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The Rho Agenda #1
Das zweite Schiff
Die Wahrheit ist irgendwo da draußen ...
Im Jahr 1948 landete ein Raumschiff im US-Bundesstaat New Mexico – und verschwand sofort hinter den unüberwindlichen Mauern eines Geheimlabors. Seit diesem Tag hat das amerikanische Militär die außerirdische Technik erforscht, um sie für eigene Zwecke zu nutzen. Das sogenannte Rho-Projekt drang nie an die Öffentlichkeit. Nun, über sechzig Jahre später, glaubt die Regierung, alles über das fremde Schiff zu wissen. Doch dies ist ein fataler Irrtum. Denn es gibt ein zweites Schiff, das über Jahrzehnte in einem abgelegenen Canyon verschollen war. Und als drei Studenten es zufällig entdecken, stoßen sie auf ein Geheimnis, das alles infrage stellt, woran die Menschheit je geglaubt hat ...
Im Jahr 1948 landete ein Raumschiff im US-Bundesstaat New Mexico – und verschwand sofort hinter den unüberwindlichen Mauern eines Geheimlabors. Seit diesem Tag hat das amerikanische Militär die außerirdische Technik erforscht, um sie für eigene Zwecke zu nutzen. Das sogenannte Rho-Projekt drang nie an die Öffentlichkeit. Nun, über sechzig Jahre später, glaubt die Regierung, alles über das fremde Schiff zu wissen. Doch dies ist ein fataler Irrtum. Denn es gibt ein zweites Schiff, das über Jahrzehnte in einem abgelegenen Canyon verschollen war. Und als drei Studenten es zufällig entdecken, stoßen sie auf ein Geheimnis, das alles infrage stellt, woran die Menschheit je geglaubt hat ...
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
990 people are currently reading
3235 people want to read
About the author
Richard Phillips
15 books572 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Richard Phillips is the million copy bestselling author of the Rho Agenda scifi series, the Jack 'The Ripper' Gregory series, and the epic fantasy series, The Endarian Prophecy. He is a retired Army Officer, West Point graduate, and has a Master of Science degree in Physics from the Naval Post Graduate School. He was a researcher at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories for the U.S. military, a software project leader at General Electric, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, and General Dynamics before becoming a full-time writer.
Richard Phillips is the million copy bestselling author of the Rho Agenda scifi series, the Jack 'The Ripper' Gregory series, and the epic fantasy series, The Endarian Prophecy. He is a retired Army Officer, West Point graduate, and has a Master of Science degree in Physics from the Naval Post Graduate School. He was a researcher at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories for the U.S. military, a software project leader at General Electric, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, and General Dynamics before becoming a full-time writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 668 reviews
April 6, 2013
I'm bailing on this. I feel like I'm in Pleasantville - these kids do not act like kids. They don't talk like kids, they don't interact like kids, they are just 1950s paper dolls doing wholesome things. And no matter how good the science supposedly is later in the book, I CANNOT deal with really horrible characterization. You know those kids in school who were so weirdly Mayberry that you actually avoided them because they kind of weirded you out a bit? Yeah. I don't want to spend a book (never mind a series) with a bunch of kids who are just acting out someone's bizarre fantasy of how teenagers SHOULD behave, rather than how they actually do.
If it were just the teenagers, that would be fine, but it's not. There's a scene in an abandoned lab where a woman scientist acts so completely against ANY instinct she would have had as a scientist, woman, underling or human, it actually made me groan in disgust. Her boss is referred to by all as a horrible person, she thinks he's got shark eyes, she flat-out tells him she's about to end his career, and then when he claims that there's just one more thing to see, she trots along after him. Are you kidding me? The best evil characters are great because they're deceptive in their horribleness - like Mrs Coulter, or President Snow, or in some ways Colonel Graff. It is no fun at all to have a guy basically don a black hat and cape and muahaha his way around the story. Also, it makes your characters look like dense idiots. Which, to be fair, they are in this book.
And I'm pissed off at Orson Scott Card, because he recommended this book. He writes GREAT, realistic kid characters, kids with complex motivations and believable interactions. At least he once did - maybe this endorsement is just another sign that he's gone totally round the bend, like when he reimagined Hamlet as a gay pedophile revenge tale? Not to mention he'd probably love throwback 1950s kids.
Ugh. Look, I like science. I like OSC and Stephenson, for god's sake! But there need to be believable people, not just plausible science. I so rarely do this, but I'm quitting. 13% is enough time to prove yourself. No go.
If it were just the teenagers, that would be fine, but it's not. There's a scene in an abandoned lab where a woman scientist acts so completely against ANY instinct she would have had as a scientist, woman, underling or human, it actually made me groan in disgust. Her boss is referred to by all as a horrible person, she thinks he's got shark eyes, she flat-out tells him she's about to end his career, and then when he claims that there's just one more thing to see, she trots along after him. Are you kidding me? The best evil characters are great because they're deceptive in their horribleness - like Mrs Coulter, or President Snow, or in some ways Colonel Graff. It is no fun at all to have a guy basically don a black hat and cape and muahaha his way around the story. Also, it makes your characters look like dense idiots. Which, to be fair, they are in this book.
And I'm pissed off at Orson Scott Card, because he recommended this book. He writes GREAT, realistic kid characters, kids with complex motivations and believable interactions. At least he once did - maybe this endorsement is just another sign that he's gone totally round the bend, like when he reimagined Hamlet as a gay pedophile revenge tale? Not to mention he'd probably love throwback 1950s kids.
Ugh. Look, I like science. I like OSC and Stephenson, for god's sake! But there need to be believable people, not just plausible science. I so rarely do this, but I'm quitting. 13% is enough time to prove yourself. No go.
March 20, 2018
To Readers who adored this book: I apologize for rating this book so low and disliking it.
I'm the wrong audience even though I frequently read teen and YA books. I'm a retired old lady, so don't mind me. Move along.
As for the rest of the readers who attempted this book and who also rated it low, this is why I disliked it:
This is the most boring book I've picked up to this year of my life since college 20 years ago. I haven't experience writing so blankly functional since I was learning to read. The jokes that had main characters Jennifer, Heather and Mark laughing their heads off were like descriptions of cement to me. The plot couldn't be more dull, similar to the one in the 1953 movie 'Robot Monster', except even more colorless.
The dialogue is wooden, and the plot is as unembellished and unsurprising as original yogurt - except for strange violent/sexual scenes inserted here and there. Maybe the surprise ultraviolence/sex is for titillating the older elementary school kids or middle-school readers this book seems to be aiming for mostly, but who also accidentally on purpose watch the channels on TV their parents forbid them from tuning in, but they did anyway? I think I am correct in criticizing the story as wavering around for which age group it's aiming for. It is generally an extremely PG book, and then startlingly without warning it's suddenly PG-15 in some scenes. Whatever. The plot is generally all vanila ice cream and 10:00 pm curfew, with a general atmosphere like a very tame Hardy Boys novel, until exceptions pop up which suddenly place it as a 20th-century YA read. However, generally the word/concept difficulty is at an age 12-and-under level, and the plot primarily suitable for a Saturday movie matinee, although it does several terrific passes at mathematical/science inclusion to make parents happy - as long as they miss the more scandalous bits.
As a further guideline on whether, gentle reader, you should read this novel, I am employing an earlier prejudice of American culture in the 1950's which I am sure is no longer valid in these more sophisticated times: there were books for future FBI agents (who were stereotyped as conventional straight-arrow types), and books for future CIA employees (who were stereotyped as twisty-minded, diabolical and unconventional). This book is for the folks who would have been FBI junior recruits in the earlier more clean-minded but red-blooded man era of 1956 - or those who look fondly at that era - with a little T-and-A cheesecake added to affirm a reader's anachronistic red-blooded American masculinity. Ah, those old-fashioned values! This novel sure brings it all back.
I'm the wrong audience even though I frequently read teen and YA books. I'm a retired old lady, so don't mind me. Move along.
As for the rest of the readers who attempted this book and who also rated it low, this is why I disliked it:
This is the most boring book I've picked up to this year of my life since college 20 years ago. I haven't experience writing so blankly functional since I was learning to read. The jokes that had main characters Jennifer, Heather and Mark laughing their heads off were like descriptions of cement to me. The plot couldn't be more dull, similar to the one in the 1953 movie 'Robot Monster', except even more colorless.
The dialogue is wooden, and the plot is as unembellished and unsurprising as original yogurt - except for strange violent/sexual scenes inserted here and there. Maybe the surprise ultraviolence/sex is for titillating the older elementary school kids or middle-school readers this book seems to be aiming for mostly, but who also accidentally on purpose watch the channels on TV their parents forbid them from tuning in, but they did anyway? I think I am correct in criticizing the story as wavering around for which age group it's aiming for. It is generally an extremely PG book, and then startlingly without warning it's suddenly PG-15 in some scenes. Whatever. The plot is generally all vanila ice cream and 10:00 pm curfew, with a general atmosphere like a very tame Hardy Boys novel, until exceptions pop up which suddenly place it as a 20th-century YA read. However, generally the word/concept difficulty is at an age 12-and-under level, and the plot primarily suitable for a Saturday movie matinee, although it does several terrific passes at mathematical/science inclusion to make parents happy - as long as they miss the more scandalous bits.
As a further guideline on whether, gentle reader, you should read this novel, I am employing an earlier prejudice of American culture in the 1950's which I am sure is no longer valid in these more sophisticated times: there were books for future FBI agents (who were stereotyped as conventional straight-arrow types), and books for future CIA employees (who were stereotyped as twisty-minded, diabolical and unconventional). This book is for the folks who would have been FBI junior recruits in the earlier more clean-minded but red-blooded man era of 1956 - or those who look fondly at that era - with a little T-and-A cheesecake added to affirm a reader's anachronistic red-blooded American masculinity. Ah, those old-fashioned values! This novel sure brings it all back.
January 31, 2023
I´m absolutely not sure if this is an ingenious comedy YA sci-fi fun or unintentionally funny, average writing
Seriously, I´ve hardly ever read a novel that has such weird, half baked, intentionally emotionally wanted or unwanted moments, dialogues and characters.
Dialogues
Extremely strange cuts between superficial, constructed smalltalk and technobabble. Even the same characters seem to get bipolar disorders, depending on who they´re around and how excited they are.
Characters
The kids are the only ones who seem kind of normal, although the serious and sober vs the chaotic and venturesome dynamic is definitively exaggerated. This is played again and again, the one is working hard to get something done while the other screws everything up.
Plot
Could have been much more focused on the science part, especially after the first half. As so strangely often in edutainment fiction, there is first an infodumping overkill of facts and fresh ideas and afterward, everything escalates towards action, characters, and dialogues as if it was general nonfiction. This could be much more balanced.
I´m quite looking forward to reading one other part of the series, because I want to know how these strange, intentional or unintentional, funny and playing around with serious topics, works develop.
Seriously, I´ve hardly ever read a novel that has such weird, half baked, intentionally emotionally wanted or unwanted moments, dialogues and characters.
Dialogues
Extremely strange cuts between superficial, constructed smalltalk and technobabble. Even the same characters seem to get bipolar disorders, depending on who they´re around and how excited they are.
Characters
The kids are the only ones who seem kind of normal, although the serious and sober vs the chaotic and venturesome dynamic is definitively exaggerated. This is played again and again, the one is working hard to get something done while the other screws everything up.
Plot
Could have been much more focused on the science part, especially after the first half. As so strangely often in edutainment fiction, there is first an infodumping overkill of facts and fresh ideas and afterward, everything escalates towards action, characters, and dialogues as if it was general nonfiction. This could be much more balanced.
I´m quite looking forward to reading one other part of the series, because I want to know how these strange, intentional or unintentional, funny and playing around with serious topics, works develop.
February 9, 2013
Gah. The book was fairly hard for me to get into until the last 30 or so pages. Then I couldn't tear through it fast enough. Alas, the rest is awaiting in two sequels.
One major thing I enjoyed: the incredible intelligence of the two girls and boy. Love computer science and math genius girls!
One major thing I enjoyed: the incredible intelligence of the two girls and boy. Love computer science and math genius girls!
January 23, 2013
A slightly clumsy, but ultimately interesting SciFi entry. There were several times when I was screaming to myself, "Where is this author's editor, and why was this not edited????" when the text showed weird phrases being used repeatedly or when there was a really long, awkward metaphor going on that should have been pared down or cut out entirely.
Also, there was way too much "Nerd vs. Jock" stuff going on, which shows the age of the author and how he doesn't understand that there has been a paradigm shift in high schools nowadays where that whole dynamic no longer exists. Especially not in the weird homoerotic prank stuff that happened to Mark.
Those nitpicks aside, the story itself was fun, though clearly incomplete. I really wished that all the basketball junk and awkward romance was streamlined or deleted altogether. That would have given Phillips more space to expand on the actual interesting story of the technologies of the two ships and what they meant for the kids and the adults involved. It almost seemed like the series started off as one standalone book, and then was later split into a "trilogy" and therefore a lot of padding needed to be added to this one to make it actual novel length.
In the end, I want to know what happens with the kids and the ships, so I will read the next book in the series to see what happens. However, if it turns out to be too padded and awkward, too, then I may have to abandon it and look for a full plot summary online somewhere to see what happens without having to read about Mark and Heather's ridiculously clearly telegraphed feelings for each other.
Also, there was way too much "Nerd vs. Jock" stuff going on, which shows the age of the author and how he doesn't understand that there has been a paradigm shift in high schools nowadays where that whole dynamic no longer exists. Especially not in the weird homoerotic prank stuff that happened to Mark.
Those nitpicks aside, the story itself was fun, though clearly incomplete. I really wished that all the basketball junk and awkward romance was streamlined or deleted altogether. That would have given Phillips more space to expand on the actual interesting story of the technologies of the two ships and what they meant for the kids and the adults involved. It almost seemed like the series started off as one standalone book, and then was later split into a "trilogy" and therefore a lot of padding needed to be added to this one to make it actual novel length.
In the end, I want to know what happens with the kids and the ships, so I will read the next book in the series to see what happens. However, if it turns out to be too padded and awkward, too, then I may have to abandon it and look for a full plot summary online somewhere to see what happens without having to read about Mark and Heather's ridiculously clearly telegraphed feelings for each other.
February 22, 2011
The Second Ship is a bizarre pastiche of "Golden Age"-style science fiction writing (think 1950's b-movie dialog and equally hollow characterizations), pulp-novel action heroes (think Don Pendleton), and semi-modern science (think semi-modern science). It reads like Young Adult fiction until you hit the occasional rape or beheading.
Still, how bad could it be if I got through it and decided to purchase the sequel to see what would happen next? I lost count of the number of times I thought to myself, "this is really stupid, but it sure is entertaining."
Like many before me, I read this book because it was very cheap on the Amazon Kindle. I'd like to caution others that the sequel is also cheap, but not as cheap. This book has no real ending, so once you start this book, you'll pretty much have to keep buying them (or borrowing them from the library) until Phillips decides to finish the series. As I write this review, the third book has not yet been published.
Still, how bad could it be if I got through it and decided to purchase the sequel to see what would happen next? I lost count of the number of times I thought to myself, "this is really stupid, but it sure is entertaining."
Like many before me, I read this book because it was very cheap on the Amazon Kindle. I'd like to caution others that the sequel is also cheap, but not as cheap. This book has no real ending, so once you start this book, you'll pretty much have to keep buying them (or borrowing them from the library) until Phillips decides to finish the series. As I write this review, the third book has not yet been published.
November 22, 2012
The dialog felt like something out of an 80s after-school special.
People in 2012 don't talk like they do in this book, and I found that to be a huge distraction.
So it's sort of this innocent "kids find a space ship" story, but then there's lots of secret agent-types moving around, people talking all old-tymey...and then, out of nowhere, rape scene!
Then we're back to teenagers talking about basketball games and backyard BBQs in this weird throwback dialog.
It's just totally bizarre and it made me wish there weren't two other books in the series, because now I need to plow through them both to get some resolution. This first book was a relatively quick read though, so I can probably put my reservations aside for a few nights to make it happen.
People in 2012 don't talk like they do in this book, and I found that to be a huge distraction.
So it's sort of this innocent "kids find a space ship" story, but then there's lots of secret agent-types moving around, people talking all old-tymey...and then, out of nowhere, rape scene!
Then we're back to teenagers talking about basketball games and backyard BBQs in this weird throwback dialog.
It's just totally bizarre and it made me wish there weren't two other books in the series, because now I need to plow through them both to get some resolution. This first book was a relatively quick read though, so I can probably put my reservations aside for a few nights to make it happen.
August 18, 2018
The Second Ship
The Rho Agenda, Book 1
By: Richard Phillips
Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
This book has everything a good sci-fi book needs. A space ship, teens that find it and keep it a secret, evil powers that be, powers enhance those exposed to the ship (the teens), and suspense never ends!!! There are so many side things going on that are also involved, all suspenseful too. This is one nail biter book!!!
The narration is perfect for this book! Not once did I stop to think that I was listening to a book, I felt I was watching a movie. Great job.
The Rho Agenda, Book 1
By: Richard Phillips
Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
This book has everything a good sci-fi book needs. A space ship, teens that find it and keep it a secret, evil powers that be, powers enhance those exposed to the ship (the teens), and suspense never ends!!! There are so many side things going on that are also involved, all suspenseful too. This is one nail biter book!!!
The narration is perfect for this book! Not once did I stop to think that I was listening to a book, I felt I was watching a movie. Great job.
