocity (sci-fi/horror) page turner.
Recommend for a smart, high velocity (sci-fi/horror) page turner.
September 21, 2016
That's me on the left when I'm reading 90% of this book.
That's me on the right when
That's me on the right when
September 12, 2016
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/09/12/...
Around here, we get the worst infestations of odorous ants every year especially in the late summer. We’d see them swarming in these thick nasty black trails to get at anything sugary inside the house. They’re also impossible to get rid of because they form these huge multi-nest colonies in the suburbs, and no matter what you do they just keep coming back. Even worse, when you crush them, they give off this foul smell, hence their name. Some people say it stinks like rotten coconuts, but to me it smells a little like putrid lemon cleaner. Either way, it’s gross. Sometimes at night, when I’m lying in bed in the dark, I’ll feel an itch on my arm and reach down to scratch…only to feel my hand brushing against a tiny speck on my skin. I can’t see a thing, but when I bring my fingers up to my nose, sure enough, I’ll smell that horrible scent and know that one of those buggers had gotten under my blankets. I would become so disgusted and unnerved, that I imagine ants are crawling all over my body, and that feeling would keep me up for hours…
Anyway, thanks to Chuck Wendig, I now know what that awful sensation is called. I also wanted to preface my review with that story just to give you an idea of why this book worked so well for me. Seeing that it’s prime ant season right now, it probably wasn’t the wisest decision on my part to read Invasive, since it’s a sci-fi thriller about killer ants. But it definitely gave me the chills I was looking for!
Invasive introduces us to Hannah Stander, a futurist who speculates and makes predictions about the future based on studies about current trends. She is a frequent consultant for the FBI, helping them with cases that involve science and technology on the very forefront of development, which can include topics to do with anything from artificial intelligence to genetic modification. While waiting to board her plane home to visit her parents, she receives a phone call from Agent Hollis Copper about a possible crime scene in upstate New York. An unidentified man has been found in a cabin, stripped of all his skin, lying amidst the bodies of over a thousand dead ants. The circumstances surrounding the death are so strange, Copper admits that the FBI aren’t sure what to make of it just yet. Could Hannah maybe fly on over to check it out, shed some light on the situation?
What Hannah discovers is disturbing. With the help of her friend Ez Choi, an entomologist, they determine that the dead ants at the cabin are no ordinary species—they were bioengineered, deliberately created using the genetic building blocks from multiple types of ants. Hannah follows the clues to a biotech company owned by Icelandic billionaire philanthropist Einar Geirsson, located in Hawaii. Working on behalf of the FBI, she visits the laboratory, hoping to interview some of the scientists and do some poking around in order to figure out what exactly is going on.
While the story takes place in the same world as Zer0es, Wendig’s previous techno thriller about hackers and cybercrime, Invasive can be read entirely on its own without any prior knowledge. We have a new scenario, a new protagonist, and any references or links I found to Zer0es were minor and nonessential to the main plot—which I actually thought was one of this book’s biggest plusses. It’s true that I had some really mixed feelings about Zer0es, not to mention I disliked pretty much all the main characters in it. So I couldn’t have been happier with this fresh start.
For one thing, I loved Hannah as a protagonist. She’s complex, well-written, and sympathetic. Raised by parents who were diehard survivalists, Hannah grew up seeing the end of the world behind every corner. From a young age, she was taught the skills to prepare for any possible doomsday scenario. In spite of her upbringing though, or perhaps because of it, Hannah chose not to focus on the end, but instead decided to pursue a career related to studying the future. Her current relationship with her parents is complicated, strained. She maintains that human advancement will either lead us to great things, or destroy us all. As a character, Hannah is shaped by this duality, and it’s also a recurring theme that pops up throughout the novel.
The story is also tight, fast-paced, suspenseful. It’s very reminiscent of Michael Crichton, but Invasive also carries all the elements that make it a Chuck Wendig novel, with its dark humor, snappy dialogue, and hard action. I had a great time with this book, so much so that this might have just become my favorite work of his after his Miriam Black series. And if you know how much I love those books, you know I would not say something like that lightly.
So if you like the sound of a sci-fi suspense-thriller about technology and genetic engineering run amok, I highly recommend giving Invasive a look. Unless you have a fear of creepy-crawlies. This book could be a spine-chilling read at times. I mean, good thing the ants around here are more annoying than truly dangerous, or I’d be even more freaked out! Now excuse me while I go camp out in my bathtub with this can of Raid.
Around here, we get the worst infestations of odorous ants every year especially in the late summer. We’d see them swarming in these thick nasty black trails to get at anything sugary inside the house. They’re also impossible to get rid of because they form these huge multi-nest colonies in the suburbs, and no matter what you do they just keep coming back. Even worse, when you crush them, they give off this foul smell, hence their name. Some people say it stinks like rotten coconuts, but to me it smells a little like putrid lemon cleaner. Either way, it’s gross. Sometimes at night, when I’m lying in bed in the dark, I’ll feel an itch on my arm and reach down to scratch…only to feel my hand brushing against a tiny speck on my skin. I can’t see a thing, but when I bring my fingers up to my nose, sure enough, I’ll smell that horrible scent and know that one of those buggers had gotten under my blankets. I would become so disgusted and unnerved, that I imagine ants are crawling all over my body, and that feeling would keep me up for hours…
Anyway, thanks to Chuck Wendig, I now know what that awful sensation is called. I also wanted to preface my review with that story just to give you an idea of why this book worked so well for me. Seeing that it’s prime ant season right now, it probably wasn’t the wisest decision on my part to read Invasive, since it’s a sci-fi thriller about killer ants. But it definitely gave me the chills I was looking for!
Invasive introduces us to Hannah Stander, a futurist who speculates and makes predictions about the future based on studies about current trends. She is a frequent consultant for the FBI, helping them with cases that involve science and technology on the very forefront of development, which can include topics to do with anything from artificial intelligence to genetic modification. While waiting to board her plane home to visit her parents, she receives a phone call from Agent Hollis Copper about a possible crime scene in upstate New York. An unidentified man has been found in a cabin, stripped of all his skin, lying amidst the bodies of over a thousand dead ants. The circumstances surrounding the death are so strange, Copper admits that the FBI aren’t sure what to make of it just yet. Could Hannah maybe fly on over to check it out, shed some light on the situation?
