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Invasive Species
There can only be one dominant life form on Earth.
In the remote African wilderness, a rainforest is dying. But something else has come to A newly evolved predator that has survived the depredations of mankind, only to emerge from its natural habitat faster, stronger, and deadlier than anything humanity has ever faced.
And it is no longer man.
In the remote African wilderness, a rainforest is dying. But something else has come to A newly evolved predator that has survived the depredations of mankind, only to emerge from its natural habitat faster, stronger, and deadlier than anything humanity has ever faced.
And it is no longer man.
496 pages, Paperback
First published December 3, 2013
22 people are currently reading
1012 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Wallace
57 books61 followersI am thrilled to announce that SLAVEMAKERS, the follow-up to my novel INVASIVE SPECIES, will be published by Ace Books on December 1!
Set twenty years after the apocalyptic events of
INVASIVE SPECIES ("You might want to read this one under the bed"--Jack McDevitt), SLAVEMAKERS was a blast to write. I loved being able to use some of the fascinating--not to mention creepy--facts I've learned during my previous career as a writer specializing in science, natural history, and the environment. It's a strange, spooky world out there....
Along with another novel--the historical DIAMOND RUBY--I've contributed mystery/thriller short stories to collections ranging from BRONX NOIR to ICE COLD (edited by Jeffrey Deaver); I was honored when my story "Custom Sets" was selected by Lee Child for inclusion in a BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology.
I hope you'll enjoy!
Set twenty years after the apocalyptic events of
INVASIVE SPECIES ("You might want to read this one under the bed"--Jack McDevitt), SLAVEMAKERS was a blast to write. I loved being able to use some of the fascinating--not to mention creepy--facts I've learned during my previous career as a writer specializing in science, natural history, and the environment. It's a strange, spooky world out there....
Along with another novel--the historical DIAMOND RUBY--I've contributed mystery/thriller short stories to collections ranging from BRONX NOIR to ICE COLD (edited by Jeffrey Deaver); I was honored when my story "Custom Sets" was selected by Lee Child for inclusion in a BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES anthology.
I hope you'll enjoy!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
November 27, 2015
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/11/27/r...
Nature is scary. Books that remind us of this fact are always enlightening, and that’s what I loved about Invasive Species. When your story involves science and ecological elements—and especially when your focus is on nasty, icky bugs—even a novel in the Suspense/Thriller category can easily read like a Horror.
From the book’s description alone though, it was hard to tell what it would be about. All we know is that an unknown breed of predator has emerged, and humans are its favorite prey. This new enemy is faster, stronger, and far deadlier than anything we’ve seen before. Right away, my brain started working on constructing this hypothetical creature, and I couldn’t help it—films like Predator, Alien, and other movies featuring science fiction’s most terrifying killing machines immediately sprang to mind. After all, we’ve seen these types of plots so many times before; it’s difficult to imagine that a threat of this nature could be anything other than a malevolent, extraterrestrial monster.
Turns out, I was totally wrong. The “monsters” in Invasive Species turn out to be wasps. Sure, they may be wasps on steroids, having evolved to be become larger, smarter, and more poisonous than the norm. But still…just wasps. Does it make this book any less scary, though? Nope. Actually, it just made me feel even more creeped out and unsettled. If you’ve ever been stung by a wasp, you know what I’m talking about. Wasps are pure evil.
Certainly, if you’re an entomophobe, you’re going to have a really tough time with this book. While it’s a science fiction story that also gets a bit far-fetched here and there, the premise has just enough science in it to make you squirm. Our protagonist Trey Gilliard is a modern explorer of sorts, literally taking the road less traveled. His life’s work is all about heading into the least known regions of the planet. There are still areas on earth relatively untouched by humanity, and some of these are in the deep jungles of Africa. You don’t have to suspend reality too much to believe that a new species could evolve separate in such a place, unknown to the rest of the world. It’s here where Trey first encounters his first “thief”, a new kind of parasitoid wasp. The locals call them that because of the way they steal your mind, your body, and your life. They’re also referred to as “slavemakers” because of the way adult wasps can attach their stingers to hosts and take over their bodies.
The thieves are deadlier than regular wasps for many reasons, but first and foremost it is because they have developed an intricate hive mind, allowing them to communicate long distances and also to recognize and “remember” those who have done them harm. Primates are also their preferred host, including human beings. They breed by injecting their larvae into the abdomens of their unsuspecting prey, and neurotoxins in their venom also scramble and befuddle their victims’ minds, making them unaware that they are pregnant with a baby wasp until it is too late. That’s some messed up, creepy stuff.
The thieves are also great at survival. Deforestation and hunting practices have diminished their natural habitat and available hosts, but instead of dying out, they’ve become even more opportunistic, hitching rides on cars, boats, and planes in order to spread to the rest of the world. In the United States where it’s an election year, their presence eventually sparks a political storm.
Remember my review earlier this year of Bat out of Hell, a so-called “eco-thriller”? That one didn’t work out so well for me. And well, after reading Invasive Species, I realized this is how I wished that book had turned out! Invasive Species is a far better book because author Joseph Wallace did the right thing and focused on the disaster at multiple levels. He focused on the individual victims. He also focused on the threat of the thieves themselves. He emphasized the way these insect invaders fueled the fear and panic, ratcheting up the suspense to a fever pitch. The book is also a frightening reminder of just how fragile we are when science and technology fails us, and how quickly a civilization can come apart at the seams without the proper infrastructure and resources to maintain it.
I won’t spoil the ending, because you’ll just have to read this for yourself to see how the conflict resolves. However, I will say Invasive Species finishes on a bittersweet, melancholy note. After the roller coaster ride this story gave me, I thought it was ominously appropriate. For a book I knew next to nothing about when I first started it, I ended up really enjoying myself. Gripping, suspenseful, and delightfully chilling, this is a novel that will really get under your skin! A fine blend of drama and action for fans of sci-fi thrillers and horror. The follow-up titled Slavemakers is actually on the horizon, due out later this winter, and I’m looking forward to picking it up now more than ever.
Nature is scary. Books that remind us of this fact are always enlightening, and that’s what I loved about Invasive Species. When your story involves science and ecological elements—and especially when your focus is on nasty, icky bugs—even a novel in the Suspense/Thriller category can easily read like a Horror.
From the book’s description alone though, it was hard to tell what it would be about. All we know is that an unknown breed of predator has emerged, and humans are its favorite prey. This new enemy is faster, stronger, and far deadlier than anything we’ve seen before. Right away, my brain started working on constructing this hypothetical creature, and I couldn’t help it—films like Predator, Alien, and other movies featuring science fiction’s most terrifying killing machines immediately sprang to mind. After all, we’ve seen these types of plots so many times before; it’s difficult to imagine that a threat of this nature could be anything other than a malevolent, extraterrestrial monster.
Turns out, I was totally wrong. The “monsters” in Invasive Species turn out to be wasps. Sure, they may be wasps on steroids, having evolved to be become larger, smarter, and more poisonous than the norm. But still…just wasps. Does it make this book any less scary, though? Nope. Actually, it just made me feel even more creeped out and unsettled. If you’ve ever been stung by a wasp, you know what I’m talking about. Wasps are pure evil.
Certainly, if you’re an entomophobe, you’re going to have a really tough time with this book. While it’s a science fiction story that also gets a bit far-fetched here and there, the premise has just enough science in it to make you squirm. Our protagonist Trey Gilliard is a modern explorer of sorts, literally taking the road less traveled. His life’s work is all about heading into the least known regions of the planet. There are still areas on earth relatively untouched by humanity, and some of these are in the deep jungles of Africa. You don’t have to suspend reality too much to believe that a new species could evolve separate in such a place, unknown to the rest of the world. It’s here where Trey first encounters his first “thief”, a new kind of parasitoid wasp. The locals call them that because of the way they steal your mind, your body, and your life. They’re also referred to as “slavemakers” because of the way adult wasps can attach their stingers to hosts and take over their bodies.
The thieves are deadlier than regular wasps for many reasons, but first and foremost it is because they have developed an intricate hive mind, allowing them to communicate long distances and also to recognize and “remember” those who have done them harm. Primates are also their preferred host, including human beings. They breed by injecting their larvae into the abdomens of their unsuspecting prey, and neurotoxins in their venom also scramble and befuddle their victims’ minds, making them unaware that they are pregnant with a baby wasp until it is too late. That’s some messed up, creepy stuff.
The thieves are also great at survival. Deforestation and hunting practices have diminished their natural habitat and available hosts, but instead of dying out, they’ve become even more opportunistic, hitching rides on cars, boats, and planes in order to spread to the rest of the world. In the United States where it’s an election year, their presence eventually sparks a political storm.
Remember my review earlier this year of Bat out of Hell, a so-called “eco-thriller”? That one didn’t work out so well for me. And well, after reading Invasive Species, I realized this is how I wished that book had turned out! Invasive Species is a far better book because author Joseph Wallace did the right thing and focused on the disaster at multiple levels. He focused on the individual victims. He also focused on the threat of the thieves themselves. He emphasized the way these insect invaders fueled the fear and panic, ratcheting up the suspense to a fever pitch. The book is also a frightening reminder of just how fragile we are when science and technology fails us, and how quickly a civilization can come apart at the seams without the proper infrastructure and resources to maintain it.
I won’t spoil the ending, because you’ll just have to read this for yourself to see how the conflict resolves. However, I will say Invasive Species finishes on a bittersweet, melancholy note. After the roller coaster ride this story gave me, I thought it was ominously appropriate. For a book I knew next to nothing about when I first started it, I ended up really enjoying myself. Gripping, suspenseful, and delightfully chilling, this is a novel that will really get under your skin! A fine blend of drama and action for fans of sci-fi thrillers and horror. The follow-up titled Slavemakers is actually on the horizon, due out later this winter, and I’m looking forward to picking it up now more than ever.
December 11, 2013
Joseph Wallace is a writer's writer. I knew that from the first few pages of Diamond Ruby and it was confirmed as I "chewed into" Invasive Species. The pacing of Joe's latest novel is meticulous. He leads us skillfully through the terrifying events and we go with him willingly -- eagerly. The characters are fascinating and unpredictable - especially the "thieves". Who could stop reading after being stung by this sentence early in the book? "A freakishly thin, black, arched body topped by a pair of crimson wings followed, the wings flickering so quickly they seemed to leave a bloody smear in the air."
July 23, 2016
In Invasive species we meet Trey. Trey is a man without roots, more at home observing wildlife and ecosystems in remote places. Better with solitude rather than dealing with people.
A horrific experience in Tanzania leads Trey to hunt down sighting of a wasp. But this is clearly no ordinary wasp. Sightings and encounters start happening all over the globe, but what will this mean for mankind?
Invasive Species makes me think about a conversation I had with an old friend regarding insects. My friend had a particular dislike for insects, proclaiming "Look at them, they look like aliens!". In a way my friend is right, looking closely at insects they do have an alien look to them, it's why they make for great monsters. I'm not particularly fond of wasps, and the wasps in Invasive Species are particularly nasty critters. They make me shudder!
As you can imagine Invasive Species hit some of the cringe buttons for me. As a story however it takes a while for the plot to get going. I think it took me half of the book to get invested in the storyline, mainly due to the pacing of the book. The second half of the book is much better written. It feels like the author actually got into the plot. In fact, the second part of this book is so good that I have given this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Scary wasps? Yep! If a creature feature is your kind of read, then I recommend Invasive Species.
***Disclaimer- I purchased this book with my own money. This is my honest review***
A horrific experience in Tanzania leads Trey to hunt down sighting of a wasp. But this is clearly no ordinary wasp. Sightings and encounters start happening all over the globe, but what will this mean for mankind?
Invasive Species makes me think about a conversation I had with an old friend regarding insects. My friend had a particular dislike for insects, proclaiming "Look at them, they look like aliens!". In a way my friend is right, looking closely at insects they do have an alien look to them, it's why they make for great monsters. I'm not particularly fond of wasps, and the wasps in Invasive Species are particularly nasty critters. They make me shudder!
As you can imagine Invasive Species hit some of the cringe buttons for me. As a story however it takes a while for the plot to get going. I think it took me half of the book to get invested in the storyline, mainly due to the pacing of the book. The second half of the book is much better written. It feels like the author actually got into the plot. In fact, the second part of this book is so good that I have given this 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Scary wasps? Yep! If a creature feature is your kind of read, then I recommend Invasive Species.
***Disclaimer- I purchased this book with my own money. This is my honest review***
August 4, 2025
Started out promising, but: barely 2 stars, poor characterization, numerous boring and repetitive conversations. Very little about so-called life after/during the apocalypse.
May 11, 2018
I am unsure of why this book is so highly rated by many people. As a light thriller, it was a pleasant read: Wallace's writing stays out of your way and let's you dig into the story, but as a story, it ranks up there with The Da Vinci code in terms of unbelievable plot and poor characterization, though Wallace is better than Brown in the latter's respect.
The story is about a species of very large wasp that has evolved to raise its young inside of mammals, including humans, and a small group of people who are trying to protect humanity from them. After the wasps plant their larva in a host, removing the larva from the host is fatal to the host, even if the larva is "removed" by reaching adulthood and exiting the host. Further, the wasps have a hive-mind intelligence that appears to allow them to plan and the wasps have become an invasive species, spreading across the globe and threatening humanity with extinction.
In short, it's fun story with flat characters and absurd plot devices. Good book for a beach when you don't want to challenge your brain, but if you have a hard time "suspending belief", this may not be the book for you. The writing was clear enough that I'd probably give Wallace another chance — he's got potential — but this was a fun story idea marred by unbelievable plot twists.
The story is about a species of very large wasp that has evolved to raise its young inside of mammals, including humans, and a small group of people who are trying to protect humanity from them. After the wasps plant their larva in a host, removing the larva from the host is fatal to the host, even if the larva is "removed" by reaching adulthood and exiting the host. Further, the wasps have a hive-mind intelligence that appears to allow them to plan and the wasps have become an invasive species, spreading across the globe and threatening humanity with extinction.
In short, it's fun story with flat characters and absurd plot devices. Good book for a beach when you don't want to challenge your brain, but if you have a hard time "suspending belief", this may not be the book for you. The writing was clear enough that I'd probably give Wallace another chance — he's got potential — but this was a fun story idea marred by unbelievable plot twists.
August 13, 2014
There wasn't much here to like.
The author seems to have an absurdly low opinion of humanity, considering how little of a fight he has them (us) put up. I mean, they're wasps, for fuck's sake. I hate them as much as the next guy, perhaps more, but a shoe is their doom. A shoe. Most of us are wearing two of them. And why does no one ever once think of wearing a bee suit in this entire book?!?
The way to tell a story with a monster like this is not to make each and every insect into a superbug, but to have them being squashed left and right and overwhelm with numbers (there's...too many of them!!!). Not making every mano y waspo encounter into a Mexican standoff with multiple levels of psychological warfare and multiplier bluffing gambits. They're wasps. Even if these are 1000% smarter than most wasps... just no. Their brains are still the size of pebbles.
Also, at some point in the story (despite this purporting to be hard SF) the wasps become telepathic. And it's an interspecies telepathy. And they can understand complex human engineering projects, coordinate simultaneous global assaults and guerrilla warfare, and are physically strong enough to fly up into moving helicopters.
And they have an Achilles heel the size of Texas, which somehow is never revealed or discovered until it's too late, despite the government's Top Men being on the job. Over the course of months no one thinks to just ask the Tanzanians? His Strawman version of people deserves its fate.
The main characters never seem to have any sort of heroic struggle, and honestly not all that much to do. The lone government attempt to fight back is laughable (even as a political stunt). The globetrotting seems to be put in to check a box on the thriller trope checklist. Why do the protagonists, fully aware of the wasps' life cycles, not institute a policy of checking each other for larva every few hours after being in contact with the bugs?
Is every wasp capable of laying an egg? Why doesn't the author ever offer Cliff notes on typical wasp reproduction? I don't know how they usually reproduce (do they have two sexes?) and it's kind of an important detail re: how fast they spread. What do they eat? Is large mammal their typical diet? How do they sustain their numbers while in hiding then, without vast fields of animal corpses appearing to tip off the authorities?
So frustrating, and such a wasted opportunity.
The author seems to have an absurdly low opinion of humanity, considering how little of a fight he has them (us) put up. I mean, they're wasps, for fuck's sake. I hate them as much as the next guy, perhaps more, but a shoe is their doom. A shoe. Most of us are wearing two of them. And why does no one ever once think of wearing a bee suit in this entire book?!?
The way to tell a story with a monster like this is not to make each and every insect into a superbug, but to have them being squashed left and right and overwhelm with numbers (there's...too many of them!!!). Not making every mano y waspo encounter into a Mexican standoff with multiple levels of psychological warfare and multiplier bluffing gambits. They're wasps. Even if these are 1000% smarter than most wasps... just no. Their brains are still the size of pebbles.
Also, at some point in the story (despite this purporting to be hard SF) the wasps become telepathic. And it's an interspecies telepathy. And they can understand complex human engineering projects, coordinate simultaneous global assaults and guerrilla warfare, and are physically strong enough to fly up into moving helicopters.
And they have an Achilles heel the size of Texas, which somehow is never revealed or discovered until it's too late, despite the government's Top Men being on the job. Over the course of months no one thinks to just ask the Tanzanians? His Strawman version of people deserves its fate.
The main characters never seem to have any sort of heroic struggle, and honestly not all that much to do. The lone government attempt to fight back is laughable (even as a political stunt). The globetrotting seems to be put in to check a box on the thriller trope checklist. Why do the protagonists, fully aware of the wasps' life cycles, not institute a policy of checking each other for larva every few hours after being in contact with the bugs?
Is every wasp capable of laying an egg? Why doesn't the author ever offer Cliff notes on typical wasp reproduction? I don't know how they usually reproduce (do they have two sexes?) and it's kind of an important detail re: how fast they spread. What do they eat? Is large mammal their typical diet? How do they sustain their numbers while in hiding then, without vast fields of animal corpses appearing to tip off the authorities?
So frustrating, and such a wasted opportunity.
December 6, 2013
This book caught me by surprise. Joseph Wallace's last book was a young-adult adventure into baseball in the time of Babe Ruth, featuring a young woman who was a baseball phenom.
Invasive Species couldn't be further away from Diamond Ruby in genre. That said, it is one of the best books I've read this year, and certainly the one I read in the shortest amount of time. I simply couldn't put this one down.
The plot races from beginning to end in what seems like moments, cataloging the rise of an insect species from discovery to the post-apocalyptic conclusion, in which the species, well... you simply have to read this one for yourself to see just where it ends up.
The prose is totally accessible and enjoyable from beginning to end, giving me the sense that Joe Wallace is fully at home writing this genre, which has spawned some of America's best writers, from Poe to King, and Joe seems to relish his place on this list.
This is a wonderful read, indicting government at its bureaucratic worst, finding the best and worst in human nature, and creating in the story's protagonists a sense that a total world-wide cataclysm might actually be a positive thing. Could that be possible?
Read Invasive Species for yourself and discover humanity all over again.
Good work, Joe.
Invasive Species couldn't be further away from Diamond Ruby in genre. That said, it is one of the best books I've read this year, and certainly the one I read in the shortest amount of time. I simply couldn't put this one down.
The plot races from beginning to end in what seems like moments, cataloging the rise of an insect species from discovery to the post-apocalyptic conclusion, in which the species, well... you simply have to read this one for yourself to see just where it ends up.
The prose is totally accessible and enjoyable from beginning to end, giving me the sense that Joe Wallace is fully at home writing this genre, which has spawned some of America's best writers, from Poe to King, and Joe seems to relish his place on this list.
This is a wonderful read, indicting government at its bureaucratic worst, finding the best and worst in human nature, and creating in the story's protagonists a sense that a total world-wide cataclysm might actually be a positive thing. Could that be possible?
Read Invasive Species for yourself and discover humanity all over again.
Good work, Joe.
November 25, 2013
**DISCLAIMER** I won a pre-release copy through First Reads on the Good Reads website.
All I can say is that this is a fast, suspenseful, science-based, thriller of a read. I lost lots of sleep because I just couldn't get to a stopping point. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This is the story of an unknown species of wasps that begin to travel throughout the world implanting their larvae in animals and humans. Once the larva is ready to leave its host, the host dies. The political, medical, and scientific ramifications unfold as the story gets out. The scary thing is, we're finding new species every year as man goes further into uninhabited territories. It could happen anywhere at anytime.BTW, the cover art is beautiful. Enjoy the ride!
All I can say is that this is a fast, suspenseful, science-based, thriller of a read. I lost lots of sleep because I just couldn't get to a stopping point. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This is the story of an unknown species of wasps that begin to travel throughout the world implanting their larvae in animals and humans. Once the larva is ready to leave its host, the host dies. The political, medical, and scientific ramifications unfold as the story gets out. The scary thing is, we're finding new species every year as man goes further into uninhabited territories. It could happen anywhere at anytime.BTW, the cover art is beautiful. Enjoy the ride!
December 20, 2013
Ok so first things first, I won a copy of this book from Goodreads. Thanks You!
Now that that is out of the way. Allow me to oh so "thank" the author for all the future freakouts I am going to have every time I get bit by a bug in the future!
I highly enjoyed this book! It is one of those books that you tell yourself that you will just read one chapter before bed and end up at 2am with all the lights on in the house. I am still going to classify this one as action/adventure.. but it leans toward the horror side of things.
Now excuse me, I am going to go invest in a case of bug spray!
Now that that is out of the way. Allow me to oh so "thank" the author for all the future freakouts I am going to have every time I get bit by a bug in the future!
I highly enjoyed this book! It is one of those books that you tell yourself that you will just read one chapter before bed and end up at 2am with all the lights on in the house. I am still going to classify this one as action/adventure.. but it leans toward the horror side of things.
Now excuse me, I am going to go invest in a case of bug spray!
August 12, 2016
I read this book in one fell swoop on a flight to London. Ok, I had to catch the last 70 pages or so once I got to my hotel. It's a fast, fun and scary ride, based on the idea that a tiny little piece of our world can take the rest of us down with it if don't watch our step. A timely idea, for sure, but Wallace is really more concerned with keeping us turning the pages. If you like scary apocalyptic thrillers, this is a good bet. Also worth checking out by the same author: Diamond Ruby. A historical fiction account of a young girl phenom baseball pitcher. Versus Invasive species, it's a deeper, more character-driven tale, but also compulsively readable.
December 12, 2013
A world comes to an end as we know it scifi thriller. A huge African wasp has developed intelligence and uses mammals as hosts as it spreads across continents, attacking humans and other animals. Never fear, there is a group of people, including scientists, who race again time to find a way to stop the complete takeover of earth. Nonstop action, violence, and general creepiness.
December 16, 2013
Loved this! It was creepy, exciting, and I didn't want to put it down. I read it with a sense of dread, reminding me of the anxiety and tension of the first Alien movie. It also reminded me of Ender's Game, a favorite for many years.
January 26, 2020
Interesting sci-fi post-apocalyptic book. I liked the biology stuff, and I dislike wasps even more now.
July 25, 2016
While reading this novel (and skimming much of the middle section), I kept thinking that this was a “B” version of books I have enjoyed such as Jurassic Park or Hot Zone. The author made numerous references to movies (Bourne Identity) and short stories (A Sound Of Thunder) and hints of authors (Creighton) and ideas from authors (Vonnegut and free will). This book seemed to be snippets of numerous ideas previously explored and not a unique exploration. There was government conspiracy, traveling around the world, mild romance, social commentary including slave making both in the insect and human world. The heart of the story which was never fully fleshed out is how intelligence- something only humans possess ruins everything. I think there was a little Star Trek in there too “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few”. The author did a poor job of pursuing what seems to be the main theme in the book which is “the hive mind”. So many ideas in so many directions that it has no true focus. Could have been a better book. Character development was poor. Usually when a story involves a group of strangers coming together for a reason such as trying to prevent the end of the world, the characters should be interesting. Because Invasive Species is going in so many directions, this development did not happen. I can understand how some readers would really enjoy this book. It has some heavy ideas but is written in such a way that it turns out to be a light read not a thoughtful one.
March 2, 2018
I loved this book! I am a huge fan of Michael Crichton's sci-fi-mystery novels, and this felt very much like Crichton. I had to double check that it wasn't him because the pacing, subject matter, everything was in such a similar vein. Characters were believable (esp. the politicians and their response).
June 20, 2014
Original review posted at Layers of Thought.
An apocalyptic horror/thriller that has a parasitic insect at the core of the story.
Description: Trey Gilliard is a loner, a researcher who prefers his forays into the wilderness more than relationships. When the story opens he’s working for ITC – International Conservation Trust – in Senegal, West Africa. The horror begins when Trey hears screams and follows a trail of blood leading him to a local clinic.
He finds an examination room, where a local doctor and his headstrong daughter are guarding a dead soldier. The soldier’s midsection is a mass of shredded fabric and flesh. Although desperate to know what is happening, Trey is refused any information by the doctor and escorted out of the building. Later when informed by ITC that he’s no longer welcome in the area and told he must immediately report to Dakar, a city many miles away, Trey begins to believe that his encounter with the body must be the cause.
A man never to follow orders, Trey does the opposite and drives directly to an area in the local forest that caught his attention on his latest plane trip over the forest canopy, where he noticed unusual deforestation. He suspects that this may be the key to the apparent cover-up. There he has his first encounter with the bug.
With a heart-raising pace Trey and his team try to find other clues to this intelligent insect and what appears to be a grand global cover-up to a dangerous and world-altering threat.
Shellie’s thoughts: This is a well thought out and easy to follow read. It has great pacing and an interesting parasitic insect that will frighten most readers. It’s entertaining and is one of those nice small paperbacks with decent sized print that’s easy to read and carry, especially if you’re traveling. It fit easily into my carry-on bag and was easy to pick up and start reading where I left off.
I particularly liked that the story has some interesting science and has an in-depth take on what constitutes the concept of the insect hive-mind. So if you like biological thrillers with environmental themes and science fiction, this will probably interest you. Since it’s mostly action based with light gore and ends hopefully, the book will also intrigue readers looking for thrillers or mild horror.
My only quibble is that I did not get enough of the invasion. There just wasn’t enough information detailing the spread of the insect. It felt like the bug propagated all over the world in a matter of months, which felt unrealistic to me. But since I love science-based fiction and horror I enjoyed Invasive Species. A lot actually, so it comes recommended at 3.5 stars.
An apocalyptic horror/thriller that has a parasitic insect at the core of the story.
Description: Trey Gilliard is a loner, a researcher who prefers his forays into the wilderness more than relationships. When the story opens he’s working for ITC – International Conservation Trust – in Senegal, West Africa. The horror begins when Trey hears screams and follows a trail of blood leading him to a local clinic.
He finds an examination room, where a local doctor and his headstrong daughter are guarding a dead soldier. The soldier’s midsection is a mass of shredded fabric and flesh. Although desperate to know what is happening, Trey is refused any information by the doctor and escorted out of the building. Later when informed by ITC that he’s no longer welcome in the area and told he must immediately report to Dakar, a city many miles away, Trey begins to believe that his encounter with the body must be the cause.
A man never to follow orders, Trey does the opposite and drives directly to an area in the local forest that caught his attention on his latest plane trip over the forest canopy, where he noticed unusual deforestation. He suspects that this may be the key to the apparent cover-up. There he has his first encounter with the bug.
With a heart-raising pace Trey and his team try to find other clues to this intelligent insect and what appears to be a grand global cover-up to a dangerous and world-altering threat.
Shellie’s thoughts: This is a well thought out and easy to follow read. It has great pacing and an interesting parasitic insect that will frighten most readers. It’s entertaining and is one of those nice small paperbacks with decent sized print that’s easy to read and carry, especially if you’re traveling. It fit easily into my carry-on bag and was easy to pick up and start reading where I left off.
I particularly liked that the story has some interesting science and has an in-depth take on what constitutes the concept of the insect hive-mind. So if you like biological thrillers with environmental themes and science fiction, this will probably interest you. Since it’s mostly action based with light gore and ends hopefully, the book will also intrigue readers looking for thrillers or mild horror.
My only quibble is that I did not get enough of the invasion. There just wasn’t enough information detailing the spread of the insect. It felt like the bug propagated all over the world in a matter of months, which felt unrealistic to me. But since I love science-based fiction and horror I enjoyed Invasive Species. A lot actually, so it comes recommended at 3.5 stars.
August 4, 2014
Though I preordered this before it was released last December, it got a bit lost in the shuffle of other books since then. I brought it with me on vacation last week and cranked through it. Despite being nearly 500 pages long, it's a quick read, especially compared to "Thirteen Moons," which I finished just before starting this. (It would be hard to pair two less similar books.)
The premise here is there is a species of wasp in Africa that uses primates (and other animals) to breed. After co-existing with native populations for some time, the wasps are now intent on expanding their territory to take over the entire planet. Trey Gilliard, a naturalist who loves/lives to explore uncharted turf, stumbles upon the wasps and sets off on a multi-continent crusade to learn more about them and warn the rest of the populace. With the help of other scientists and doctors, Trey learns the wasps' secrets and deduces their plans. But the U.S. government, as well as the governments of other countries, is more interested in keeping the wasps a secret than dealing with the issue. In the end it's up to Trey and Co. to save the world, a nearly impossible challenge.
This is a bit outside my typical genre, so I can't speak to how original the concept is. I'll guess it's been done in some flavor before. It's a fun ride, though the character development is perhaps only as realistic as I'd expect in a special-effects laden movie. Gruff, a-hole Trey turns lovable. Young girl who loses her parents to the wasps overcomes the personal tragedy with minimal psychological scarring. Look beyond that and it was a fast-paced page-turner that might creep you out a little more the next time you hear buzzing out in the yard.
The premise here is there is a species of wasp in Africa that uses primates (and other animals) to breed. After co-existing with native populations for some time, the wasps are now intent on expanding their territory to take over the entire planet. Trey Gilliard, a naturalist who loves/lives to explore uncharted turf, stumbles upon the wasps and sets off on a multi-continent crusade to learn more about them and warn the rest of the populace. With the help of other scientists and doctors, Trey learns the wasps' secrets and deduces their plans. But the U.S. government, as well as the governments of other countries, is more interested in keeping the wasps a secret than dealing with the issue. In the end it's up to Trey and Co. to save the world, a nearly impossible challenge.
This is a bit outside my typical genre, so I can't speak to how original the concept is. I'll guess it's been done in some flavor before. It's a fun ride, though the character development is perhaps only as realistic as I'd expect in a special-effects laden movie. Gruff, a-hole Trey turns lovable. Young girl who loses her parents to the wasps overcomes the personal tragedy with minimal psychological scarring. Look beyond that and it was a fast-paced page-turner that might creep you out a little more the next time you hear buzzing out in the yard.
December 24, 2013
The first thing you should know is that this is the first book I have finished since the summer when I had lots of free time and freedom from most of my other responsibilities. With that in mind, I started the book on Sunday evening and finished in three days. It hooked me from page one and there were times when I got to the end of a chapter and said to myself, "just one more."
The highlight for me was the story. I'm certainly no expert on all the science and geographic references that were made but I finished the book, believing all of it and impressed with Mr. Wallace's depth and breadth of research and knowledge. I found the humans in the story truly divided between "good guys" and "bad guys" - good guys had an edge that made you wish you could have just a little bit of their confidence. The bad guys were represented by painfully incompetent government officials and mouth pieces...felt very real! Ironically (or maybe not so much) I found the most complex characters in the book to be the wasps as we feel/know they are "evil" yet they are just doing what they need to survive....are we any different in some of the ways we treat other living things?
To sum it up...awesome job, Mr Wallace. A true pleasure to read!! Can't wait for the sequel I hope you will be writing soon!
The highlight for me was the story. I'm certainly no expert on all the science and geographic references that were made but I finished the book, believing all of it and impressed with Mr. Wallace's depth and breadth of research and knowledge. I found the humans in the story truly divided between "good guys" and "bad guys" - good guys had an edge that made you wish you could have just a little bit of their confidence. The bad guys were represented by painfully incompetent government officials and mouth pieces...felt very real! Ironically (or maybe not so much) I found the most complex characters in the book to be the wasps as we feel/know they are "evil" yet they are just doing what they need to survive....are we any different in some of the ways we treat other living things?
To sum it up...awesome job, Mr Wallace. A true pleasure to read!! Can't wait for the sequel I hope you will be writing soon!
August 13, 2014
From the Description:
There can only be one dominant life form on Earth.
In the remote African wilderness, a rainforest is dying. But something else has come to life: A newly evolved predator that has survived the depredations of mankind, only to emerge from its natural habitat faster, stronger, and deadlier than anything humanity has ever faced.
And it is no longer man.
The massive swarm is moving across the globe and breeding at a cataclysmic rate, using humans as hosts in a seemingly unstoppable wave of death. Humanity's only hope lies with a small band of scientists, doctors, and adventurers who must find a weapon to battle a living killing force before it can conquer the world.
This book had me hooked from the first page! Great story line and believable characters make this an awesome read. Insects are scary to most people so that helps with the creep factor in this novel. My first thought as I finished the last page was that I really hoped that there would be a sequel. A fast paced thrill ride. Curl up with your DDT spray for this 5 star read.
There can only be one dominant life form on Earth.
In the remote African wilderness, a rainforest is dying. But something else has come to life: A newly evolved predator that has survived the depredations of mankind, only to emerge from its natural habitat faster, stronger, and deadlier than anything humanity has ever faced.
And it is no longer man.
The massive swarm is moving across the globe and breeding at a cataclysmic rate, using humans as hosts in a seemingly unstoppable wave of death. Humanity's only hope lies with a small band of scientists, doctors, and adventurers who must find a weapon to battle a living killing force before it can conquer the world.
This book had me hooked from the first page! Great story line and believable characters make this an awesome read. Insects are scary to most people so that helps with the creep factor in this novel. My first thought as I finished the last page was that I really hoped that there would be a sequel. A fast paced thrill ride. Curl up with your DDT spray for this 5 star read.
August 12, 2016
Greatly enjoyed this fast-paced, imaginative trip down the chute of bad decisions and unintended consequences. While written in a commercial, pop-science style, it all seemed a little too real to me—to the point that when I was watching the nightly news I got annoyed at the focus on trivia like Beyonce’s new album when, hey, THE WORLD IS ENDING. (-:
This is for fans of the terse, quippy style of Lee Child & Jeffery Deaver crossed with the natural science details of Michael Crichton/Richard Preston/Robin Cook. Or in terms of movie refs: Contagion crossed with District 9 crossed with Ender’s Game crossed with World War Z crossed with Alien... which is how I’m sure Mr. Wallace’s agents are pitching his novel to Hollywood! A fun read with relatable characters guaranteed to make you think as well as get goosebumps.
This is for fans of the terse, quippy style of Lee Child & Jeffery Deaver crossed with the natural science details of Michael Crichton/Richard Preston/Robin Cook. Or in terms of movie refs: Contagion crossed with District 9 crossed with Ender’s Game crossed with World War Z crossed with Alien... which is how I’m sure Mr. Wallace’s agents are pitching his novel to Hollywood! A fun read with relatable characters guaranteed to make you think as well as get goosebumps.
November 6, 2015
Tale takes you from West Africa all around the world and scares you the whole way...
Trey Gilliard - adventurer, life scientist - is in Senegal, West Africa when he first sees the new species of black huge wasps. "Thieves" they are called and the world will never be the same.
Trey and his comrades do their best to track down a way to kill these deadly insects and travel all over the world doing that - New York City, Costa Rica, Australia, Panama.
This is a rip roaring adventure that reads like a Creature Feature movie. I hate creepy, crawly things and this book had my skin twitching.
It feels too believable. Author Wallace seems to have his science right and it seems like some of these deadly wasps could be outside my door at any minute.
This is the first in at least a two book series about this deadly threat. The second book SLAVEMAKERS is due out December 2015.
Trey Gilliard - adventurer, life scientist - is in Senegal, West Africa when he first sees the new species of black huge wasps. "Thieves" they are called and the world will never be the same.
Trey and his comrades do their best to track down a way to kill these deadly insects and travel all over the world doing that - New York City, Costa Rica, Australia, Panama.
This is a rip roaring adventure that reads like a Creature Feature movie. I hate creepy, crawly things and this book had my skin twitching.
It feels too believable. Author Wallace seems to have his science right and it seems like some of these deadly wasps could be outside my door at any minute.
This is the first in at least a two book series about this deadly threat. The second book SLAVEMAKERS is due out December 2015.
December 5, 2013
Full Disclosure: I am one of the directors of the book trailer for Joseph Wallace's new novel, INVASIVE SPECIES. I wanted to read the novel before committing to shooting the trailer, and I am so glad I did! I am a big science fiction fan, and this was a great read.
As the book opens, a new variety of wasp is discovered in Africa, which uses humans as zombie-like hosts for the insects' larvae. After they hatch, in a particularly gruesome fashion, the human host dies. Scientific, political and personal agendas intersect and collide as the 'invaders' move out of the jungle and start to take over the world. There are great characters, and events build to a truly apocalyptic ending. It's fast, furious, and a heck of a lot of good, scary fun. Enjoy!
As the book opens, a new variety of wasp is discovered in Africa, which uses humans as zombie-like hosts for the insects' larvae. After they hatch, in a particularly gruesome fashion, the human host dies. Scientific, political and personal agendas intersect and collide as the 'invaders' move out of the jungle and start to take over the world. There are great characters, and events build to a truly apocalyptic ending. It's fast, furious, and a heck of a lot of good, scary fun. Enjoy!
December 10, 2013
Joseph Wallace has made his first foray into the science-based "what if" genre with great success. The premise of the story is very compelling and certainly topical, with well developed characters and a brick pacing. He skillfully takes us from one locale to another while weaving an intricate tale of evolution, natural selection, and survival, while simultaneously offering a cynical look at ineffective government bureaucracy.
It is a quick read, with a compelling, page-turner pace, and offers a conclusion that will make you ponder the not-so-cheery possibilities.
It is a quick read, with a compelling, page-turner pace, and offers a conclusion that will make you ponder the not-so-cheery possibilities.
August 3, 2016
I was reluctant to start this book because from what I had heard, I would not be able to put it back down. The reports were true.
The plot is intricate, the characters are superbly drawn, and the story is chillingly plausible. I've done a fair amount of traveling and the brief sketches that Mr. Wallace gives to set the various scenes around the world are wonderfully evocative.
All I can say is that it has made me intensely aware of every insect that crosses my path.
The plot is intricate, the characters are superbly drawn, and the story is chillingly plausible. I've done a fair amount of traveling and the brief sketches that Mr. Wallace gives to set the various scenes around the world are wonderfully evocative.
All I can say is that it has made me intensely aware of every insect that crosses my path.
December 29, 2013
If there is a hereafter then Michael Crichton is looking at this book and is pleased.
This book scared me. I'm an avid King and Hill fan, other horror authors fan, but this book scared me as much as any I've read in a good, long time. This book was believable, realistic. The characters weren't super human but they too were realistic.
Now I want to read more by Wallace.
This book scared me. I'm an avid King and Hill fan, other horror authors fan, but this book scared me as much as any I've read in a good, long time. This book was believable, realistic. The characters weren't super human but they too were realistic.
Now I want to read more by Wallace.
December 15, 2013
Wow! Alien meets Mad Max!? An apocalyptic, cautionary tale. Interesting...and I hope nothing like it ever happens!
December 9, 2013
Excellent fast paced read in a weekend.
December 17, 2013
Loved that the ending was unusual ....
July 27, 2020
This is a really good, smart, suspenseful thriller. Joseph Wallace's book reminds me of Michael Crichton's best, and to be honest, it's probably better. I'm really looking forward to his next book.
February 9, 2018
I wanted to like this one, I really did - but from the very first pages, there was just something about it that didn't sit well with me. I found that whenever I was reading the book was gripping - the story is fast-paced and engaging - but once I put it down I didn't really feel the tug to pick it up again.
At times the story was thrilling but ultimately it did not live up to my expectations for a "terrifying new thriller" as advertised on its cover; nor was it especially unsettling or mind-bending as a quote on its back claims it is.
Despite the issues I had with the book it is clearly well-written - the characters are distinct and original (if somewhat flat) and the dialogue is written especially well. The plot is structured well.
At times the story was thrilling but ultimately it did not live up to my expectations for a "terrifying new thriller" as advertised on its cover; nor was it especially unsettling or mind-bending as a quote on its back claims it is.
Despite the issues I had with the book it is clearly well-written - the characters are distinct and original (if somewhat flat) and the dialogue is written especially well. The plot is structured well.
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