July 24, 2010
Exceptional first book in the Rho Agenda series! I was grabbed in the Prologue and wasn't let go. Great reading for young people, sci-fi buffs and UFO fans, amazing yet made plausible, some perhaps even probable, BUT you do not have to be a fan of sci-fi to thoroughly enjoy this book, it covers so many genres. Richard Phillips is an author to be reckoned with, absolutely incredible. He knows exactly what he is saying and knows how to say it.
For those readers who are UFOnauts, it all begins in Groom Lake, Nevada, site of the infamous Area 51. Book One of the Rho Agenda, takes place in and around Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am old enough to recall hearing of the "Roswell Incident" when it happened, so the book is of particular interest to me. However, don't be led astray by that personal fact, this is not about Roswell. This is The Second Ship. A model plane is the method through which this ship will be discovered; not just a model plane but one carrying a camera as an experiment. This model plane just happens to crash in some difficult terrain and must be retrieved.
Three high school students, while retrieving their plane, have stumbled across a cave which hides the back entrance, or rather entry point, where an alien ship buried itself when crashing. A highly sophisticated camouflaging device almost thwarts them, but no, they can actually walk right through it, disappearing as they go in and completely out of sight once they are in. As they turn around, they see the back of the ship which they feel must have been able to generate the cloaking devise at the mouth of the cave. There is a gaping hole where it appears the ship was shot down, perhaps by the Rho ship.
The Rho ship crashed in the next year after the Roswell event, and has been undergoing tests in either another cavern or another part of the same cave. This ship was also damaged but whether from the crash or a collision or shot down is unknown. The authorities, from several different areas of security, presumably only know of the Rho ship, a cigar-shaped monster. This second ship the teens have just discovered is round, has a mind of its own and is only too ready to give portions of it to the newcomers. The problem with being a high school student though, is that there are certain restrictions on your free time, which makes it difficult for them to spend much time with the ship, but when they do, miraculous things happen.
Each student already excels in specific areas: Heather in mathematics, her next-door neighbours the twins Jennifer, excelling in technology, and Mark, into sports. Now, having investigated a number of areas in the ship and done some tests, they have found these skills amplified by multiples. They must now play down their skills so they won't draw attention to themselves and raise suspicion. Soon, Heather realizes that she is being 'stalked' by a skinny tattered man who appears homeless and possibly dangerous. Somehow he knows that they have been to the Second Ship.
This book has it all; humour, terror, alien ships, corruption, love, kidnapping, good, evil, secret agents, exciting, conspiracy, greed, thrills and chills, intrigue, deep dark secrets, action, adventure, and great cliff-hangers, especially the last one. The writing style keeps the reader in a constant race against time, running several parts of the story in chapters of their own. This is not as difficult as it sounds, I found it easier to keep track of the parts that make up the whole this way. Other styles would have left me floundering. The book is extremely readable, technical terms seem easy to grasp for the novice, and the action never stops, very fast paced. "The Second Ship" leads into a "must have" feeling for the second book of the series, "Immune". This series definitely promises to carry on like lightning.
For those readers who are UFOnauts, it all begins in Groom Lake, Nevada, site of the infamous Area 51. Book One of the Rho Agenda, takes place in and around Los Alamos, New Mexico. I am old enough to recall hearing of the "Roswell Incident" when it happened, so the book is of particular interest to me. However, don't be led astray by that personal fact, this is not about Roswell. This is The Second Ship. A model plane is the method through which this ship will be discovered; not just a model plane but one carrying a camera as an experiment. This model plane just happens to crash in some difficult terrain and must be retrieved.
Three high school students, while retrieving their plane, have stumbled across a cave which hides the back entrance, or rather entry point, where an alien ship buried itself when crashing. A highly sophisticated camouflaging device almost thwarts them, but no, they can actually walk right through it, disappearing as they go in and completely out of sight once they are in. As they turn around, they see the back of the ship which they feel must have been able to generate the cloaking devise at the mouth of the cave. There is a gaping hole where it appears the ship was shot down, perhaps by the Rho ship.
The Rho ship crashed in the next year after the Roswell event, and has been undergoing tests in either another cavern or another part of the same cave. This ship was also damaged but whether from the crash or a collision or shot down is unknown. The authorities, from several different areas of security, presumably only know of the Rho ship, a cigar-shaped monster. This second ship the teens have just discovered is round, has a mind of its own and is only too ready to give portions of it to the newcomers. The problem with being a high school student though, is that there are certain restrictions on your free time, which makes it difficult for them to spend much time with the ship, but when they do, miraculous things happen.
Each student already excels in specific areas: Heather in mathematics, her next-door neighbours the twins Jennifer, excelling in technology, and Mark, into sports. Now, having investigated a number of areas in the ship and done some tests, they have found these skills amplified by multiples. They must now play down their skills so they won't draw attention to themselves and raise suspicion. Soon, Heather realizes that she is being 'stalked' by a skinny tattered man who appears homeless and possibly dangerous. Somehow he knows that they have been to the Second Ship.
This book has it all; humour, terror, alien ships, corruption, love, kidnapping, good, evil, secret agents, exciting, conspiracy, greed, thrills and chills, intrigue, deep dark secrets, action, adventure, and great cliff-hangers, especially the last one. The writing style keeps the reader in a constant race against time, running several parts of the story in chapters of their own. This is not as difficult as it sounds, I found it easier to keep track of the parts that make up the whole this way. Other styles would have left me floundering. The book is extremely readable, technical terms seem easy to grasp for the novice, and the action never stops, very fast paced. "The Second Ship" leads into a "must have" feeling for the second book of the series, "Immune". This series definitely promises to carry on like lightning.
January 13, 2013
As I read this book I was projecting ratings from 2 stars to 5. I decided on three and I do recommend the book. It being the first of a trilogy that I haven't read (but plan too) I will say it got off to a good start.
What was most negative to me was the quality of writing in the first half of the book. Characters seemed so plastic and the over all feel of the book reminded me of a b rate movie. But it improved as the story developed . This is one of those books that you may want to put down, but keep going it gets better.
As the title suggest an alien ship has crash landed in New Mexico and is kept under wraps by the government while a team of scientist study the technology. What is unknown to the government or the world at large is a second ship that crashed at the same time in the desert but was never discovered until one day some teenagers accidentally find it while looking for a crashed model airplane. The story develops as the value of the technology is slowly revealed. But there is certainly more to the technology than the kids and the government first suspect.
There is intrigue, suspense and some really cool spy stuff that comes into play as the story takes off. The characters seem to develop a personality as the plot thickens. There is a good story here that feels like it will take three books to tell.
March 18, 2015
3 stars might be a bit generous but I can't say that I got no pleasure from this book. it moved along okay no stuttering and stalling although at times the juvenile nature of it made me unsure if I was reading a book about kids for kids or something aimed at a different audience. The goody goody wholesome Waltons style family thing didn't bother me at all, I presume people like this still exist even though to a lot of readers it appears to be a bigger fiction than the actual subject matter. Anyway in for a penny.....second book downloaded.
August 27, 2015
No one talks like this. It reads like it was written by a child with a thesaurus. Maybe it was, I don't know. Or possibly by a machine using some kind of algorithm. If either was true I'd give it more stars, but I can only assume this was written by a human adult person, in which case, Nope.
June 23, 2011
This book reads like Encyclopedia Brown meets Nancy Drew times two.
The technology is fascinating and well-fleshed out. The concepts are fantastic (though some we have seen before) Where this novel loses so many points is in the actual writing.
Trite and cliché, the book plods along with the feeling that the reader is reading a high-tech novel for teens. They aren't going to get the tech, but the dialogue panders to the lowest common denominator.
I do not think this was the intent, but I also do not think Mr. Phillips is a very good writer.
Our protagonists explain every last thing they are doing, going to do or might do. There are some spots that will make you wince they are so awkwardly written.
Also of note; There are obvious placements of various characters/vehicles simply for the purpose of describing something going on elsewhere in the novel. These "threats" to the characters are built up throughout and then, when convenient...dispatched within a few short pages as if they never existed. I am being intentionally vague so as not to spoil, but this, having been done several times in this book, was a hard pill to swallow.
For pure science this novel gets high marks and there is enough intrigue that I will read the next book, but much like some of Dan Brown's novels, while the subject matter is interesting the writing is stilted and contrived.
I am hoping the author finds his stride in book two, "Immune."
2.5 stars.
The technology is fascinating and well-fleshed out. The concepts are fantastic (though some we have seen before) Where this novel loses so many points is in the actual writing.
Trite and cliché, the book plods along with the feeling that the reader is reading a high-tech novel for teens. They aren't going to get the tech, but the dialogue panders to the lowest common denominator.
I do not think this was the intent, but I also do not think Mr. Phillips is a very good writer.
Our protagonists explain every last thing they are doing, going to do or might do. There are some spots that will make you wince they are so awkwardly written.
Also of note; There are obvious placements of various characters/vehicles simply for the purpose of describing something going on elsewhere in the novel. These "threats" to the characters are built up throughout and then, when convenient...dispatched within a few short pages as if they never existed. I am being intentionally vague so as not to spoil, but this, having been done several times in this book, was a hard pill to swallow.
For pure science this novel gets high marks and there is enough intrigue that I will read the next book, but much like some of Dan Brown's novels, while the subject matter is interesting the writing is stilted and contrived.
I am hoping the author finds his stride in book two, "Immune."
2.5 stars.
June 26, 2013
I have a new favorite author. Not only did Richard Phillips come up with an engaging plot, he used a wide range of different points of view that did not sound forced, even when switching from a middle aged NSA agent to a teenage girl to a crazy man in the dessert. The main characters of the story were teenagers, and they acted like it, but not in an annoying way.
What really sold me was the science. I love science fiction novels, but I get fed up with poorly described science or "scientific theories" that are completely implausible. It is obvious that he comes from a scientific backgroud. He manages to provide enough detail to prevent it from essentially being magic but doesn't provide so much that the story gets bogged down, or it becomes obvious that the technology could not exist.
It started out a little slow, and actually took me a while to figure out who the main characters were and why we should care about the ships, but once it got there, I was hooked. I am glad I was listening to it on audiobook, because I did not want to put it down, so I listened all day while doing lab work.
This novel was one of the rare books my entire family could enjoy, from my parents who are in their 50s to my sister in her 20s to my brother who is only 14. It is rare to find a story like that, and I look forward to reading more of Richard Phillips' books.
What really sold me was the science. I love science fiction novels, but I get fed up with poorly described science or "scientific theories" that are completely implausible. It is obvious that he comes from a scientific backgroud. He manages to provide enough detail to prevent it from essentially being magic but doesn't provide so much that the story gets bogged down, or it becomes obvious that the technology could not exist.
It started out a little slow, and actually took me a while to figure out who the main characters were and why we should care about the ships, but once it got there, I was hooked. I am glad I was listening to it on audiobook, because I did not want to put it down, so I listened all day while doing lab work.
This novel was one of the rare books my entire family could enjoy, from my parents who are in their 50s to my sister in her 20s to my brother who is only 14. It is rare to find a story like that, and I look forward to reading more of Richard Phillips' books.
February 7, 2015
Sometimes I confuse high visibility of a book for quality. This series kept popping up on Amazon and blogs which inspired me to purchase the whole series when they went on sale. The basic premise sounded intriguing and I was ready for another science fiction series. Where to begin with the problems in this book. Trite, obvious, and tired dialog that seemed to lack any sense of originality and showcases a very weak command of storytelling. Often it read like a pre-teen book from the 80s and nothing about the teenagers in the book felt authentic. I'm a completist (masochist?) and feel compelled to finish a book or series when I start it. I just can't see how I'm going to be able to pick up the second book.
February 21, 2016
There seem to be quite a few negative reviews this book on GR. As is often the case , I instead found this book entertaining. I haven't read much YA fiction in a while but this was a well written story, without the usual whining teenaged that many YA novels seem to have.
The author clearly used The Tommyknockers as a jumping off point for the plot, but I enjoyed the direction the story took. I can see how this isn't a book for everyone, but the world would be a pretty boring place if we all liked the same thing! 4 stars for a fun, fast paced read.
The author clearly used The Tommyknockers as a jumping off point for the plot, but I enjoyed the direction the story took. I can see how this isn't a book for everyone, but the world would be a pretty boring place if we all liked the same thing! 4 stars for a fun, fast paced read.
December 3, 2012
Couldn't get into this book for one glaring reason that somehow everyone else has missed the main antagonist is called Donald r Stephenson!!! If I was Stephen r Donaldson I would be trying to find this Richard Phillips bloke and pimp slap him all over the floor. My guess is Phillips read the gap series ( best sci-fi ever! ) and saw this as some kind of misguided homage to a far superior author. The writing is childish, the characters one dimensional.... Amazon I want my three bucks back!
December 26, 2018
whompwhomp.
I wanted to like The Second Ship so freaking badly.. but I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it's just me.. but this book kind of seemed pointless. Nothing really made sense. The characters were annoyingly frustrating to even think about liking them. Then the random ass violent scenes were just a bit cringeworthy. Nothing excited me while reading this - which is probably why it took me so dang long to read.
With despising the characters, I'm not just talking about the main ones. No, the secondary ones were terrible too. The things they would do/say just made zero sense to me and I would have to put the book on hold just to do something I liked. And no, no bottles of wine were harmed while reading this book. I read it completely sober and I definitely regret that.
Lowkey still can't wrap my head around the random ass rape scene - it boggles my mind even while writing this. I think it's safe to say that I will not be diving into the rest of this series. I have no desire to torture myself any further.
I recommend this to no one.
I wanted to like The Second Ship so freaking badly.. but I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it's just me.. but this book kind of seemed pointless. Nothing really made sense. The characters were annoyingly frustrating to even think about liking them. Then the random ass violent scenes were just a bit cringeworthy. Nothing excited me while reading this - which is probably why it took me so dang long to read.
With despising the characters, I'm not just talking about the main ones. No, the secondary ones were terrible too. The things they would do/say just made zero sense to me and I would have to put the book on hold just to do something I liked. And no, no bottles of wine were harmed while reading this book. I read it completely sober and I definitely regret that.
Lowkey still can't wrap my head around the random ass rape scene - it boggles my mind even while writing this. I think it's safe to say that I will not be diving into the rest of this series. I have no desire to torture myself any further.
I recommend this to no one.
November 26, 2019
I’m honestly not sure how helpful this review will be to other readers. I’ve never really been a huge fan of sci-fi in general and actually decided to read this book on more of a whim. I randomly stumbled across it in the Kindle Library one day and the synopsis sounded interesting enough, leading me to think that maybe this series would finally be what it takes to make me fall in love with the genre. What I am ultimately trying to say here is that I am definitely not an expert on the subject and therefore may give an unintentionally skewed perspective. But I will nevertheless still share my thoughts.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. The basic premise was very interesting, and the story definitely laid the groundwork for the rest of the series. However, as other people have mentioned, it is very hard to get into the story at first. So hard, in fact, that I initially only got about 30 pages in and then didn’t pick the book up again for around six months. It was especially hard to keep track of all the different characters and POVs (so much so that until it wasn’t until chapter 56 that I realised that Priest and the Rag Man were in fact not the same person). That being said, it should also be mentioned that the writing and especially the pacing do improve dramatically the further you get into the book, making the story extremely captivating towards the end.
Here are some notable issues I had with this book:
a.) While the science was fairly well explained (as expected, considering that the author has a master’s degree in physics), I oftentimes found the explanations themselves too detailed and winded. It’s really a pity, because ultimately, this caused me to skim or all together skip many of them in the end. But again, this could also simply be due to the fact that I am not very familiar with the sci-fi genre.
b.) Abandoned plot points: There were several instances throughout the story where something major happened that was then quickly forgotten about a few chapters later, meaning zero or close to zero repercussions for anybody.
c.) Some things that happened in the book were just straight up illogical.
d.) The dialog was downright cringy and unnatural at some points. While their brains may have been altered by alien technology, Heather, Jennifer and Mark are still teenagers that would have talked and acted the way teenagers would.
Ultimately, I did enjoy the book and would certainly recommend it to others (though with a bit of caution). I will definitely pick up the sequel at some point in the future, and hopefully, it will be a bit more polished than this one. The basic idea behind the series is just way too interesting to me to stop reading, even considering the story’s faults.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. The basic premise was very interesting, and the story definitely laid the groundwork for the rest of the series. However, as other people have mentioned, it is very hard to get into the story at first. So hard, in fact, that I initially only got about 30 pages in and then didn’t pick the book up again for around six months. It was especially hard to keep track of all the different characters and POVs (so much so that until it wasn’t until chapter 56 that I realised that Priest and the Rag Man were in fact not the same person). That being said, it should also be mentioned that the writing and especially the pacing do improve dramatically the further you get into the book, making the story extremely captivating towards the end.
Here are some notable issues I had with this book:
a.) While the science was fairly well explained (as expected, considering that the author has a master’s degree in physics), I oftentimes found the explanations themselves too detailed and winded. It’s really a pity, because ultimately, this caused me to skim or all together skip many of them in the end. But again, this could also simply be due to the fact that I am not very familiar with the sci-fi genre.
b.) Abandoned plot points: There were several instances throughout the story where something major happened that was then quickly forgotten about a few chapters later, meaning zero or close to zero repercussions for anybody.
c.) Some things that happened in the book were just straight up illogical.
d.) The dialog was downright cringy and unnatural at some points. While their brains may have been altered by alien technology, Heather, Jennifer and Mark are still teenagers that would have talked and acted the way teenagers would.
Ultimately, I did enjoy the book and would certainly recommend it to others (though with a bit of caution). I will definitely pick up the sequel at some point in the future, and hopefully, it will be a bit more polished than this one. The basic idea behind the series is just way too interesting to me to stop reading, even considering the story’s faults.