What Hannah discovers is disturbing. With the help of her friend Ez Choi, an entomologist, they determine that the dead ants at the cabin are no ordinary species—they were bioengineered, deliberately created using the genetic building blocks from multiple types of ants. Hannah follows the clues to a biotech company owned by Icelandic billionaire philanthropist Einar Geirsson, located in Hawaii. Working on behalf of the FBI, she visits the laboratory, hoping to interview some of the scientists and do some poking around in order to figure out what exactly is going on.
While the story takes place in the same world as Zer0es, Wendig’s previous techno thriller about hackers and cybercrime, Invasive can be read entirely on its own without any prior knowledge. We have a new scenario, a new protagonist, and any references or links I found to Zer0es were minor and nonessential to the main plot—which I actually thought was one of this book’s biggest plusses. It’s true that I had some really mixed feelings about Zer0es, not to mention I disliked pretty much all the main characters in it. So I couldn’t have been happier with this fresh start.
For one thing, I loved Hannah as a protagonist. She’s complex, well-written, and sympathetic. Raised by parents who were diehard survivalists, Hannah grew up seeing the end of the world behind every corner. From a young age, she was taught the skills to prepare for any possible doomsday scenario. In spite of her upbringing though, or perhaps because of it, Hannah chose not to focus on the end, but instead decided to pursue a career related to studying the future. Her current relationship with her parents is complicated, strained. She maintains that human advancement will either lead us to great things, or destroy us all. As a character, Hannah is shaped by this duality, and it’s also a recurring theme that pops up throughout the novel.
The story is also tight, fast-paced, suspenseful. It’s very reminiscent of Michael Crichton, but Invasive also carries all the elements that make it a Chuck Wendig novel, with its dark humor, snappy dialogue, and hard action. I had a great time with this book, so much so that this might have just become my favorite work of his after his Miriam Black series. And if you know how much I love those books, you know I would not say something like that lightly.
So if you like the sound of a sci-fi suspense-thriller about technology and genetic engineering run amok, I highly recommend giving Invasive a look. Unless you have a fear of creepy-crawlies. This book could be a spine-chilling read at times. I mean, good thing the ants around here are more annoying than truly dangerous, or I’d be even more freaked out! Now excuse me while I go camp out in my bathtub with this can of Raid.
June 11, 2017
I thought it would be impossible to beat Zeroes' fast paced and action packed storyline but Invasive surpassed it by leaps and bounds! I was completely sucked in from the very first page and only found myself being more and more sucked in as it went along!
Wendig is truly a master storyteller, with every book I read by him I fall more and more in love with his writing and Invasive pushed that love to pure adoration. This story is truly brilliant, it's so intricate and spun together in a way that's really mind blowing!
Every time I thought I had something figured out, something new was revealed and completely changed the game! Twist after twist was thrown in and I loved every second of it! It made me feel like I was going through everything alongside Hannah and figuring it out as she was.
I thought the concept of the ants was both incredibly interesting and incredibly terrifying. I loved the way everything was explained, it could have been overwhelming trying to understand everything but Wendig does a fantastic job of explaining things in a very understandable and very interesting way! I also thought it was terrifying because it kind of seems like something that's totally plausible you know? I know I'll definitely never look at ants in the same way again...
Wendig is truly a master storyteller, with every book I read by him I fall more and more in love with his writing and Invasive pushed that love to pure adoration. This story is truly brilliant, it's so intricate and spun together in a way that's really mind blowing!
Every time I thought I had something figured out, something new was revealed and completely changed the game! Twist after twist was thrown in and I loved every second of it! It made me feel like I was going through everything alongside Hannah and figuring it out as she was.
I thought the concept of the ants was both incredibly interesting and incredibly terrifying. I loved the way everything was explained, it could have been overwhelming trying to understand everything but Wendig does a fantastic job of explaining things in a very understandable and very interesting way! I also thought it was terrifying because it kind of seems like something that's totally plausible you know? I know I'll definitely never look at ants in the same way again...
September 4, 2016
I am a fan of Wendig's Miriam Black series, but did not like the first book in this series. The second one had no real connection to the first, except science, but like Miriam Black, there was a strong female protagonist, Hannah Stander, an FBI consultant. Killer ants are developed, but by whom and for what purpose? Hannah herself is the product of survivalists, and is brought to a remote atoll in Hawaii, where she must match wits with hostile scientists and a billionaire. 3.5 stars.
February 3, 2017
"Invasive" is the second in Wendig's Zer0es trilogy(?). I really liked Zer0es and had hoped that this would bring that group of hacker misfits back for another adventure but that is not where this one takes us. Hollis Copper is back on duty with the FBI and there is a brief conversation with Wade, one of the Zer0es but we have a new Zer0e to meet.
Invasive introduces us to futurist Hannah Stander, contracted to the FBI to help with a strange case of murder. Agent Hollis Copper calls in Hannah to help understand how a body that has been stripped of it's skin, seemingly by tropical carpenter-type ants who are now all dead due to an overnight freeze, could possibly turn up in the woods of Northeastern US. Hannah comes to investigate and then enlists the help of her college buddy, Ez Choi, an entomology professor at the University of Arizona. Together they discover that these ants were genetically engineered and the markers found in these little monsters point to a lab run by a billionaire/philanthropist. The lab is located on an atoll off the coast of Kauai so Hannah heads to Hawaii to see if she can't get to the bottom of this mystery.
I liked this story quite a bit and experienced lots of formication while reading it. Yeah, formication. Look it up. Or better yet, read this book.
Invasive introduces us to futurist Hannah Stander, contracted to the FBI to help with a strange case of murder. Agent Hollis Copper calls in Hannah to help understand how a body that has been stripped of it's skin, seemingly by tropical carpenter-type ants who are now all dead due to an overnight freeze, could possibly turn up in the woods of Northeastern US. Hannah comes to investigate and then enlists the help of her college buddy, Ez Choi, an entomology professor at the University of Arizona. Together they discover that these ants were genetically engineered and the markers found in these little monsters point to a lab run by a billionaire/philanthropist. The lab is located on an atoll off the coast of Kauai so Hannah heads to Hawaii to see if she can't get to the bottom of this mystery.
I liked this story quite a bit and experienced lots of formication while reading it. Yeah, formication. Look it up. Or better yet, read this book.
January 3, 2018
Hugely entertaining and skin-creepingly chilly bug-invading thriller. Reminiscent in a good way of Crichton.
May 29, 2016
Factoid of the Day, brought to you by Chuck Wendig, author of Invasive: "Earth is home to more than twelve thousand species of ants." Sadly, there are only four species of anteaters.
Remember Isla Sorna, the deserted island located off Central America, in the Jurassic Park sequel? Invasive is a little bit The Lost World and a lot The Island of Doctor Moreau. Hybridized ants run amok. "But then later there's running and screaming."
If you love bent billionaires and demented scientists, go for it. You'll enjoy this creature double feature.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Remember Isla Sorna, the deserted island located off Central America, in the Jurassic Park sequel? Invasive is a little bit The Lost World and a lot The Island of Doctor Moreau. Hybridized ants run amok. "But then later there's running and screaming."
If you love bent billionaires and demented scientists, go for it. You'll enjoy this creature double feature.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2016
Between Ezekiel Boone’s The Hatching (my review) and, now, Chuck Wendig’s Invasive, this has been a pretty good summer for bug books! While the former concerned itself with the reemergence of an ancient spider species violently troubling mankind, Wending brings us a brand new strain of genetically modified ultra-violent ants.
Invasive opens with a brief definition of the word ‘formication,’ which is a sensation that feels like insects crawling over or under your skin. This is a good word to know because you’ll be feeling plenty of formication throughout the book, likely by chapter two.
Set in the world of Wendig’s prior novel, Zer0es (which, if you haven’t read, now is a good time to buy. It’s not completely necessary to this title’s narrative, but it is a damn fun read and worth checking out. Minor references are made to Zer0es, but this series seems to be building on a theme of hacking – first cyber hacking in the previous entry, and now bio-hacking with Invasive), Hollis Copper returns and recruits FBI futurist consultant, Hannah Stander, to investigate an unusual case: a cabin housing ten thousand dead bodies. One of them is human; the rest are ant corpses, but are the apparent cause of death for the victim in question.
What follows is a horrific technothriller that feels like the spiritual lovechild of Michael Crichton and The X-Files. While there are streaks of humor, Invasive is a fairly dark read, but it carries all the hallmarks of a big summer blockbuster, right down a gloriously large-scale action set-piece for the book’s second half. Hannah Stander is a terrific female heroine, and shines wonderfully as the book’s strong, central protagonist. I will admit, though, that I was more than a bit captivated by Ez Choi, an entomologist and friend of Stander brought in as a consult. She’s a fun, spunky, punky bug geek and I hope we get to see more of her in future books.
I’ve never been particularly phobic of ants before (I can’t say the same about spiders), and I find them to be rather intriguing little creatures. Wendig has me second-guessing myself just a bit now, though… He does capture their intriguing nature with some nicely done sciencey bits (it seems clear he did plenty of homework, and the book’s layman explanations of the more technical aspects of ant-life and genetic mucking about ring true enough to me), and the more graphic depictions of what these vicious colonies are capable of left with me more than a few uncomfortable sensations. Yes, it’s true – this book made me formicate.
[Note: I received an advance copy of this title for review from the publisher via Edelweiss.]
Invasive opens with a brief definition of the word ‘formication,’ which is a sensation that feels like insects crawling over or under your skin. This is a good word to know because you’ll be feeling plenty of formication throughout the book, likely by chapter two.
Set in the world of Wendig’s prior novel, Zer0es (which, if you haven’t read, now is a good time to buy. It’s not completely necessary to this title’s narrative, but it is a damn fun read and worth checking out. Minor references are made to Zer0es, but this series seems to be building on a theme of hacking – first cyber hacking in the previous entry, and now bio-hacking with Invasive), Hollis Copper returns and recruits FBI futurist consultant, Hannah Stander, to investigate an unusual case: a cabin housing ten thousand dead bodies. One of them is human; the rest are ant corpses, but are the apparent cause of death for the victim in question.
What follows is a horrific technothriller that feels like the spiritual lovechild of Michael Crichton and The X-Files. While there are streaks of humor, Invasive is a fairly dark read, but it carries all the hallmarks of a big summer blockbuster, right down a gloriously large-scale action set-piece for the book’s second half. Hannah Stander is a terrific female heroine, and shines wonderfully as the book’s strong, central protagonist. I will admit, though, that I was more than a bit captivated by Ez Choi, an entomologist and friend of Stander brought in as a consult. She’s a fun, spunky, punky bug geek and I hope we get to see more of her in future books.
I’ve never been particularly phobic of ants before (I can’t say the same about spiders), and I find them to be rather intriguing little creatures. Wendig has me second-guessing myself just a bit now, though… He does capture their intriguing nature with some nicely done sciencey bits (it seems clear he did plenty of homework, and the book’s layman explanations of the more technical aspects of ant-life and genetic mucking about ring true enough to me), and the more graphic depictions of what these vicious colonies are capable of left with me more than a few uncomfortable sensations. Yes, it’s true – this book made me formicate.
[Note: I received an advance copy of this title for review from the publisher via Edelweiss.]
August 22, 2016
4 Stars
Invasive by Chuck Wendig is a fun creature feature that is the perfect beach read for you this summer. What could be better than a second book about bugs after having read and enjoyed, Ezekiel Boone’s The Hatching. I went into this book not realizing that it was part of a series called Zeroes. Well, I am pleased to say that it did not even matter. Any references to the first book were lost on me as standard world building.
"“It’s not impossible. Earth is home to more than twelve thousand species of ants. If you weighed all the ants and all the humans, the ants would weigh more. We discover new ant species every year."
