The Kasari Nexus (REVIEW)

The Kasari Nexus

(The Rho Agenda Assimilation Book 1)

Author:  Richard Phillips
Category: Science Fiction, Sci-Fi Thriller

Suitable for: Adults

My Rating: 4 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 386

Description: This story takes off after the end of the third Rho Agenda book, "Wormhole." We are now seeing how the events in that story changed the world, politics, and our protagonists' lives. In this installment we watch the heroes struggling to stay alive.

In Short: The Rho Agenda series is really a top notch science fiction series. The technology is truly spectacular. This series on the whole is a really amazing one and should definitely be read in order and without gaps for the full effect.   

Pros: This book has the most amazing alien technology and physics. We also get to see alien worlds and even meet alien characters, which was really exciting. My favorite parts of this book were the ones about Jennifer and Raul who escaped on a spaceship and are now lost in space. Trekkies will really appreciate their journey. This book is very intelligently written, it makes the alien science and characters seem so believable. The books in this series have a ton of detail and an overwhelming cast of characters that make it a very rich story line. I look forward to seeing what exciting events will happen in the next book.

Cons: This book felt longer than it actually is. I think this is partially due to the perspective jumping around to not only key players but less important characters. One short scene is repeated twice from the perspective of two people next to each other, which was redundant. There are no real resolutions and in the end everything is still up in the air. Even in series books I like to see each book have a strong story and even though a lot happened I didn't feel like much was accomplished. Instead the story was more of just an ongoing struggle for the characters but I'm sure we will see them make and achieve more objectives in the next installment.

Parent's Guide:  Trigger Warnings: violence, torture, murder, gore, combat with guns and blades. 

I was given a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. 

Wormhole by Richard Phillips (REVIEW)

Wormhole (Rho Agenda #3)

Author: Richard Phillips

Category: Sci Fi

Suitable for: 18+

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 539

Description: In this action packed conclusion to the Rho Agenda series a black hole threatens to destroy the world. Our brave heroes plan their mission while the evil Dr. Stephenson attempts to finalize his mysterious master plan.

In Short: This is the best book of the Rho Agenda triology and an amazing conclusion to an awesome series. This deep, involved story has elements of not only Sci Fi but also mystery and romance. I was thoroughly engrossed in this book from page one and never wanted to put it down.

Pros: As you read this book you start to see how well planned out the whole story is as all the pieces fall into place. This book also stands alone better than the 2^nd book in the series. In one chapter the events leading up to this point are expertly summarized as an NSA agent puts the pieces together of her own investigation. If you haven’t read the first 2 books or have forgotten what happened that summary will get you caught up. The characters in this trilogy are well developed and the heroes likeable. Throughout this book series you see their unique personalities and abilities grow and evolve. I was especially thrilled when the alien back story was revealed. For the last 100 pages nothing could have gotten me to put the book down. I really didn’t know how it was going to end and there were so many possibilities that left me on the edge of my seat until the very end. This book is intelligently written like the previous two and the science elements are so well described that they are easily understandable and believable. I also appreciated that this book is much less gory and violent than the previous two.

Cons: I found no issues with this book. 

Immune by Richard Phillips (REVIEW)

Immune (Rho Agenda #2)

Author: Richard Phillips

Category: Sci Fi

Suitable for: Adults Only

My Rating: 4 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 613

Description: This book takes up right where first book in the series: The Second Ship leaves off. A Sci Fi tale set in modern day times where scientist have discovered a crashed alien space ship and are making the alien technology available for the public. This is a violent story of the people struggling to change the world and those trying to save it.

In Short: This book is the 2^nd book of the Rho Agenda trilogy. In this installment the teens begin to accept their obligation to help humankind and encounter many difficulties in their efforts to take down the bad guys. You also see the global effects of the discoveries of the spaceships and the subsequent releasing of the alien technology to the public.

Pros: Like the first book it is very intelligently written and well researched. With the author’s knowledge of the topics in the book and the way everything is worded you can very easily imagine everything. I really enjoyed the advancement of the heroes abilities and they way they use their abilities. In the last part of the book the action really begins to heat up and left me excited to find out what happens next.

Cons: This book is much darker than the first and a bit depressing to read. Our heroes suffer a lot of unfortunate events and you get no emotional payout when things go right until nearly the end of the book. The book is very long and a lot of it involves global political issues, conspiracies and violence which I generally find boring. It wasn’t drawn out even though it was long because a lot was happening it just wasn’t events that I enjoyed reading about. I also didn’t like the recurring theme of the bad-guy psychopath rapist mostly because I felt that whole conflict was getting redundant. Though there are no actual rape scenes it is implied. If violence/gore/torture is a nonstarter for you, you should definitely avoid this series.(trigger warning)

Note that: This book is not a standalone book and unless you read the first one before picking up this one you will be missing out on a lot of story and be pretty lost. 

Parents Guide: This book contains adult content, violence, gore and torture. 

The Second Ship by Richard Phillips (REVIEW)

The Second Ship (The Rho Agenda #1)

Author: Richard Phillips

Category: Sci Fi

Suitable for: Adults Only

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 445

Description: Three teens discover a space ship and are changed forever with a single touch of the alien technology. Together they are thrust into a violent world of secrets and conspiracy, becoming reluctant soldiers in a war destined to alter what it means to be human.

In Short: This is a magnificent sci fi book. A great twist on the classic ‘alien-crash’ story that is so full of action and intrigue you will never want to put it down.

Pros: This book is intelligently written and well researched. All of the science aspects are so well described that you will never be lost or confused. The combat scenes are smooth flowing and easy to follow. Everything is so well worded that it is even the alien aspects are believable and imaginable. You will find yourself completely immersed in this book. The story is fast paced and full of action. I was constantly on the edge of my seat. The character pool is vast and deep and the heroes likable.

I read some reviews complaining that the teenage heroes of the book are too much of ‘goody two-shoes’ and therefore unbelievable. I completely disagree. They aren’t your usual dumb rebellious teens because they come from very good homes and live in a science community (it reminds me of the show Eureka). Their natural intelligence is heightened by the alien technology and their desire to always do the right thing comes from them being good kids from good families. It’s refreshing to read a book where the teenagers aren’t overemotional and of below-average intelligence.

Cons: Though this book is a full length novel (at about 445 pages) I thought the place the book ended at was kind of weird. The ending didn’t have any sort of conclusion and you will have to read the entire series of 3 books to get the full story. I would have liked some partial/small resolution before the end. On the bright side, I can tell this is only the beginning of a long, action packed story.

Parent's Guide: This book contains violence, gore and torture.