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Chess Team Adventure #2
Instinct
The high adventure of James Rollins combines with the gripping suspense of Scott Sigler in this second installment in the Jack Sigler Thriller A genetic disease known as Brugada Syndrome kills its victims without warning, without symptom. When the President of the United States falls victim to a weaponized and contagious strain of the disease, the Chess Team—King, Queen, Rook, Knight and Bishop—are assigned to protect Sara Fogg, a CDC detective, as she journeys to the source of the new the Annamite Mountains in Vietnam. Surrounded by Vietnam War era landmines, harsh terrain and more than one military force not happy about the return of American boots to the Ho Chi Minh trail, the fight for survival becomes a grueling battle in the humid jungle. Pursued by VPLA Death Volunteers, Vietnam’s Special Forces unit, the team’s flight through a maze of archaic ruins reveals an ancient secret...a primal secret that may stop the disease from sweeping the globe—even as it threatens both the mission and their lives.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2010
180 people are currently reading
1360 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Robinson
157 books2,550 followersJeremy Robinson is the New York Times bestselling author of seventy novels and novellas, including Apocalypse Machine, Island 731, and SecondWorld, as well as the Jack Sigler thriller series and Project Nemesis, the highest selling, original (non-licensed) kaiju novel of all time. He’s known for mixing elements of science, history and mythology, which has earned him the #1 spot in Science Fiction and Action-Adventure, and secured him as the top creature feature author. Many of his novels have been adapted into comic books, optioned for film and TV, and translated into thirteen languages. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children. Visit him at www.bewareofmonsters.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
February 16, 2022
What Are They?
What are they? Are they Neanderthal or some kind of ape? Orangutan 🦧 or something.
King and his Chess Team are on the search for a cure for a death-making virus that has a crazy sounding name. Brugada? Braguda? Something similar?
The virus strike you dead without any kind of warning. No one knows they have it until they are lying dead somewhere.
The team travels to Vietnam and the Annamite Mountains to locate the source of the virus and return to the country with a cure.
What they find instead is a mind numbing horror.
More action than I can describe.
What are they? Are they Neanderthal or some kind of ape? Orangutan 🦧 or something.
King and his Chess Team are on the search for a cure for a death-making virus that has a crazy sounding name. Brugada? Braguda? Something similar?
The virus strike you dead without any kind of warning. No one knows they have it until they are lying dead somewhere.
The team travels to Vietnam and the Annamite Mountains to locate the source of the virus and return to the country with a cure.
What they find instead is a mind numbing horror.
More action than I can describe.
September 3, 2016
It's a good, fun, entertaining, engrossing action-adventure. Just didn't have that PUNCH that suck the breath right out of you and makes you submerged into the layers of the story without a care for the real world around you. The main characters are great, all of them have distinctive voices and characteristics (my personal favorites are Rook and Knight), with equal important parts to play in the story, the author juggled the characters impressively to give a perfect balance with all of them. The main story was not so bad either, but as I said, it just didn't have that impact and uniqueness to make it one of a kind. A victim of a bit of "been there done that" syndrome. Which is a shame, because Jeremy Robinson's writing is very crisp and fastpaced, not to mention a good eye for giving proper depths and detailing to all the characters as needed (which is a rare thing in multiple character-centric gung-ho action-adventure genre), he only needs to find a great story to go with it all. In the next books of the series, I really hope so.
November 20, 2016
So now I've read the second books in the series of "Chess Team Adventure" and "The Event Group Adventure" by David Golemon. What I was trying to do was decide which of the two series I liked more. I like the 'Chess Team' series because it reads a bit more simpler, without a lot of technical technology. No fillers to bore you to death, which was what the Event Group was doing half the time.
I loved this story because it had such a unique topic, neanderthals, evolving by kidnapping a human doctor who just happened to be observing them for a while. Unfortunately, the president has been struck with a pandemic, and the neanderthals hold the cure. It is up to the Chess Team to get the cure back to the US to avoid human race extinction. Much like the 'Sigma Team' series by James Rollins, I am falling in love with ALL the characters. It's a thrilling ride and I'm looking forward to reading more.
I loved this story because it had such a unique topic, neanderthals, evolving by kidnapping a human doctor who just happened to be observing them for a while. Unfortunately, the president has been struck with a pandemic, and the neanderthals hold the cure. It is up to the Chess Team to get the cure back to the US to avoid human race extinction. Much like the 'Sigma Team' series by James Rollins, I am falling in love with ALL the characters. It's a thrilling ride and I'm looking forward to reading more.
March 2, 2010
"If you like thrillers original, unpredictable and chock-full of action, you are going to love Jeremy Robinson's Chess Team. INSTINCT riveted me to my chair."
--Stephen Coonts, NY Times bestselling author of THE DISCIPLE and DEEP BLACK: ARCTIC GOLD
"Robinson’s slam-bang second Chess Team thriller [is a:] a wildly inventive yarn that reads as well on the page as it would play on a computer screen."
--Publisher's Weekly
"Jeremy Robinson has done it again. INSTINCT is a knock-down, thought inducing, all-out-thrill-fest with enough testosterone to put hair on even the wimpiest of chests. The Chess Team is back and once again they’ll travel to the ends of the earth in an effort to save it. "
--thenovelblog.com
"Jeremy Robinson is a fresh new face in adventure writing and will make a mark in suspense for years to come."
--David Lynn Golemon, NY Times bestselling author of LEGEND and EVENT
"Instinct is a jungle fever of raw adrenaline that goes straight for the jugular."
--Thomas Greanias, NY Times bestselling author of THE ATLANTIS PROPHECY and THE PROMISED WAR
--Stephen Coonts, NY Times bestselling author of THE DISCIPLE and DEEP BLACK: ARCTIC GOLD
"Robinson’s slam-bang second Chess Team thriller [is a:] a wildly inventive yarn that reads as well on the page as it would play on a computer screen."
--Publisher's Weekly
"Jeremy Robinson has done it again. INSTINCT is a knock-down, thought inducing, all-out-thrill-fest with enough testosterone to put hair on even the wimpiest of chests. The Chess Team is back and once again they’ll travel to the ends of the earth in an effort to save it. "
--thenovelblog.com
"Jeremy Robinson is a fresh new face in adventure writing and will make a mark in suspense for years to come."
--David Lynn Golemon, NY Times bestselling author of LEGEND and EVENT
"Instinct is a jungle fever of raw adrenaline that goes straight for the jugular."
--Thomas Greanias, NY Times bestselling author of THE ATLANTIS PROPHECY and THE PROMISED WAR
September 21, 2018
3.5 stars
If this was the type of series that tried to be serious then I'd have to rate it lower because there is just some rampant silliness going on. But this series doesn't aspire to be anything but what it is and that's pure escapist entertainment. So leave your sense of reality behind as Jack Sigler, call sign King, and his Chess team blow plausibility out of the water.
This time around the human race is threatened with extinction via pandemic and the only place where a cure might be found is in the deep jungles of Vietnam. There are military threats as well as fierce and unexpected opposition from the natural world itself to go through and all the while the clock is ticking down on the human race. It's just another day at the office for King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, and Rook. The Pawn of the Week (Pawn being the floating call sign given to any temporary member of the Chess team) is Dr. Sarah Fogg, a CDC scientist tasked with finding and isolating the cure with just what she carries in her handy-dandy backpack. This is suspension of disbelief, remember? *wink*
Anyway, the chapters are short which keeps the third person narrative going at a fast clip as it moves from one point of action to another. Once the mission starts, there's never a moment of down time for the characters. There is a peek into King's past and Deep Blue's identity but I have to say that Rook and Knight are emerging as my favorite Chess team members and I hope that subsequent books shine some light on them at some point. I could've done without Sarah morphing into a love interest for one of the guys. Who wants to see these guys settle down and be in loooovvvvveeee? Not me, that's for damn sure. That aside, it was still a crazy, wild adventure.
If this was the type of series that tried to be serious then I'd have to rate it lower because there is just some rampant silliness going on. But this series doesn't aspire to be anything but what it is and that's pure escapist entertainment. So leave your sense of reality behind as Jack Sigler, call sign King, and his Chess team blow plausibility out of the water.
This time around the human race is threatened with extinction via pandemic and the only place where a cure might be found is in the deep jungles of Vietnam. There are military threats as well as fierce and unexpected opposition from the natural world itself to go through and all the while the clock is ticking down on the human race. It's just another day at the office for King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, and Rook. The Pawn of the Week (Pawn being the floating call sign given to any temporary member of the Chess team) is Dr. Sarah Fogg, a CDC scientist tasked with finding and isolating the cure with just what she carries in her handy-dandy backpack. This is suspension of disbelief, remember? *wink*
Anyway, the chapters are short which keeps the third person narrative going at a fast clip as it moves from one point of action to another. Once the mission starts, there's never a moment of down time for the characters. There is a peek into King's past and Deep Blue's identity but I have to say that Rook and Knight are emerging as my favorite Chess team members and I hope that subsequent books shine some light on them at some point. I could've done without Sarah morphing into a love interest for one of the guys. Who wants to see these guys settle down and be in loooovvvvveeee? Not me, that's for damn sure. That aside, it was still a crazy, wild adventure.
August 11, 2011
When the President of the United States falls victim to a weaponized amd contagious strain of a genetic disease – one that kills its victims without warning or symptom – Special Forces commander Jack ‘King’ Sigler is on the case. He and his team of highly trained operators have been assigned to protect a CDC detective as she journeys to the source of the new strain: Vietnam’s Annamite Mountains.
Surrounded by old landmines, harsh jungle terrain, and more than one military force not happy about the return of American boots to the Ho Chi Minh trail, the fight for survival becomes a gruelling battle. Pursued by the VLPA Death Volunteers, Vietnam’s Special Forces unit, the team’s flight through a maze of archaic ruins reveals an ancient secret that may stop the disease from sweeping the globe – even as it threatens both the mission and their lives.
Before we begin I have a question. Have you ever seen the movie Crank starring Jason Statham? It is a non-stop assault on the senses as Jason rampages across a city hunting down a group of criminals that stole his heart (yes, you did read that correctly). The reason I ask is because reading a Jeremy Robinson novel kind of feels like the same sort of experience. Once the action starts, it just doesn’t quit until the story is done. Like Crank, Instinct knows that there are no real limitations when it comes to action, and it embraces this wholeheartedly. This novel is the written equivalent of pure adrenalin, and I was totally hooked from page one.
In the first novel Pulse, Jack Sigler’s team mate and heavy weapons specialist, Bishop was given the opportunity to shine. Don’t get me wrong I like all of the members of the Chess Team but Jack aside, Bishop stood out. This time it is Queen who comes to the fore. At one point, she suffers greatly at the hands of VLPA but she gets the opportunity for epic bloody revenge. Robinson really likes to push his characters to their limits. I’ve been thinking about this for a while and Queen reminds me of Mother from the Matthew Reilly Scarecrow novels. Both are tough as nails women who are just as capable as all the men around them. They are forces of nature in their own right.
The pace is blistering through out but be warned, Mr. Robinson delights in throwing the reader the occasional curve ball. Put it this way, at the end of chapter twelve there was a moment where I had to read a sentence multiple times as I was so flabbergasted about what had just transpired. There is nothing better than when a writer manages to drop something wholly unexpected into a story. Sneaky, but splendidly so.
I do have a minor quibble. I have to admit to being a little surprised that the identity of Deep Blue, the Chess Team’s secretive right hand man, has been revealed. I enjoyed the enigmatic air that surrounded Deep Blue and part of me is sorry that this element is now gone. In saying that, without spoiling anything, I do now have a burning curiosity about where the reveal will lead.
Pulse is good but Instinct is great. This is a thriller that wears it’s heart in it’s sleeve and I believe it to be all the better for that. Instinct is the purest form of unmitigated escapism. I think it is about time you all discovered for yourself the never-ending action of The Chess Team.
Threshold, the third Chess Team novel, is already available in hardback, the paperback edition is due for release on 31st January 2012. I’ll be purchasing it as soon as the paperback is available on Amazon UK.
Surrounded by old landmines, harsh jungle terrain, and more than one military force not happy about the return of American boots to the Ho Chi Minh trail, the fight for survival becomes a gruelling battle. Pursued by the VLPA Death Volunteers, Vietnam’s Special Forces unit, the team’s flight through a maze of archaic ruins reveals an ancient secret that may stop the disease from sweeping the globe – even as it threatens both the mission and their lives.
Before we begin I have a question. Have you ever seen the movie Crank starring Jason Statham? It is a non-stop assault on the senses as Jason rampages across a city hunting down a group of criminals that stole his heart (yes, you did read that correctly). The reason I ask is because reading a Jeremy Robinson novel kind of feels like the same sort of experience. Once the action starts, it just doesn’t quit until the story is done. Like Crank, Instinct knows that there are no real limitations when it comes to action, and it embraces this wholeheartedly. This novel is the written equivalent of pure adrenalin, and I was totally hooked from page one.
In the first novel Pulse, Jack Sigler’s team mate and heavy weapons specialist, Bishop was given the opportunity to shine. Don’t get me wrong I like all of the members of the Chess Team but Jack aside, Bishop stood out. This time it is Queen who comes to the fore. At one point, she suffers greatly at the hands of VLPA but she gets the opportunity for epic bloody revenge. Robinson really likes to push his characters to their limits. I’ve been thinking about this for a while and Queen reminds me of Mother from the Matthew Reilly Scarecrow novels. Both are tough as nails women who are just as capable as all the men around them. They are forces of nature in their own right.
The pace is blistering through out but be warned, Mr. Robinson delights in throwing the reader the occasional curve ball. Put it this way, at the end of chapter twelve there was a moment where I had to read a sentence multiple times as I was so flabbergasted about what had just transpired. There is nothing better than when a writer manages to drop something wholly unexpected into a story. Sneaky, but splendidly so.
I do have a minor quibble. I have to admit to being a little surprised that the identity of Deep Blue, the Chess Team’s secretive right hand man, has been revealed. I enjoyed the enigmatic air that surrounded Deep Blue and part of me is sorry that this element is now gone. In saying that, without spoiling anything, I do now have a burning curiosity about where the reveal will lead.
Pulse is good but Instinct is great. This is a thriller that wears it’s heart in it’s sleeve and I believe it to be all the better for that. Instinct is the purest form of unmitigated escapism. I think it is about time you all discovered for yourself the never-ending action of The Chess Team.
Threshold, the third Chess Team novel, is already available in hardback, the paperback edition is due for release on 31st January 2012. I’ll be purchasing it as soon as the paperback is available on Amazon UK.
July 27, 2011
Instinct by Jeremy Robinson is the second book in his Chess Team adventure series. (Pulse was the first.) Fourteen years earlier cryptozoologist Dr. Anthony Weston was attacked and disappeared in Vietnam’s Annamite Mountains, the same area where a deadly plague, the Brugada syndrome, originated. The Brugada Syndrome has been weaponized and the President of the United States has been infected. The infection is on the brink of being released and would soon wipe out most of the human race unless a cure can be found. The Chess Team (called this because their call signs are chess pieces - King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Pawn) are sent to this same area with a CDC agent to search for the source of and find a cure for the Brugada syndrome.
This is pure action/adventure escapism as the Chess Team fights for survival and to complete their mission. Instinct is a novel where you have to suspend disbelief and just go where the action takes you. I mean, come on, who doesn't want to read an action/adventure novel with a crytozoologist and a special forces unit. At the end, there is even a clue about what may be the next mission for the Chess Team.
Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big game player, but I can see why some readers might think Instinct reads like a video game with its fast pace. Instinct is a fast paced novel. The plot surges forward, which suits the genre. I appreciate the science included in the plot, but I am reading the book for the action - and it delivers action. Robinson also furthers the character development of the Chess Team members and includes plenty vivid descriptions along with the action.
Although Robinson has been compared to Matthew Reilly, I can definitively declare that Robinson is a better writer than Reilly. I think he compares more favorably with James Rollins, Clive Cussler, Lincoln Child, and David Goleman.
The dedication in Instinct made me smile. It says: "For Mom, even though I know this one will freak you out."
very highly recommended - this ones for action/adventure junkies; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
This is pure action/adventure escapism as the Chess Team fights for survival and to complete their mission. Instinct is a novel where you have to suspend disbelief and just go where the action takes you. I mean, come on, who doesn't want to read an action/adventure novel with a crytozoologist and a special forces unit. At the end, there is even a clue about what may be the next mission for the Chess Team.
Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big game player, but I can see why some readers might think Instinct reads like a video game with its fast pace. Instinct is a fast paced novel. The plot surges forward, which suits the genre. I appreciate the science included in the plot, but I am reading the book for the action - and it delivers action. Robinson also furthers the character development of the Chess Team members and includes plenty vivid descriptions along with the action.
Although Robinson has been compared to Matthew Reilly, I can definitively declare that Robinson is a better writer than Reilly. I think he compares more favorably with James Rollins, Clive Cussler, Lincoln Child, and David Goleman.
The dedication in Instinct made me smile. It says: "For Mom, even though I know this one will freak you out."
very highly recommended - this ones for action/adventure junkies; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
March 2, 2022
For me, this book committed what is possibly the worst sin for the kind of book it is. There was no sense of jeopardy at all. It's in the series' title, Jack Sigler thriller. There should be a sense that our main characters are in danger, that they at least might die, but after reading 3 of the novels (I began with book 0) I simply don't believe any of the situations will put them in true danger, because they never do.
I understand that they are the best of the best, but it's the author's job to convince me that might not be enough, that when it comes, the victory will come at a cost. And I mean a real price, not the death of a character whose codename told me they were going to be a sacrificial piece.
Then there is the narration, which often felt like the author had a military weapon magazine next to them and was transcribing the weapons' details any time the weapon hadn't been talked about in a few chapters. It became tiresome rather quickly
We do get interesting character interactions and some well written battles, but in the end, it wasn't enough to save the book. I'm probably done with this series.
I understand that they are the best of the best, but it's the author's job to convince me that might not be enough, that when it comes, the victory will come at a cost. And I mean a real price, not the death of a character whose codename told me they were going to be a sacrificial piece.
Then there is the narration, which often felt like the author had a military weapon magazine next to them and was transcribing the weapons' details any time the weapon hadn't been talked about in a few chapters. It became tiresome rather quickly
We do get interesting character interactions and some well written battles, but in the end, it wasn't enough to save the book. I'm probably done with this series.
April 10, 2014
The Chess Team are on a new mission: to save the lives of the entire world.
Nefarious villains seek to weoponise a virus that causes everyone (particularly males) to fall down dead where they stand. Healthy people dropping to the ground in droves!
The Chess Team infiltrate a small village in Vietnam in search of the cure in the Annamite Mountains, but find instead the Volunteer Death Squad and odd bipedal life forms bent upon the destruction of humankind.
Will they find the cure before the entire human population falls prey to Brugada? Or will they be killed at the hands of The VPLA and Nguoi Rung? And just where IS Deep Blue?
Gasp as Queen delivers her own brand of justice to those who cross the members of Chess!
April 18, 2010
Jeremy Robinson is one of those authors who, simply put, writes books I want to read, and Instinct is no exception. Instinct includes just about all the things I enjoy in a thriller: an exotic setting, a compelling mystery, creepy creatures, and action galore! Pulse was good, but Instinct is better. Chess Team is carving out a niche for itself alongside the likes of the Event Group, Sigma Force, and NUMA. If you like James Rollins, Michael Crichton, or Matthew Reilly, give Robinson a try. You won't regret it!
March 2, 2014
Well I mean ummm well ummmmm so ummmm I am lost for words this so gooooodddd
What a bloody brilliant book I loved this so much and could not get enough of it...
Cracking story and will (I promise) keep you hooked...
Enjoy this one - I am off to read Threshold now - cannot wait to get back into the Chess Team world.
What a bloody brilliant book I loved this so much and could not get enough of it...
Cracking story and will (I promise) keep you hooked...
Enjoy this one - I am off to read Threshold now - cannot wait to get back into the Chess Team world.
June 4, 2025
This was another great Chess Team adventure. It was fast-paced from the start and it was great to revisit the Chess Team. I liked the addition of Sarah to this story. It was great to see a kick-ass scientist assisting the team. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
March 10, 2013
I enjoyed this action thriller very much. I like how the characters work together in touch situations. I love the Chess Team stories.
September 5, 2022
Jeremy Robinson creates a page-turning albeit bizarre thriller in "Instinct" that straddles science, the supernatural and politics with seeming ease.
Initially, the author's heroic team of specifically trained operatives -- known as the Chess Team and tasked with escorting a CDC scientist to a dangerous remote mountain region in Vietnam to recover a life-saving serum in a last-ditch effort to stave off a deadly pandemic -- seems like an absurd storytelling device to keep the novel entertaining and gravitas at arm's length. Stunningly, Robinson weaves compelling exploration into each of the five team member's personalities and history, while maintaining a breakneck plot. The narrative does not feel slowed or overplayed at any point despite segments requiring the reader to suspend disbelief.
Robinson also effectively raises questions about multiple scientific and worldly issues including evolution, imperialism and ecological preservation. Again, he brings these topics to the forefront without preaching or condescension yet with a critical lens on the long-accepted notions of American exceptionalism and manifest destiny.
Nevertheless, the author makes one critical misstep in this freewheeling yet calculated adventure: he springs entirely too much gore and offensive language on the reader. Hardly a fatal flaw, and the novel's generous upside applies plenty of balm to its feral undercurrent, but this book definitely should not grace the shelves of the timid. The thriller loses a full rating star for its gratuitous violence and glaring insensitivity.
Despite that, those who crave high-flying adventure with a heavy dose of genetic science and the conflicting ethics of disease pathology, a la James Rollins, will devour this as a rip-roaring good read.
Initially, the author's heroic team of specifically trained operatives -- known as the Chess Team and tasked with escorting a CDC scientist to a dangerous remote mountain region in Vietnam to recover a life-saving serum in a last-ditch effort to stave off a deadly pandemic -- seems like an absurd storytelling device to keep the novel entertaining and gravitas at arm's length. Stunningly, Robinson weaves compelling exploration into each of the five team member's personalities and history, while maintaining a breakneck plot. The narrative does not feel slowed or overplayed at any point despite segments requiring the reader to suspend disbelief.
Robinson also effectively raises questions about multiple scientific and worldly issues including evolution, imperialism and ecological preservation. Again, he brings these topics to the forefront without preaching or condescension yet with a critical lens on the long-accepted notions of American exceptionalism and manifest destiny.
Nevertheless, the author makes one critical misstep in this freewheeling yet calculated adventure: he springs entirely too much gore and offensive language on the reader. Hardly a fatal flaw, and the novel's generous upside applies plenty of balm to its feral undercurrent, but this book definitely should not grace the shelves of the timid. The thriller loses a full rating star for its gratuitous violence and glaring insensitivity.
Despite that, those who crave high-flying adventure with a heavy dose of genetic science and the conflicting ethics of disease pathology, a la James Rollins, will devour this as a rip-roaring good read.
May 23, 2022
Nemesis Saga: I am burnt out; this journey has been long. I do believe my burnt-out feeling is to blame for not giving this book a higher rating. The first and second are excellent books on their own, but since I've been going through all these books for the Project Legion climax, I cannot help but feel like it is worth it anymore. There are good books that are connected (not the Project Nemesis stuff), such as SecondWorld, Xom-b, Mirror World, and The Last Hunter. Jeremy Robinson has become my favorite author because of the way he writes his characters, his crazy concept, and how he simply explains the details of the environment without it breaking the pace of the story. Great stuff; I cannot recommend it enough. Though knowing all these are connected kind of bugs me because it seems like these other books are dealing with their own thing and can't help to fight a giant monster. It is all just pointlessly connected to be connected to sell more books.
However, despite all that said, I did enjoy the book. Bishop is straight BS now! Queen is awesome, and Rook is just Rook. King and Knight are kind of bland to me. But maybe in the next book, it will all change. I am enjoying The Last Hunter more than this trilogy. Which isn't bad; I just wish this trilogy didn't burn me out so fast. I got three more books to read till the climax of this series. I can do this!
However, despite all that said, I did enjoy the book. Bishop is straight BS now! Queen is awesome, and Rook is just Rook. King and Knight are kind of bland to me. But maybe in the next book, it will all change. I am enjoying The Last Hunter more than this trilogy. Which isn't bad; I just wish this trilogy didn't burn me out so fast. I got three more books to read till the climax of this series. I can do this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2019
Instinct: Chess Team #2 Loved it. I thought this book hit on all cylinders and I am really looking forward to getting the next in the series. The Chess Team is the type of heroic group that I like to read about. Effective, flawed, efficient, ruthless... And this book was a great example of that. The enemies (both human and other) were terrifying. I am in love with how Jeremy Robinson is able to mix sci-fi with horror with action/adventure. And for the most part, nobody is entirely safe in the story. Either people die in horrible ways or they lose pieces of themselves. I didn't know how Bishop would be handled in the series after Pulse. I love his character, but that dude has it rough. The point is, something bad will be happening to someone you like, period. These books are over the top in the best way. I can't wait to see what is next.
September 15, 2017
This book literally had me up turning pages all night. It's packed with action and high adventure. The storyline was interesting if not bordering on the outlandish but I've gotten good at suspending disbelief in favor of an exciting read. This author does not disappoint! More than once I asked myself how the Chess Team was going to get out of a particularly dire situation. No spoilers but suffice it it say it was always a slam bang and usually unexpected solution. I love these books and plan to pick up the next one sooner rather than later. Highly recommended for action junkies and insomniacs alike.
March 13, 2020
Kesinlikle ilk sayfasından itibaren sürükleyici bir roman. Bildik formülle yazılmış: Her biri, bir sonraki bölüme sizi geçmek zorunda bırakan bir sonla biten, kısa bölümler. Kafayı dağıtmak, gündemden kaçmak için birebir. Onun dışında Amerikan şovenizmi, üstten bakışı, bilimsel gibi görünen ama konuyla ilgili çalışan insanlarını güldürecek açıklamalar, gerçeküstü durumlar v.b. sorunlar da mevcut, ama kim takar.. Zaten bu kitabı elinize aldığınız anda sözleşmeyi imzalamış oluyorsunuz; "dört yüz küsür sayfa boyunca ne diyorsan sorgulamadan doğru kabul edeceğim." Dediğim gibi, kafa dağıtmak için birebir.
August 15, 2017
a book this ridiculous can be fun if you approach it as a comedy. there is violence and gore, but it's cartoon violence. too over the top, and psychically impossible to be taken seriously.
...until it turns dark and serious. one torture scene too many and the over the top silliness gets down right stoopid. (it passed stupid, and digressed to stoopid) the identity of deep blue was so jaw droppingly asinine it left me gobsmacked. is that supposed to be funny? why would you write something so idiotic? this book started as a guilty pleasure and left be uncomfortable by the end.
...until it turns dark and serious. one torture scene too many and the over the top silliness gets down right stoopid. (it passed stupid, and digressed to stoopid) the identity of deep blue was so jaw droppingly asinine it left me gobsmacked. is that supposed to be funny? why would you write something so idiotic? this book started as a guilty pleasure and left be uncomfortable by the end.
November 3, 2017
I am really getting into this series. I believe the characters are developing more. Each is written into branching scenarios which are entertaining, but manage to stay the course and merge back together into the primary narrative. A few threads in the story kind of drop towards the end, such as the Death Volunteers' leader. Also, as with many of these types of novels, luck might as well have a shout out as well. Overall, the novel is entertaining and magnetic - pulling the reader back to the novel with its pace and energy.
July 23, 2023
Good book and fun adventure. These sorts of X-Files meets Delta Force type things are a weird secret passion of mine in fiction. I liked that this drew the US military back to Vietnam in some weird sort of way that I can't quite explain. I think maybe that goes back to growing up listening to Vietnam vets, who knows.
These are fun books and I'm slowly working my way through this series. I recommend this to fans of Joe Ledger, and if you like this series and haven't read Ledger, then check those out, you'll dig them as well.
These are fun books and I'm slowly working my way through this series. I recommend this to fans of Joe Ledger, and if you like this series and haven't read Ledger, then check those out, you'll dig them as well.
April 18, 2018
Another good novel by Mr. Robinson. It was fast paced and a pretty easy read. It did linger a little bit but all in all a good read. It flowed nicely but I wasn't as excited for the end as I was with the other novels as I didn't expect a huge ending like in the other novels. I will be looking forward to reading the next installment in the series. It does help if you have read the past novels as there are a lot of references to what has happened in the past. A lot more will make sense.
October 26, 2020
I had such a low expectation with Pulse, but in the end was pleasantly surprised. So I went on with the second entry. And it was...well...kinda meh. This is the generic action thriller that I was hoping to get originally from the first book. It is not bad. But it is not particularly good either. Not much spectacular action. Some character building. And best of all, it was short. And there was a kinda cliffhanger, so I might even pick up the next one.
September 26, 2025
I am not sure about how to rate this book. I am torn between 3 and 4. I picked this up after a big break from the previous books in the series. I did not have difficulty in finishing the book. It had a good pacing. Still I felt the book was hollow. Many a time I was reading just for the sake of reading. Stakes are high but the baddies are not.
I picked this up only because I had nothing else to read. Feel like I will be reading the next in the series for the same reason.
I picked this up only because I had nothing else to read. Feel like I will be reading the next in the series for the same reason.
December 13, 2020
A hot pounding adventure through the jungles of and under the mountains of Vietnam this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. A book that excellently blends the world of military forces with the sci-fi world of creatures and science. This book excells in many different ways and anyone a fan of James Rollins, Clive Clussler, and Matthew Reilly will love the Chess Team series.
September 18, 2024
fantastic
Another great read from this guy. I read a lot of different books, but I think this guy is by far the best author I’ve read. I feel kind of bad that somehow the last book got rated as only three stars when I wanted at five stars. He takes a monster book. It makes it quite the story. Very intriguing and very interesting.
Another great read from this guy. I read a lot of different books, but I think this guy is by far the best author I’ve read. I feel kind of bad that somehow the last book got rated as only three stars when I wanted at five stars. He takes a monster book. It makes it quite the story. Very intriguing and very interesting.
October 21, 2016
A really exciting military/sci-fi adventure - the Chess Team is back trying to prevent the end of mankind, by trying to find the cure for a virus that has an extra punch to it (don't want to give away the specifics of the very interesting virus). They go to Vietnam where they meet an army of, well I will leave that for you to find out. Very exciting, the Chess team characters are well developed and the action is non-stop. Can't wait to read the next one.
November 5, 2017
The Chess Team are in Vietnam searching for a cure to a disease that could wipe out humanity as we know it. Along their way they discover a frightening ancient civilization and a lot of consequences. Worth the read if you are following the harrowing adventures of Robinson's Dream Team.
June 19, 2018
It was too long! I don't normally say that about a book but an editor was required to cut out the padding. And make it flow in a more pleasing way. Some sections were just stretched out and I was glad it was over by the end. It's not a bad book nor poorly written it just needs help.
September 3, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this one. Seemed a little too long in spots. I didn’t like or love to hate the antagonists. The whole pandemic thing was a bit too prophetic! I’m definitely going on in the series but I hope it goes uphill from here.
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