I love Chuck Wendig and I am a huge fan. As a result, I knew going into this one that I would have fun reading a fast paced thrill ride. Invasive comes across as Jurassic Park with ants instead of dinosaurs, but that really simplifies it. Although there is some science in the book, you cannot even classify this as a science fiction. Invasive is a story about genetics, greed, and guts. It features a brave female lead and is completed with not one, but two meglomaniacs.
I had fun with this story and as a result have given it higher marks. I highly recommend it for fans of bugs, of Wendig, and of the fun creature feature.
Invasive by Chuck Wendig is a fun creature feature that is the perfect beach read for you this summer. What could be better than a second book about bugs after having read and enjoyed, Ezekiel Boone’s The Hatching. I went into this book not realizing that it was part of a series called Zeroes. Well, I am pleased to say that it did not even matter. Any references to the first book were lost on me as standard world building.
"“It’s not impossible. Earth is home to more than twelve thousand species of ants. If you weighed all the ants and all the humans, the ants would weigh more. We discover new ant species every year."
I love Chuck Wendig and I am a huge fan. As a result, I knew going into this one that I would have fun reading a fast paced thrill ride. Invasive comes across as Jurassic Park with ants instead of dinosaurs, but that really simplifies it. Although there is some science in the book, you cannot even classify this as a science fiction. Invasive is a story about genetics, greed, and guts. It features a brave female lead and is completed with not one, but two meglomaniacs.
I had fun with this story and as a result have given it higher marks. I highly recommend it for fans of bugs, of Wendig, and of the fun creature feature.
June 12, 2020
3.5 Stars~
"If you want to be scared of anything, be scared of here and now. It's the present that's frightening. The future we can fix. If we want to. But we have to really want it. We can't just keep our heads down."
Invasive is the somewhat-sequel-but-not-really to Zer0es, a cyberpunk novel about hacker culture from the one and only Chuck Wendig. Invasive is set within the same world, and although a recurring character (Agent Hollis Copper) is seen here recovering from the events that took place in Zer0es, this is more of a spiritual sequel that doesn't follow the hacker storyline.
Nope, instead it's ants. MOTHER FUCKING MURDER ANTS!!
Ants are irritating, yeah? But there's also something innately interesting about them, as well. I mean.. the fact that male ants exist just to mate with the queen and pretty much die after is gnarly as fuck. Not only that, but it's more than a little badass that they can lift and carry something that is over three times its own weight. Now imagine a horde of ants and the damage they can do. Like kill someone. ::ahem::
The fuckers are itchy though. So itchy. I'm scratching my arms already thinking about them. Considering we are in the prime infestation period for ants around here, Invasive started calling to me and so here we are!
"Science is trumped by ignorance when the ignorant are given a vote."
FBI Agent Hollis Copper has recruited Hannah Stander, a futurist consultant, to come to central New York and work on a case. One that involves over a thousand dead bodies discovered inside a cabin on the lake. The victim is an unidentified man who was skinned and is surrounded by dead ants.
Raised by doomsday preppers, Hannah continues to fight against a possible apocalypse, working towards a future, rather than preparing for the end of times. Plagued with anxiety, amongst other things, our reluctant heroine finds herself as the worlds sole hope of survival.
"That’s why we gotta do good things now. Make good decisions. Try to move the rudder long before the boat ever gets near the iceberg, right?"
Creepy crawlies and gore and plausible science. Invasive entertainingly blends fact with fiction.
I'm a big fan of Chuck Wendig and beyond everything else that he writes, it is his female characters that especially shine for me. Hannah Stander is no exception! Flawed, intelligent and tough as nails. She's strong, yet damaged. The best are, aren't they?
Invasive is a twisty turny, blazingly paced, witty and gritty read. Although it isn't necessary to read Zer0es before tucking into this, the story builds in a more authentic future-fearing way. Invasive didn't quite do it for me as much as Zer0es, but it did give me wicked Crichton vibes. Not to mention The X-Files.. War of the Coprophages, anyone?!?
"If you want to be scared of anything, be scared of here and now. It's the present that's frightening. The future we can fix. If we want to. But we have to really want it. We can't just keep our heads down."
Invasive is the somewhat-sequel-but-not-really to Zer0es, a cyberpunk novel about hacker culture from the one and only Chuck Wendig. Invasive is set within the same world, and although a recurring character (Agent Hollis Copper) is seen here recovering from the events that took place in Zer0es, this is more of a spiritual sequel that doesn't follow the hacker storyline.
Nope, instead it's ants. MOTHER FUCKING MURDER ANTS!!
Ants are irritating, yeah? But there's also something innately interesting about them, as well. I mean.. the fact that male ants exist just to mate with the queen and pretty much die after is gnarly as fuck. Not only that, but it's more than a little badass that they can lift and carry something that is over three times its own weight. Now imagine a horde of ants and the damage they can do. Like kill someone. ::ahem::
The fuckers are itchy though. So itchy. I'm scratching my arms already thinking about them. Considering we are in the prime infestation period for ants around here, Invasive started calling to me and so here we are!
"Science is trumped by ignorance when the ignorant are given a vote."
FBI Agent Hollis Copper has recruited Hannah Stander, a futurist consultant, to come to central New York and work on a case. One that involves over a thousand dead bodies discovered inside a cabin on the lake. The victim is an unidentified man who was skinned and is surrounded by dead ants.
Raised by doomsday preppers, Hannah continues to fight against a possible apocalypse, working towards a future, rather than preparing for the end of times. Plagued with anxiety, amongst other things, our reluctant heroine finds herself as the worlds sole hope of survival.
"That’s why we gotta do good things now. Make good decisions. Try to move the rudder long before the boat ever gets near the iceberg, right?"
Creepy crawlies and gore and plausible science. Invasive entertainingly blends fact with fiction.
I'm a big fan of Chuck Wendig and beyond everything else that he writes, it is his female characters that especially shine for me. Hannah Stander is no exception! Flawed, intelligent and tough as nails. She's strong, yet damaged. The best are, aren't they?
Invasive is a twisty turny, blazingly paced, witty and gritty read. Although it isn't necessary to read Zer0es before tucking into this, the story builds in a more authentic future-fearing way. Invasive didn't quite do it for me as much as Zer0es, but it did give me wicked Crichton vibes. Not to mention The X-Files.. War of the Coprophages, anyone?!?
October 23, 2021
➙ 3¾⭐
➙ Narration 😀 = GOOD
➙ 🎙️Xe Sands
➙ Killer Ants🐜 heebee-jeebees like what
➙ Horror/Mystery/Thriller
➙ Possible Apocalypse???
If you’re wondering if you have to read the first book to know what’s going in this story...you don’t have to. In fact, they are really quite different from each other. The first book in the Zer0es series is about computer hackers and such and this one is about killer ants possibly taking over the world.
I feel the science part of this story was where it shined, the relationships and dialogue between the characters are where it fell apart for me, somewhat. On the one hand, the actions of the characters, especially the MC were rather impetuous but on the other, it was sorta fascinating and creepy to hear/read what these ants were capable of.
Xe Sands's narration is an acquired taste so to speak, I like her once I adjust to her...but I was lost as to whose head I was in constantly and it took me out of the story way too often.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 7.0/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 6.5
🅐tmosphere ￫ 7.5
🅦riting ￫ 7
🅟lot ￫ 7.5
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7.5
🅛ogic ￫ 7
🅔njoyment ￫ 6
➙ Narration 😀 = GOOD
➙ 🎙️Xe Sands
➙ Killer Ants🐜 heebee-jeebees like what
➙ Horror/Mystery/Thriller
➙ Possible Apocalypse???
If you’re wondering if you have to read the first book to know what’s going in this story...you don’t have to. In fact, they are really quite different from each other. The first book in the Zer0es series is about computer hackers and such and this one is about killer ants possibly taking over the world.
I feel the science part of this story was where it shined, the relationships and dialogue between the characters are where it fell apart for me, somewhat. On the one hand, the actions of the characters, especially the MC were rather impetuous but on the other, it was sorta fascinating and creepy to hear/read what these ants were capable of.
Xe Sands's narration is an acquired taste so to speak, I like her once I adjust to her...but I was lost as to whose head I was in constantly and it took me out of the story way too often.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 7.0/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 6.5
🅐tmosphere ￫ 7.5
🅦riting ￫ 7
🅟lot ￫ 7.5
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7.5
🅛ogic ￫ 7
🅔njoyment ￫ 6
October 16, 2016
Ed Yong recommended this book through his Twitter so I had to check it out.
As many others have said, this is quite reminiscent of a Michael Crichton novel, though I would say lighter on the detailed (some would say boring, but not me) information that was characteristic of his books.
I found the premise fascinating but thought it was too fast-paced. Things happened and then other things happened so fast, things were resolved; to me it didn't read as realistic. I thought the main character was interesting but the scene
Overall, a super-quick, entertaining read: a bit of mind-candy that's not super memorable.
As many others have said, this is quite reminiscent of a Michael Crichton novel, though I would say lighter on the detailed (some would say boring, but not me) information that was characteristic of his books.
I found the premise fascinating but thought it was too fast-paced. Things happened and then other things happened so fast, things were resolved; to me it didn't read as realistic. I thought the main character was interesting but the scene
Overall, a super-quick, entertaining read: a bit of mind-candy that's not super memorable.
September 26, 2016
A scary read with a vague recollection of The Island of Dr. Moreau and Michael Crichton's books
The author's writing is brilliant and with nice dark humor bits
I enjoyed the focus on survivalism theories a lot and above all .. I am glad to know I was right fearing ants, those little sneaky rascals!
I need to arrange an INCH* bag asap
*
December 18, 2016
Another creepy tale from Mr. Wendig that motors along at breakneck speed. I really enjoyed it. Full review to come.
June 2, 2018
If you’re planning to read this because it’s the sequel to Zeroes, be prepared to be disappointed. This has nothing to do with computer hackers. Nor is it as good a story.
This was more of a murder mystery/science/horror story based on genetic manipulation. It starts in the US where a body is found having had it’s skin removed. The trail quickly leads to the Hawaiian Islands and thats where our FBI consultant Hannah heads to...and this is my first problem with the story. She should have been an agent from some whacky division and not a consultant. I can’t see the FBI handing over the reigns to a consultant. My only other issue is a fact given in the story but then it contradicted itself .
Aside from those two points, it was a good story but not a great one. It was a tad formulaic and predictable but an easy read.
This was more of a murder mystery/science/horror story based on genetic manipulation. It starts in the US where a body is found having had it’s skin removed. The trail quickly leads to the Hawaiian Islands and thats where our FBI consultant Hannah heads to...and this is my first problem with the story. She should have been an agent from some whacky division and not a consultant. I can’t see the FBI handing over the reigns to a consultant. My only other issue is a fact given in the story but then it contradicted itself .
Aside from those two points, it was a good story but not a great one. It was a tad formulaic and predictable but an easy read.
June 13, 2019
I hate ants.
Every year, and it seems no matter what part of the country I live in, these evil creatures invade my home. They find every nook and every cranny and scurry looking for water or some little crumb to enjoy and bring back to their nest. They crawl over your skin with a slight tickle, and sometimes they bite you for the fun of it. Plus they smell an impossible to describe scent. Imagine putrid ammonia and lemon cleanser, and you have a general idea. They are everywhere, and there are 12,000 species in the world. They are a pest, a pestilence upon my household. This book takes my fear of ants and turns it up to 11.
You know how to take the whole idea of a swarming mass of black ants and make it worse. Make them poison you, cause anaphylactic shock, and then cut bits and pieces of your skin off and leave your insides facing the outside while still alive. That's how you make it worse.
Chuck Wendig, you are a maniac.
I thought The Hatching was terrible for the pure creepy crawlies, nope. Spiders have nothing on killer ants. Not only has Wendig provided a genuine and visceral fearscape to set his imagination wild in, but he also did that with fantastic characters, pacing, and lead heroine.
