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Alien Hunter #2
Alien Hunter: Underworld: A Flynn Carroll Thriller
Alien Underworld, the searing sequel to Alien Hunter from bestselling author Whitley Strieber Flynn Carroll works for the most secret police unit on the planet, seeking the most brilliant and lethal criminals who have ever walked thieves and murderers from another world. As part of a top secret CIA alien communications project, Flynn's unit has been tasked with tracking down rogue agents from the planet Aeon. While Aeon claims to be a free planet desiring open communications with humanity, Aeon criminals have committed a series of brutal and bizarre murders on Earth. Flynn has been forbidden to take lethal action against the alien murderers―but as the bodies begin to pile up, something must be done. Flynn finds himself cut off from his team, struggling to unearth Aeon secrets while protecting Earthling civilians from the deadly creatures. But as Flynn gets closer to the truth, he finds himself facing not only some of the most dangerous and frightening criminals ever seen on Earth, but also questions about his own existence. In order to crack the case, Flynn must come to grips with the greatest mystery he has yet who―or what―is he?
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 5, 2014
16 people are currently reading
503 people want to read
About the author
Whitley Strieber
152 books1,261 followersAmerican writer best known for his novels The Wolfen,The Hunger and Warday and for Communion, a non-fiction description of his experiences with apparent alien contact. He has recently made significant advances in understanding this phenomenon, and has published his new discoveries in Solving the Communion Enigma.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 24, 2016
Book 2 in the series. More cheesy alien-hunting fun. The first half of the book seemed to drag a little, but things picked up in the second half. Alot more info about the aliens in this book. The main objective of the plot seems to be resolved, but the author could certainly continue this series. A quick, fun read.
August 19, 2014
Whitley Strieber’s Alien Hunter: Underworld is a worthy successor to his first Alien Hunter novel, but it’s not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this one. The phrase “crackerjack yarn” comes to mind, and I use it without irony, because Alien Hunter: Underworld is just that: science fiction alien criminals being chased by a tough cop with a troubled past, with plenty of technology, action, and things that explode in the mix.
Flynn Carroll is a former Texas cop whose wife was abducted by aliens and never returned, and he has become obsessed with tracking down similar cases. The perpetrators are not the Greys; they are the minions of a criminal runaway from the planet Aeon. Carroll has been recruited by a secret unit of the CIA to bring them to justice, but his methods are too deadly for the liking of either his earthly superiors or the Aeon police, who offer scant support, except to send a rather officious female officer bearing an uncomfortable resemblance to Carroll’s late wife.
The alien psychopath has created a cadre of murderous biorobots to do his dirty work. They have an ever-increasing ability to regenerate themselves and to morph into simulacra of their human victims, and Carroll—who has developed an uncanny speed, especially with a gun—seems to be the only human who can deal with them. His speed puzzles even him, and leads him to pursue the dark secrets of the Deer Island research facility, where he finds that doors to his past and doors to other worlds are both hidden. He brings along his Texas buddy Mac Terrell, a man who operates on both sides of the law and who has many useful abilities.
My only quibbles with the novel are (1) the "underworld" aspect doesn't really arise until toward the end, and (2) that it is occasionally difficult to envision the often-exotic physical settings through which Carroll is adventuring, but the fast pace carries one through. This is reportedly in development as a TV series, and a good director and cinematographer will eliminate any problem in this area. I look forward to the series, and to the third installment in the Alien Hunter saga.
Flynn Carroll is a former Texas cop whose wife was abducted by aliens and never returned, and he has become obsessed with tracking down similar cases. The perpetrators are not the Greys; they are the minions of a criminal runaway from the planet Aeon. Carroll has been recruited by a secret unit of the CIA to bring them to justice, but his methods are too deadly for the liking of either his earthly superiors or the Aeon police, who offer scant support, except to send a rather officious female officer bearing an uncomfortable resemblance to Carroll’s late wife.
The alien psychopath has created a cadre of murderous biorobots to do his dirty work. They have an ever-increasing ability to regenerate themselves and to morph into simulacra of their human victims, and Carroll—who has developed an uncanny speed, especially with a gun—seems to be the only human who can deal with them. His speed puzzles even him, and leads him to pursue the dark secrets of the Deer Island research facility, where he finds that doors to his past and doors to other worlds are both hidden. He brings along his Texas buddy Mac Terrell, a man who operates on both sides of the law and who has many useful abilities.
My only quibbles with the novel are (1) the "underworld" aspect doesn't really arise until toward the end, and (2) that it is occasionally difficult to envision the often-exotic physical settings through which Carroll is adventuring, but the fast pace carries one through. This is reportedly in development as a TV series, and a good director and cinematographer will eliminate any problem in this area. I look forward to the series, and to the third installment in the Alien Hunter saga.
May 13, 2018
Strieber....I read this out of curiosity only because of his biography Communion. If you have not read that story and do not disbelieve in other life outside of this planet give it a read. That story brought back some unusual memories of my own. Needless to say I slept with the light on for two nights while I read it. That story will shed some light on this series The Alien Hunter.
I’d of given this story a 3.5, but alas we cannot so it gets a firm 3 Star.
I’d of given this story a 3.5, but alas we cannot so it gets a firm 3 Star.
November 4, 2018
I purchased this book unaware that it was the second of a series. In spite of learning the truth, I decided to read it anyway. Luckily, "Alien Hunter: Underworld" was written as a "stand alone" novel. I enjoyed reading this book. I found it well written and unpredictable. I discovered Whitley Strieber in 2016, when I read "The Grays". Of the two Strieber books, "The Grays" is my favorite.
August 5, 2021
I didn't bother re-reading the first one, and you don't really have to have in order to be able to follow along with this one. It was strange, but interesting enough to keep you wondering just what was going on and what will happen next.
May 11, 2015
I received this book free for review from the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review. Despite the coolness of receiving a free book, I’m absolutely candid about it below because I believe authors and readers will benefit most from honest reviews rather than vacuous 5-star reviews.
The nutshell summary of this book is simply that it's gritty alien noir. Aliens come to earth. One man must stop them. That man stops them. Sorry if that's a spoiler but that's essentially what it boils down to.
To the positive side, the author has a unique take on the genre and the setting. No aliens are like Strieber's and he isn't afraid to go with something new and different. These aren't your captain Kirk aliens. These are the terrifying and quiet Grays of your nightmares along with their many comrades from the stars.
To the negative, the whole thing is so incredibly implausible that it borders on idiocy. The aliens work in their quiet way but the hero somehow manages to go through so much and yet come out on the other side unscratched. I stopped counting the number of crippling injuries he had and almost threw the book in the trash when he underwent open brain surgery and then walked out of the hospital a few hours later. Related to this, the author wants to keep you engaged with gripping action but often when he tries to do so he seems to lose his grip on the narrative thread and the reader is simply pushed forward in the story and left wondering what happened. Many times a crescendo is reached and problems are somehow immediately resolved in a way that just isn't explained. It's as if a curtain of misdirection is laid over the story and we simply move on to the next bit. I've never quite read anything so poorly written.
In summary, this is a pretty strong avoid. It tries to be something great but just ends up being a disconnected mess. I read this through to the end but feel I could have spent my hours much more productively doing just about anything else.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
The nutshell summary of this book is simply that it's gritty alien noir. Aliens come to earth. One man must stop them. That man stops them. Sorry if that's a spoiler but that's essentially what it boils down to.
To the positive side, the author has a unique take on the genre and the setting. No aliens are like Strieber's and he isn't afraid to go with something new and different. These aren't your captain Kirk aliens. These are the terrifying and quiet Grays of your nightmares along with their many comrades from the stars.
To the negative, the whole thing is so incredibly implausible that it borders on idiocy. The aliens work in their quiet way but the hero somehow manages to go through so much and yet come out on the other side unscratched. I stopped counting the number of crippling injuries he had and almost threw the book in the trash when he underwent open brain surgery and then walked out of the hospital a few hours later. Related to this, the author wants to keep you engaged with gripping action but often when he tries to do so he seems to lose his grip on the narrative thread and the reader is simply pushed forward in the story and left wondering what happened. Many times a crescendo is reached and problems are somehow immediately resolved in a way that just isn't explained. It's as if a curtain of misdirection is laid over the story and we simply move on to the next bit. I've never quite read anything so poorly written.
In summary, this is a pretty strong avoid. It tries to be something great but just ends up being a disconnected mess. I read this through to the end but feel I could have spent my hours much more productively doing just about anything else.
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
January 8, 2016
The second in what I hope will become several "Alien Hunter" books, we find our hero damaged from the previous book, but still in dogged pursuit of his quarry. With Oltisis out of the picture, he seems alone and powerless, but new contacts are made with others, and a few of them have real answers to his questions.
The action and suspense in the book are riveting, written in the same terse style of the previous book. Whitley packs each sentence with a dense punch, using words and sounds to compress meaning and feeling into as few words as possible. I enjoy this, and it's a natural fit for the "tough Texan" protagonist. It worked in the first book, and it works again in this one.
I found this book even more fascinating than the previous one, however, because of the glimpses we get of what the "other" world is like. Regardless of the author's (or the reader's) personal beliefs on the subject of extraterrestrial life and multidimensional space, the "high strangeness" in this book is what really sets it apart. Each little glimpse, be it a line of dialog or the description of something, was a literal joy to read. I hung on every word while my imagination blazed to life, pondering what it might mean. There was lots of that, especially in the last third of the book, and I enjoyed it immensely.
The action and suspense in the book are riveting, written in the same terse style of the previous book. Whitley packs each sentence with a dense punch, using words and sounds to compress meaning and feeling into as few words as possible. I enjoy this, and it's a natural fit for the "tough Texan" protagonist. It worked in the first book, and it works again in this one.
I found this book even more fascinating than the previous one, however, because of the glimpses we get of what the "other" world is like. Regardless of the author's (or the reader's) personal beliefs on the subject of extraterrestrial life and multidimensional space, the "high strangeness" in this book is what really sets it apart. Each little glimpse, be it a line of dialog or the description of something, was a literal joy to read. I hung on every word while my imagination blazed to life, pondering what it might mean. There was lots of that, especially in the last third of the book, and I enjoyed it immensely.
February 11, 2015
I'm really surprised, sequels aren't really a good thing, especially in Disney movies, but this wasn't that bad, in fact, it was quite impressive. It almost felt like Strieber finally realized what he wanted out of this series. However, the plot was still as aimless as the first book, but had more action, which always covers a multitude of sins in a book. Its still a bit confusing that Flynn's agency seems to have so much power, but doesn't have a name. Nor the fact that everyone seems to trust Flynn's word when he says he's on a top secret mission of national security without badge or anything. However, it clears up some things, like why Flynn likes Mac so much, but that's pretty much all you'll get. Yep, everything is still a great big mystery.
Over all, I say it was awesome, with more action, the good guys winning, and Flynn kicking ass, it was really good. Also, his faster reflexes and stuff make it so much more interesting then the first book.
Over all, I say it was awesome, with more action, the good guys winning, and Flynn kicking ass, it was really good. Also, his faster reflexes and stuff make it so much more interesting then the first book.
October 12, 2014
This series just isn't for me. I had thought the first book in the series had gone off the rails partway through, but thought I'd try one more time. Alas, it proceeded very similarly. In this, the main two characters are rich now, for some reason, so it spends some time talking about how wealthy they are and the fancy cars the lead character drives; and proceeds to demonstrate how useless every one of the female characters is. At least the first one had the excuse of being set up where nobody should know what they were doing; this one is set four years later, where they might have gotten their acts together and behaved more like actual adults with a mission.
June 9, 2016
I picked this u at the library because we started watching the series, and I had some questions. This novel did not answer them, because there is only a thread-like connection to the series. Aside with that concern, I didn't find it very well-written. There are too many things that just don't make sense, even in an S.F. book. There is a lot of action, for adrenalin addicts. There are several instances wher the story and plot jump illogically, without much explanation. The characters are not very well developed; they're too busy arguing, attacking, and being attacked. I won't be reading any more Strieber. I think I'll go re-read an Asimov or Heinlein.
August 28, 2014
This book kept me guessing and had so many twist and turns i thought he story would end badly for all. Yet the hero survived but not with costs. This great adventure kept me on my toes not knowing how it was going to happen and when the bad guy would ultimately show his face and escape or parish. This book competes with the best fictions out there and is on one of the best reads I've read this this year so far.
Enjoy
September 2, 2014
The second in the Alien Hunter series is just as awesome as the first. Action packed and full of crazy twists. The main characters really go through hell this time around. I found it a very enjoyable read. Whitley Strieber's writing style is always spot on brilliant, and you can almost hear each character's voice they're so well crafted. Flynn Carroll is truly a new breed of hero. A 21st century man, so tough he'd be difficult to cast in a movie of the series, but I hope that happens.
March 21, 2015
Typically not my first choice in genres but after starting I would it an interesting read with some good twists and turns. It had me guessing here and there and the character development was good. I won this great book on GoodReads, and like I do with most my wins I will be paying it forward by letting a friend read it.
April 17, 2015
Action packed and an interesting concept: s member of a super-secret police organization tracking down alien criminals while keeping the truth from the public (can you say "Men In Black") but I found the main characters boring and one dimensional. Perhaps if I'd read the prequel I would have enjoyed it more.
December 10, 2014
Fast moving and interesting. Has a great ending - that leaves you wanting more!
November 9, 2014
A little disappointing, can't put a finger on exactly why, but the first book of this series was, for me anyway, more captivating and engrossing. I do hope he keeps building on this series, though.
December 7, 2014
Great story great narrator. Can't wait for next book
December 23, 2014
This book was not my cup of tea. I just didn't really like it. I never was invested in the characters.
May 17, 2015
tried, but just couldn't get through this--too dumb. no more of this series.
February 14, 2016
Классная книга
December 20, 2014
Started out intriguing then less so.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews