What do you think?
Rate this book
Robin Hood Hacker #2
Cipher
The Hidden Hand has struck again, this time with a weaponized Influenza virus set to kill over a quarter of the world's population. Can the Robin Hood Hacker and her FBI boyfriend find the cure before countless millions die? From Mardi Gras to the Buckingham Palace and the Berlin Wall, our heroes lives hang in the balance.
286 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2013
12 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn McCray
136 books336 followersThis is a pen name of Goodreads author Cristyn West.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 26, 2013
Cipher and Encrypted are very much the same book with the same goal against the same villain. Replace "plague" with "influenza" and "art" with "music" and there is very little difference in the general plot. The hidden hand are up to their usual "take over the world" tactics and the Robin Hood Hacker with her team are using 007 gadgets to stop it from happening. One of the things that I find lacking in this book over Encrypted is there is less hacking and deciphering code and more action with the hope of romance. I would not be so down on this book if it was a standalone book, but putting it next to its predecessor, it is like a mirror image with a few smudges.
That all being said, the weapons in this book were pretty thought out (even though overused) and the defences the Hidden Hand have in their base were neat ideas, like nanobots. The book itself was as well written as Encrypted with the same fun and Quirky personalities. Always in immediate danger, the action didn't really slow down. Even when it was about to slow down for something romantic or emotional, it doesn't go through with it and jumps right back to the action. While waiting for the next one in the series I am thinking about giving another Carolyn McCray book a try because I do like the way she makes everything real in the way she words it. While I recommend Encrypted a lot more than this one, this is not a bad story and the ending will have you anxious for the next one.
That all being said, the weapons in this book were pretty thought out (even though overused) and the defences the Hidden Hand have in their base were neat ideas, like nanobots. The book itself was as well written as Encrypted with the same fun and Quirky personalities. Always in immediate danger, the action didn't really slow down. Even when it was about to slow down for something romantic or emotional, it doesn't go through with it and jumps right back to the action. While waiting for the next one in the series I am thinking about giving another Carolyn McCray book a try because I do like the way she makes everything real in the way she words it. While I recommend Encrypted a lot more than this one, this is not a bad story and the ending will have you anxious for the next one.
July 31, 2017
So we are back with Zach and Ronnie as they fight the Hidden Hand, that's using influenza to kill people, since the plague didn't work. Now, instead of going around burning paintings to get clues, they are going around burning paintings, music sheets and statues. The gadgets they use are even crazier than in the previous book, and completely cross the line into sci-fi stuff. The whole thing felt almost like a repetition of the previous book. It does its job by making you keep reading, trying to see what's going to happen next, but there's stuff that doesn't make much sense, especially at the end. This is another one of those books that you will enjoy, as long as you don't try to get reason or logic involved.
August 2, 2013
I’s the sequel toMcCray's Encrypted. It still has as much action as a thriller junkie could ask for. People who read Encrypted will see similar plot line (really too much so) and a lot of familiar faces and things.
Our heroes are back, this time searching for more ancient symbols that will lead them to a cure for a deadly strain of flu (instead of Encrypted’s Black Death). The Hidden Hand is chasing them again, and the team uses even more of its electronic magic to research, have close calls, kill, and maim. The body count is up substantially from the first book. Once again, it has to destroy precious places and things to do so.
Like Encrypted, it moves with great speed through the world -- from a high security prison to the Mardi Gras to a Mozart’s museum in Austria to a uberhacker’s lair in to Bahrain to Buckingham Palace to a concert hall in Vienna to a Lady Gaga concert in Greece to the Hide Hand headquarters to the German chancellery, where they find betrayal. Telling ;much of anything that happened at those locations would be serious spoilers.
Our old friends: superhackers Ronnie and Quirk, FBI agent Zach, and Pilot (just Pilot), who seems to be able to fly anywhere on any aircraft and under any conditions are back. There’s a repeat performance from Amanda, the scientist with a direct line to the president. She is leading a CDC team on a secret island that again is fighting to find a a cure from the laboratory She even gets off the island for a firefight. A CIA agent introduced in Encrypted plays a much stronger role. We pick up an MI5 agent. And a new villain, nastier than the first. He develops a fascinating relationship with our crew.
