What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dossiers of Asset 108 #2
The Primary Protocol
BOOK TWO IN THE NEBULA NOMINATED SERIES!
Eldritch abominations are invading our world and only Michael Bishop and the Facility stand against them.
With none of his cadre at his side, Bishop awakens in a labyrinth of forsaken darkness with faceless assassins in close pursuit. He has few memories and fewer weapons and is running for his life fighting against inhuman horrors from another world. It seems as if Asset 108 will soon be dead, all without remembering his true nature.
Then things grow difficult.
Soon Michael and his allies are lost in a dark, forbidden city in a world where the stars are bent and strange. He is without any of his reality-twisting technology or upgraded neuralware and is pursued by mad fanatics, worshipers of the tentacled aberrations that plot against the nations of man.
Even this is not the greatest danger, however. There are twisted plots between the abominations, schemes of which Michael and his cadre are simply pawns on a vast board. Soon they will take part in an attack that will change the very fate of this entire twisted world, all in exchange for a whispered oath: a promise of a way home, back to the Rational world.
But can the cadre trust the creatures they are bargaining with? Will the technology offered actually be capable of taking them home? And what of the mysterious lost asset and his cryptic warnings?
In distant worlds beneath strange stars, promises are easily broken, especially ones made by inhuman foes.
Eldritch abominations are invading our world and only Michael Bishop and the Facility stand against them.
With none of his cadre at his side, Bishop awakens in a labyrinth of forsaken darkness with faceless assassins in close pursuit. He has few memories and fewer weapons and is running for his life fighting against inhuman horrors from another world. It seems as if Asset 108 will soon be dead, all without remembering his true nature.
Then things grow difficult.
Soon Michael and his allies are lost in a dark, forbidden city in a world where the stars are bent and strange. He is without any of his reality-twisting technology or upgraded neuralware and is pursued by mad fanatics, worshipers of the tentacled aberrations that plot against the nations of man.
Even this is not the greatest danger, however. There are twisted plots between the abominations, schemes of which Michael and his cadre are simply pawns on a vast board. Soon they will take part in an attack that will change the very fate of this entire twisted world, all in exchange for a whispered oath: a promise of a way home, back to the Rational world.
But can the cadre trust the creatures they are bargaining with? Will the technology offered actually be capable of taking them home? And what of the mysterious lost asset and his cryptic warnings?
In distant worlds beneath strange stars, promises are easily broken, especially ones made by inhuman foes.
Unknown Binding
First published May 11, 2015
26 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Guillen
23 books216 followersJM Guillen was just an average Joe when he worked at a Necromancy factory in 2018. After his job was outsourced to Mexico, he has been driven irrevocably mad and gifted with strange, terrible power.
Today he spends his time creating sentient velociraptors in his secret lair and summoning fell powers best left alone. His goal of absolute world domination is almost within his grasp. Soon, nothing will stop him.
Occasionally, he writes.
Today he spends his time creating sentient velociraptors in his secret lair and summoning fell powers best left alone. His goal of absolute world domination is almost within his grasp. Soon, nothing will stop him.
Occasionally, he writes.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 29, 2015
J.M. Guillen's The Primary Protocol wastes no time in plunging us back into his eldrich world of technologically augmented agents waging a secret battle with Lovecraftian forces that threaten to overrun our rational realm. The cosmic horror of the Vyriim, introduced in Rationality Zero (the spawn point of this series), have threaded their nightmarish tentacles further into our world, seeking a beachhead, and as The Primary Protocol begins, we--and protagonist Michael Bishop--are already right in the thick of it.
This book is one long struggle, and I do mean that in a good way. From the moment Michael wakes to his situation, struggling to remember what's real, to the book's resolution, it's an unending battle for him and his cadre to survive with bodies and minds intact. As a journey through a mysterious, infinite cityscape move from a creepy exploration into a series of chaotic nightmares, the author truly makes the reader feel Michael's point of view on a visceral level. As the story unraveled and the book details each individual struggle with the Vyriim and their forces--mind-scarring psionics fought with technological weapons and the teamwork of Michael's cadre--I could feel the characters' stress. When quiet moments and relative sanctuaries were found, I felt the same relief as the characters.
I must point out that this strength of The Primary Protocol is also a slight weakness. Occasionally I did feel a bit exhausted trying to keep track of the descriptions of events and complex technological effects. But then, I usually read late at night when my brain is already tired from the day, so that may also just be my own problem. Nonetheless, I felt it more in this book than I did its predecessor.
J.M. Guillen has crafted an intricate world--well, universe(s), really--with detailed visions of how everything works, from technology, to culture, to organizations, to lore. He creates just as much details in his characters. Each member of Michael Bishop's cadre has a role, a manner, and a distinct personality. It's those distinctions that hold the book together even amid the chaos of a breathless battle to survive.
This book is a worthy read even if you haven't read the first book in the series, as concepts are introduced in an organic fashion that bring new readers up to speed without putting off those (like me) who are already familiar with things.
If you like sci-fi with a Lovecraftian flavor and harrowing action, grab this book.
This book is one long struggle, and I do mean that in a good way. From the moment Michael wakes to his situation, struggling to remember what's real, to the book's resolution, it's an unending battle for him and his cadre to survive with bodies and minds intact. As a journey through a mysterious, infinite cityscape move from a creepy exploration into a series of chaotic nightmares, the author truly makes the reader feel Michael's point of view on a visceral level. As the story unraveled and the book details each individual struggle with the Vyriim and their forces--mind-scarring psionics fought with technological weapons and the teamwork of Michael's cadre--I could feel the characters' stress. When quiet moments and relative sanctuaries were found, I felt the same relief as the characters.
I must point out that this strength of The Primary Protocol is also a slight weakness. Occasionally I did feel a bit exhausted trying to keep track of the descriptions of events and complex technological effects. But then, I usually read late at night when my brain is already tired from the day, so that may also just be my own problem. Nonetheless, I felt it more in this book than I did its predecessor.
J.M. Guillen has crafted an intricate world--well, universe(s), really--with detailed visions of how everything works, from technology, to culture, to organizations, to lore. He creates just as much details in his characters. Each member of Michael Bishop's cadre has a role, a manner, and a distinct personality. It's those distinctions that hold the book together even amid the chaos of a breathless battle to survive.
This book is a worthy read even if you haven't read the first book in the series, as concepts are introduced in an organic fashion that bring new readers up to speed without putting off those (like me) who are already familiar with things.
If you like sci-fi with a Lovecraftian flavor and harrowing action, grab this book.
November 16, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
The Primary Protocol is the second book in The Dossiers of Asset 108, a series of espionage novels about a cybernetically enhanced secret agent trying to save Earth from an invasion of Lovecraftian monsters. Once again, JM Guillen takes readers on a wild ride through multiple worlds and dimensions our bold heroes struggle to stay alive, find their way home, and save humanity in the process.
The story begins as Michael Bishop wakes up to find himself in a nightmare. He doesn’t remember who he is, or how he got here. He just knows that a kinda familiar-looking woman named Caprice is telling him to run for his life, and he isn’t quite up to the task. Then people are shooting at them, and he is beyond confused.
Shortly after, reality (and rationality) sets in, and Michael and his cadre of agents find themselves whisked off into another world, which happens to be occupied by the very same Vyriim that are plotting to invade Earth. The agents learn that the Vyriim are not as unified as they had previously thought, and although even that intelligence is suspect, the only hope they have of returning to Earth is to treat with a faction of the Vyriim. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Nothing could possibly go wrong!
Except for tentacle monsters, of course.
I found the foreshadowing in this book particularly interesting, because I’m starting to get the distinct impression that even though we’ve thought of the Facility as the good guys, they seem like they’re up to something. My guess, although it could be completely wrong, is that like the Vyriim, the Facility contains more than one faction, each of which has a different agenda. But I could be completely wrong. At this point, the speculation is half the fun. That’s one of the things I like about The Paean of Sundered Dreams–there are a lot of questions, and very few answers. It’s like solving a puzzle, and the more I learn about how the multiverse works, the more questions I have, and the more I want to keep reading. Lucky for me, the next installment in the series, Aberrant Vectors, will be released in precisely five days, and I already have a copy sitting on my Kindle, just waiting to be devoured.
If you haven’t checked out JM Guillen’s writing yet, you should!
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
The Primary Protocol is the second book in The Dossiers of Asset 108, a series of espionage novels about a cybernetically enhanced secret agent trying to save Earth from an invasion of Lovecraftian monsters. Once again, JM Guillen takes readers on a wild ride through multiple worlds and dimensions our bold heroes struggle to stay alive, find their way home, and save humanity in the process.
The story begins as Michael Bishop wakes up to find himself in a nightmare. He doesn’t remember who he is, or how he got here. He just knows that a kinda familiar-looking woman named Caprice is telling him to run for his life, and he isn’t quite up to the task. Then people are shooting at them, and he is beyond confused.
Shortly after, reality (and rationality) sets in, and Michael and his cadre of agents find themselves whisked off into another world, which happens to be occupied by the very same Vyriim that are plotting to invade Earth. The agents learn that the Vyriim are not as unified as they had previously thought, and although even that intelligence is suspect, the only hope they have of returning to Earth is to treat with a faction of the Vyriim. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Nothing could possibly go wrong!
Except for tentacle monsters, of course.
I found the foreshadowing in this book particularly interesting, because I’m starting to get the distinct impression that even though we’ve thought of the Facility as the good guys, they seem like they’re up to something. My guess, although it could be completely wrong, is that like the Vyriim, the Facility contains more than one faction, each of which has a different agenda. But I could be completely wrong. At this point, the speculation is half the fun. That’s one of the things I like about The Paean of Sundered Dreams–there are a lot of questions, and very few answers. It’s like solving a puzzle, and the more I learn about how the multiverse works, the more questions I have, and the more I want to keep reading. Lucky for me, the next installment in the series, Aberrant Vectors, will be released in precisely five days, and I already have a copy sitting on my Kindle, just waiting to be devoured.
If you haven’t checked out JM Guillen’s writing yet, you should!
March 15, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
"Like molten ecstacy within my mind..."
Michael Bishop is not ordinary: he is agent 108, one of very few people charged with protecting this world's reality. Fitted inside his head with a crown which interfaces not only with all of his body and to the lattice, but with reality itself, he also has instant communication with others like himself, a cadre with whom he works when reality is disturbed or broken.
But something is seriously wrong. Michael wakes, not knowing where or who he is. And it seems that he is almost alone - and being hunted.
Following on directly from Rationality Zero, Michael and friends are trapped in a reality of nightmarish proportions, visceral, hideous - and trying to get home.Be prepared for some scenes of loathsome appearances as the Verum prepare to invade reality as we know it.
An excellent performance by narrator, Joel Richards, whose voicings of the Cadre as well as the of other entities breathes extra life into the protagonists and the terrors encountered. My thanks to the rights holder for gifting me my copy of Primary Protocol, via Audiobook Boom.
An enjoyable, if sometimes disturbing, listen, well executed in glorious technicolour.
"Like molten ecstacy within my mind..."
Michael Bishop is not ordinary: he is agent 108, one of very few people charged with protecting this world's reality. Fitted inside his head with a crown which interfaces not only with all of his body and to the lattice, but with reality itself, he also has instant communication with others like himself, a cadre with whom he works when reality is disturbed or broken.
But something is seriously wrong. Michael wakes, not knowing where or who he is. And it seems that he is almost alone - and being hunted.
Following on directly from Rationality Zero, Michael and friends are trapped in a reality of nightmarish proportions, visceral, hideous - and trying to get home.Be prepared for some scenes of loathsome appearances as the Verum prepare to invade reality as we know it.
An excellent performance by narrator, Joel Richards, whose voicings of the Cadre as well as the of other entities breathes extra life into the protagonists and the terrors encountered. My thanks to the rights holder for gifting me my copy of Primary Protocol, via Audiobook Boom.
An enjoyable, if sometimes disturbing, listen, well executed in glorious technicolour.
October 29, 2017
kindle unlimited, still seeing lovecraft, shroom trip, then when him and/or the reader thought they had a grip on what was going on...nope
No memory. No friends. No chance. Michael Bishop, a bioengineered, technologically augmented living weapon, can’t remember who he is. With bullets flying and his girlfriend as his only companion, Michael must survive long enough to figure out what’s going on. As flickering memories tease Michael with hints about past events, his girlfriend leads him down underground passageways. Soon enough, Michael and Caprice find themselves fighting for their lives against men with futuristic-looking weaponry. But when did sensual, city-loving Caprice learn to shoot a Beretta? After Michael escapes a harrowing battle, he is shocked to see his wealthy businessman mentor clothed in military gear with a silver-blue exoskeleton, holding glowing, wicked blades in his hands. He’s nothing like the man Michael knows. Just what can’t Bishop remember?
Rationality Zero (The Dossiers of Asset 108)
The Primary Protocol (The Dossiers of Asset 108 Book 2)
A Grasping Darkness: The two first stories of Asset 108
Aberrant Vectors (The Dossiers of Asset 108 Book 3)
Cascading Error:Critical (The Dossiers of Asset 108 Book 4)
No memory. No friends. No chance. Michael Bishop, a bioengineered, technologically augmented living weapon, can’t remember who he is. With bullets flying and his girlfriend as his only companion, Michael must survive long enough to figure out what’s going on. As flickering memories tease Michael with hints about past events, his girlfriend leads him down underground passageways. Soon enough, Michael and Caprice find themselves fighting for their lives against men with futuristic-looking weaponry. But when did sensual, city-loving Caprice learn to shoot a Beretta? After Michael escapes a harrowing battle, he is shocked to see his wealthy businessman mentor clothed in military gear with a silver-blue exoskeleton, holding glowing, wicked blades in his hands. He’s nothing like the man Michael knows. Just what can’t Bishop remember?
Rationality Zero (The Dossiers of Asset 108)
The Primary Protocol (The Dossiers of Asset 108 Book 2)
A Grasping Darkness: The two first stories of Asset 108
Aberrant Vectors (The Dossiers of Asset 108 Book 3)
Cascading Error:Critical (The Dossiers of Asset 108 Book 4)
May 2, 2018
Better than the first. Pretty good adventure story with some neat sci-fi gadgets and cool settings. This is a survival tale, not much else. Do not expect a lot of character analysis or development. This is a straight-up adventure with action, thrills, and fun. An easy book to enjoy...also, the cliches and chauvinist stereotyping continues. I’ll read the next one.
September 12, 2021
What a ride through irrational and rational space
I can't say that I have a great handle on what's going on but I'm really enjoying how the action pans out and the interactions between the characters. It is pretty crazy stuff but in a good way.
I can't say that I have a great handle on what's going on but I'm really enjoying how the action pans out and the interactions between the characters. It is pretty crazy stuff but in a good way.
December 22, 2018
Weird and Great
urban SF on multiple worlds
Recommended
urban SF on multiple worlds
Recommended
November 4, 2016
Love J.M.Guillen's style. Fantastic as always!!
January 4, 2017
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE...I need more Asset sass!!!
February 20, 2017
Great sequel to "Rationality Zero." You must read that one first - "Primary Protocol" picks up where the first book left off, and Guillen doesn't spend any time rehashing what occurred in the first novel. In some ways this book is stronger than the first. There are more explanations and clues as to what is going on, and a few tasty morsels of potential future plots are sprinkled in. But there are a couple of plot points that seemed to get recycled and became repetitive. Nonetheless, I found myself unable to put it down and thoroughly enjoyed a return to this unique world that Guillen has constructed.
May 25, 2015
Aliens in enemy territory
In this second installment here we re-visit Michael Bishop as he awakens in a strange facility with no memory of his more exotic life as an Asset tasked with protecting reality from alien encroachment. Bishop is soon re-united with his friends, who soon find themselves stranded in an alien world dominated by a hostile species. Now they are the aliens who must try to unravel the mystery of what brought them to this strange place and to find a way home.
The bulk of the story reminded me very much of a Warcraft quest into some nether-haunted Outland, but with characters using high-tech weapons. On one hand, I appreciated the change in setting and the original and idiosyncratic means of communication among the natives, but on the other, the novel felt a little too long, and the technical jargon introduced in the first book a little too extensive. The feel of the actual plot was similar to that of the first book, when I was interested in seeing if the initial situation Bishop found himself in would play out a little longer. I would have been interested to see more of the clash between his ‘normal’ life/personality and his Asset persona. As it stands, the story is nearly halfway through before there is a solid explanation of what has been going on and what must be done.
Overall, a worthy followup to the first novel and a rousing one-shot adventure with implications about the future of the saga.
In this second installment here we re-visit Michael Bishop as he awakens in a strange facility with no memory of his more exotic life as an Asset tasked with protecting reality from alien encroachment. Bishop is soon re-united with his friends, who soon find themselves stranded in an alien world dominated by a hostile species. Now they are the aliens who must try to unravel the mystery of what brought them to this strange place and to find a way home.
The bulk of the story reminded me very much of a Warcraft quest into some nether-haunted Outland, but with characters using high-tech weapons. On one hand, I appreciated the change in setting and the original and idiosyncratic means of communication among the natives, but on the other, the novel felt a little too long, and the technical jargon introduced in the first book a little too extensive. The feel of the actual plot was similar to that of the first book, when I was interested in seeing if the initial situation Bishop found himself in would play out a little longer. I would have been interested to see more of the clash between his ‘normal’ life/personality and his Asset persona. As it stands, the story is nearly halfway through before there is a solid explanation of what has been going on and what must be done.
Overall, a worthy followup to the first novel and a rousing one-shot adventure with implications about the future of the saga.
May 13, 2015
Great alternative reality series vet cathulu-esq
Great trusty story very inventive worldscaping enjoyed it thoroughly. If you don't enjoy thinking as you read, this isn't a book for you!
Great trusty story very inventive worldscaping enjoyed it thoroughly. If you don't enjoy thinking as you read, this isn't a book for you!
June 13, 2015
A modern take on the Lovecraftian genre
Ancient unspeakable horrors along with sanity bending missions and their high-tech solutions. With some x-files conspiracies thrown in. Clever and engaging.
Ancient unspeakable horrors along with sanity bending missions and their high-tech solutions. With some x-files conspiracies thrown in. Clever and engaging.
November 11, 2016
Taken for what it is...
Taken for what it is, fluff sci-fantasy, this was an excellent read. I would suggest to anyone needing a break from heavy lifting reading.
Taken for what it is, fluff sci-fantasy, this was an excellent read. I would suggest to anyone needing a break from heavy lifting reading.
April 18, 2017
This series a mind trip
I do not usually read this kind of stuff, but wow! Pick it up and read it. It seeps into your brain and makes you wonder!
I do not usually read this kind of stuff, but wow! Pick it up and read it. It seeps into your brain and makes you wonder!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews