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Rho Agenda: Assimilation #1
The Kasari Nexus
Jennifer Smythe escapes Earth’s invasion by the insidious Kasari race, hijacks an alien starship, and survives the deadly passage through a wormhole.
But escape is short-lived…
When Jennifer emerges on the new world of Scion, she is confronted by the same deadly enemy. Now the Kasari have sided with the planet’s angel-like elite against the warrior underclass, but with the intent of ultimately ruling both. And when Jennifer is captured by the brutish Koranthians, her alien-enhanced abilities make her a crucial asset in battling the Kasari and their winged allies.
Back on a divided Earth, Jennifer’s brother, Mark, and Jack “the Ripper” Gregory wage their own war against the Kasari. As the global government welcomes the extraterrestrials, Mark, Jack, and their rebel faction seek to use the powerful mind-altering skills gained from the Kasari’s sworn enemies to repel the would-be conquerors. But faced with the might of Earth’s ruling forces, has the cause already been lost?
But escape is short-lived…
When Jennifer emerges on the new world of Scion, she is confronted by the same deadly enemy. Now the Kasari have sided with the planet’s angel-like elite against the warrior underclass, but with the intent of ultimately ruling both. And when Jennifer is captured by the brutish Koranthians, her alien-enhanced abilities make her a crucial asset in battling the Kasari and their winged allies.
Back on a divided Earth, Jennifer’s brother, Mark, and Jack “the Ripper” Gregory wage their own war against the Kasari. As the global government welcomes the extraterrestrials, Mark, Jack, and their rebel faction seek to use the powerful mind-altering skills gained from the Kasari’s sworn enemies to repel the would-be conquerors. But faced with the might of Earth’s ruling forces, has the cause already been lost?
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2016
726 people are currently reading
1197 people want to read
About the author
Richard Phillips
15 books573 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Richard Phillips is the million copy bestselling author of the Rho Agenda scifi series, the Jack 'The Ripper' Gregory series, and the epic fantasy series, The Endarian Prophecy. He is a retired Army Officer, West Point graduate, and has a Master of Science degree in Physics from the Naval Post Graduate School. He was a researcher at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories for the U.S. military, a software project leader at General Electric, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, and General Dynamics before becoming a full-time writer.
Richard Phillips is the million copy bestselling author of the Rho Agenda scifi series, the Jack 'The Ripper' Gregory series, and the epic fantasy series, The Endarian Prophecy. He is a retired Army Officer, West Point graduate, and has a Master of Science degree in Physics from the Naval Post Graduate School. He was a researcher at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories for the U.S. military, a software project leader at General Electric, Lockheed Martin Space Operations, and General Dynamics before becoming a full-time writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
April 10, 2016
I made a mistake here - since Goodreads listed it as "#1" in a series, I assumed this was the first, but it turns out that there are one or two trilogies prior to this one with the same characters and world. This one picks up as if it's just new chapters in the saga, liberally sprinkled with heavy-handed references to past events and characters, like a bad movie sequel.
That said, this book is awful. It reads like it was written by a 9th grader. Cardboard characters, arbitrary dramatic tension, predictable resolutions. Plodding, mechanical plot movement. Simplistic geopolitics. Organizations represented solely by 1 or 2 characters, like a low-budget '80s TV show that couldn't afford enough supporting cast. So bad that it completely distracted me from any enjoyment, so I stopped after 6% completion, which I pretty much never do with fiction. Wow.
That said, this book is awful. It reads like it was written by a 9th grader. Cardboard characters, arbitrary dramatic tension, predictable resolutions. Plodding, mechanical plot movement. Simplistic geopolitics. Organizations represented solely by 1 or 2 characters, like a low-budget '80s TV show that couldn't afford enough supporting cast. So bad that it completely distracted me from any enjoyment, so I stopped after 6% completion, which I pretty much never do with fiction. Wow.
November 25, 2016
Richard Phillips' "The Kasari Nexus" is the first book in his "Rho Agenda Assimilation" trilogy. Unfortunately for me (since I didn't realize it when I started reading), it also happens to be the 7th book in his overarching "Rho Agenda" series. So, there are a whole lot of backward references (a WHOLE lot) that mean absolutely nothing to me. That aside, if I assume the book is for the Young Adult crowd (and if I'd actually read the earlier books), it would probably be tolerable. For me, though, it wasn't. The story, itself, has potential. But, its implementation is lacking. I found all the characters to be shallow and one-dimensional. The writing feels short, blunt, or staccato. The author invariably uses far too much detail in describing technologies instead of keeping the focus on actions. The constant miraculous use of these technologies gets old fast, yet there are also a lot of holes in them (for instance, one group has nanobots capable of building anything, yet they can't use them to produce food and water). And, finally, the escalation in a fight on Earth near the end escalates to ridiculous levels. So, if you're a Young Adult, give it a shot. But, if you're more "seasoned," I'd give it a pass. I'm rating it at a Not Very Good 2 stars out of 5.
November 30, 2016
It took me a little bit to get the gist of the story and the layout of the book, but by chapter 4, I had it. Then the story moved right along. This is one of those books where you keep saying, just one more chapter, just one more chapter, etc. Until you are done and wishing for more.
September 29, 2017
This may be the first book in the Rho Agenda Assimilation series, but it is book #7 over-all in the 9 book series. Very sci-fi. And a loved it. Great action on earth and in space on the other side of the universe. Great to see the Ripper in action. Kids are all grown up now. Read this with my Sep KOLL, and I will come back to book #8 in a couple of months.
May 7, 2017
Supposedly the first book in the series, but it's constantly flashing back to the interesting things that happened before this story started -- there is way too much exposition in this book. It's distracting and the narrator feels like that friend who recaps the last season of the show you watch together 15 minutes before season 2. All the adjectives and descriptions are cliched. The men grunt and ooze masculinity; the women are sexy as hell.
Every character is on an upward trend. There are no opponents that present real threats. There are no obstacles that the characters cannot overcome. The protagonists have the best technology and their enemies can't figure out what's happening. Every good guy is special in some way. Even minor throwaway good guys are cycling champions and natural geniuses. Throwaway bad guys wish they had followed through on their New Years' fitness resolutions.
I call this genre Domination Fantasy -- it's written as if its target audience are slightly dense, white collar middle managers who fantasize about ruling the world with unopposed benevolently absolute power -- next to their compliant, hot wives -- and anyone who doesn't like them is a fat bad guy.
Every character is on an upward trend. There are no opponents that present real threats. There are no obstacles that the characters cannot overcome. The protagonists have the best technology and their enemies can't figure out what's happening. Every good guy is special in some way. Even minor throwaway good guys are cycling champions and natural geniuses. Throwaway bad guys wish they had followed through on their New Years' fitness resolutions.
I call this genre Domination Fantasy -- it's written as if its target audience are slightly dense, white collar middle managers who fantasize about ruling the world with unopposed benevolently absolute power -- next to their compliant, hot wives -- and anyone who doesn't like them is a fat bad guy.
March 28, 2016
“I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review”
I only read story books that are recommended by friends and family. In this case, I am not sure how I stumbled on this series, but the moment I started the first book of Rho's agenda, I wanted to finish the whole series. After finishing the Rho's agenda three books, I realized that the Rho's agenda assimilation series has not been published yet. I was glad to find out that a pre-released copy is available for my unbiased review.
This book, like it's characters, has matured from the teen science fiction to adult thriller series. I do not want to spoil the fun by pointing out the details from the book and therefore would only say that if have have read the rho's agenda then you should continue to read till the story finishes, you will not be disappointed.
I only read story books that are recommended by friends and family. In this case, I am not sure how I stumbled on this series, but the moment I started the first book of Rho's agenda, I wanted to finish the whole series. After finishing the Rho's agenda three books, I realized that the Rho's agenda assimilation series has not been published yet. I was glad to find out that a pre-released copy is available for my unbiased review.
This book, like it's characters, has matured from the teen science fiction to adult thriller series. I do not want to spoil the fun by pointing out the details from the book and therefore would only say that if have have read the rho's agenda then you should continue to read till the story finishes, you will not be disappointed.
June 13, 2017
I LOVED The Rho Agenda trilogy, but book one of the Assimilation series was not to my liking. Had this been my introduction to Richard Phillips, I would have stopped here.
I will give other books of his a try, because, man, I REALLY enjoyed The Rho Agenda.
I will give other books of his a try, because, man, I REALLY enjoyed The Rho Agenda.