AfterIt Encrypted; is far from oeiginalit fact, iBut it’s still a good read.
The third and final book is Code. You can buy it individually or as part of a collection that also includes two “bridge” stories. An epilogue is practically a story in itself. You’re much better off reading Encrypted first. You could start with this book, but it will take you awhile to figure out the backstory.
Best may be to download Amazon's sample of three chapter sample of Encrtyted to see if you like the style.If you do, then buy the triology.
Our heroes are back, this time searching for more ancient symbols that will lead them to a cure for a deadly strain of flu (instead of Encrypted’s Black Death). The Hidden Hand is chasing them again, and the team uses even more of its electronic magic to research, have close calls, kill, and maim. The body count is up substantially from the first book. Once again, it has to destroy precious places and things to do so.
Like Encrypted, it moves with great speed through the world -- from a high security prison to the Mardi Gras to a Mozart’s museum in Austria to a uberhacker’s lair in to Bahrain to Buckingham Palace to a concert hall in Vienna to a Lady Gaga concert in Greece to the Hide Hand headquarters to the German chancellery, where they find betrayal. Telling ;much of anything that happened at those locations would be serious spoilers.
Our old friends: superhackers Ronnie and Quirk, FBI agent Zach, and Pilot (just Pilot), who seems to be able to fly anywhere on any aircraft and under any conditions are back. There’s a repeat performance from Amanda, the scientist with a direct line to the president. She is leading a CDC team on a secret island that again is fighting to find a a cure from the laboratory She even gets off the island for a firefight. A CIA agent introduced in Encrypted plays a much stronger role. We pick up an MI5 agent. And a new villain, nastier than the first. He develops a fascinating relationship with our crew.
AfterIt Encrypted; is far from oeiginalit fact, iBut it’s still a good read.
The third and final book is Code. You can buy it individually or as part of a collection that also includes two “bridge” stories. An epilogue is practically a story in itself. You’re much better off reading Encrypted first. You could start with this book, but it will take you awhile to figure out the backstory.
Best may be to download Amazon's sample of three chapter sample of Encrtyted to see if you like the style.If you do, then buy the triology.
October 27, 2013
Enjoyable enough read but if you are going to use an iconic location like Buckingham Palace for a major scene at least look at a map first and make it credible. Jumping out of a window in the palace you would not land in the Thames or anywhere near Big Ben. At least not without superhuman powers. Lack of attention to detail make this book annoying. Further it really is too much of a rehash of the prior book in the series. Fun read but could have been better had more care been taken in the writing.
The author comes across as someone who has never been to the places she writes about and unfortunately that hurts the story a lot. In one chapter at the Berlin airport we are supposed to believe that the TSA are providing the security. Sorry but Germany has much better security than the American TSA provide in the USA. Please get the details right by either traveling more or at least doing some research.
As I said an OK read but poor attention to detail ruins the book.
The author comes across as someone who has never been to the places she writes about and unfortunately that hurts the story a lot. In one chapter at the Berlin airport we are supposed to believe that the TSA are providing the security. Sorry but Germany has much better security than the American TSA provide in the USA. Please get the details right by either traveling more or at least doing some research.
As I said an OK read but poor attention to detail ruins the book.
March 7, 2013
Once again I was blown away by McCray's storytelling and her ability to take me on the ride with her. Good guys, bad guys, shoot outs, and over the top...TOYS! And that's just in the first two pages!!! If you like action, you'll love this. However, it's not just an action novel. You need to use your brain as well or you'll be lost as a goose when the action dies down a bit, as this is a thinking person's novel as well.
The Hidden Hand is at it again. Seems they have no lack of megalomaniacs willing to step in and fill the void left by the black plague, and are holding a huge grudge against the Robin Hood Hacker and FBI agent Zach Hunt. It's a wonderful cast of heroes and villains which ended on a cliff hanger that has me smiling....
The Hidden Hand is at it again. Seems they have no lack of megalomaniacs willing to step in and fill the void left by the black plague, and are holding a huge grudge against the Robin Hood Hacker and FBI agent Zach Hunt. It's a wonderful cast of heroes and villains which ended on a cliff hanger that has me smiling....
September 7, 2013
This is the second full novel of the Robin Hood Hacker series and the action keeps going full speed ahead. The Hidden Hand was beaten in Encrypted but they are not dead yet. They unleash another lethal virus on the world and the only thing in their way is Ronnie, Zach, Quirk and their team of friends who work at breakneck speed to stop the Hidden Hand before they destroy everyone on the planet. The story begins in New Orleans during the crazy days of Mardi Gras, races through Graceland, Buckingham Palace until it leaves you with a cliffhanger in Berlin. Thankfully the destruction they leave in their path was cooked up in Carolyn McCray's brilliant mind or my heart would be broken! Next stop Zeroes and then on to Code, the final full novel in the series.
May 20, 2013
The story just keeps gettting better and better. I can't read this series fast enough. I'm dying to know how Zach and Ronnie's relationship plays out. With the way the book ended, I know that there is going to be something big happening.
The dynamics between the main characters is wonderful. You then have the behind the scene characters that are just as important. I see a love blooming between the wonderful Doctor and CIA agent. Also, there is gotta be something aweful that happens to Alfonso. (At least that is my wishes)
I can't wait to start reading Code. It's got to bring this relationship to where it needs to be...in bed!
The dynamics between the main characters is wonderful. You then have the behind the scene characters that are just as important. I see a love blooming between the wonderful Doctor and CIA agent. Also, there is gotta be something aweful that happens to Alfonso. (At least that is my wishes)
I can't wait to start reading Code. It's got to bring this relationship to where it needs to be...in bed!
August 31, 2016
The first book was alright. It seemed rushed, not fully thought out and grossly un-believeable at times, but was still fun. This one though, just took the previous book's issues and magnified them ten fold. I just couldn't look past all the glaring problems anymore and gave up. McCray needs to pull back on the crazy over the top unbelieveability and focus on a more detailed, more developed plot with more work on helping the reader visualize what is going on.
May 23, 2013
Ok I like these books, but sometimes they really stretch my ability to suspend disbelief. Ronnie is just too savvy at times. However, I love Quirk, Pilot and all of them as characters. Heck, I am even warming up to Devlin.
March 18, 2014
It was a good page turner... there were a few grammatical errors towards the end... misplaced words that a spell checker wouldn't check, but a decent editor would.
It got a bit predictable considering the first 2 novels... but the characters were what kept me reading.
It got a bit predictable considering the first 2 novels... but the characters were what kept me reading.
May 19, 2016
Sometimes too much a thing is too much. I find authors of trilogies sometimes have trouble with the middle book, as it's a filler until the finale. Ms. McCray had trouble with the ending, too. This and the series got tiring quickly and it was a chore to finish.
May 3, 2016
Yes the plot is similar to the previous full length book (Hidden Hand world domination via releasing a virus), but it rips along at a great pace.
So well in fact, you kind of forget/ignore the impossible tech they have dreamed up.
Great fun read.
So well in fact, you kind of forget/ignore the impossible tech they have dreamed up.
Great fun read.
Want to read
April 3, 2013Free today on Amazon
May 17, 2013
Good book. Getting through the series. Decent writing. V similar story line.
June 7, 2013
Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Good!
July 7, 2013
Another great book in the series....review will be put on the Box Set link in Goodreads
October 13, 2013
absolutely loving this series.
August 26, 2013
Holy Batman I am finally breathing again. What a ride. This book is entertaining, hilarious, and totally Off. The. Hook. To quote the point man from Havoc.
February 4, 2014
Lots of action, sometimes a bit surreal, but that's what we read fiction for.
August 17, 2014
great book in a great series
October 23, 2014
biological weapons of ads destruction
March 7, 2015
Awe poor Zach.
April 11, 2016
very good
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews