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Project Eden #1
Sick
New York Times bestselling author Brett Battles delivers pulse-pounding suspense in one of the year's most terrifying thrillers. Daniel Ash wakes after midnight to the cry of his daughter. Just a bad dream he thinks. He expects to find her sitting up in bed frightened by a nightmare.
But this is no dream. This nightmare is real. And it's just beginning.
Something is burning Ash's daughter alive. Something horrible that's spreading beyond the walls of their home and taking no prisoners.
Ash soon discovers his daughter isn’t the only one in his family infected. As his world begins spinning out of control, a team of armed men in biohazard suits bursts into his house.
But these aren’t the good guys. They haven’t come to save Ash’s family. They’ve come to separate them, to finish what the fever started.
The problem is Ash refuses to disappear. He will do all he can to save his family and stop those responsible before they can unleash their terror on the rest of the world. If you enjoy action-packed thrillers with high-stakes suspense, surprising plot-twists, and a cast full of unforgettable characters, then join the legions of avid fans who have fallen under Battles' spell and seize your opportunity now to devour SICK.
PRAISE FOR BATTLES' WRITING “Battles' writing is addictive." — NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, James Rollins “Battles is a master storyteller.” — NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, Sheldon Siegel “Brilliant and heart pounding.” — NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, Jeffery Deaver
OVER 3,500 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ POSITIVE REVIEWS ON GOODREADS AND AMAZON ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Grabs you by the throat and drags you along for the ride!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A fantastic thrill ride from start to finish!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I have found another favorite author!”
But this is no dream. This nightmare is real. And it's just beginning.
Something is burning Ash's daughter alive. Something horrible that's spreading beyond the walls of their home and taking no prisoners.
Ash soon discovers his daughter isn’t the only one in his family infected. As his world begins spinning out of control, a team of armed men in biohazard suits bursts into his house.
But these aren’t the good guys. They haven’t come to save Ash’s family. They’ve come to separate them, to finish what the fever started.
The problem is Ash refuses to disappear. He will do all he can to save his family and stop those responsible before they can unleash their terror on the rest of the world. If you enjoy action-packed thrillers with high-stakes suspense, surprising plot-twists, and a cast full of unforgettable characters, then join the legions of avid fans who have fallen under Battles' spell and seize your opportunity now to devour SICK.
PRAISE FOR BATTLES' WRITING “Battles' writing is addictive." — NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, James Rollins “Battles is a master storyteller.” — NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, Sheldon Siegel “Brilliant and heart pounding.” — NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, Jeffery Deaver
OVER 3,500 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ POSITIVE REVIEWS ON GOODREADS AND AMAZON ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Grabs you by the throat and drags you along for the ride!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A fantastic thrill ride from start to finish!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I have found another favorite author!”
296 pages, Paperback
First published April 19, 2011
465 people are currently reading
3224 people want to read
About the author
Brett Battles
90 books1,059 followersBrett Battles is a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling and Barry Award-winning author of forty novels, including the Jonathan Quinn series and its Excoms spinoff, the Project Eden series, and the time bending Rewinder series. He’s also the coauthor, with Robert Gregory Browne, of the Alexandra Poe series. He is one of the founding members of Killer Year, and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. He lives and writes in Ventura County, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
November 26, 2015
Okay, so another novel about a plague that could wipe out humanity. We've read this before and seen it a million times, right? Nevertheless, this book was a great page-turner. Daniel Ash wakes up in the middle of night to find a nightmare situation. His wife is dead next to him. His daughter and son appear to be sick with the same virulent disease. He alone isn't affected. A team of unknown specialists in Hazmat gear swoop in and quarantine the entire neighborhood. Soon, Ash is separated from his children and being studied like a lab rat. Only when a secretive agent frees him from captivity does Ash realize there is a conspiracy in the works. Someone is developing a super plague, and his family and neighbors are only the first casualties. Ash must find his children, find those responsible for taking them, and -- you, know -- save the world from certain destruction.
I guess what makes this different from other plague-apocalypse novels is that the disease has not yet escaped fully. It's sort of 'Fear the Walking Dead' as opposed to 'The Walking Dead.' I found it an easy, exciting read. If you're after pure entertainment on your next trip, or just looking to relax with a good yarn, give it a try.
I guess what makes this different from other plague-apocalypse novels is that the disease has not yet escaped fully. It's sort of 'Fear the Walking Dead' as opposed to 'The Walking Dead.' I found it an easy, exciting read. If you're after pure entertainment on your next trip, or just looking to relax with a good yarn, give it a try.
September 2, 2021
Not my favorite by Battles because it's apocalypse depressive. 5 of 10 stars
October 15, 2012
One of the positive points of this book for me is the fact that there is zero romance in it. No-one falling in or out of love, no love triangles, and no whining damsel in distress. That doesn’t mean that this isn’t a great read. I’m saying that this book was a terrific read without the author reverting to the customary romance angle to give the story a backbone. I loved that the author created a tale starting as a parent’s worst nightmare and built it up from there to an explosive ending, instead of weighing a lackluster plot down with touchy-feely clichés and passing it off as a thriller, as some authors do.
What I didn’t enjoy about this book however, hence the four-star rating, is the main character. For some reason I just couldn’t connect with him. I also felt that too little attention was given to the children’s story line, but the author did an outstanding job with the secondary characters and their story lines. In many ways I enjoyed the secondary characters’ stories more than the main plot. I sometimes felt like skimming through the chapters about Ash, and just focusing my attention on the more fluffed out characters. But I didn’t want to miss out on any necessary details – and there are many in this story - so I stuck it out till the end, and am happy I did because I would’ve missed out on lots of important information essential to the development of the plot.
Overall I enjoyed and appreciated the author’s creativity, the interesting concept, and the adrenaline-pumping action. The idea of a secret organization wanting to wipe out most of the world’s population by way of a deadly virus is a horrifying concept and a theme the author pulled off with ease. Although I didn’t like the main character very much, I did enjoy the story even if it dragged along at times. I’m curious to see what happens to Ash and the other characters in the next two books in this series.
Brett Battles undeniably has a unique talent when it comes to constructing a novel of bone-chilling suspense and keeping the reader speculating while racing along to an electrifying conclusion. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of his books!
What I didn’t enjoy about this book however, hence the four-star rating, is the main character. For some reason I just couldn’t connect with him. I also felt that too little attention was given to the children’s story line, but the author did an outstanding job with the secondary characters and their story lines. In many ways I enjoyed the secondary characters’ stories more than the main plot. I sometimes felt like skimming through the chapters about Ash, and just focusing my attention on the more fluffed out characters. But I didn’t want to miss out on any necessary details – and there are many in this story - so I stuck it out till the end, and am happy I did because I would’ve missed out on lots of important information essential to the development of the plot.
Overall I enjoyed and appreciated the author’s creativity, the interesting concept, and the adrenaline-pumping action. The idea of a secret organization wanting to wipe out most of the world’s population by way of a deadly virus is a horrifying concept and a theme the author pulled off with ease. Although I didn’t like the main character very much, I did enjoy the story even if it dragged along at times. I’m curious to see what happens to Ash and the other characters in the next two books in this series.
Brett Battles undeniably has a unique talent when it comes to constructing a novel of bone-chilling suspense and keeping the reader speculating while racing along to an electrifying conclusion. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of his books!
June 18, 2013
This one was hard to get through, and not entirely sure why - it was a book that seemed tailor made for my guilty pleasures - a horrible contagious and deadly disease sweeping through north america, shady government agencies, possible oncoming apocalypse - and yet I really had to fight to get through and finish it. I just didn't care about any of the people in this book. There was no pathos. Just a bunch of people running around doing things that held no interest to me. I didn't care whether they lived or died, and in some portions, the protagonist's actions were so ludicrous that I actually wished for his death. Never has Shakespeare ever been more apt: "it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
May 21, 2015
In the middle of the night Daniel Ash is awoken by his daughters screams, little does he know his life is about to be changed forever. Daniel is oblivious to the fact that he and his family have been part of a research study that insane radicals have been monitoring for years. After his wife dies, his children are taken, and he is taken and held in a secret lab, a small group of strangers come to break him out. Daniel is completely confused by the events of the last week but is quickly brought up to speed by a very clandestine, elite organization, that it seems, really do want to help him. The story follows several groups of people that are all linked through this very covert group who materialize out of nowhere to save their lives. The different threads woven throughout kept up an interesting and rapid play by play sequence of events. I like the fact that not all was revealed; who is this mysterious group of do-gooders?
A very fast passed, diabolical book. The powers at be behind the scenes must be stopped before their maniacal plan can be brought to fruition. Macleod Andrews is an amazing, versatile narrator who adds grit to this listen. This is my first Brett Battles book and I hope the rest of the series is as good as the first.
A very fast passed, diabolical book. The powers at be behind the scenes must be stopped before their maniacal plan can be brought to fruition. Macleod Andrews is an amazing, versatile narrator who adds grit to this listen. This is my first Brett Battles book and I hope the rest of the series is as good as the first.
August 6, 2012
Fun ride on the entertainment railway.