May 4, 2016
Houveram exageros, mas o livro é sensacional demais para dar menos de 5 estrelas.
May 12, 2016
This book can't decide if it is sci-fi, spy novel, adventure novel or romance. Just could not get engaged.
June 21, 2016
This is not a complete story. There is no ending in this book. As a chapter in a longer saga, it was OK.
November 7, 2017
The constant references to the past along with the miraculous alien technology that solves any challenge made this , for me, a boring read.
March 7, 2017
Although this is the first of the Rho Agenda Assimilation trilogy, the books do follow on from the Rho Agenda Inception and the Rho Agenda series, both of which give lots of insight into the development of the characters and, of course, fill in the previous storylines.
During the battle to stop the Kasari Collective entering through the gateway built by Dr Stephenson, and invading Earth, Jennifer Smythe opts for what she sees as the only possible course of action. This results in the Rho ship, with only herself and Raul Rodriguez trapped aboard, being thrust into deep space and light years away from earth, sending them en route to an inhabited planet. Desperately needing supplies and repairs to the ship, Jennifer and Raul land on Scion only to confirm their fears the Kasari Collective are in the process of naturalizing the inhabitants.
On Earth, Mark and Heather Smythe and Jack and Janet Gregory are dealing with problems of their own. A new alliance has been born replacing the UN. The UNFS, United Federation of Nation States, is about to open the Stephenson Centre for Interspecies Reconciliation in order to welcome the aliens. Mark, Heather, Jack and Janet are engaged in helping US Senator Freddy Hagerman to build a movement designed to put a stop to the Stephenson Centre. As A Safe Earth’s backers, Heather and Mark, and by association Jack and Janet, have been brought to the attention of Alexandr Prokorov, who won’t let anything come between him and his goals.
The ending of Wormhole (book three in the original trilogy) left a lot of unanswered questions which I was hoping would be addressed in a continuation of the story. Some details were answered in the Inception series, and other political and character driven story arcs are now seamlessly extended with The Kasari Nexus.
Two parallel action packed plot lines, bringing in new and old characters, combine in an exciting and fast moving opening instalment to the third trilogy in this amazing series. The focus shifts between each scenario leaving mini cliffhangers which add to the tenseness of the narrative. From the deluded and power-hungry factions to the wonderfully enhanced and sharpened capabilities of the Smythes, on and off planet, and the Gregory family, including young Robbie, it’s a thrilling ride.
Admittedly the very detailed sections of scientific technology, although spectacular, were beyond my scope but generally the author writes in such a way as to make everything understandable and seem very plausible; Jennifer and Raul’s space journey, Jennifer’s experiences on Scion, the alien planet, its inhabitants and technology plus the intergalactic battles. What began basically as a series with young adult protagonists has evolved into a full-blown sci-fi thriller with exceptionally well developed, complex and unforgettable characters. A descriptive, compelling, well written narrative with some surprising twists.
My favourite character throughout has been Jack Gregory and I can’t wait to find out where the portentous pact he makes takes him, and Khal Teth. Alexander Cendese’s narration, and the differentiation between characters is very good.
During the battle to stop the Kasari Collective entering through the gateway built by Dr Stephenson, and invading Earth, Jennifer Smythe opts for what she sees as the only possible course of action. This results in the Rho ship, with only herself and Raul Rodriguez trapped aboard, being thrust into deep space and light years away from earth, sending them en route to an inhabited planet. Desperately needing supplies and repairs to the ship, Jennifer and Raul land on Scion only to confirm their fears the Kasari Collective are in the process of naturalizing the inhabitants.
On Earth, Mark and Heather Smythe and Jack and Janet Gregory are dealing with problems of their own. A new alliance has been born replacing the UN. The UNFS, United Federation of Nation States, is about to open the Stephenson Centre for Interspecies Reconciliation in order to welcome the aliens. Mark, Heather, Jack and Janet are engaged in helping US Senator Freddy Hagerman to build a movement designed to put a stop to the Stephenson Centre. As A Safe Earth’s backers, Heather and Mark, and by association Jack and Janet, have been brought to the attention of Alexandr Prokorov, who won’t let anything come between him and his goals.
The ending of Wormhole (book three in the original trilogy) left a lot of unanswered questions which I was hoping would be addressed in a continuation of the story. Some details were answered in the Inception series, and other political and character driven story arcs are now seamlessly extended with The Kasari Nexus.
Two parallel action packed plot lines, bringing in new and old characters, combine in an exciting and fast moving opening instalment to the third trilogy in this amazing series. The focus shifts between each scenario leaving mini cliffhangers which add to the tenseness of the narrative. From the deluded and power-hungry factions to the wonderfully enhanced and sharpened capabilities of the Smythes, on and off planet, and the Gregory family, including young Robbie, it’s a thrilling ride.
Admittedly the very detailed sections of scientific technology, although spectacular, were beyond my scope but generally the author writes in such a way as to make everything understandable and seem very plausible; Jennifer and Raul’s space journey, Jennifer’s experiences on Scion, the alien planet, its inhabitants and technology plus the intergalactic battles. What began basically as a series with young adult protagonists has evolved into a full-blown sci-fi thriller with exceptionally well developed, complex and unforgettable characters. A descriptive, compelling, well written narrative with some surprising twists.
My favourite character throughout has been Jack Gregory and I can’t wait to find out where the portentous pact he makes takes him, and Khal Teth. Alexander Cendese’s narration, and the differentiation between characters is very good.
January 22, 2018
Best Rho book yet! Already enjoying the Altreian Enigma. Only downside to this book in audio format was the change in narrator. No offense to this person but I found the female voices somehow "wrong". Also, the kids' dads sounded like rednecks and not remotely what I'd come to expect. Don't worry though. Your skills are evident. I am just familiar with the voices noted previously and the change is moreso what is unacceptable. In some ways you were an improvement as well, though minorly as MacLeod does a fantastic job already.
April 14, 2018
Confusing
Three percent in I had to bail. This was supposed to be book 1 but it starts mid action in a situation with no backstory. It goes on and on and I'm told it's a wormhole on a ship, then it's in a New Mexico lab and back to a ship without any other explanation.
If it's a continuation of a series, that's fine but a novel has to introduce a lot of background to make sense of the action. I was very confused and it might be a great book but I couldn't make sense of it.
Three percent in I had to bail. This was supposed to be book 1 but it starts mid action in a situation with no backstory. It goes on and on and I'm told it's a wormhole on a ship, then it's in a New Mexico lab and back to a ship without any other explanation.
If it's a continuation of a series, that's fine but a novel has to introduce a lot of background to make sense of the action. I was very confused and it might be a great book but I couldn't make sense of it.
February 6, 2019
It took me over a year to actually read this book. I read it on Kindle instead of my usual audio only because the narrator of the audio book series changed to someone who was utterly terrible. Unfortunately this made me loose my enthusiasm but I still enjoyed the book.
A book about alien races, augmented humans, AI , government conspiracy, interstellar war, assassins and technology. It’s the forth book in a series of six!
A book about alien races, augmented humans, AI , government conspiracy, interstellar war, assassins and technology. It’s the forth book in a series of six!
March 16, 2020
Pretty good. Made A LOT more sense after going back through the series. I tried starting this a few times on its own and couldn't go any further. The narrator on audible for this one is different than the rest of the series and has a Jack Bauer thing going for EVERY character. It's palatable if you're hooked into the rest of the series. Thank God the original narrator is back for the remainder of the series.
January 2, 2022
This turned from really stupid early on to surprisingly enjoyable, but it still needs work. The plot's a little thin, jumping from action point to action point without a lot of buildup. And it loses credit with me for being published by 47north with all the baggage (and lack of access) that entails. I'd be interested to see where it leads but I'm not interested enough to pay upfront for all the books, and libraries don't typically carry 47north books.
May 4, 2017
The Kalahari nexus
Continuing enjoyment of a series that has been well written from the beginning and holds your interest from one section to the other. I don't think I've read a series more consistent in its movement from one crisis to the next with logical transitions based on the developed characters and some scientific facts.
Continuing enjoyment of a series that has been well written from the beginning and holds your interest from one section to the other. I don't think I've read a series more consistent in its movement from one crisis to the next with logical transitions based on the developed characters and some scientific facts.
August 18, 2017
Color me impressed!
4 stars 4sure! Wow my fist dive, and I wanted to stay submerged. Apparently their r some previous books , lol, but my first. Characters r very developed and continue growing here. I'm hooked, let's kick some kasari butt on scion ,then get back to earth and teach them what warrior planet looks like!
4 stars 4sure! Wow my fist dive, and I wanted to stay submerged. Apparently their r some previous books , lol, but my first. Characters r very developed and continue growing here. I'm hooked, let's kick some kasari butt on scion ,then get back to earth and teach them what warrior planet looks like!
October 25, 2017
What a great read! Back in 2012 I bought books 4-6 of the Rho Agenda Series....last July I discovered and read books 1-3....re-read 4-6 and now just finished the 7th book! Reading the stories in sequence has allowed my curiosity to increase and I cannot wait to start book 8 in a few minutes!!! Thank you for this great adventure!!!
May 13, 2018
Difficult to get into, mainly because of Raul's horrendous physical problems, but on persevering, the book eventually sucks you in so that you want to read the second in the series. All the characters from the first six Rho books are present. The book switches between players relentlessly until you catch onto the rhythm.
May 21, 2019
Aliens like us
Nothing like an intergalactic, inter species war with advanced science indistinguishable from magic, to capture the reader's attention. After being reminded this series continued, I wondered if I would remember the story and characters. The characters built partially on the previous books, but also fairly easy to recall and possibly pick up here.
Excellent read!
Nothing like an intergalactic, inter species war with advanced science indistinguishable from magic, to capture the reader's attention. After being reminded this series continued, I wondered if I would remember the story and characters. The characters built partially on the previous books, but also fairly easy to recall and possibly pick up here.
Excellent read!
August 14, 2019
The hero's were sorely tested, and still won over extreme odds.
The story has all of our hero's getting into more adventures and against all ods, and with the help of their friends pulled off one escape from danger only to go on with more.
Exciting reading, great writing and fun for the reader.
The story has all of our hero's getting into more adventures and against all ods, and with the help of their friends pulled off one escape from danger only to go on with more.
Exciting reading, great writing and fun for the reader.
February 17, 2020
A solid continuation of the Rho Agenda story that’s worth a read if you enjoy brisk, page-turning sci-fi. There’s nothing especially deep about these books, but they are a lot of fun (and would make great movies). Be sure to start at the beginning, though; if memory serves, this is the fourth book in the series.
December 18, 2023
Fantastic!!!!
I have truly enjoyed all of these books in audio format thus far. This is no different. The sad thing for me is that the narrator is not the same. Don’t get me wrong, the new guy is great but they aren’t obviously the same voices. Macleod Andrews was fantastic as the narrator of the first six books.
I have truly enjoyed all of these books in audio format thus far. This is no different. The sad thing for me is that the narrator is not the same. Don’t get me wrong, the new guy is great but they aren’t obviously the same voices. Macleod Andrews was fantastic as the narrator of the first six books.
January 1, 2017
It took awhile for me to become invested in this book, and even when I did, I still felt that I had missed a lot that had come before. This book is listed as first in the series, but it is actually a continuation of prior books, so I was disappointed and felt deceived.
August 14, 2017
Terrific reading experience
Great storytelling with wonderful imagination, drama, science and outstanding protagonists. Really fond of all the good guys and rooting for the improbably success of this hearty band.
Great storytelling with wonderful imagination, drama, science and outstanding protagonists. Really fond of all the good guys and rooting for the improbably success of this hearty band.
August 31, 2017
A white-knuckle ride.
What an amazing ride; so many battles waged on so many fronts that I just can't put it down wanting to know what happens next but not wanting to reach the end.
What an amazing ride; so many battles waged on so many fronts that I just can't put it down wanting to know what happens next but not wanting to reach the end.
November 26, 2017
Bifurcated story
It's almost two story genres in one. Although Big John is named in the story, I recall the Tennessee Erney song about Big John predicted this series with the lyrics, "If the right one don't get ya, the left one will."
It's almost two story genres in one. Although Big John is named in the story, I recall the Tennessee Erney song about Big John predicted this series with the lyrics, "If the right one don't get ya, the left one will."
January 1, 2018
Excellent Read
This book was action packed from page one. Each book in the series exemplifies the next. I have enjoyed reading the series thus far. I definitely recommend the writer and this series. Enjoy!
This book was action packed from page one. Each book in the series exemplifies the next. I have enjoyed reading the series thus far. I definitely recommend the writer and this series. Enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews