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Unit 51 #1
Subhuman
They are not human. At a research station in Antarctica, five of the world's top scientists have been brought together to solve one of the greatest mysteries in human history. Their subject, however, is anything but human . . .
They are not natural. Deep beneath the ice, the submerged ruins of a lost civilization hold the key to the strange mutations that each scientist has encountered across the globe: A misshapen skull in Russia. The grotesque carvings of a lost race in Peru. The mummified remains of a humanoid monstrosity in Egypt . . .
They are not friendly. When a series of sound waves trigger the ancient organisms, a new kind of evolution begins. Latching onto a human host--crossbreeding with human DNA--a long-extinct life form is reborn. Its kind has not walked the earth for thousands of years. Its instincts are fiercer, more savage, than any predator alive. And its prey are the scientists who unleashed it, the humans who spawned it, and the tender living flesh on which it feeds . . .
They are not natural. Deep beneath the ice, the submerged ruins of a lost civilization hold the key to the strange mutations that each scientist has encountered across the globe: A misshapen skull in Russia. The grotesque carvings of a lost race in Peru. The mummified remains of a humanoid monstrosity in Egypt . . .
They are not friendly. When a series of sound waves trigger the ancient organisms, a new kind of evolution begins. Latching onto a human host--crossbreeding with human DNA--a long-extinct life form is reborn. Its kind has not walked the earth for thousands of years. Its instincts are fiercer, more savage, than any predator alive. And its prey are the scientists who unleashed it, the humans who spawned it, and the tender living flesh on which it feeds . . .
424 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 31, 2017
810 people are currently reading
2072 people want to read
About the author
Michael McBride
123 books479 followersMichael McBride was born in Colorado and still resides in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. He hates the snow, but loves the Avalanche. He works with medical radiation, yet somehow managed to produce five children, none of whom, miraculously, have tails, third eyes, or other random mutations. He writes fiction that runs the gamut from thriller to horror to science fiction...and loves every minute of it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
January 4, 2019
Well, that was creepy!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 27, 2017
See this review and more on my blog www.bookbastion.net
__________
I was looking for a scary book to read on Netgalley for the month of October, and this book caught my eye due to the creepy cover and premise. An amalgamation between the Alien franchise and The Thing, McBride combines body horror with an evil of extraterrestrial origin to create a vicious new paranormal slasher novel with a high body count and a whole heap of dread.
One thing I did not anticipate when I went into this novel is how science-heavy the first half of the story was going to be. The author leans pretty heavily on various scientific theories surrounding sound and magnetic waves as he slowly navigates his characters into the dangerous situation that makes up the second half of the book. The one downside of this is that to make the situation and later, the monster, possible, the prose involves a fair amount of info-dumping. A fair chunk of it flew straight over my head and probably could have been "dumbed down" for a larger audience in my opinion.
That being said, I found it oddly compelling especially in the way that it builds to the eventual introduction of the monster. The audience sees it coming, but the characters do not because each POV character has their own view of the situation. - which of course makes things tense.
Speaking of the characters. My major complaint is that there are simply too many of them. There are 9 separate POV characters dispersed throughout the story in their own chapters, and a half-dozen more on top of that that become fodder for the monster. It was incredibly difficult keeping them all straight. I also felt like McBride was reluctant to really harm any character of real importance, which is always a mistake in horror (in my opinion.)
The second half of the novel feels a bit out of balance to me because of that, and because of the way it veers into horror. Science and exploration is thrown to the wind as the story shifts to more standard horror fare. While it was entertaining enough for me to finish, the narrative lost a little momentum for me as the explanations that seemed to be coming fizzled in favor of delivering on that monster that remains central to the story for the second half.
While the monster isn't terribly creative - picture a grey-skinned Xenomorph from Alien - I could appreciate the way it comes into the story. It is dark and disturbing and full of dread and razor sharp teeth.
This is only the first book in a proposed series, so I wouldn't be totally opposed to seeing where McBride takes the story and his creature next. I'd like to see a better balance between science and scares in book 2 though!
Not a bad read by any means, but be prepared to work to get to the parts that really start moving.
★★★ = 3/5 stars
___________
Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Book and Pinnacle for an ARC of this book!
__________
I was looking for a scary book to read on Netgalley for the month of October, and this book caught my eye due to the creepy cover and premise. An amalgamation between the Alien franchise and The Thing, McBride combines body horror with an evil of extraterrestrial origin to create a vicious new paranormal slasher novel with a high body count and a whole heap of dread.
One thing I did not anticipate when I went into this novel is how science-heavy the first half of the story was going to be. The author leans pretty heavily on various scientific theories surrounding sound and magnetic waves as he slowly navigates his characters into the dangerous situation that makes up the second half of the book. The one downside of this is that to make the situation and later, the monster, possible, the prose involves a fair amount of info-dumping. A fair chunk of it flew straight over my head and probably could have been "dumbed down" for a larger audience in my opinion.
That being said, I found it oddly compelling especially in the way that it builds to the eventual introduction of the monster. The audience sees it coming, but the characters do not because each POV character has their own view of the situation. - which of course makes things tense.
Speaking of the characters. My major complaint is that there are simply too many of them. There are 9 separate POV characters dispersed throughout the story in their own chapters, and a half-dozen more on top of that that become fodder for the monster. It was incredibly difficult keeping them all straight. I also felt like McBride was reluctant to really harm any character of real importance, which is always a mistake in horror (in my opinion.)
The second half of the novel feels a bit out of balance to me because of that, and because of the way it veers into horror. Science and exploration is thrown to the wind as the story shifts to more standard horror fare. While it was entertaining enough for me to finish, the narrative lost a little momentum for me as the explanations that seemed to be coming fizzled in favor of delivering on that monster that remains central to the story for the second half.
While the monster isn't terribly creative - picture a grey-skinned Xenomorph from Alien - I could appreciate the way it comes into the story. It is dark and disturbing and full of dread and razor sharp teeth.
This is only the first book in a proposed series, so I wouldn't be totally opposed to seeing where McBride takes the story and his creature next. I'd like to see a better balance between science and scares in book 2 though!
Not a bad read by any means, but be prepared to work to get to the parts that really start moving.
★★★ = 3/5 stars
___________
Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Book and Pinnacle for an ARC of this book!
September 3, 2024
PHENOMENAL!! Like wow I cannot remember reading anything quite like this. Again thanks to the original GR reviewer whom I've forgotten but whose great review put me on to this new author for me and this great series. What a great title as well as this book deals with Area 51 like conspiracies.
So the author spends a fair amount of time setting the table so to speak. Hollis Richards is the man behind most of this having seen a flying saucer when he was a young boy and having become obsessed with the fact that there may have been aliens in play as far as developing mankind. I think many of us have wondered about this possibility and with my imagination I sure have.
So in the first 5 or so chapters we start out with Hollis who is stationed and running a station in Antarctica. The prologue though sets the table in 1946 when American soldiers are intent finding out what the Nazi's were doing at a station in Queen Maud Land Antartica. It's cool how he alludes to the Nazi's being on the hunt for Atlantis and how they believed they were descendants of Atlantians as they were the superior race in their minds and have had to come from somewhere really special. What the Americans discover at this station though is basically a mass grave but whats behind it......dun dun dah :)
Then we are moved to the present and we are introduced to five leading scientists who are tops in their field in archaeology, dna medicine, crop circles and the like. We are brought about all over the world to ancient Egypt, stonehedge, Russia's equivalent of stonehedge and mass graves where there is evidence of a different type of mankind, one with protruding eyes and a slightly cone shaped skull.
Now I don't know if it was me wanting to believe all this or if it was the author and I really think it was the author but man oh man did he ever hook me. McBride did a great job selling his story. He got into the station and the fact that they find a submerged pyramid which dwarfs Giza's. He gets into the fact that Antartica has only frozen over in the last 15,000 years and not hundreds of thousands of years ago as we believe. He provides us with his evidence of this. Like as I was reading it all I was consumed by the mystery and I wanted to discuss so much of it with my wife thinking what I was reading was real and I had to remind myself that "hey dummy" this is fiction, treat it like so, but it was just so so good.
So Hollis assembles his team of scientists and has them fly into Antartica to do research on the pyramid. They discover the pyramid though underwater can be safely entered. There is a type of electrical machine to power certain things up but if they do what will happen? So cool as the power source is an electrical type of coil which the author attributes to Tesla, who imo is the magic man and so much more should be written about him and/or movies made based on him. He is always alluded to but not often explored......this is what I mean when saying the author does a great job of selling things.
Once in the pyramid the scientists being scientists take samples of things. They discover an amoeba like substance which they find out attaches itself to its host and then transforms the host. As that is being discovered the two scientists who found this out and have seen evidence that what happens with that transformation is a very evil thing they run out to stop the rest of the team from powering up the power source. Yet they are too late.
The author did a great job leading up to all this. We have seen evidence of things being captured and destroyed. They tie in to our alien coneheads but are the coneheads good or bad for man? Perhaps at all our findings of them at various mass graves around the world they were in fact our enemies and not our friends.
So things really take a turn once the power source is turned on. Our alien friends do not really like man at all. And if there is a downfall to this great book its kind of the thesis of the book itself so how the hell can I still love it days after reading it? The author gets into the facts behind this. He has an alien speak with Hollis Richards and tries to say that the aliens provided us with puzzles and clues to things and that if mankind figured things out or passed their tests so to speak then they were intent on destroying us. Like there are several pages relating to this conversation and I have read and reread them but it really doesn't fly imo. Yet there are two more books to follow so I am hoping there is a better picture coming with regard to this aspect.
For now the aliens have resurrected. They are pure evil intent on killing us. Oh and they rejuvenate once you believe you have killed them. And that kind of doesn't make sense either right? How can we find dead ones if they in fact don't appear to die? This book is like a version of one of my favourite series "The Walking Dead". However, it's got mystery, science behind it (the author's science anyway) and it kind of leads up to The Walking Dead scenario with clever evil aliens wanting to kill man. The first 3/4 and maybe more deal with the mystery and science behind it all but when the aliens come back it is very much like TWD. So how will we deal with this all? So looking forward to book 2 and 3. How this hasn't become a movie or a streaming series is beyond me. Just one hell of a fun book and I am telling you that you will be convinced that so many of the things alluded to here are real. An easy five stars!!!!!
So the author spends a fair amount of time setting the table so to speak. Hollis Richards is the man behind most of this having seen a flying saucer when he was a young boy and having become obsessed with the fact that there may have been aliens in play as far as developing mankind. I think many of us have wondered about this possibility and with my imagination I sure have.
So in the first 5 or so chapters we start out with Hollis who is stationed and running a station in Antarctica. The prologue though sets the table in 1946 when American soldiers are intent finding out what the Nazi's were doing at a station in Queen Maud Land Antartica. It's cool how he alludes to the Nazi's being on the hunt for Atlantis and how they believed they were descendants of Atlantians as they were the superior race in their minds and have had to come from somewhere really special. What the Americans discover at this station though is basically a mass grave but whats behind it......dun dun dah :)
Then we are moved to the present and we are introduced to five leading scientists who are tops in their field in archaeology, dna medicine, crop circles and the like. We are brought about all over the world to ancient Egypt, stonehedge, Russia's equivalent of stonehedge and mass graves where there is evidence of a different type of mankind, one with protruding eyes and a slightly cone shaped skull.
Now I don't know if it was me wanting to believe all this or if it was the author and I really think it was the author but man oh man did he ever hook me. McBride did a great job selling his story. He got into the station and the fact that they find a submerged pyramid which dwarfs Giza's. He gets into the fact that Antartica has only frozen over in the last 15,000 years and not hundreds of thousands of years ago as we believe. He provides us with his evidence of this. Like as I was reading it all I was consumed by the mystery and I wanted to discuss so much of it with my wife thinking what I was reading was real and I had to remind myself that "hey dummy" this is fiction, treat it like so, but it was just so so good.
So Hollis assembles his team of scientists and has them fly into Antartica to do research on the pyramid. They discover the pyramid though underwater can be safely entered. There is a type of electrical machine to power certain things up but if they do what will happen? So cool as the power source is an electrical type of coil which the author attributes to Tesla, who imo is the magic man and so much more should be written about him and/or movies made based on him. He is always alluded to but not often explored......this is what I mean when saying the author does a great job of selling things.
Once in the pyramid the scientists being scientists take samples of things. They discover an amoeba like substance which they find out attaches itself to its host and then transforms the host. As that is being discovered the two scientists who found this out and have seen evidence that what happens with that transformation is a very evil thing they run out to stop the rest of the team from powering up the power source. Yet they are too late.
The author did a great job leading up to all this. We have seen evidence of things being captured and destroyed. They tie in to our alien coneheads but are the coneheads good or bad for man? Perhaps at all our findings of them at various mass graves around the world they were in fact our enemies and not our friends.
So things really take a turn once the power source is turned on. Our alien friends do not really like man at all. And if there is a downfall to this great book its kind of the thesis of the book itself so how the hell can I still love it days after reading it? The author gets into the facts behind this. He has an alien speak with Hollis Richards and tries to say that the aliens provided us with puzzles and clues to things and that if mankind figured things out or passed their tests so to speak then they were intent on destroying us. Like there are several pages relating to this conversation and I have read and reread them but it really doesn't fly imo. Yet there are two more books to follow so I am hoping there is a better picture coming with regard to this aspect.
For now the aliens have resurrected. They are pure evil intent on killing us. Oh and they rejuvenate once you believe you have killed them. And that kind of doesn't make sense either right? How can we find dead ones if they in fact don't appear to die? This book is like a version of one of my favourite series "The Walking Dead". However, it's got mystery, science behind it (the author's science anyway) and it kind of leads up to The Walking Dead scenario with clever evil aliens wanting to kill man. The first 3/4 and maybe more deal with the mystery and science behind it all but when the aliens come back it is very much like TWD. So how will we deal with this all? So looking forward to book 2 and 3. How this hasn't become a movie or a streaming series is beyond me. Just one hell of a fun book and I am telling you that you will be convinced that so many of the things alluded to here are real. An easy five stars!!!!!
October 31, 2017
SUBHUMAN is A Unit 51 Novel, by Michael McBride. I’ve frequently been impressed by this author’s attention to even the most minute details, his all-consuming atmosphere that makes you feel as though you are actually “in” the novel instead of merely reading it, and the thorough research he presents that make even the most improbable of scenarios seem possible. In SUBHUMAN, he takes all of these elements and combines them into an all new high.
A new discovery is made in the inhospitable region of Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. Entrepreneur Hollis Richards–along with his best friend and body guard, Will Connor–begin to assemble the best open-minds in their respective fields, to assist in their revolutionary find. Richards is a man that instantly garners your respect. Unlike your “typically portrayed” rich-man-out-for-himself, McBride gives us a sympathetic, friendly leader of this mission–along with a brief bio of his childhood to back it up.
“. . . He figured the best measure of a man was how he treated those whose station in life didn’t always command the utmost respect.”
The reader is treated to the backgrounds and specialties of Dr. Cade Evans, Dr. Jade Liang, the enigmatic Martin Roche, Kelly Nolan, and Dr. Anya Fleming–among some of the other specialists on site. The characterization here leaves nothing out. I honestly found myself able to distinguish between, identify and/or sympathize with, each member brought on board. With few exceptions that make the situation seem even more realistic, this recently assembled group becomes "family" in a sense, each reaching out for a common goal, ready to discover something completely “new” to the scientific community.
“. . . there was nothing fictional about this . . . "
We are taken through many exploratory “guesses” as to exactly what the scientists are going to unveil, but the reality is that we have as much insight into this mystery as they have, themselves. This is perhaps the aspect that I enjoyed most in SUBHUMAN–while each scientist had an idea and a “hope” on what they will ultimately uncover, nobody was “certain” of anything. In this regard, we are discovering alongside them.
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” (Carl Sagan).
The frigid temperature and overall remoteness of Antarctica provide the perfect and essential background to harbor a new discovery of such magnitude. This difficult–almost hostile–location is described with such vivid detail that the reader can feel the cold winds blowing, and actually believe that if a new scientific discovery was to have remained undisturbed for so long, THIS was the place it would be.
The atmosphere alone may have been enough for some authors to go on, but McBride takes that extra step with his detailed descriptions. In this approach, he allows for the reader to “discover” the mysteries beneath the surface as the main characters do. In SUBHUMAN, we have a novel that makes us a “part” of it–one that I found impossible to leave until the very end.
From a “safe” scientific venture, the action begins to morph into something much more sinister by planting subtle suggestions and clues along the way. Even knowing ahead of time that things are not quite what the scientists are expecting, this book still had the power to shock me with the new revelations as they came about. When a reader is so immersed in a novel for that to happen, you know you are reading something truly spectacular.
“. . . That’s not a hallmark of superior intelligence; that’s a predatory instinct.”
SUBHUMAN is an easy contender for my number one read of the year. I sincerely hope to be seeing more from this author in the future.
Highest recommendation!
A new discovery is made in the inhospitable region of Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. Entrepreneur Hollis Richards–along with his best friend and body guard, Will Connor–begin to assemble the best open-minds in their respective fields, to assist in their revolutionary find. Richards is a man that instantly garners your respect. Unlike your “typically portrayed” rich-man-out-for-himself, McBride gives us a sympathetic, friendly leader of this mission–along with a brief bio of his childhood to back it up.
“. . . He figured the best measure of a man was how he treated those whose station in life didn’t always command the utmost respect.”
The reader is treated to the backgrounds and specialties of Dr. Cade Evans, Dr. Jade Liang, the enigmatic Martin Roche, Kelly Nolan, and Dr. Anya Fleming–among some of the other specialists on site. The characterization here leaves nothing out. I honestly found myself able to distinguish between, identify and/or sympathize with, each member brought on board. With few exceptions that make the situation seem even more realistic, this recently assembled group becomes "family" in a sense, each reaching out for a common goal, ready to discover something completely “new” to the scientific community.
“. . . there was nothing fictional about this . . . "
We are taken through many exploratory “guesses” as to exactly what the scientists are going to unveil, but the reality is that we have as much insight into this mystery as they have, themselves. This is perhaps the aspect that I enjoyed most in SUBHUMAN–while each scientist had an idea and a “hope” on what they will ultimately uncover, nobody was “certain” of anything. In this regard, we are discovering alongside them.
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” (Carl Sagan).
The frigid temperature and overall remoteness of Antarctica provide the perfect and essential background to harbor a new discovery of such magnitude. This difficult–almost hostile–location is described with such vivid detail that the reader can feel the cold winds blowing, and actually believe that if a new scientific discovery was to have remained undisturbed for so long, THIS was the place it would be.
The atmosphere alone may have been enough for some authors to go on, but McBride takes that extra step with his detailed descriptions. In this approach, he allows for the reader to “discover” the mysteries beneath the surface as the main characters do. In SUBHUMAN, we have a novel that makes us a “part” of it–one that I found impossible to leave until the very end.
From a “safe” scientific venture, the action begins to morph into something much more sinister by planting subtle suggestions and clues along the way. Even knowing ahead of time that things are not quite what the scientists are expecting, this book still had the power to shock me with the new revelations as they came about. When a reader is so immersed in a novel for that to happen, you know you are reading something truly spectacular.
“. . . That’s not a hallmark of superior intelligence; that’s a predatory instinct.”
SUBHUMAN is an easy contender for my number one read of the year. I sincerely hope to be seeing more from this author in the future.
Highest recommendation!
November 15, 2017
I have heard good things about Michael McBride's books, so when this popped up as available for review, I jumped right on it. The story premise sounded a lot like The Thing with a bit of Alien mixed in. Just the sort of scary, red mist horror I love in a monster thriller!
I am glad to say that I was not disappointed!
I got the same vibe from this book that I do from many of Michael Crichton's books. The first part of the book is heavy on set-up and science-y stuff. Then that lovely, complicated science does wickedly cool things, causing the monstrous horror to pop in for the last half of the book. It really is a lovely, suspenseful build, incorporating one of my favorite settings for this sort of story....Antarctica. How isolated and totally screwed can you be when you are stuck in a research center in freaking Antarctica....one of the most unfriendly environments on the planet. It's even more unfriendly when you add violent, crazy monsters to the subzero temps, ice and snow.
I don't know enough about sound, magnetic waves, DNA, etc to know if the science in this book is completely legitimate, but the bits here and there that I did look up were basically factual. If I had stopped each time McBride mentioned some sort of science fact or discovery, I would have spent more time on Google searches than reading. So I kept my curiousity under control and only stopped a few times to look things up. The science is incorporated into the story in an interesting way. I didn't feel like complicated facts were constantly zinging over my head. It wasn't confusing, but helped build the plot and introduce the characters that were about to meet a very monstrous, nasty, ancient set of messed-up humanoids with temper issues. Lovely!! Bravo! Awesome!
All in all, a great scary monster romp! I am so glad I finally read a book by McBride. I am definitely going to be reading more of his books! Fans of Crichton, the Alien series and similar stories will definitely love this book!
To learn more about the author and his books, check out his website: https://author.michaelmcbride.net/
I am glad to say that I was not disappointed!
I got the same vibe from this book that I do from many of Michael Crichton's books. The first part of the book is heavy on set-up and science-y stuff. Then that lovely, complicated science does wickedly cool things, causing the monstrous horror to pop in for the last half of the book. It really is a lovely, suspenseful build, incorporating one of my favorite settings for this sort of story....Antarctica. How isolated and totally screwed can you be when you are stuck in a research center in freaking Antarctica....one of the most unfriendly environments on the planet. It's even more unfriendly when you add violent, crazy monsters to the subzero temps, ice and snow.
I don't know enough about sound, magnetic waves, DNA, etc to know if the science in this book is completely legitimate, but the bits here and there that I did look up were basically factual. If I had stopped each time McBride mentioned some sort of science fact or discovery, I would have spent more time on Google searches than reading. So I kept my curiousity under control and only stopped a few times to look things up. The science is incorporated into the story in an interesting way. I didn't feel like complicated facts were constantly zinging over my head. It wasn't confusing, but helped build the plot and introduce the characters that were about to meet a very monstrous, nasty, ancient set of messed-up humanoids with temper issues. Lovely!! Bravo! Awesome!
All in all, a great scary monster romp! I am so glad I finally read a book by McBride. I am definitely going to be reading more of his books! Fans of Crichton, the Alien series and similar stories will definitely love this book!
To learn more about the author and his books, check out his website: https://author.michaelmcbride.net/
June 10, 2021
Well-written and action-filled sci-fi/horror hit all of the buttons for me with this one. I really enjoyed the science behind what was going on, and it kept my interest piqued the whole time. I'm excited that there is a follow-up to this and that it's already released. I'll definitely be reading it as well as some of Mr. McBride's other works in the future. 4.5/5 stars for me.
———
Just as good the second time around. I listened to the audiobook this time, in preparation for reading the other two books in the series this year. This really is the type of sci-fi/horror crossover that I really enjoy. Lots of interesting science. I need to read more Michael McBride books!!
———
Just as good the second time around. I listened to the audiobook this time, in preparation for reading the other two books in the series this year. This really is the type of sci-fi/horror crossover that I really enjoy. Lots of interesting science. I need to read more Michael McBride books!!
November 13, 2017
The story revolves around an ancient civilization that has been frozen in time beneath the ice in Antarctica and five scientists from around the world that have converged at the research facility to study and excavate the site. By them exploring and trying to uncover the ruins they set off a chain of events with dire consequences. The first part of the book was a little slow as the background and skill of each scientist is explored, but as time went on and everything started meshing together, then the book picked up speed as the "creature organisms" came to life, stalking and preying on the scientists. Giving it four stars.
August 21, 2017
If you adore Michael Crichton thrillers as much as I do, get ready to revel in Michael McBride's intense thriller. I love the blend of hardcore science and adventure. Subhuman gave me both to giddy degrees. I can't wait for the next installment in what I'm sure will become my favorite series.
June 12, 2024
Subhuman reads like a love child between Dan Brown and Michael Crichton, and if you like either author, you should like this also. This starts off a bit slow as McBride introduces a wide array of characters 'at work' if you will; an archeologist exploring a new find in Egypt, a new post-doc in a Chicago museum running DNA tests on a strange hominoid skull, a young forensic anthropologist examining the dead bodies left behind a Boko Haram in a Nigerian Village, a former NSA guy who now investigates crop circles, etc. What they have in common concerns how they all one day receive an offer they cannot refuse to come to Antarctica ASAP.
Well, it turns out some venture capitalist, who made his 'bag' on AOL and Amazon among others, secretly uses his immense wealth to pursue his true passion-- aliens. As a child growing up in Kansas, he saw a UFO and devoted his life to investigating the presence of aliens, and now believes he hit the jackpot in Antarctica. The prologue features some WWII marines getting wiped out deep in Antarctica at a former Nazi 'communication station'. The old Nazis were trying to find the lost city of Atlantis and did indeed find some monolithic structures buried deep in the ice there, built a bunker, and then got wiped out. Who or what is doing the deed?
I liked the mix of science and creative historical 'reconstruction' as the backdrop for this horror thriller, and the interesting mix of characters involved. McBride paces this nicely; with the first half being more of a mystery and the second half focused on the high tech research station the venture capitalist built in Antarctica, and of course, what they find. The overall premise may be a bit hard to swallow, but if you just run with it? Good stuff. I might have rated this higher except for the 'obvious' being continually missed by the main characters and the cliff hanger ending; obviously, this is just the first part of a longer series. Off to the next! 3.5 evil aliens!
Well, it turns out some venture capitalist, who made his 'bag' on AOL and Amazon among others, secretly uses his immense wealth to pursue his true passion-- aliens. As a child growing up in Kansas, he saw a UFO and devoted his life to investigating the presence of aliens, and now believes he hit the jackpot in Antarctica. The prologue features some WWII marines getting wiped out deep in Antarctica at a former Nazi 'communication station'. The old Nazis were trying to find the lost city of Atlantis and did indeed find some monolithic structures buried deep in the ice there, built a bunker, and then got wiped out. Who or what is doing the deed?
I liked the mix of science and creative historical 'reconstruction' as the backdrop for this horror thriller, and the interesting mix of characters involved. McBride paces this nicely; with the first half being more of a mystery and the second half focused on the high tech research station the venture capitalist built in Antarctica, and of course, what they find. The overall premise may be a bit hard to swallow, but if you just run with it? Good stuff. I might have rated this higher except for the 'obvious' being continually missed by the main characters and the cliff hanger ending; obviously, this is just the first part of a longer series. Off to the next! 3.5 evil aliens!
November 19, 2017
Subhuman by Michael McBride. Wow! Where to start with this one?? There is so much good stuff going on between the covers of McBride's latest offering, and first in the Unit #51 series. You have various experts in their respective scientific fields anonymously brought together to a location in Antarctica that shows remnants of being at one time an old Nazi outpost. Mega-rich venture capitalist, Hollis Richards has brought them all here to help him unlock the mystery of misshapen humanoid skulls found in an underground lake deep below the ice. These types of remains have been discovered before at locations around the globe and thought to be a genetic mutation. But Richards knows better. He knows that the knowledge to build these ancient pyramids and temples didn't come from man alone. It came from the sky. He knows this because he was visited many years ago when he was a child in the middle of the night, and he's been searching for them ever since. He knows that underneath the Antarctic ice lies the clues to an ancient civilization that predates anything we'be ever discovered before and his assembled band of scientists are going to help him prove it.
Subhuman is an extremely intelligent tale told with heaps of atmosphere and great characters. McBride has really done his homework to create this one. The science is straight out of the History Channel's Ancient Aliens, yet is hard to refute. Fringe? Yes, but completely believable in McBride's expert direction. It has a textbook quality to it, without losing you by talking over your head. Any alien horror story set in Antarctica would be impossible to do without having comparisons to John Carpenter's The Thing, and thats perfectly fine with me. The Thing is easily on my top three of horror movies ever and I welcome a story with some of those same shades that I love so well. McBride delivers. The hostile and lonely location. The fridgid weather that leaves you feeling like you're ten minutes away from freezing to death. The allure of the discoveries waiting to be made underneath the ice. Such great stuff. And the characters don't disappoint either. Richards comes across as the lovable combination of Bill Gates and Richard Attenborough's Dr. Hammond in Jurassic Park. The scientists all feel realistic with their quirks, yet don't come off as a cardboard stereotypes. if you can't tell, I'm pretty geeked about this book. You should be too. It's amazing and I'm excited that it's the first of a series. I can't wait until spring for the next one.
5 Misshaped Skulls out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
Subhuman is an extremely intelligent tale told with heaps of atmosphere and great characters. McBride has really done his homework to create this one. The science is straight out of the History Channel's Ancient Aliens, yet is hard to refute. Fringe? Yes, but completely believable in McBride's expert direction. It has a textbook quality to it, without losing you by talking over your head. Any alien horror story set in Antarctica would be impossible to do without having comparisons to John Carpenter's The Thing, and thats perfectly fine with me. The Thing is easily on my top three of horror movies ever and I welcome a story with some of those same shades that I love so well. McBride delivers. The hostile and lonely location. The fridgid weather that leaves you feeling like you're ten minutes away from freezing to death. The allure of the discoveries waiting to be made underneath the ice. Such great stuff. And the characters don't disappoint either. Richards comes across as the lovable combination of Bill Gates and Richard Attenborough's Dr. Hammond in Jurassic Park. The scientists all feel realistic with their quirks, yet don't come off as a cardboard stereotypes. if you can't tell, I'm pretty geeked about this book. You should be too. It's amazing and I'm excited that it's the first of a series. I can't wait until spring for the next one.
5 Misshaped Skulls out of 5
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com
http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
September 8, 2017
This is classic McBride right here. Plenty of smartypants sciencey stuff that doesn't make me feel stupid while I'm reading it and more than enough action and horror to keep me engaged and entertained all the way through. Nicely done, as usual from McBride.
4+ Stars and Highly Recommended!
I received an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was it. Thanks, NetGalley.
4+ Stars and Highly Recommended!
I received an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was it. Thanks, NetGalley.
December 12, 2020
This was full of science and different fields of study and was rather vivid describing things to the five senses. It’s the beginning of a mystery that starts with humanity asking questions of itself. The age old questions are reimagined and the ever present, “Are we alone?”, is thrown out there again due to mysterious findings. Strange sets of remains possessing cone-like projected hominid skulls are found in places all over the world and linked to every great civilization in the past. Are they aliens? A previously unseen mutation in DNA? Was a step missed in the annuals recording the chain of evolution ? And then other things are found.
I’m typically not your average sci-fi reader of aliens and the like, or theories including them. I will say that, at first, this novel offers some of its mysteries explainable by being alien or extraterrestrial means. Others are more archeological, anthropological or have to do with the science of evolution. The different theories kept me interested as they were very well discussed and presented even in such a fun book. The descriptions of situations were a bit confusing at times and hard to picture, and i found myself rereading a lot of things. There were also sentence fragments and random phrases that bothered me. At times it was hard to keep up in the dialogue whom was talking at what time.
I had my husband read this too to make sure these things were not only me.
Destination Antarctica...
I had to concentrate on what I read, but that is a good thing. I hope to read the next in the series !
Since my husband has read this i have found the second one on sale and we are going to try to read it soon. The end feels a bit incomplete.
I’m typically not your average sci-fi reader of aliens and the like, or theories including them. I will say that, at first, this novel offers some of its mysteries explainable by being alien or extraterrestrial means. Others are more archeological, anthropological or have to do with the science of evolution. The different theories kept me interested as they were very well discussed and presented even in such a fun book. The descriptions of situations were a bit confusing at times and hard to picture, and i found myself rereading a lot of things. There were also sentence fragments and random phrases that bothered me. At times it was hard to keep up in the dialogue whom was talking at what time.
I had my husband read this too to make sure these things were not only me.
Destination Antarctica...
I had to concentrate on what I read, but that is a good thing. I hope to read the next in the series !
Since my husband has read this i have found the second one on sale and we are going to try to read it soon. The end feels a bit incomplete.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2021
"Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception."
- CARL SAGAN
Reread: I enjoyed this substantially more the second time around! I added a star and did casting to help me with the series - see bottom!
Combine Chariot of the Gods with Aliens, then add some Crichton and a dash of 28 Days Later and you'll have the feisty soup that is Subhuman.
It starts off very Jurassic Park with a motley collection of scientist lured by a wealthy individual to experience a new world. I mostly liked the characters and look forward to seeing how they grow, and hook up ;) in the series.
The major problem with the book is infodumpitis. Early on the characters are all explaining their fields of study and, while it's interesting, it was a slog to get through. I can't put my finger on why but it did seem to take forever.
Overall I like the idea of this series: an X-Files team having dangerous adventures. I will definitely read the next book.
I try not to spoiler books so I will just leave you with this...
Casting!
December 13, 2017
Typically there are two camps of writers: those who do an incredible amount of research but fail to tell a compelling story, and those who can spin a yarn but can't keep it from floating away with a gust of scientifically or factually-based wind. Michael McBride is one of those rare breeds who has somehow mastered both.
In Subhuman, you get the science and research you'd expect from a Michael Crichton novel but wrapped in a story that not only draws you in, but threatens to keep you from coming back out. With some truly ingenious twists, this was a fantastic set up to a series that will have legs for years to come. Recommended for all those who enjoy their thrillers with a little bite.
In Subhuman, you get the science and research you'd expect from a Michael Crichton novel but wrapped in a story that not only draws you in, but threatens to keep you from coming back out. With some truly ingenious twists, this was a fantastic set up to a series that will have legs for years to come. Recommended for all those who enjoy their thrillers with a little bite.
Want to read
September 13, 2018Aloha,
I read only a couple chapters. It seems interesting. I have reads book lately that dealt with a theme similar to this. I am not ready yet to read another. Unless it Clive Clusser. Yes, he not horror but he a wonderful author.
I will try this book again down the road.
I read only a couple chapters. It seems interesting. I have reads book lately that dealt with a theme similar to this. I am not ready yet to read another. Unless it Clive Clusser. Yes, he not horror but he a wonderful author.
I will try this book again down the road.
September 2, 2017
Anyone who knows me knows that I love Michael McBride. He is always my go-to author when I want something to read and I don't want to have to worry about whether I will like it or not; I always like it. I read it the moment it hits my Kindle. I really can't say that about very many other authors, including Stephen King, whom I love. This is definitely my favorite newer novel from Mr. McBride.
A research facility in the antarctic. A cross-breeding lifeform with no trace of humanity. A group of scientific nerds all packed into a station below the earth in one of the least hospitable climates in the world. What could possibly go wrong? Other than everything, and not at all what you're expecting.
The only thing wrong with Subhuman is that I don't have a sequel for it. Where's my sequel?!
A research facility in the antarctic. A cross-breeding lifeform with no trace of humanity. A group of scientific nerds all packed into a station below the earth in one of the least hospitable climates in the world. What could possibly go wrong? Other than everything, and not at all what you're expecting.
The only thing wrong with Subhuman is that I don't have a sequel for it. Where's my sequel?!
May 31, 2023
I listened to this mostly as background to cleanin'. But I gotta say it was a lot of fun. There was a lot of mystery surrounding a pyramid found in Antarctica and the microbes along with it. There was a single bit of a mixup relating to pro- and eukaryotes, but it was corrected a few paragraphs later. I think the excitement of what was happening was partially to blame. I was into it too, so I get it. The characters are all kind of interchangeable despite having their individual POVs being changed and focused on in each separate chapter. But it didn't take much from the story, so that's okay. The explanation is tidy, and we even get a sequel despite that. I plan on listening to that as well. The language is pretty clean here. By clean, I mean I didn't hear a single utterance of any fun words, but it didn't hold back on violence. Fun little thriller, recommended for fans of the Pendergast series, X-Files, The Mummy, or The Strain.
There it is and there you have it.
There it is and there you have it.
June 16, 2018
I was really looking forward to this story because I really enjoyed some of Mcbride's author books but unfortunately I didn't care for this as much. There was just way too much information dumped til about three quarters of the way through and not nearly enough action to offset it.
September 5, 2017
After misshapen skulls, all bearing the same deformity and chromosomal irregularities, are discovered in various locations across the globe, a group of disparate researchers are whisked away to a secret research base in the Antarctic where an even more chilling discovery has been made - one that could redefine what we knew about humanity's origin.
I've only read a few previous titles by Michael McBride, and while each were terrific and exciting in their own way, they did little to prepare me for the scope and scientific depth of Subhuman. I have no idea what McBride's background is like, if he's an active scientific researcher or an armchair enthusiast, or just somebody who is able to distill a heck of a lot of information into a cogent story, but it's clear that a heck of a lot of research on a wide range of issues went into this book. I'm used to McBride's thrilling creature feature horror novellas, like the two Snowblind books, so it was really cool to see him stretch out and get comfortable with material more in the vein of Michael Crichton and James Rollins.
While the attention to science, both weird and otherwise, gets high marks, the characters suffer a bit in comparison. For such a large cast, we hardly get to know anybody over the course of 400-some pages beyond their names and affiliations. We have Roche, a former NSA decryption analyst turned UFO hunter; Jade, a war crimes investigator; Kelly, the seismologist; and Richards, the dude funding the whole excavation and fueled by a UFO sighting in his youth. A few other names are bandied about, but they get even less attention than the primaries. Each of the co-leads get a few nice moments to shine, but I never really found a reason to latch onto them.
Despite the shallow characterizations, there's plenty else happening to keep one's attention. I'm a sucker for horror stories that utilize weather extremes (one of the reasons Snowblind caught my eye, in fact), and the colder the better. Subhuman definitely brings the chills, along with a nifty sense of discovery that culminates in an Alien-like bloodbath that left me grinning. The story is a bit of a slow burn while the stage gets set and all the various pieces of scientific anomalies are put into place, but it's all oh so very worthwhile. For the last 100 pages or so, McBride sets the climax to roller-coaster speed, and things get freaking intense fast!
Subhuman marks the debut of McBride's Unit 51 series, and I'm more than ready for book two. Fans of Rollins's Sigma series (or lapsed fan like me looking for something fresh) would do well to check out this title ASAP.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
I've only read a few previous titles by Michael McBride, and while each were terrific and exciting in their own way, they did little to prepare me for the scope and scientific depth of Subhuman. I have no idea what McBride's background is like, if he's an active scientific researcher or an armchair enthusiast, or just somebody who is able to distill a heck of a lot of information into a cogent story, but it's clear that a heck of a lot of research on a wide range of issues went into this book. I'm used to McBride's thrilling creature feature horror novellas, like the two Snowblind books, so it was really cool to see him stretch out and get comfortable with material more in the vein of Michael Crichton and James Rollins.
While the attention to science, both weird and otherwise, gets high marks, the characters suffer a bit in comparison. For such a large cast, we hardly get to know anybody over the course of 400-some pages beyond their names and affiliations. We have Roche, a former NSA decryption analyst turned UFO hunter; Jade, a war crimes investigator; Kelly, the seismologist; and Richards, the dude funding the whole excavation and fueled by a UFO sighting in his youth. A few other names are bandied about, but they get even less attention than the primaries. Each of the co-leads get a few nice moments to shine, but I never really found a reason to latch onto them.
Despite the shallow characterizations, there's plenty else happening to keep one's attention. I'm a sucker for horror stories that utilize weather extremes (one of the reasons Snowblind caught my eye, in fact), and the colder the better. Subhuman definitely brings the chills, along with a nifty sense of discovery that culminates in an Alien-like bloodbath that left me grinning. The story is a bit of a slow burn while the stage gets set and all the various pieces of scientific anomalies are put into place, but it's all oh so very worthwhile. For the last 100 pages or so, McBride sets the climax to roller-coaster speed, and things get freaking intense fast!
Subhuman marks the debut of McBride's Unit 51 series, and I'm more than ready for book two. Fans of Rollins's Sigma series (or lapsed fan like me looking for something fresh) would do well to check out this title ASAP.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
July 8, 2020
A very exciting thriller! I have just become a fan of Unit 51. Looking forward to books 2 and 3.
Set in the Antarctic, this story has all the elements of a creepy creature story. Isolated location, several scientists, a rising body count, and of course, a creepy monster of sorts. If you liked the modern movie version of The Thing (John Carpenter's version) starring Kurt Russell, then you will dig this thriller.
Set in the Antarctic, this story has all the elements of a creepy creature story. Isolated location, several scientists, a rising body count, and of course, a creepy monster of sorts. If you liked the modern movie version of The Thing (John Carpenter's version) starring Kurt Russell, then you will dig this thriller.
September 28, 2017
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I will start off by saying that I am a fan of McBride’s work, who I feel has been getting better with each new release. I find myself doing research after reading his books because the factual background is very detailed and interesting. His novel “Sunblind” was one of my favorite books that I read in the year it was published and I felt it was an interesting monster story set into a non-fiction (and quite emotional) frame. He is continuing this trend here. Subhuman is filled with information about ancient civilizations interacting with extra-terrestrials—think Chariots of the Gods--as well as really interesting and strange scientific anomalies that really have no explanation. It was a bit of an “info-dump” at times I will admit but to me it made the first 25% of the novel really fly by. I was thinking that McBride was entering Michael Critchton-land and was pleased.
The middle 50% got a bit talky for me and I had some trouble with some actions of the characters who I felt were acting out of character to throw caution to the wind and then be surprised when it all hit the fan. The last 25% really got down to the meat (pun intended) of the story and once again I was engaged and the final scenes were especially well done.
This is the first in a new project that promises to be a high-tech version of X-files and, in McBride’s hands, will probably be a very good series. He is upping his game by taking on something this ambitious and I am looking forward to future installments.
Solid 4 stars.
I will start off by saying that I am a fan of McBride’s work, who I feel has been getting better with each new release. I find myself doing research after reading his books because the factual background is very detailed and interesting. His novel “Sunblind” was one of my favorite books that I read in the year it was published and I felt it was an interesting monster story set into a non-fiction (and quite emotional) frame. He is continuing this trend here. Subhuman is filled with information about ancient civilizations interacting with extra-terrestrials—think Chariots of the Gods--as well as really interesting and strange scientific anomalies that really have no explanation. It was a bit of an “info-dump” at times I will admit but to me it made the first 25% of the novel really fly by. I was thinking that McBride was entering Michael Critchton-land and was pleased.
The middle 50% got a bit talky for me and I had some trouble with some actions of the characters who I felt were acting out of character to throw caution to the wind and then be surprised when it all hit the fan. The last 25% really got down to the meat (pun intended) of the story and once again I was engaged and the final scenes were especially well done.
This is the first in a new project that promises to be a high-tech version of X-files and, in McBride’s hands, will probably be a very good series. He is upping his game by taking on something this ambitious and I am looking forward to future installments.
Solid 4 stars.
November 18, 2017
I wanted to like this but it just didn't work for me. I had a hard time telling one character from another so I didn't connect with any of them.
And the detail... well, kudos to the author for doing so much research on all the science involved.
I got lost when the level of detail went down to the number and placement of every seat in every form of transportion used and who was sitting next to who. Sorry, it didn't add to the story and just bogged down the story telling.
Even when the action picked up, I had a hard time picking up the book. Just skimmed the end and it all seemed to go the way I would have expected. No surprises.
And the detail... well, kudos to the author for doing so much research on all the science involved.
I got lost when the level of detail went down to the number and placement of every seat in every form of transportion used and who was sitting next to who. Sorry, it didn't add to the story and just bogged down the story telling.
Even when the action picked up, I had a hard time picking up the book. Just skimmed the end and it all seemed to go the way I would have expected. No surprises.
October 15, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Read my full review and more on my blog!
TW: Death, Blood, Self-harm, Fire, Mention of Nazi's in the past
It seemed to have a bit of a slow and confusing start but in time I figured out why it started out the way it did. I ended up reading this faster than I normally would, or at least it felt that way, because I was flying through the pages. Similar to how The Martian was for me. It's very heavy on the science and honestly I didn't understand a lot of it, but was able to get the basics of the story and I never felt like it was being pretentious or that I was dumb. I actually learned stuff from reading this and highlighted things I want to look up.
The only real downside is don't ask me who was who. I mean I should know but just didn't care enough to write down who was who and it didn't matter to me too much, I got the story, that's all I cared about.
It was thought-provoking at times. I loved the premise and the setting. One of the things I learned was that Antarctica has mountains...I probably should have already known that but Geography was not my strong suit in school. It had some emotional moments in the story too.
I enjoyed learning about stuff I should have learnt in school, but didn't or forgot, learning about the sciencey things as well as the characters and what they did, even if I can't tell you who did what. And I especially loved the conclusion! The second half was much more of a thriller and very bloody and I soaked it all up!
If it sounds interesting to you, give it a shot! I do plan on continuing on with this series.
"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. both are equally terrifying. -Arthur C. Clarke"
Thank you to Netgalley and Pinnacle for letting me read this.
My Booktube Channel
Read my full review and more on my blog!
TW: Death, Blood, Self-harm, Fire, Mention of Nazi's in the past
It seemed to have a bit of a slow and confusing start but in time I figured out why it started out the way it did. I ended up reading this faster than I normally would, or at least it felt that way, because I was flying through the pages. Similar to how The Martian was for me. It's very heavy on the science and honestly I didn't understand a lot of it, but was able to get the basics of the story and I never felt like it was being pretentious or that I was dumb. I actually learned stuff from reading this and highlighted things I want to look up.
The only real downside is don't ask me who was who. I mean I should know but just didn't care enough to write down who was who and it didn't matter to me too much, I got the story, that's all I cared about.
It was thought-provoking at times. I loved the premise and the setting. One of the things I learned was that Antarctica has mountains...I probably should have already known that but Geography was not my strong suit in school. It had some emotional moments in the story too.
I enjoyed learning about stuff I should have learnt in school, but didn't or forgot, learning about the sciencey things as well as the characters and what they did, even if I can't tell you who did what. And I especially loved the conclusion! The second half was much more of a thriller and very bloody and I soaked it all up!
If it sounds interesting to you, give it a shot! I do plan on continuing on with this series.
"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. both are equally terrifying. -Arthur C. Clarke"
Thank you to Netgalley and Pinnacle for letting me read this.
My Booktube Channel
January 11, 2019
My first impression of this novel after reading the back cover information and promotional blurbs was that it might be a clever spin on early man stories.
It seemed like McBride was going to suggest another forgotten race that competed with Neanderthals, Cromagnons and Homo Sapiens, et al. back in ancient times, and then mix that postulation in with lost civilization mythos and a mysterious current day discovery.
It turns out my presumptions were only partially correct. Add a bit of ufology, crop circles, Egyptian and Peruvian alien influence theories, and those bad Nazis tampering again with things better left alone and unknown.
It’s a heady mix, and McBride runs it through the blender.
I was expecting a horror-themed action thriller and looking forward to some evenings spent in entertaining escapism. The problem with Subhuman is that only part of the book meets those expectations, and the buildup takes too long and requires a commitment to keep going that I feel many readers aren’t going to comply with.
I’m sure that McBride spent many hours in research on this one, and did his best to link all these disparate elements together in a theory about the monstrous threat to mankind that seems rational. It’s extremely hard to mix academia into a horror tale, and very few authors are able to pull that off.
The novel is divided into three sections, labeled Book I, II, III. Following a prologue that hints at the terrors to come, there are seven chapters each introducing a different character. This takes up over 50 pages at the beginning, and is loaded with scientific jargon, multiple locations, and not much characterization. Normally, if I’m not engaged in a book by page 50, I quit, put it down, and pick up something else. If I was not already participating in a Horror Aficionados group read on Goodreads I would be done. I kept going, wishing for a good reason for all the intricate details about crop circles, measuring methodology, hoping that author McBride would justify the reason for all that info dump.
After 128 pages, things began to pick up a little but the info dumps continue. These characters get involved in conversations about the details, and all come off as sounding like professors.
Rather than encourage me to keep reading, I became discouraged as the constant references really slowed and bogged the action down. I didn’t get a good feel for the flow of the novel, so I wasn’t fully engaged and was having difficulty finding any character to empathize with.
Some things do occur near the end of Book II to hold my interest. Then, Book III reverts to action, suspense, thrills and real horror. It took this long for me to find a good reason to finish, besides my commitment to commenting on the group reader forum.
It wasn’t until this point that I could see a valid reason for all the explanations throughout the novel. McBride was building the case for a rational basis to all the events he put in motion. However, I think he tried too damn hard - - and it still comes off like pseudo-science. McBride could easily have cut 100 pages out of this novel and made it a faster, better reading experience. Too often I felt like an elementary school student assigned in error to an advanced placement science class. I wonder how many potential readers walked away because of that. I almost did.
The last 25 percent of the novel moves at a quicker pace, and is quite engaging. Finally, I began to feel some concern for many of the characters. It seems a little late to start developing them.
I like the premise, but feel that McBride spent way too much time on set-up. I wish that he could have used some other way than info dumps and character dissertations to get the main points across. Subhuman is the first book in the Unit 51 series, and I’ve heard that the second book is much better.
I’m also not entirely satisfied with the ending. Too many books like this end the same way, which is disappointing. I'd prefer if someone broke the mold at least once. Subhuman did not meet my expectations - - below average.
It seemed like McBride was going to suggest another forgotten race that competed with Neanderthals, Cromagnons and Homo Sapiens, et al. back in ancient times, and then mix that postulation in with lost civilization mythos and a mysterious current day discovery.
It turns out my presumptions were only partially correct. Add a bit of ufology, crop circles, Egyptian and Peruvian alien influence theories, and those bad Nazis tampering again with things better left alone and unknown.
It’s a heady mix, and McBride runs it through the blender.
I was expecting a horror-themed action thriller and looking forward to some evenings spent in entertaining escapism. The problem with Subhuman is that only part of the book meets those expectations, and the buildup takes too long and requires a commitment to keep going that I feel many readers aren’t going to comply with.
I’m sure that McBride spent many hours in research on this one, and did his best to link all these disparate elements together in a theory about the monstrous threat to mankind that seems rational. It’s extremely hard to mix academia into a horror tale, and very few authors are able to pull that off.
The novel is divided into three sections, labeled Book I, II, III. Following a prologue that hints at the terrors to come, there are seven chapters each introducing a different character. This takes up over 50 pages at the beginning, and is loaded with scientific jargon, multiple locations, and not much characterization. Normally, if I’m not engaged in a book by page 50, I quit, put it down, and pick up something else. If I was not already participating in a Horror Aficionados group read on Goodreads I would be done. I kept going, wishing for a good reason for all the intricate details about crop circles, measuring methodology, hoping that author McBride would justify the reason for all that info dump.
After 128 pages, things began to pick up a little but the info dumps continue. These characters get involved in conversations about the details, and all come off as sounding like professors.
Rather than encourage me to keep reading, I became discouraged as the constant references really slowed and bogged the action down. I didn’t get a good feel for the flow of the novel, so I wasn’t fully engaged and was having difficulty finding any character to empathize with.
Some things do occur near the end of Book II to hold my interest. Then, Book III reverts to action, suspense, thrills and real horror. It took this long for me to find a good reason to finish, besides my commitment to commenting on the group reader forum.
It wasn’t until this point that I could see a valid reason for all the explanations throughout the novel. McBride was building the case for a rational basis to all the events he put in motion. However, I think he tried too damn hard - - and it still comes off like pseudo-science. McBride could easily have cut 100 pages out of this novel and made it a faster, better reading experience. Too often I felt like an elementary school student assigned in error to an advanced placement science class. I wonder how many potential readers walked away because of that. I almost did.
The last 25 percent of the novel moves at a quicker pace, and is quite engaging. Finally, I began to feel some concern for many of the characters. It seems a little late to start developing them.
I like the premise, but feel that McBride spent way too much time on set-up. I wish that he could have used some other way than info dumps and character dissertations to get the main points across. Subhuman is the first book in the Unit 51 series, and I’ve heard that the second book is much better.
I’m also not entirely satisfied with the ending. Too many books like this end the same way, which is disappointing. I'd prefer if someone broke the mold at least once. Subhuman did not meet my expectations - - below average.
September 16, 2017
Subhuman is the first book in the planned Unit 51 series. Other reviewers have quite accurately classified Subhuman as a Michael Crichton type blend of science and suspense.
My biggest gripe is the blurb. Instead of a slow reveal of the shocking revelations, the blurb outright declares this upfront and thus deflates much of the suspense as the five scientists take an inordinately long time to catch up with the reader's pre-existing knowledge.
The jumps in the multiple POVs can be jarring at times, particularly with the narrative flow, but the slow buildup does lead to a satisfying climatic, action packed conclusion.
My biggest gripe is the blurb. Instead of a slow reveal of the shocking revelations, the blurb outright declares this upfront and thus deflates much of the suspense as the five scientists take an inordinately long time to catch up with the reader's pre-existing knowledge.
The jumps in the multiple POVs can be jarring at times, particularly with the narrative flow, but the slow buildup does lead to a satisfying climatic, action packed conclusion.
November 28, 2018
I am a total sucker for what I call the archaeological/anthropolical thriller/action novel. I love them and seemingly can’t stay away. They seem to jump off the shelf as soon as I pass by. This did and I am glad it did so. Enjoyed the story tremendously, well paced and good action, lots of good science, (maybe even too much in spots) and enjoyable characters. I wished there had been more character development, my only real criticism.
February 25, 2025
3.75🌟s. If you enjoy in depth science, you’ll find some parts of this book fascinating. Otherwise 2/3 of it can feel on the dryer side. McBride was good at giving you a little “cliffhanger” at the end of the chapters to keep you coming back for more. And with the multiple POVs, you got a very well rounded look at the science and the events as well as occasionally putting off finding out the conclusion to these cliffhangers. This definitely urged you to press forward reading. The last 1/3 was fast paced and chaotic in a great way and was fantastic at building up the dread until the climax hit. I did have fun with it. I probably won’t reread but who knows. It seems like the kind of book that you may see new things on the second read through. I would recommend to someone that enjoys science and the show, Ancient Aliens.
October 20, 2017
Complicated Scientific outing that evolves into Alien! Where oh where do I start writing a review of a book that has been enjoyed by so many of my peers and yet I would honestly say it was the worst book I have read this year. How can some love a book so much and yet others find it impossible to see within its content any merit whatsoever? The story (i think!) involves a discovery made in Antarctica, a pyramid enclosed with bones and an odd shaped "cone" skull that spoke of an ancient people who inhabited our planet many many moons ago. From all corners of our present world a number of great minds are called to Antarctica to use their expertise and knowledge of this cone headed species having unearthed a few of the said skulls at their own particular digs/excavations....
This book falls somewhere between Michael Crichton, Scott Sigler with a touch of The Thing (Kurt Russell 1982 version) and without a doubt shades of Alien...remember that scene when Sigourney Weaver gets up close and personal with the alien in Alien 3...."Its cranium was elongated and the flesh of its scalp torn. Its eyes bulged from their sockets to such a degree that its lids had to remain mostly closed to contain them. The veins had rupture, causing a skein of blood to form on the surface, so thick it was nearly black"..... This quote is from Subhuman but everything about it speaks Alien to me, we have the crew of the good ship "Nostromo" being selected individually and savaged by an organism and in one horrific scene attaches itself inside the body of John Hurt. Now in our story a species or micro-organism referred to as "archaea" is "able to infest and subsume the bodies of these men."....I remember so vividly slime and blood dripping from the alien as one by one Ripley's (Weaver) crew are destroyed....now this quote from Subhuman, reads like something from Alien...."Something warm and wet struck his cheek. He slowly raised his eyes toward the ceiling, and the open vent directly overhead. Another drop streaked from the edge of the duct and struck the ground in front of him.".....
The first half of the book is so riddled with scientific jargon to the point of boredom and it is only when finally I am able to translate this technical vernacular that the theme begins to make sense. This new alien archaea/organism is able to communicate by using sound waves that are projected through water. This creates a ripple/shape effect similar to the "crop circle" mystery where strange patterns appeared overnight in fields of cereal crops and many believed were the work of aliens who were trying to make contact. Therefore it follows in Subhuman that the sound/wave ripples is an attempt to communicate.
Now at this point if you are thoroughly confused by my review then Subhuman is not the book for you but equally if you enjoy a story technically filled with senseless jargon (think Tom Clancy merged with Stephen Hawking) then you are in for a treat. My only regret was that the predator in Subhuman was not quite as successful in his kill rate as the alien that Officer Ripley encountered on the good ship Nostromo. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. A free reading copy will never stop me writing a truthful review and to me as a reader/reviewer if the book is not to my taste I will certainly voice my opinion, otherwise what is the point?
This book falls somewhere between Michael Crichton, Scott Sigler with a touch of The Thing (Kurt Russell 1982 version) and without a doubt shades of Alien...remember that scene when Sigourney Weaver gets up close and personal with the alien in Alien 3...."Its cranium was elongated and the flesh of its scalp torn. Its eyes bulged from their sockets to such a degree that its lids had to remain mostly closed to contain them. The veins had rupture, causing a skein of blood to form on the surface, so thick it was nearly black"..... This quote is from Subhuman but everything about it speaks Alien to me, we have the crew of the good ship "Nostromo" being selected individually and savaged by an organism and in one horrific scene attaches itself inside the body of John Hurt. Now in our story a species or micro-organism referred to as "archaea" is "able to infest and subsume the bodies of these men."....I remember so vividly slime and blood dripping from the alien as one by one Ripley's (Weaver) crew are destroyed....now this quote from Subhuman, reads like something from Alien...."Something warm and wet struck his cheek. He slowly raised his eyes toward the ceiling, and the open vent directly overhead. Another drop streaked from the edge of the duct and struck the ground in front of him.".....
The first half of the book is so riddled with scientific jargon to the point of boredom and it is only when finally I am able to translate this technical vernacular that the theme begins to make sense. This new alien archaea/organism is able to communicate by using sound waves that are projected through water. This creates a ripple/shape effect similar to the "crop circle" mystery where strange patterns appeared overnight in fields of cereal crops and many believed were the work of aliens who were trying to make contact. Therefore it follows in Subhuman that the sound/wave ripples is an attempt to communicate.
Now at this point if you are thoroughly confused by my review then Subhuman is not the book for you but equally if you enjoy a story technically filled with senseless jargon (think Tom Clancy merged with Stephen Hawking) then you are in for a treat. My only regret was that the predator in Subhuman was not quite as successful in his kill rate as the alien that Officer Ripley encountered on the good ship Nostromo. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. A free reading copy will never stop me writing a truthful review and to me as a reader/reviewer if the book is not to my taste I will certainly voice my opinion, otherwise what is the point?
December 27, 2020
Conspiracy-mongering and anti-science garbage spewed by terribly written characters atop a premise that is flimsy at best. I suggest avoiding this one.
January 4, 2018
Take Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Land That Time Forgot Caspak Series and marry it to Crichton’s Jurassic Park and Spielberg’s Close Encounters of a Third Kind and add a slight helping of Sigourney Weaver in Alien and you’ve got some idea of what McBride has cooked up here. There’s a land that time forgot beneath the Antarctic ice connected somehow to the Egyptian pyramids and the crop circles and Stonehenge.
It’s a science fiction thriller that is told from numerous narrative standpoints as scientists from all over the globe are gathered to explore a unique scientific curiosity and learn things that to their horror they wished they never learned. The book starts with a heavy scientific and archeological emphasis and then gradually builds to a terrifying thrilling apex. It is a hard-to-put-down book although the varying viewpoints sometimes made differentiating the characters a little difficult and some may find the beginning too science-heavy.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
It’s a science fiction thriller that is told from numerous narrative standpoints as scientists from all over the globe are gathered to explore a unique scientific curiosity and learn things that to their horror they wished they never learned. The book starts with a heavy scientific and archeological emphasis and then gradually builds to a terrifying thrilling apex. It is a hard-to-put-down book although the varying viewpoints sometimes made differentiating the characters a little difficult and some may find the beginning too science-heavy.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
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