August 26, 2012
I usually have to force myself to do other things instead of reading when I have a Brett Battles Cleaner series book. This book I had to force myself to continue reading. Maybe I'm just burned out on government conspiracy novels, or maybe it's something else.
I found the main character to be less than compelling. It wasn't that he was boring, he just didn't hold my attention the way I'm used to a protagonist keeping me involved in the story. I found myself waiting for the author to move back to a secondary, or even new, character.
Sick is the first of three (so far) books in the Eden series. I doubt very much that I will be reading the other two. When Battles comes out with another Quinn story, that will be another issue entirely.
I found the main character to be less than compelling. It wasn't that he was boring, he just didn't hold my attention the way I'm used to a protagonist keeping me involved in the story. I found myself waiting for the author to move back to a secondary, or even new, character.
Sick is the first of three (so far) books in the Eden series. I doubt very much that I will be reading the other two. When Battles comes out with another Quinn story, that will be another issue entirely.
August 14, 2019
Wow! A page turner from start to finish! Well written and a very good read! Couldn’t put it down! 👍🏼
May 5, 2011
I am going to channel my teenage son here: “Sick is just sic, it is off the hook sic, basically it can’t get any sic’r than it is.” Now to understand the teenage mind just a little bit, that means it is good in a good way even though it doesn’t sound that way. For me, being the geezer that I am, I would say that it is just rad, hip and cool, peachy keano, or something along those old man one foot in the grave type things. But seriously folks, I am a big Cleaner fan, the franchise that Brett Battles has handled so well. So when I heard he had this new work, I was not just intrigued but jazzed and ready to read. I was fortunate enough to have interviewed him on The G-ZONE just as I finished reading the latest Cleaner novel, The Silenced, here is the link for that, it is in the archives:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
In the interview Brett Battles does discuss Sick, and it was fun listening to the passion in his voice as he described for me the mechanics of his writing and how much he thought this was possibly his best effort to date. The neat thing for me as a reader is that as good as Brett Battles is, he wants to get better and better with each effort. I personally don’t see how he can do that because his stuff rocks already but hey, if he Amp’s it up a bit, as a reader I am not going to bitch about it, if know what you mean. I think the guy’s style and substance rules already.
The new work, Sick, just took things in a whole new direction for me. I think Mr. Battles new found freedom of putting his work up as soon as he completes it. It is liberating and has allowed him to use his creative genius in ways he hasn’t felt before, thus the new work’s success and his heightened sense of accomplishment of mobility and purpose. In the interview he said he has plenty of ideas floating around, that he loves to write, and he can now get that to market in a timely fashion. As a reader that makes me happy. I was used to that once a year thing that really bummed me out. Basically what I am trying to say my friend, is that more of something good in my estimation just makes it better, especially in the hands of someone so skilled and driven. That just comes through when you listen to him discuss his craft, his vocation, his life’s work.
Here is a little something on today’s novel, Sick:
“Daniel Ash wakes after midnight to the cry of his daughter. Just a bad dream, he thinks. She's had them before. Yet he can't help but worry when she cries out again as he pads down the hallway. Stepping through her doorway, he expects to find her sitting up in bed, frightened by a nightmare.
But the nightmare is his. It's real. And it's just beginning...
Something is burning Ash's daughter alive. Something horrible that is spreading beyond the walls of their home, and taking no prisoners.
Thirty seconds later, Ash will discover his daughter isn't the only one in his family infected, and as his world spins, coming apart at the seams, a team of armed men in biohazard suits bursts into his house.
But these aren't the good guys.
They haven't come to save Ash's family. They've come to separate them, to finish what they started.
The problem is Ash refuses to disappear. He wants only one thing: to find those responsible.
Because humanity is on the brink of execution.
And man is pulling the trigger.”
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
In the interview Brett Battles does discuss Sick, and it was fun listening to the passion in his voice as he described for me the mechanics of his writing and how much he thought this was possibly his best effort to date. The neat thing for me as a reader is that as good as Brett Battles is, he wants to get better and better with each effort. I personally don’t see how he can do that because his stuff rocks already but hey, if he Amp’s it up a bit, as a reader I am not going to bitch about it, if know what you mean. I think the guy’s style and substance rules already.
The new work, Sick, just took things in a whole new direction for me. I think Mr. Battles new found freedom of putting his work up as soon as he completes it. It is liberating and has allowed him to use his creative genius in ways he hasn’t felt before, thus the new work’s success and his heightened sense of accomplishment of mobility and purpose. In the interview he said he has plenty of ideas floating around, that he loves to write, and he can now get that to market in a timely fashion. As a reader that makes me happy. I was used to that once a year thing that really bummed me out. Basically what I am trying to say my friend, is that more of something good in my estimation just makes it better, especially in the hands of someone so skilled and driven. That just comes through when you listen to him discuss his craft, his vocation, his life’s work.
Here is a little something on today’s novel, Sick:
“Daniel Ash wakes after midnight to the cry of his daughter. Just a bad dream, he thinks. She's had them before. Yet he can't help but worry when she cries out again as he pads down the hallway. Stepping through her doorway, he expects to find her sitting up in bed, frightened by a nightmare.
But the nightmare is his. It's real. And it's just beginning...
Something is burning Ash's daughter alive. Something horrible that is spreading beyond the walls of their home, and taking no prisoners.
Thirty seconds later, Ash will discover his daughter isn't the only one in his family infected, and as his world spins, coming apart at the seams, a team of armed men in biohazard suits bursts into his house.
But these aren't the good guys.
They haven't come to save Ash's family. They've come to separate them, to finish what they started.
The problem is Ash refuses to disappear. He wants only one thing: to find those responsible.
Because humanity is on the brink of execution.
And man is pulling the trigger.”
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
July 17, 2018
Sick In The Best Ways. This is one wild ride, that starts with a man's daughter screaming only for him to realize moments later that his wife is dead. Soon, he and his kids are kidnapped and separated. It turns out, they unknowingly have something that is extremely valuable to some very... sick... people. This introduction to the PROJECT EDEN series is more TAKEN than Apocalypse, but the tease of a coming Apocalypse is very real and very visceral. By the end, you're glad the entire series is already written, because you'll immediately want to jump into Book 2.
Read
January 1, 2018DNF...couldn't get into audio. Need to go back and just 'read' the book
February 11, 2020
Notes:
It was good to hear MacLeod Andrews narrate again. =)
Great start to a series. There were a lot of moving parts and they were linked well.
It was good to hear MacLeod Andrews narrate again. =)
Great start to a series. There were a lot of moving parts and they were linked well.
March 23, 2020
nice book to read during this lockdown period. Reading book 2 now
June 23, 2012
I picked up this book thinking it to be a medical thriller. Well, it is not exactly so much of a medical thriller, though the central element of the plot is the spread of a killer contagion. The basic plot is nothing new; we have read enough novels both on the aspect of the spread of killer contagions, as well as about radical elements deliberately doing so to kill for their ulterior and vested interests. Despite such absence of novelty, this book reads like a riot! Very fast paced with edge of the seat narrative makes it a nice thriller to read.
The story begins with an Army officer Ash, waking up in the middle of the night on hearing his daughter cry out loud. Within minutes he realises that his wife is dead in her sleep, and his daughter on the brink of death with a mysterious disease. He calls emergency services, but within minutes a group of people barge in and take them away on the pre-text of medical help. Only, Ash wakes up in a windowless cell to be informed that both his daughter and son are dead. Even more perplexingly, after having spent close to a week in his "cell", he suddenly finds himself being dragged out of the building by some unknown people. From then on, the reader is left equally intrigued and perplexed, and the fast paced suspense makes this an absolute page-turner.
Well worth the 3-4 hours invested on this novel, and I am hooked enough to seek the sequel 'Exit 9'. This is what a 'masala' thriller ought to be!
The story begins with an Army officer Ash, waking up in the middle of the night on hearing his daughter cry out loud. Within minutes he realises that his wife is dead in her sleep, and his daughter on the brink of death with a mysterious disease. He calls emergency services, but within minutes a group of people barge in and take them away on the pre-text of medical help. Only, Ash wakes up in a windowless cell to be informed that both his daughter and son are dead. Even more perplexingly, after having spent close to a week in his "cell", he suddenly finds himself being dragged out of the building by some unknown people. From then on, the reader is left equally intrigued and perplexed, and the fast paced suspense makes this an absolute page-turner.
Well worth the 3-4 hours invested on this novel, and I am hooked enough to seek the sequel 'Exit 9'. This is what a 'masala' thriller ought to be!
February 4, 2015
The main character is passive throughout most of the book. He only whines as side characters tell him what to do. The reporter was the only character who shows initiative, but she fades into the background as the book progresses.
The science is weak. I don't think there is a virus that has an incubation period measured in hours, and even if one could be crafted, the bad guys wouldn't want to. An epidemic is more lethal if the infected have some time to spread the disease to others. The can't possibly have any biological foundation; it's just a cheap deus ex machina.
The plot is not interesting. Bad guys have infinite resources, good guys have infinite resources. For inexplicable reasons, the good guys just send one untrained random stranger to defeat the bad guys. A few pistols are fired, then the good guys win.
The science is weak. I don't think there is a virus that has an incubation period measured in hours, and even if one could be crafted, the bad guys wouldn't want to. An epidemic is more lethal if the infected have some time to spread the disease to others. The can't possibly have any biological foundation; it's just a cheap deus ex machina.
The plot is not interesting. Bad guys have infinite resources, good guys have infinite resources. For inexplicable reasons, the good guys just send one untrained random stranger to defeat the bad guys. A few pistols are fired, then the good guys win.
December 27, 2015
I very much enjoyed this page turner and found it hard to put down. I found that Ash lacked the impact that should have been a very sympathetic main character so my enjoyment came primarily from the power of the story itself. Even most of the side characters were thinly drawn for me. The person I liked the most was the reporter and I was most drawn into her story line. Having said that, I'm definitely going to continue this series and I'm hopeful that the characters will be a bit more lively in the subsequent books. I admit, there was a lot going on in this first book and it really started off with a bang!
May 24, 2023
A great start to an epic post-apocalyptic series.
November 12, 2017
Sick is an enjoyable genre read. You know what you get with Brett Battles and he delivers. This is pure space opera and he does it with both aplomb and economy of writing. This is black hat/ white hat and you know who is on which side. This is a very fast read and reads like a movie script. Fast paced and plenty of action. Sick is the first of the series and Brett Battles leaves you wanting more at the end with a cliff hanger. This is well trod ground and he stays well within the genre and break no new territory. However, how he spreads the infection is pure genius and it reads as true to life. It is the real gem of the novel. If you like James Bond movies, you will like Sick.
May 10, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by the nonstop action in this book. Although the plot has become an all-to-real possibility since its writing, which adds a layer of horror that wouldn't have been present in 2011, the characters are lovable, and the mysteries in this first book make me eager to read the second in the series.
March 26, 2013
Wow, it’s been quite some time since I flew through a book the way I did with Sick by Brett Battles. So many of my reads lately have been difficult to get into, so much so, that I have actually given up on three, which is very unlike me. The thrill and joy I usually receive from reading just wasn’t there with them, my mind constantly wanting to flip on the TV or go browse Facebook rather than continue with the books. It was sad. Nothing was working. I felt at a loss, my greatest pleasure in life being denied to me. But then I opened up Sick on my kindle, which I had downloaded during a free period a few days earlier, and found myself completely hooked.
It begins with a simple cry in the night, one that wakes Daniel Ash and causes him to check on his daughter, his mind thinking this is nothing more than a simple nightmare and that coaxing her back to sleep won’t take long. He is right in one respect; it is a nightmare, only this one takes place in the waking world rather than the sleeping one. His daughter is sick, something within her quickly destroying the body she occupies. And she isn’t the only one. His wife is already dead, and the people in the houses surrounding his are all plagued with symptoms and succumbing at an alarming rate. Thankfully a team of military-like personal move in quickly and secure the area preventing a widespread contamination – only how did they get there so quickly after the first signs of trouble? Also, why are they keeping Daniel Ash in a prison-like setting after it becomes pretty clear he isn’t sick and actually immune to the virus?
Something isn’t right . . .
My reading of Sick couldn’t have come at a better time, because, as I said above, I was growing more and more upset with the lack of excitement I was feeling with the books I had been reading. Sick, however, reminded me of what it is I love and why I prefer to sit down and read during my free time as opposed to turning on the TV or jumping online. It is a story that grabs you from page one and doesn’t let up until the end, one that gives a wide variety of characters, many unknown to each other, who are all circulating around a central conflict that could, if not contained, spell the end of mankind. Even better, this tale, while able to stand on its own, is the beginning of a much larger body of work, one that promises to be an exciting journey. Battle lines have been drawn in the world within Sick and the skirmish fought between the two forces within this first installment of the Project Eden series is only the beginning.
It begins with a simple cry in the night, one that wakes Daniel Ash and causes him to check on his daughter, his mind thinking this is nothing more than a simple nightmare and that coaxing her back to sleep won’t take long. He is right in one respect; it is a nightmare, only this one takes place in the waking world rather than the sleeping one. His daughter is sick, something within her quickly destroying the body she occupies. And she isn’t the only one. His wife is already dead, and the people in the houses surrounding his are all plagued with symptoms and succumbing at an alarming rate. Thankfully a team of military-like personal move in quickly and secure the area preventing a widespread contamination – only how did they get there so quickly after the first signs of trouble? Also, why are they keeping Daniel Ash in a prison-like setting after it becomes pretty clear he isn’t sick and actually immune to the virus?
Something isn’t right . . .
My reading of Sick couldn’t have come at a better time, because, as I said above, I was growing more and more upset with the lack of excitement I was feeling with the books I had been reading. Sick, however, reminded me of what it is I love and why I prefer to sit down and read during my free time as opposed to turning on the TV or jumping online. It is a story that grabs you from page one and doesn’t let up until the end, one that gives a wide variety of characters, many unknown to each other, who are all circulating around a central conflict that could, if not contained, spell the end of mankind. Even better, this tale, while able to stand on its own, is the beginning of a much larger body of work, one that promises to be an exciting journey. Battle lines have been drawn in the world within Sick and the skirmish fought between the two forces within this first installment of the Project Eden series is only the beginning.
March 21, 2013
Like other reviews, I would say that if you're looking for some kind of new ground-breaking story line that hasn't been done before, this isn't it. But that certainly isn't to say that this is a bad story. It's actually really good. Entertaining stories don't necessarily need to be unique, only told in a way that the reader enjoys the ride and wants to continue. In that sense, Sick delivers.
In similar novels, the pitfall authors fall into is allowing the story to detract from character depth. While the characters aren't complicated, they are also far from one-dimentional. I found myself caring about what happens to them, which is one of my biggest criteria in deciding if I like a book. The "hero" of the story is a total jerk to everyone around him. It's an interesting paradox, to have a lovable hero that probably wouldn't be loved in the real world.
If I were to offer a criticism, it would be the ending. I felt like this book is good enough to stand on it's own. It could easily have been a bestseller on it's own merits. To me, it felt like the author got 80% of the way through the book and someone told him it should be a trilogy (to make more money?). It was as if the book was drawing toward a satisfying ending, and then things took a left turn. The last 30 pages were clearly leaving much unfinished, pointing toward a book 2. To the author and publisher's credit, I'll be picking up book 2 ASAP. My criticism is not that there is a book 2, but only that the first 80% of the book feels separated from the ending by the way the narrative flows.
All in all, a fun ride.
In similar novels, the pitfall authors fall into is allowing the story to detract from character depth. While the characters aren't complicated, they are also far from one-dimentional. I found myself caring about what happens to them, which is one of my biggest criteria in deciding if I like a book. The "hero" of the story is a total jerk to everyone around him. It's an interesting paradox, to have a lovable hero that probably wouldn't be loved in the real world.
If I were to offer a criticism, it would be the ending. I felt like this book is good enough to stand on it's own. It could easily have been a bestseller on it's own merits. To me, it felt like the author got 80% of the way through the book and someone told him it should be a trilogy (to make more money?). It was as if the book was drawing toward a satisfying ending, and then things took a left turn. The last 30 pages were clearly leaving much unfinished, pointing toward a book 2. To the author and publisher's credit, I'll be picking up book 2 ASAP. My criticism is not that there is a book 2, but only that the first 80% of the book feels separated from the ending by the way the narrative flows.
All in all, a fun ride.
July 3, 2012
POSSIBLE SPOILERS
Brett Battles certainly knows how to write a page-turner. I have never been someone who read science fiction or thriller books. In fact, I didn't even know if I liked them. However, after readjust g Sick, I know that thrillers are my knew favorite books! This book is about bioterrorism, also something I had never thought would be so interesting.
Daniel Ash and his family woke up one morning severely and dreadfully ill. all of their neighbors on their army base were dying from an unknown disease. Only Ash and his kids did not succumb to the illness. Quickly, their whole life is turned upside down as men in biohazard suits evacuate the sole survivors. Ash soon learns that these are not the good guys. These people infected Ash's navy base on purpose and were soon going to infect the whole world. He ks separated from his children and rescued by a man who wants Ash to help save the world. He only agreed to help if he could fond his children first. The first book in the trilogy focuses on Ash's dangerous attempt to save his children as the disease epidemic begins spreading more and more.
I had such a hard time putting down my Kindle because I wanted to know if Ash would get to his children before it was too late. The ending was very well written- not too much of a cliffhanger. It was still a slightly happy ending, but it leaves readers wanting to know if the pandemic will be stopped before the entire human population becomes extinct.
I loved this book and cant wait to buy the next one!!!
Brett Battles certainly knows how to write a page-turner. I have never been someone who read science fiction or thriller books. In fact, I didn't even know if I liked them. However, after readjust g Sick, I know that thrillers are my knew favorite books! This book is about bioterrorism, also something I had never thought would be so interesting.
Daniel Ash and his family woke up one morning severely and dreadfully ill. all of their neighbors on their army base were dying from an unknown disease. Only Ash and his kids did not succumb to the illness. Quickly, their whole life is turned upside down as men in biohazard suits evacuate the sole survivors. Ash soon learns that these are not the good guys. These people infected Ash's navy base on purpose and were soon going to infect the whole world. He ks separated from his children and rescued by a man who wants Ash to help save the world. He only agreed to help if he could fond his children first. The first book in the trilogy focuses on Ash's dangerous attempt to save his children as the disease epidemic begins spreading more and more.
I had such a hard time putting down my Kindle because I wanted to know if Ash would get to his children before it was too late. The ending was very well written- not too much of a cliffhanger. It was still a slightly happy ending, but it leaves readers wanting to know if the pandemic will be stopped before the entire human population becomes extinct.
I loved this book and cant wait to buy the next one!!!
July 9, 2011
Could be the start of an epic series...but works quite well as a stand-alone novel. This thriller--which COULD, but does not quite--tip over into the PA genre, starts out with a bang. The action begins with the first paragraph, and rarely slows from that point.
Well written and engaging, with well developed characters that you can identify with, this story grabs you from the gate. Daniel Ash wakes in the night, hearing his daughter call out for him, and he knows that something just isn't right. No, it wasn't, it wasn't right at all.
From the moment he discovers his sick daughter, bio-hazard suit covered strangers show up, and events spiral out of control all the way to the end. The story was gripping, hard to put aside, and concluded well.
In the vein of Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series, I believe that Mr. Battles has the ability to take Daniel Ash to the top of the thriller novel chain, and I would be willing to take the journey with Ash. That's saying a lot, as thrillers are not usually of interest to me.
*In the interest of full disclosure, I do not know this author, but received a free review copy from him. That has not in any way influenced my review of this book, as I enjoyed the book, Sick, immensely.
Well written and engaging, with well developed characters that you can identify with, this story grabs you from the gate. Daniel Ash wakes in the night, hearing his daughter call out for him, and he knows that something just isn't right. No, it wasn't, it wasn't right at all.
From the moment he discovers his sick daughter, bio-hazard suit covered strangers show up, and events spiral out of control all the way to the end. The story was gripping, hard to put aside, and concluded well.
In the vein of Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series, I believe that Mr. Battles has the ability to take Daniel Ash to the top of the thriller novel chain, and I would be willing to take the journey with Ash. That's saying a lot, as thrillers are not usually of interest to me.
*In the interest of full disclosure, I do not know this author, but received a free review copy from him. That has not in any way influenced my review of this book, as I enjoyed the book, Sick, immensely.
May 30, 2011
Do you believe in conspiracy theories? If you don't yet, you will by the time you finish this book!
Initially, I was a little put off by the technical details of the book (not the story, which is fabulous, but the editing). The editing left a little to be desired: too many adverbs, and use of Americanisms like "gotten" that, while perfectly correct in American English, and to be expected in conversation, are typically removed by editors so that it won't grate on a non-American reader's inner ear.
However, just a few pages in I stopped noticing. This is a story that picks you up by the throat and shakes you. It's not a matter of whether you put it down - it won't let you until it's finished with you!
Captain Daniel Ash wakes, in the middle of the night, to find his wife dead and his daughter ill. Not much later, he's told both his children are dead - and the roller coaster ride of revenge and redemption begins. I don't even have children, and yet I felt the emotion of hearing my family is dead: the loss, the denial, the anger. Who's made them sick? Why? Someone is out to get them - and you! Unlike the biblical End times, if you aren't already on the list of the saved, you never will be.
Initially, I was a little put off by the technical details of the book (not the story, which is fabulous, but the editing). The editing left a little to be desired: too many adverbs, and use of Americanisms like "gotten" that, while perfectly correct in American English, and to be expected in conversation, are typically removed by editors so that it won't grate on a non-American reader's inner ear.
However, just a few pages in I stopped noticing. This is a story that picks you up by the throat and shakes you. It's not a matter of whether you put it down - it won't let you until it's finished with you!
Captain Daniel Ash wakes, in the middle of the night, to find his wife dead and his daughter ill. Not much later, he's told both his children are dead - and the roller coaster ride of revenge and redemption begins. I don't even have children, and yet I felt the emotion of hearing my family is dead: the loss, the denial, the anger. Who's made them sick? Why? Someone is out to get them - and you! Unlike the biblical End times, if you aren't already on the list of the saved, you never will be.
January 13, 2013
A good story and a darn good beginning to a multi book sequel. This book is well written with no obvious holes in the plot. I plan on reading the next in the series, "Exit 9".
The plot of this book has been done before....a lot, mysterious evil group plans on wiping out humanity to start anew. If you are looking for a refreshing take or something groundbreaking, you aren't going to find it in this novel.
There is very little character development. But with more books in the story, I can't honestly say that this is a plot device or just very little depth written into the leads.
For some strange reason, I found the hero of the story, Daniel Ash, to be a bit on the unlikeable side. His character is desperate to save his children, but he's a complete jerk to the people helping him. Usually, in these situations, the hero is so noble that your teeth ache. Not this guy. You don't even find yourself disliking him. He stirs up nothing for the reader. There is this great mystery hovering over the book, with a secret group helping him out, and my curiosity wanted peaked.
Again, this may be on purpose and all will be uncovered, but it's off-putting to have a guy in a story go through what he did and you don't really care if he succeeds.
The plot of this book has been done before....a lot, mysterious evil group plans on wiping out humanity to start anew. If you are looking for a refreshing take or something groundbreaking, you aren't going to find it in this novel.
There is very little character development. But with more books in the story, I can't honestly say that this is a plot device or just very little depth written into the leads.
For some strange reason, I found the hero of the story, Daniel Ash, to be a bit on the unlikeable side. His character is desperate to save his children, but he's a complete jerk to the people helping him. Usually, in these situations, the hero is so noble that your teeth ache. Not this guy. You don't even find yourself disliking him. He stirs up nothing for the reader. There is this great mystery hovering over the book, with a secret group helping him out, and my curiosity wanted peaked.
Again, this may be on purpose and all will be uncovered, but it's off-putting to have a guy in a story go through what he did and you don't really care if he succeeds.
January 16, 2015
The premise of the story is interesting, but it just doesn't come together as much as I'd like. With most any work of fiction, you have to suspend disbelief to a certain extent, but there are too many holes in this plot. The secret government agency behind the whole thing is way too sloppy. They have incredible technology to track people down in seconds, but they always seem to miss a detail or even a person.
Sorry for the minor spoilers coming, but there is no way Paul should have been left in the desert with a bike still when initially left by himself. There is no reason that Ellison should have escaped the facility in the beginning to make that phone call and the clean up crew should have done a better job cleaning the site. He knew the danger and willingly spread the virus
Ash is completely in the dark on the overall situation and chooses to be that way when offered an explanation about half way through. He is constantly trying to go out on his own even though he is clearly way outmatched and has no idea what is going on.
I can imagine the story comes together any better in any of the other 6 books and will bow out after this first one.
Sorry for the minor spoilers coming, but there is no way Paul should have been left in the desert with a bike still when initially left by himself. There is no reason that Ellison should have escaped the facility in the beginning to make that phone call and the clean up crew should have done a better job cleaning the site. He knew the danger and willingly spread the virus
Ash is completely in the dark on the overall situation and chooses to be that way when offered an explanation about half way through. He is constantly trying to go out on his own even though he is clearly way outmatched and has no idea what is going on.
I can imagine the story comes together any better in any of the other 6 books and will bow out after this first one.
July 4, 2012
Well, it was better than crappy... but I couldn't help being overwrought with ambivalence about all of the characters. The story of a diabolical para-governmental entity wanting to ... well, you really don't know what they want to do until about chapter 35. There's a motorcycle/helicopter scene that goes nowhere. There's no love story, no interweaving of characters or their personalities, no catharsis... AND Sick has the worst anti-climax and ending I've ever read. Still, the story does lead you on to the next page in hopes of something wonderful happening... but after all is said and done, you're left feeling dejected and depressed because you just wasted that much of your life reading the book.
July 31, 2011
This book had a lot of potential, I enjoyed the story very much, but the protagonist turned out to be so unlikeable, so unfeeling, so ungrateful....every un- word I can think of! He ruined an otherwise very good story about a killer flu virus being spread throughout the U.S., with very few people who were immune and could survive. I would have given this book four stars if he had been more likeable. I understand this is the first book in a series, maybe he'll become friendlier in the next book.
July 2, 2012
Excellent "what if" novel about a virus in the hands of the wrong people, being tested willy nilly on some good people. Very logical progression of the plot- it is clear the author kept his sense of reality when laying this one out. And of course, while the plot does wrap up satisfactorily at the end of the book, it leaves just enough hanging to make me want to head to the next one in the series right away. What's better than a juicy bio-epidemic story? A juicy bio-epidemic story with a sequel.
October 19, 2013
I really wanted to enjoy this one. It tells the story about an outbreak and how it was being contained. A family is contained, but the father escapes and tries to rescue the rest of his family. Should be interesting, but I just couldn't get invested into that character or his story. Part way through, the author introduces a lot of new characters who you previously had no knowledge of and I feel it really took away from the main story too much because I had zero interest in those new characters. I'll give the author 2 stars for the general idea, but the execution was severely lacking.
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