July 9, 2024
In 1948, two spaceships involved in a sub-space 'dog fight' crashed to earth in America - one, the Rho ship, was discovered by the authorities and has been under investigation ever since.
Over fifty years have passed but now the director of the research team, Donald Stephenson, is set to reveal to the world an alien technology that will turn the world's power generation methodology on its head. But Stephenson has also made other discoveries, technology which he is reluctant to reveal but keen to take advantage of....
Meanwhile, three bright teenagers, whose fathers work on the research team, discover the second ship buried in a cave in a remote hillside. Twins Jennifer and Mark Smythe, together with best friend and neighbour Heather McFarland, begin to investigate the alien technology on this ship. It becomes apparent that the two ships represented rival alien races, but which was 'good' and which was 'evil'? The trio discover that their use of headbands on the ship provides them with enhanced powers. When they suspect that some of the Rho technologies are being abused or hidden by Stephenson from the government, they set out to reveal this to the authorities, with serious consequences for all concerned...
This was quite an intriguing read, from a genre (science fiction) that I don't read regularly. It wasn't set in space, which I was initially expecting, but was about aliens, with some links to various conspiracy theories about what the U.S. government is keeping secret from the general population. There were several threads to the story which interlinked very well and I quite enjoyed that most of these were pretty unpredictable. The book reached a conclusion but clearly with scope for future expansion of the tale so I'm glad that I have further books in this series to read. Overall, a good read for me - 8/10.
Over fifty years have passed but now the director of the research team, Donald Stephenson, is set to reveal to the world an alien technology that will turn the world's power generation methodology on its head. But Stephenson has also made other discoveries, technology which he is reluctant to reveal but keen to take advantage of....
Meanwhile, three bright teenagers, whose fathers work on the research team, discover the second ship buried in a cave in a remote hillside. Twins Jennifer and Mark Smythe, together with best friend and neighbour Heather McFarland, begin to investigate the alien technology on this ship. It becomes apparent that the two ships represented rival alien races, but which was 'good' and which was 'evil'? The trio discover that their use of headbands on the ship provides them with enhanced powers. When they suspect that some of the Rho technologies are being abused or hidden by Stephenson from the government, they set out to reveal this to the authorities, with serious consequences for all concerned...
This was quite an intriguing read, from a genre (science fiction) that I don't read regularly. It wasn't set in space, which I was initially expecting, but was about aliens, with some links to various conspiracy theories about what the U.S. government is keeping secret from the general population. There were several threads to the story which interlinked very well and I quite enjoyed that most of these were pretty unpredictable. The book reached a conclusion but clearly with scope for future expansion of the tale so I'm glad that I have further books in this series to read. Overall, a good read for me - 8/10.
January 28, 2013
If you like GOOD science fiction you will like this series. The character development was outstanding. You knew who they were, what they cared about and just enough twists in their characters to be believable. The story was well defined and escalated at the appropriate pace to keep you engaged and wondering - where is he taking me next? The plot line for the trilogy was well thought and progressed from one book to the next as it should. If I hadn't bought all three at once and just read the first book waiting for the second I would have been mad because I enjoyed plowing through all three at once. Like I said, if you like sci-fi you will like this series.
One note: There is some heavy physics and math discussions. I know nothing about either so there were a few paragraphs I glossed over or skipped. Not so much that it was irritating - enough to make you think he knows what he's talking about so I'll trust it. Don't be intimidated, it really doesn't alter the story line or detract from anything in the books.
One note: There is some heavy physics and math discussions. I know nothing about either so there were a few paragraphs I glossed over or skipped. Not so much that it was irritating - enough to make you think he knows what he's talking about so I'll trust it. Don't be intimidated, it really doesn't alter the story line or detract from anything in the books.
November 3, 2009
If you are a SciFi fan or should I say SyFy, you'll want to read The Second Ship by Richard Phillips. I absolutely loved reading this and can't wait for the second and third books of the series about The Rho Agenda. Phillips writing style has made this a great read for both adults and teens with interesting Physics descriptions and technical information to satisfy the most detailed SyFy fan. The three high schoolers who discover the second ship are changed forever not only by the ship itself, but by the despots that come out of nowhere to try to do them harm. Throw in a couple NSA agents and a couple really bad scientists and the intrigue gets rolling. I can see this becoming a SyFy series already with a huge fan base. I highly recommend reading The Second Ship!
July 1, 2019
Quite enjoyable
I can see others’ displeasure on the plot and characters. However, as it goes I do find the plot moving fast but curiously. Kids making a ton of high tech stuff. I’m so in! I wanted to give it four stars but for some reasons I couldn’t...it hasn’t actually grab my eyes and glued it to the story. Since this book ended up with an open end. So I’m gonna read second and maybe the third one too for sake of ending.
I can see others’ displeasure on the plot and characters. However, as it goes I do find the plot moving fast but curiously. Kids making a ton of high tech stuff. I’m so in! I wanted to give it four stars but for some reasons I couldn’t...it hasn’t actually grab my eyes and glued it to the story. Since this book ended up with an open end. So I’m gonna read second and maybe the third one too for sake of ending.
Read
February 5, 2017The Audiobook has a good narrator and the story moves quickly, so if this is your cuppa, give it a shot. Typically, I rate abandoned books as ones, but here it is my personal bias that makes for a DNF. I don't care for Universal Point of View head hopping, or a large modern cast. The only authors that can get those past have been King and Crichton. Happy listening.
March 20, 2015
After reading around fifty pages of The Second Ship, I came to realize that it was less a novel than a collection of clichés done up to look like a novel. One can only cringe so many times per page before throwing in the towel.
December 4, 2018
Enjoyable sci fi with a few twists that surprised me. I'll probably continue the series
January 29, 2018
1,5 Sterne
Starker Einstieg, leider bleibt mir die Geschichte aber hauptsächlich durch einen holprigen Schreibstil, oftmals unecht und gezwungen wirkende Dialoge, blasse und nervige Charaktere und eine Handlung, die einfach nicht an Fahrt aufnehmen wollte und bestenfalls kurzzeitig interessant war, in Erinnerung. Werde die Reihe mit Sicherheit nicht weiter verfolgen.
Starker Einstieg, leider bleibt mir die Geschichte aber hauptsächlich durch einen holprigen Schreibstil, oftmals unecht und gezwungen wirkende Dialoge, blasse und nervige Charaktere und eine Handlung, die einfach nicht an Fahrt aufnehmen wollte und bestenfalls kurzzeitig interessant war, in Erinnerung. Werde die Reihe mit Sicherheit nicht weiter verfolgen.
February 7, 2025
Co jest kurwa?!? Czemu w Polsce wydali tomy 4-6 jakby to była osobna trylogia a nie część cyklu twardego Sci-fi?!?!?
Kocham tą trylogię, chcę cały cykl... 🥲
Kocham tą trylogię, chcę cały cykl... 🥲
October 17, 2012
A great idea for a novel!
Not only did one alien spacecraft crash on Earth near Roswell, a second ship crashed as well. The second ship came to rest in a cave and set up a camoflauged barrier that has prevented it from being discovered. Until now. Three teenaged friends accidentally discover the ship and discover a way to "link" to the ship through mysterious headbands they find inside. The three friends soon begin to develop strange powers.
Meanwhile, at the first ship, a scientist has finally managed to open the ship, and strange things begin happening to him. Through the information he finds on the ship he learns the secret of cold fusion and releases the alien technology to the entire world. Yet there is a second, mysterious alien technology that he is preparing to release. Will it change the world forever?
There are many interesting characters to be discovered in the pages of this thriller. But two of them are not interesting to me. Why? Because they are psychopaths. I really don't like reading about psychopaths. I understand an author has to create opposition, and evil characters are a good way to do so. But I don't like entering the mind of these crazy weirdos. And to make matters worse, those two characters could have been either changed or totally eliminated without having a detrimental effect on the plot. I exercised my rights as a reader and merely skimmed their sections so I am still blissfully unaware of some of the gory details that my skimming hinted at.
There are at least two other characters who are showing signs of future psychopathdom. I'm hoping the author tones it down in the future. Of course, with the entire series having already been written, my hopes are surely already dashed.
But I'm going to read the rest of the series anyway! Well done, Mr. Phillips!
Not only did one alien spacecraft crash on Earth near Roswell, a second ship crashed as well. The second ship came to rest in a cave and set up a camoflauged barrier that has prevented it from being discovered. Until now. Three teenaged friends accidentally discover the ship and discover a way to "link" to the ship through mysterious headbands they find inside. The three friends soon begin to develop strange powers.
Meanwhile, at the first ship, a scientist has finally managed to open the ship, and strange things begin happening to him. Through the information he finds on the ship he learns the secret of cold fusion and releases the alien technology to the entire world. Yet there is a second, mysterious alien technology that he is preparing to release. Will it change the world forever?
There are many interesting characters to be discovered in the pages of this thriller. But two of them are not interesting to me. Why? Because they are psychopaths. I really don't like reading about psychopaths. I understand an author has to create opposition, and evil characters are a good way to do so. But I don't like entering the mind of these crazy weirdos. And to make matters worse, those two characters could have been either changed or totally eliminated without having a detrimental effect on the plot. I exercised my rights as a reader and merely skimmed their sections so I am still blissfully unaware of some of the gory details that my skimming hinted at.
There are at least two other characters who are showing signs of future psychopathdom. I'm hoping the author tones it down in the future. Of course, with the entire series having already been written, my hopes are surely already dashed.
But I'm going to read the rest of the series anyway! Well done, Mr. Phillips!
July 8, 2009
The Second Ship by Richard Phillips is the first book in the Rho Agenda. As it was sent unsolicited and as it has such strong Christian undertones, I wasn't expecting to like it. Despite those two hits against it before I even opened the book, the first novel is pretty good.
The book follows three teens, Jennifer, Heather and Mark, who find a ship crashed in the hills just outside of the National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico. After their initial encounter the begin to bond with the ship and it reveals the secrets behind a sixty year cover up that started with the original Roswell crash in 1947.
Meanwhile things are heating up at the labs. Scientists close to the project are ending up dead and the conspiracy might go all the way to the top. Through some good luck and alien aided engineering the teens find a way to uncover the truth and expose the criminals.
While the book takes place in "present day" and modern technology is used and discussed at length in the novel, book's tone had a strong Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys feel to it. First of all, the teens can do no wrong and they are close with their families. Second, they above all others are able to find the clues that everyone else seems to have missed (including the big ship lying in the wilderness). Finally, their word choices make them sound much older than they are. It's not that they are using out of date slang; they hardly use any slang at all. Instead, their names for things are out of date. The one that jumped out at me most was "computer banks" instead of just "computer" but there is a more general older style of grammar and word choice for the teens much in the same way that Nancy Drew sounds like a teen out of the 1910s instead of the 1930s in the earliest books.
The book follows three teens, Jennifer, Heather and Mark, who find a ship crashed in the hills just outside of the National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico. After their initial encounter the begin to bond with the ship and it reveals the secrets behind a sixty year cover up that started with the original Roswell crash in 1947.
Meanwhile things are heating up at the labs. Scientists close to the project are ending up dead and the conspiracy might go all the way to the top. Through some good luck and alien aided engineering the teens find a way to uncover the truth and expose the criminals.
While the book takes place in "present day" and modern technology is used and discussed at length in the novel, book's tone had a strong Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys feel to it. First of all, the teens can do no wrong and they are close with their families. Second, they above all others are able to find the clues that everyone else seems to have missed (including the big ship lying in the wilderness). Finally, their word choices make them sound much older than they are. It's not that they are using out of date slang; they hardly use any slang at all. Instead, their names for things are out of date. The one that jumped out at me most was "computer banks" instead of just "computer" but there is a more general older style of grammar and word choice for the teens much in the same way that Nancy Drew sounds like a teen out of the 1910s instead of the 1930s in the earliest books.
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