Countdown Zero

The Codename Conspiracy #2

by Chris Rylander

From Chris Rylander, author of the breakout hit the Fourth Stall saga, comes the second book in the Codename Conspiracy series, a funny and clever mash-up of middle grade school story and spy adventure. Ever since Carson Fender was let go by the secret agency that had enlisted his services to help foil a nefarious plot perpetrated by one of their former agents, he's been back to hanging with his friends, pulling pranks, and not having to lie to everyone about how he's spending his days. And that's for the best, isn't it? Of course, this was all before a note showed up in his school lunch, informing him that Agent Nineteen had three days left to live, and that there might still be someone inside the Agency working against them. Carson has always been able to rely on his friends—but what happens when there's no one left to trust?

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Fiction, Action, Adventure, Young Adult, Childrens

368 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2015

Reviews

[Carson Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, as always. I especially love the second book because it introduces these moral questions -- is Carson doing right by working for the Agency? Is the Agency actually the good guys? Should he have lied to Dillon and Danielle for so long, especially to Danielle? And is revealing his cover EVER justified?? These just keep getting tougher and harder to answer.

[Aeicha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventh grader and ultimate prankster, Carson Fender, is trying to get back to his normal life after working as Agent Zero for a secret government agency...but who just gets over being a secret agent who helped saved the world? Certainly not Carson! And when one of his agent mentors goes missing, the Agency pulls Carson back into the fold and sends him on a dangerous mission to save one of their own.

Chris Rylander’s The Codename Conspiracy series is such a super fun, over-the-top-in-the-best-way-possible spy adventure series, and book two, Countdown Zero, is full of laughs, thrills, and twists. Rylander clearly knows his audience, which is reflected in his amusing, fast-paced storytelling and smart writing. Like book one, Countdown Zero’s premise is wildly entertaining and full of all the cool, fun spy/secret agent elements you’d expect and want-- fascinating devices, silly codenames, intriguing agents, hidden headquarters, surprising cases, and so much more! I love how everything surrounding the Agency is shrouded in exhilarating mystery.

Rylander fills this witty, wacky world with a cast of captivating and engaging characters. From spunky, funny Carson Fender (aka Agent Zero) to oddly charming Dillion, awesome Danielle, to the surly yet lovable Agents Nineteen and Blue, these characters had me giggling with every page.

Agent Zero’s perilous adventures in Countdown Zero are full of twists and turns, daring escapades, wicked cool gadgets, compelling baddies, and an enthralling-end-of-the-world situation, and Carson gets help from an unexpected person and faces on an unexpected villain...all leading to a cliffhanger ending that definitely has me wanting more!

My Final Thoughts: Countdown Zero is a super fun, super exciting sequel in a super cool series!

[Cyber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so amazing, I can't even think of a word to accurately describe it. The action and thrills never stops. Definitely a must read!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started off slow but got better. It wasn't nearly as suspensful as the first book though.

[Hazel (and Nutsy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this one was very good. It was suspenseful and interesting and kept me turning the pages. I think the whole conflict could've been explained a bit better because I was a little confused. Also, there is a lack of female characters. Overall I enjoyed it.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5 It was hard to choose between a 3 and a 4 star rating. This one was even better than the first with higher stakes and more action-y parts. At the outset of the book we see Connor dealing with a tough issue: how do you go from being a super agent with cool gadgets, countless crises, and people depending on you to an average middle school student who can confide his feelings of emptiness to no one? Connor chooses to deal with it in typical Connor style: he dreams up the Prankopocalypse. However the Agency needs him again. But they manage to put him in a position to get kicked of of school if he doesn't manage to pull everything off secretly. All our likeable characters are back, Connor who is somewhat out of his depth but giving it his all; Dillon who is a great touch of humor with his firm belief in cyptids and conspiracy theories; Danielle the smarter twin who clues in to things a little more than the agency would want her too; the agents who we learn more about personally and start to feel more of a bond with. In addition we get a new character, May, who is full of death-defying courage and mad skills. The trademark humor of the series is in full force here, maybe even more than the first book. While the story wraps up satisfactorily, there is a surprising twist-sort-of-cliffhanger at the very end that had me clamoring for the next in the series. Kids will eat this series up. Sure to be enjoyed by both elementary and early middle school kids as well as reluctant and boy readers.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book, Mr. Gomez is dissembling. He is rambling on and on about how he finally after all the years he has had carson at the school he gets to expel him for life when National Security agents run in the room and say that he is under arrest. As stated in the text by an officer, "You're under arrest on suspicions of treason, terrorism, espionage, and activities detrimental to US national security." This proves that he is dissembling because he had never revealed that he had done any of these things in his time as a principal.

[Kevin Kretz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good sequel. I think most of it felt rushed, but that was probably me reading it so fast that it felt that way. I'm serious. I couldn't get enough of this book. If you haven't read the first one, I'd do that first. It had a couple of inside jokes that relate there, and they're pretty funny if you get them. Overall: This book is a great one. Read the series.

[McKenzie Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, I'm impressed by how much I enjoyed this book! I think I might've liked it better than the first one. I love Dillon's theories- they're just so random and add humor to the book. I also loved how Chris Rylander *SPOILER ALERT* brought Danielle into the story this time, and made her an agent. I was shocked at the ending, when *SPOILER ALERT* Gomez was told he was under suspicion of terrorism and treason, and made me think it could be connected to the first book's plot. The reason I gave this book four stars is because even with all the action and pace of the plot, there are just times I want to stop reading. But I'm glad I didn't, and I can't wait to read the third book.

[Anne Beardsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as much uproarious fun as the first book, but every bit as exciting.

It was nice to see our hero paired with another kid in his mad attempt to save the world.

I profoundly question how humanity ever survives an entire month in this world, much less any majority percentage of the agents of this secret agency.

[Jessica F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. More of the same. Hoping the finale offers up a few more surprises!

[Dsmith23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big plot twist at the end. A great buildup and writing, but at times the plot got a bit off track. Otherwise a great book.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, fun series! Left off with a ton of suspense! Can’t wait to read book three!

[Amy Rieselman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting thriller

Compared to the first, this was even more exciting with lots of plot twists and big reveals. Also it left on a cliffhanger leaving us wanting to read more.

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many twists and turns. I could not put this book down! It kept me up till four in the morning.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Amputation mentioned
Explosion
Gun violence

[Gillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are so funny! I love how much he screws up but somehow manages to save the day, and I keep coming back for more! A little simpler than what I usually read, but so fun!

[Myles]

Great book !
A must read for sure!!

[ikallam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly not as WOOSHSHSHHH as the last one but STILL i lOvEd It!!!

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first. The villain having a kid was something I didn't expect. It was a pleasant twist

[Joyce T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. Not really educational, but it's packed with action and mystery.

[jacelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

it ate right up

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read aloud book for my 7th graders

[Jack Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a very exciting and fun book. I'd say even better than the first one. Thumbs Up!

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fanciful adventure full of espionage

This is the 2nd book in the series. I would suggest reading them in order as there are parts in this book that will ruin the first one. This one involves infiltrating enemy areas as well as suspense and action. Great kids version of Bond

[Lenni Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always like a good spy book like this one. It's funny with just a touch of seriousness. It lost points because the action needed to be more action-y. It also lost points because although it ended in a cliffhanger, I'm not anxious for the next book like I usually am. This is why the book is a 3.5. I really did like it and I totally recommend it, but I think that if the author just made it a little more unpredictable it would go better. I totally predicted the part when they get inside Mount Rushmore.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carson is a prankster, but it just doesn't have the same thrill that it once did. Even Prankpocalypse, the most pranks played at one time ever just doesn't have the same ring to it. Maybe it's because everything pales in comparison to being a secret agent? So, when he gets a message to go to the secret headquarters underneath his school, he's.....got mixed emotions. Excited, apprehensive, tense, unsure. But the mission is one he cannot pass up and soon he's back to lying to his friends again.

Carson, though a prankster and seemingly pain in the ass to the principal and a kid that seems to joke his way through life, he does have some depth. It bothers him that he has to lie to his friends. It bothers him even more that the agency only gives him information on a "need to know" basis. He knows very little about who he is working for and what anyone else in the agency does or who anyone else in the agency is for that matter. Each time he has to come up with a new lie to cover up what he's doing, he feels guilty. And then there is his guilt. If things don't go exactly as planned, unforseen circumstances happen which he cannot control, Carson still feels guilty, his conscience weighing him down heavily.

But I do want to assure you, though Carson has these troubles, the book is fairly light in tone, and a very quick easy read. There is Hollywood style rescues at the last minute and action is non stop. A lot of time, I was holding my breath waiting to see who made it through what. Oh, and if you're afraid of snakes, there is a snake scene, you have been warned! I enjoyed the novel for it's humor, it's nods to The Fourth Stall, it's struggles the young Carson has with being a teen and a secret agent, and the story. I definitely think reluctant readers will find this another great series to enjoy. It is definitely one that I am going to continue reading.

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Countdown Zero is the second book in Chris Rylander’s Codename Conspiracy series. Carson Fender is a prankster, but his life changed drastically in the last book when he was asked to become an agent for The Agency. This secret organization has a base right beneath his school and is calling on him again to save the world. When one of the agents, Agent Nineteen, he worked with in the last book is in danger, they send Carson in to find him and save the world from a deadly virus getting out. Unfortunately, things don’t go as smoothly and Carson finds himself double crossed by a fellow student.

I love these books on so many different levels… there’s an insane amount of action and spy tactics mixed in with humorous moments. I love how over the top the characters can be sometimes and how Carson adapts to the different situations. Within the book, there’s a deeper message talking about honesty and the reasons behind which we lie to those we care about. I found this intriguing and wonder if this will keep carrying over into the next book.

I really find Carson as a likeable character. He seems to be loyal and carries his guilt about lying to his friends really close, but knowing that he cannot reveal unless the circumstances are dire. Dillon is by far my favorite of his friends, being a conspiracy nut and adds the most hilarity to the book. Danielle is smart and quick to pick up on what is going on and also seems to keep Carson a bit grounded.

For a longer book, I felt like the plot moved quickly with enough spy action and intrigue to keep me reading until the very last page. Rylander does a great job of balancing character development with plot points.

Verdict:

One of my favorite new spy series for kids, check out any of Rylander’s books and you won’t be disappointed.

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carson Fender thought that his life as a secret agent was over. He had done his job. The Agency had officially kicked him out….

*Cue the dramatic music (Beethoven’s 5th Symphony works well), and speed up your reading for the full effect.*

But now they need him again. Carson, using his wits and his secret agent utility tools to infiltrate one of The Agency’s secret base. Why, you ask? Well, it’s good that you’re on the Need-To-Know business! The base has been captured by the enemy! And Carson must get in, or otherwise – the secret agents inside of the base will be terminated (AKA they will die!). They only have 72 hours to live. Will Carson make it in time?

What I like- This was a fabulous sequel to CODENAME ZERO. Mr. Rylander kept developing his characters in this book but kept what you liked about them in the first. Carson is a kid you can really like. Sure he’s a trouble maker. Sure he’s not the best secret agent, but you really cheer him on when he succeeds and you hold your breath when he’s in danger. Mr. Rylander has written rather realistic dialogue and could “see” the scenes playing out in your head and “hear” the characters talk. Or maybe it just means that I read too much. ;) The plot is awesome, with a good amount of twists. I really hope that there will be a third book!
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Michael Zhang]

This week, I have read a book called Countdown Zero. It is 360 pages long.

I predict that Carson will once again be facing more spy-related challenges and adventures. at the very end, the book ends with a cliffhanger: Mr. Gomez, Carson's principal, becomes arrested and he is charged with acts of espionage, treason, and terrorism. Several men in black suits proceeded to handcuff him and lead him away. Mr. Gomez did not resist, and had a generally blank (angry at first) reaction and stared at Carson while he was being arrested. Due to Mr. Gomez' odd response, I do not believe that he was actually framed. I also believe that Mr. Gomez knows or a holds a secret crucial to the plot in the next book of the series.