Monday, May 19, 2014

IMMUNE: THE RHO AGENDA, Book 2 by Richard Phillips

Narrated by MacLeod Andrews

YA Sci-Fi Becomes Spy Thriller

Phillips takes the story in unexpected directions with this second book. While the first installment hits on all the Young Adult clichés, with the teens being smarter than everyone else, this book forces the protagonists to face the consequences of their secretive actions. They lie and people die. At about the halfway mark this becomes a spy thriller complete with corrupt politicians, manhunts, Colombian drug lords, and dread assassins with hearts of gold. I found the plot to be steady and exciting with a heavy does of Science Fiction technology extrapolation.

If there is fault to be found it is in the character motivation. It is typical of all novels that the heroes are in the center of all the action and this is no different. I understand how the kids would be excited and protective of their discovery that they consider to be their own private playground. At some point I expect them to grow a conscience and realize their selfishness and utter inadequacy to administer the other-worldly technology they now wield. One character, Jennifer, does undergo a major personality change, turning against the others, and I thought that this would be the impetus for some soul-searching revelation. But no. The trio of friends reunite with not so much as a hint of introspection. So this loose end just unravels, forgotten and ignored, at the end.

My critique is not that the characters do not develop. By the end of this book itc is clear that the three protagonists, Heather, Jennifer and Mark, are clearly changing; and not for the better. My critique is that the characters seem blind to their personality transformations and behave in a manner inconsistent with the way they have been portrayed. Perhaps this will all be resolved in the third volume. I think it far more likely that the story will again be carried away in the hurricane force of the strong plot and that the characters will be left flapping in the wind as an afterthought.


MacLeod Andrews is a good choice for this book. He seems to get the personality of each character as needed and keeps up with the story with an energetic delivery. 

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