The story stars Hannah Stander. She reminds me of a grittier version of Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs. She is smart, capable, and tough FBI agent working a murder investigation. Where I think Wendig soared with her character is that she is not two dimensional. No person is hardened all the time. Hannah has moments of weakness and guilt, which makes her character more realistic and empathetic. The supporting characters, although not as fleshed out as Hannah, add a great dimension to the story through the various interactions with Hannah. You want her to succeed in her quest to discover the truth and survive, but as a reader, you are curious to the going-ons of all the supporting characters.
This is a character-heavy story. Because of the development of the characters, the setting and worldbuilding are not as comprehensive as the character creation, and frankly, it doesn't need to be. Think Jungle. Think tropical. Think medical/scientific compound where experiments are created and carried out, and you have the gist.
Hannah is speculating about a homicide in upstate New York. The victim is found stripped of all skin and laying in a pile of thousands of dead ants. The death is strange and sparks the intrigue of Hannah. Through a series of logical leaps, Hannah finds herself at a research compound of an eccentric billionaire that studies insects. From there the story becomes a fast-paced thriller full of survival, both of Hannah and the humans as a species. It bounces from scene to scene, keeping the reader on edge with the tight storytelling.
This is an exhilarating and exciting read that had me feeling phantom tickles on my cheek after reading. If you are a fan of the creepy crawlies, this is for you.
Every year, and it seems no matter what part of the country I live in, these evil creatures invade my home. They find every nook and every cranny and scurry looking for water or some little crumb to enjoy and bring back to their nest. They crawl over your skin with a slight tickle, and sometimes they bite you for the fun of it. Plus they smell an impossible to describe scent. Imagine putrid ammonia and lemon cleanser, and you have a general idea. They are everywhere, and there are 12,000 species in the world. They are a pest, a pestilence upon my household. This book takes my fear of ants and turns it up to 11.
You know how to take the whole idea of a swarming mass of black ants and make it worse. Make them poison you, cause anaphylactic shock, and then cut bits and pieces of your skin off and leave your insides facing the outside while still alive. That's how you make it worse.
Chuck Wendig, you are a maniac.
I thought The Hatching was terrible for the pure creepy crawlies, nope. Spiders have nothing on killer ants. Not only has Wendig provided a genuine and visceral fearscape to set his imagination wild in, but he also did that with fantastic characters, pacing, and lead heroine.
The story stars Hannah Stander. She reminds me of a grittier version of Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs. She is smart, capable, and tough FBI agent working a murder investigation. Where I think Wendig soared with her character is that she is not two dimensional. No person is hardened all the time. Hannah has moments of weakness and guilt, which makes her character more realistic and empathetic. The supporting characters, although not as fleshed out as Hannah, add a great dimension to the story through the various interactions with Hannah. You want her to succeed in her quest to discover the truth and survive, but as a reader, you are curious to the going-ons of all the supporting characters.
This is a character-heavy story. Because of the development of the characters, the setting and worldbuilding are not as comprehensive as the character creation, and frankly, it doesn't need to be. Think Jungle. Think tropical. Think medical/scientific compound where experiments are created and carried out, and you have the gist.
Hannah is speculating about a homicide in upstate New York. The victim is found stripped of all skin and laying in a pile of thousands of dead ants. The death is strange and sparks the intrigue of Hannah. Through a series of logical leaps, Hannah finds herself at a research compound of an eccentric billionaire that studies insects. From there the story becomes a fast-paced thriller full of survival, both of Hannah and the humans as a species. It bounces from scene to scene, keeping the reader on edge with the tight storytelling.
This is an exhilarating and exciting read that had me feeling phantom tickles on my cheek after reading. If you are a fan of the creepy crawlies, this is for you.
October 11, 2020
After finishing Wendig’s Zeroes, I saw there was a second book so I downloaded it right away and jumped in. I was prepared for the fact that it wasn’t really a sequel to Zeroes other than that a couple of the characters were just secondary characters. We have a new main character, Hannah, an FBI consultant and Futurist, whom I did really enjoy. Great kickass heroine!
What I didn’t know, at all, was what this book was about. If I’d been smart I may taken a closer look at the cover of the book, and the title.
Ants... This story is about end of the world apocalyptic, invasive killer ants!! Last night when I was finishing up the book, I kept seeing things out of the corner of my eye; on my bed, on my nightstand, on my arm... I’d feel little tickles on my leg, on my hand, on my face... There was nothing there, of course, but this story was seriously messing with my subconscious.
Well done, Mr. Wendig! I will never again be able to look at an anthill or another ant without thinking about this book.
What I didn’t know, at all, was what this book was about. If I’d been smart I may taken a closer look at the cover of the book, and the title.
Ants... This story is about end of the world apocalyptic, invasive killer ants!! Last night when I was finishing up the book, I kept seeing things out of the corner of my eye; on my bed, on my nightstand, on my arm... I’d feel little tickles on my leg, on my hand, on my face... There was nothing there, of course, but this story was seriously messing with my subconscious.
Well done, Mr. Wendig! I will never again be able to look at an anthill or another ant without thinking about this book.
March 27, 2017
Holy crazy cow, Batman. This book was crazy good. And that's besides the freaky ant drawings crawling all over the pages in the book. Nessa has formication: the sensation that ants or other insects are crawling on one's skin. Yeah. I haven't read a good science fiction Crichton-esk book since well, Crichton. And this is book 2! How did I miss reading book 1!?! So guess what, that is next on my reading list. Thanks Goodreads. I would tell you more about this book but that would ruin it. So read it now before all the bugs wake up for Spring time. Go. Now. Before it gets really buggy out there...
March 11, 2023
I went into this with the expectation it was a sequel to Zer0es, but my expectations were a bit off. I’d hoped it might be another book about hackers as I’d really enjoyed Zer0es, and I suppose perhaps it was, just not the same sort I’d expected. But Wendig successfully won me over to the story he’d written instead of the story I’d expected and I ended up really enjoying it. Granted, there were many similarities between this series and the Wanderers series. It almost felt as if this series were a dry-run for Wanderers, testing out different ideas before committing to that longer format, or as if when he finished this one he thought there was more potential in the same concepts and wanted something a bit bigger, a bit more involved, so he took the best ideas from Zer0es and Invasive, mashed them together and added quite a bit more, then wrote Wanderers. I’ve no clue if any of that is true, and even if it was just a dry-run, it was a darn good one.
September 12, 2019
More of a 3.5/5 star book. At times it's reminiscent of classic Michael Crichton, at other times it dives into cheezy b-movie action. An interesting take on man vs. nature and new creepy-crawly star, but the story just bogs down after page 200 and the ending doesn't get there soon enough. Enjoyable read, but could have been better.
December 26, 2019
This is plausibly terrifying. I read it in two days, couldn’t put it down. Genetically modified killer ants swarming a whole island is the stuff of nightmares.
October 31, 2016
I had a wedding to attend last weekend, well, weekend before last now. The missus asked me to pick out a book to listen to that we'd both enjoy. She really stressed the WE part of that statement.
I'll add that the wedding was in this teeny little place outside of Nashville and it was going to be a trip of several hours. Our GPS immediately decided we needed to get off the interstate and travel by means of back roads. The trip was scary as hell.
One, the wedding was on a Sunday, and during our 3 and a half hour trip (one way) we probably passed half a dozen cars. Seriously, there was NO ONE on the road. It was just us and the wilderness for hours. If ever there was a time or place to have the car break down and us walk for miles to find a house (full of serial killers) to get help from - it was on this trip.
Two, we had this book as our entertainment.
Chuck Wendig has written some of my favorite books in the past several years in his Miriam Black Urban Fantasy trilogy. I loved it so much that I've pretty much included him on a very short list of authors that I'll read regardless of the subject matter of the book being released. If Chuck decided to write a novel about a sentient leaf reflecting on it's life as it's being eaten by a caterpillar, I'd read it unquestioningly.
So, much to my surprise, I got a pretty standard techno-thriller. A good techno-thriller, but not quite what I wanted. The plot itself was fine, what was lacking was the batshit insane protagonist I was expecting. Miriam Black was so... I dunno, in your face. Even Mookie from the Blue Blazes novel was incredibly memorable. The protagonist here, she was just a normal (for a novel) human.
Count me as bummed.
As it was, I just had to suck it up and enjoy the book for what it was, which, like I said before, was a fine thriller about genetically modified ants on a killing spree.
The wedding was beautiful, the drive back, in the dark, was even more harrowing. But rest easy, we made it.
Here, we get an FBI consultant who more or less has all their shit together. Yes, there is a terrible past they are dealing with, but this is someone way too well-adjusted to carry a Wendig book, in my opinion.
I'll add that the wedding was in this teeny little place outside of Nashville and it was going to be a trip of several hours. Our GPS immediately decided we needed to get off the interstate and travel by means of back roads. The trip was scary as hell.
One, the wedding was on a Sunday, and during our 3 and a half hour trip (one way) we probably passed half a dozen cars. Seriously, there was NO ONE on the road. It was just us and the wilderness for hours. If ever there was a time or place to have the car break down and us walk for miles to find a house (full of serial killers) to get help from - it was on this trip.
Two, we had this book as our entertainment.
Chuck Wendig has written some of my favorite books in the past several years in his Miriam Black Urban Fantasy trilogy. I loved it so much that I've pretty much included him on a very short list of authors that I'll read regardless of the subject matter of the book being released. If Chuck decided to write a novel about a sentient leaf reflecting on it's life as it's being eaten by a caterpillar, I'd read it unquestioningly.
So, much to my surprise, I got a pretty standard techno-thriller. A good techno-thriller, but not quite what I wanted. The plot itself was fine, what was lacking was the batshit insane protagonist I was expecting. Miriam Black was so... I dunno, in your face. Even Mookie from the Blue Blazes novel was incredibly memorable. The protagonist here, she was just a normal (for a novel) human.
Count me as bummed.
As it was, I just had to suck it up and enjoy the book for what it was, which, like I said before, was a fine thriller about genetically modified ants on a killing spree.
The wedding was beautiful, the drive back, in the dark, was even more harrowing. But rest easy, we made it.
Here, we get an FBI consultant who more or less has all their shit together. Yes, there is a terrible past they are dealing with, but this is someone way too well-adjusted to carry a Wendig book, in my opinion.
September 14, 2016
Terrific. Wendig has a way with words, which is not to say that his writing is delicate and lovely, but that it's very inventive, specific and filled with vitality.
As high-tech thrillers go, this one centers on bio-tech: someone had genetically engineered an ant that swarms people and kills them. The book never cheats on the science and isn't afraid to go large-scale with the implications. It's fun. I suspect I would have enjoyed it more if I thought ants are creepy or whatever but I haven't grown up around fire ants or crazy ants.
I haven't read the first book in the series, but that wasn't a problem.
As high-tech thrillers go, this one centers on bio-tech: someone had genetically engineered an ant that swarms people and kills them. The book never cheats on the science and isn't afraid to go large-scale with the implications. It's fun. I suspect I would have enjoyed it more if I thought ants are creepy or whatever but I haven't grown up around fire ants or crazy ants.
I haven't read the first book in the series, but that wasn't a problem.
March 19, 2023
I didn't even realize that Invasive is the 2nd in a series, but I don't think its too problematic, maybe a bit more attachment to the MC? I'm more concerned that I hadn't actually read any Wendig fiction before, I've read many of his blog posts and maybe his 'on-writing' book (even that I'm not sure its not coming up on my Goodreads)
Invasive is a strange book, the blurb sets it up pretty well - but in practice it kinda feels like a genre hopper, but perhaps in a good way. It' hard to explain without spoilers but here goes.
e.g. the first sequence is very much classic FBI murder mystery territory. However the next moments of the book which detail the MC visiting the billionaires island are sort of comedic with very Glass Onion vibes (Invasive was written well before and I almost wonder if inspired Glass Onion) then you get a kind of sci-fi horror until finally back to a more classic investigation ending.
If the idea of shifting tensions and crazy ideas appeals then this book is for you! I admit its not exactly my cup of tea but more just a personal preference thing.
What I did really like is the skilful juxta-positioning of the MC's troubled history with her parents and the challenges in the present, usually I find authors handle this very clumsily (e.g. either the MC has a generic trauma history or over the top co-incidences with the present case).
Final thoughts not sure if I'm a prude, but why did the MC have sooo much sexual chemistry with it seemed every other character they encountered? Like maybe 2 of the hookups made sense but seemed like everyone got at least a kiss???
Invasive is a strange book, the blurb sets it up pretty well - but in practice it kinda feels like a genre hopper, but perhaps in a good way. It' hard to explain without spoilers but here goes.
e.g. the first sequence is very much classic FBI murder mystery territory. However the next moments of the book which detail the MC visiting the billionaires island are sort of comedic with very Glass Onion vibes (Invasive was written well before and I almost wonder if inspired Glass Onion) then you get a kind of sci-fi horror until finally back to a more classic investigation ending.
If the idea of shifting tensions and crazy ideas appeals then this book is for you! I admit its not exactly my cup of tea but more just a personal preference thing.
What I did really like is the skilful juxta-positioning of the MC's troubled history with her parents and the challenges in the present, usually I find authors handle this very clumsily (e.g. either the MC has a generic trauma history or over the top co-incidences with the present case).
Final thoughts not sure if I'm a prude, but why did the MC have sooo much sexual chemistry with it seemed every other character they encountered? Like maybe 2 of the hookups made sense but seemed like everyone got at least a kiss???
November 14, 2016
I'm a fan of both Wendig's Miriam Black and Mookie Pearl series, so I thought I was going to love this book. And I didn't. Which made my purchase of it in hard cover insult to injury.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book. Wendig's writing flows and he knows what he's doing when he constructs his words into sentences and his sentences into paragraphs. For me, because I expected something like the Miriam Black or Mookie Pearl experiences, this was like biting into what I thought was a juicy steak and realizing it was well done. What I love about Wendig's stories are their raw quality. This felt like a super-edited and stilted version of an original thought. I have to wonder if his editor pressured him to make it more palatable to mainstream readers.
My biggest beef with the novel, however, was Wendig's decision to make the main character -- a ballsy-but-anxiety riddled FBI agent -- sleep with the guy she was investigating at their first meeting. It felt like such a break from character, and did absolutely nothing to further the plot, so my reaction was
I'll continue to read Wendig, but I'll be a bit more careful about researching the storyline before I buy another hard cover.
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14224261
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book. Wendig's writing flows and he knows what he's doing when he constructs his words into sentences and his sentences into paragraphs. For me, because I expected something like the Miriam Black or Mookie Pearl experiences, this was like biting into what I thought was a juicy steak and realizing it was well done. What I love about Wendig's stories are their raw quality. This felt like a super-edited and stilted version of an original thought. I have to wonder if his editor pressured him to make it more palatable to mainstream readers.
My biggest beef with the novel, however, was Wendig's decision to make the main character -- a ballsy-but-anxiety riddled FBI agent -- sleep with the guy she was investigating at their first meeting. It felt like such a break from character, and did absolutely nothing to further the plot, so my reaction was
I'll continue to read Wendig, but I'll be a bit more careful about researching the storyline before I buy another hard cover.
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14224261
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2016
I was fortunate enough to get an advance proof of this book (thanks Tor!), and devoured it over the course of a couple days.
Set in the same world as his previous thriller Zer0es, with FBI agent Hollis Copper returning in a supporting role, this thriller could perhaps be summed up as Michael Crichton by way of GMO ants -- the Jurassic Park influence is obvious, and Wendig even lampshades it at one point -- but the underlying message and themes of Crichton's work are not the same as Wendig's.
Where the book really shines -- in another departure from the inevitable comparison -- is in the protagonist. Where Zer0es stumbled a bit because of multiple viewpoints, this one is much tighter, and we only occasionally get outside Hannah's point of view. Wendig excels at developing compelling main characters with complex personalities. Miriam Black. Atlanta Burns. And now Hannah Stander.
If you are a fan of Wendig's work, you will find this to be right up your alley. If you haven't encountered him before, this would be a great introduction.
Set in the same world as his previous thriller Zer0es, with FBI agent Hollis Copper returning in a supporting role, this thriller could perhaps be summed up as Michael Crichton by way of GMO ants -- the Jurassic Park influence is obvious, and Wendig even lampshades it at one point -- but the underlying message and themes of Crichton's work are not the same as Wendig's.
Where the book really shines -- in another departure from the inevitable comparison -- is in the protagonist. Where Zer0es stumbled a bit because of multiple viewpoints, this one is much tighter, and we only occasionally get outside Hannah's point of view. Wendig excels at developing compelling main characters with complex personalities. Miriam Black. Atlanta Burns. And now Hannah Stander.
If you are a fan of Wendig's work, you will find this to be right up your alley. If you haven't encountered him before, this would be a great introduction.
December 5, 2017
I’ve been enjoying the hell out of this super-fun summer read. It’s completely un-put-downable. A truly thrilling thriller, it’s got a badass female protagonist—and plenty of other awesome female characters—as well as demon ants, spiders, potential conspiracies, flashbacks, dramatic weather, a coral atoll, and so much more.
Basically, it’s everything you want in a gripping read.
I was up for three hours in the middle of the night reading it this week, which is not great for actual resting, but was very fun and indulgent. If you’re up for a whiz-bang action book, this is it!
Basically, it’s everything you want in a gripping read.
I was up for three hours in the middle of the night reading it this week, which is not great for actual resting, but was very fun and indulgent. If you’re up for a whiz-bang action book, this is it!
July 10, 2019
This had a really interesting premise and protagonist, but I felt there were definitely some plot holes and unnecessary situations. Also way too often when someone was asked a question like "Did you do this?" instead of saying "yes" like a normal person, they would say "I did". It drove me bonkers on audiobook.
September 21, 2016
An enjoyable, engaging Michael Crichton-esque thriller. A quick read that will leave your skin crawling!
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