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Argonauts #2
You Are Prey
Rade and his team of ex-military personnel pursue a Phant to a destroyed world on the far side of the galaxy.
They soon discover the planet isn't as dead as they believed. Their target hides within a massive nest inhabited by aliens appearing to belong to Tech Class I--barely out of the stone ages. Rade elects to go ahead with the operation. The team enters the nest to capture the prey.
But what begins as a simple infiltration and extraction mission soon turns into a living nightmare.
Trapped beneath an alien world, surrounded by hostile lifeforms, and fighting for their very lives, Rade and his team quickly realize the roles have reversed. They are no longer the hunters.
Instead, they have become the prey.
They soon discover the planet isn't as dead as they believed. Their target hides within a massive nest inhabited by aliens appearing to belong to Tech Class I--barely out of the stone ages. Rade elects to go ahead with the operation. The team enters the nest to capture the prey.
But what begins as a simple infiltration and extraction mission soon turns into a living nightmare.
Trapped beneath an alien world, surrounded by hostile lifeforms, and fighting for their very lives, Rade and his team quickly realize the roles have reversed. They are no longer the hunters.
Instead, they have become the prey.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2017
298 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Hooke
102 books508 followersIsaac Hooke is the best-selling author of the Ethan Galaal series of thriller novels, as well as the SF-themed ATLAS trilogy. When Isaac isn't writing, publishing, and blogging, he's busy cycling and taking pictures in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He has a degree in Engineering Physics.
You can follow Isaac on Twitter @IsaacHooke and his website http://IsaacHooke.com.
You can follow Isaac on Twitter @IsaacHooke and his website http://IsaacHooke.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 22, 2017
The Argonauts are teamed with with a Green Phant, a good Phant, bent on capturing and destroying the Black Phant's that have vowed to destroy mankind. In plain English, that means the Argonauts are now gainfully employed with the Green Phant paying the bills. Of course Phant’s can’t exist for very long on their own outside a host. So, our Green Phant known as Surus, is co-habitating with a beautiful Artificial known as Ms. Emilia Bounty. Their arrangement is mutual so it’s not an unnatural possession by a Phant. Surus has almost become one of the Argonauts even though it is footing the bill. After all, they are on a mission that it wants done. Another thing, Phant's are not gender specific. They have not gender, but I’ve caught the author referring to Surus as a he on several occasions. It really makes no difference except, a gender neutral entity co-habitating a female body would be much more believable and desirable for every one concerned.
Back to the story. They have found where they believe a Black Phant or Phant’s have located themselves for the moment. It’s on a desolate and barren planet which is thought to be uninhabited. That thought goes away when the Argonauts find a deep, dark cave tunnel guarded by two very large and very mean looking beetles. These aliens also have the appearance of having a very large mouth with numerous teeth. So they were aptly named gatorbeetles in lieu of anything better. Of course it appears that the Black Phant has managed to take over this gatorbeetle hive. The only way for the Argonauts and Surus to get to it, is to go into the tunnels and run it out, of course. This turns out to be a very dangerous mission. So much so, that Rade comes about as close to dying as he has yet.
It’s good to have the Argonauts together and doing what they are trained to do. When on a mission, Rade Galaal is in charge. He, and only he, gives the orders. That’s well and good, but it doesn’t help much when he manages to get all of them captured and imprisoned. He also doesn’t have the foresight to ensure his equipment will work in all kinds of conditions. His support assets are either Artificials or when not occupied, his Hoplite battlebots. It doesn’t appear that the Hoplites are EMP hardened and that’s pretty strange. They or at least the humans occupying them in jumpsuits have been prepared against mind control by the Phants, but not against a simple thing like an EMP bomb. That’s going to cost them in this book.
This is a pretty exciting story. There are several scenes where the Argonauts are captured and seem to be dead meat only to be able to rescue themselves and then get captured again! Sometimes it gets kind of frustrating reading about the trap the bad guy (Black Phant) has set and then reading about the Argonauts falling right into to it. Still, it’s fun to read about them escaping and great to know that the series won’t end here.
The next three books, “Alien Empress”, “Quantum Predation” and “Robot Dust Bunnies” are already out. I’ve got book three and I’m gonna’ get the rest real soon.
Back to the story. They have found where they believe a Black Phant or Phant’s have located themselves for the moment. It’s on a desolate and barren planet which is thought to be uninhabited. That thought goes away when the Argonauts find a deep, dark cave tunnel guarded by two very large and very mean looking beetles. These aliens also have the appearance of having a very large mouth with numerous teeth. So they were aptly named gatorbeetles in lieu of anything better. Of course it appears that the Black Phant has managed to take over this gatorbeetle hive. The only way for the Argonauts and Surus to get to it, is to go into the tunnels and run it out, of course. This turns out to be a very dangerous mission. So much so, that Rade comes about as close to dying as he has yet.
It’s good to have the Argonauts together and doing what they are trained to do. When on a mission, Rade Galaal is in charge. He, and only he, gives the orders. That’s well and good, but it doesn’t help much when he manages to get all of them captured and imprisoned. He also doesn’t have the foresight to ensure his equipment will work in all kinds of conditions. His support assets are either Artificials or when not occupied, his Hoplite battlebots. It doesn’t appear that the Hoplites are EMP hardened and that’s pretty strange. They or at least the humans occupying them in jumpsuits have been prepared against mind control by the Phants, but not against a simple thing like an EMP bomb. That’s going to cost them in this book.
This is a pretty exciting story. There are several scenes where the Argonauts are captured and seem to be dead meat only to be able to rescue themselves and then get captured again! Sometimes it gets kind of frustrating reading about the trap the bad guy (Black Phant) has set and then reading about the Argonauts falling right into to it. Still, it’s fun to read about them escaping and great to know that the series won’t end here.
The next three books, “Alien Empress”, “Quantum Predation” and “Robot Dust Bunnies” are already out. I’ve got book three and I’m gonna’ get the rest real soon.
January 27, 2018
Bad
The writer introduced the black team member in the first book. I'm sure he used "black male #1" from the writer's character guide ( He wears gold chains on mission, is the only person in the crew who uses "I been" and "that don't" - regardless of his tech background, has total contempt for women and is big, scary and muscular). It's used quite often in American movies, novels and TV shows.
That's followed by hot yet wholesome girlfriend of the leader. There's also the hot but cold ROBOT body occupied by an alien ally. There's an AI occupying a male robot body but no physical description is ever given, I wonder why.
Characters choose to drop in suits from orbit rather than use the shuttles that are carrying their robots and other equipment because it's more manly? Or maybe it's modeled from the game Halo? My suggestion to any adventure or military-ish science fiction writer is to do a little reading first.
Readers give you points for the research, you aren't further fueling adolescent fantasies and the action makes more sense. Everybody wins.
I bailed early on this book and the series is on an irreversible downward trajectory.
The writer introduced the black team member in the first book. I'm sure he used "black male #1" from the writer's character guide ( He wears gold chains on mission, is the only person in the crew who uses "I been" and "that don't" - regardless of his tech background, has total contempt for women and is big, scary and muscular). It's used quite often in American movies, novels and TV shows.
That's followed by hot yet wholesome girlfriend of the leader. There's also the hot but cold ROBOT body occupied by an alien ally. There's an AI occupying a male robot body but no physical description is ever given, I wonder why.
Characters choose to drop in suits from orbit rather than use the shuttles that are carrying their robots and other equipment because it's more manly? Or maybe it's modeled from the game Halo? My suggestion to any adventure or military-ish science fiction writer is to do a little reading first.
Readers give you points for the research, you aren't further fueling adolescent fantasies and the action makes more sense. Everybody wins.
I bailed early on this book and the series is on an irreversible downward trajectory.
May 13, 2021
This seems to be a continuation of Book 1. "Bug Hunt." I would rate it 3 1/2 stars if I could.
The story: Rade (pronounced like Raid) is hunting the Phants who are bodiless entities that possess the minds of people, or artificial intelligences. The trick is to trap the Phant before it can switch to another body or AI without actually killing the body the Phant has taken over. In some cases Rade and his cohorts don't really care that much if they do, but they at least try. It gets messy. In the midst of all this, Rade's girlfriend wants a baby, and she wants to go out on missions too.
Any problems with this story? The disks they use to travel great distances are reminiscent of the ones used in Larry Niven's "Ringworld," although these new disks can allow crossing light years of distance. Also the whole "raising a family while being a space mercenary" idea seemed too weird. Even with an AI nanny to take care of a kid, it didn't seem like the right environment to raise a child. After all, the spaceship itself was in constant danger and my impression of the ship was that it was not child-proof.
Any modesty issues? As with the previous book, there is sex taking place and it is a little more than I am used to in a novel. In fact, it seemed somewhat gratuitous. Only somewhat. Not entirely.
The F-word was used and a lot of the banter between the soldiers was rude and crude... exactly as soldiers will be before combat (as I have been told). I am thinking of the book, "We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah" by Patrick K. O'Donnell. That was not a book for children or even young teens. It was real though.
I might read this book again as part of reading the entire series. The next book in the series is "Alien Empress." I've already started it and the banter between soldiers is even worse although they seem more compassionate at times. That felt weird at first but I got used to it.
The story: Rade (pronounced like Raid) is hunting the Phants who are bodiless entities that possess the minds of people, or artificial intelligences. The trick is to trap the Phant before it can switch to another body or AI without actually killing the body the Phant has taken over. In some cases Rade and his cohorts don't really care that much if they do, but they at least try. It gets messy. In the midst of all this, Rade's girlfriend wants a baby, and she wants to go out on missions too.
Any problems with this story? The disks they use to travel great distances are reminiscent of the ones used in Larry Niven's "Ringworld," although these new disks can allow crossing light years of distance. Also the whole "raising a family while being a space mercenary" idea seemed too weird. Even with an AI nanny to take care of a kid, it didn't seem like the right environment to raise a child. After all, the spaceship itself was in constant danger and my impression of the ship was that it was not child-proof.
Any modesty issues? As with the previous book, there is sex taking place and it is a little more than I am used to in a novel. In fact, it seemed somewhat gratuitous. Only somewhat. Not entirely.
The F-word was used and a lot of the banter between the soldiers was rude and crude... exactly as soldiers will be before combat (as I have been told). I am thinking of the book, "We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah" by Patrick K. O'Donnell. That was not a book for children or even young teens. It was real though.
I might read this book again as part of reading the entire series. The next book in the series is "Alien Empress." I've already started it and the banter between soldiers is even worse although they seem more compassionate at times. That felt weird at first but I got used to it.
April 8, 2017
Fighting Phants had become their specialty during the first Alain War, so Rade Galaal and his fellow ex-MOTHs turned contractors had thought it a welcome change from their civilian security work when Syria hired them to hunt down the remaining enemy Phants hiding in human space.
But sometimes even a simple bug hunt can become complicated. And hunters can become prey.
This is another great book continuing the story of Rade and his fellow Argonauts. While it is part 2 of a new series, the story easily stands on its own and does not require knowledge of the events in the previous book, or the previous two trilogies for that matter--though I can highly recommend the outstanding ride each of them offers.
Isaac Hooke's prose paints a believable story in such beautiful detail that it takes no effort at all to picture the gritty reality these characters live in. The universe is well thought out, the technical details superb yet not over the top, and the character's struggles real. Well done, I am definitely looking forward to reading the next one.
But sometimes even a simple bug hunt can become complicated. And hunters can become prey.
This is another great book continuing the story of Rade and his fellow Argonauts. While it is part 2 of a new series, the story easily stands on its own and does not require knowledge of the events in the previous book, or the previous two trilogies for that matter--though I can highly recommend the outstanding ride each of them offers.
Isaac Hooke's prose paints a believable story in such beautiful detail that it takes no effort at all to picture the gritty reality these characters live in. The universe is well thought out, the technical details superb yet not over the top, and the character's struggles real. Well done, I am definitely looking forward to reading the next one.
June 20, 2020
3.5 stars
Ok so I read the first two books in this series. They were cheap! The stories are pretty much stand alone. The plots are ok nothing earth shattering. A couple of times I wondered if I had missed a prequel series? The tech was completely believable, as was at least some of the banter between characters. My main problem was that the characters lacked depth. Even after two books I found it difficult to distinguish among them. Treating robotic characters in a similar way to humans white not unique,was interesting, and I think I detected an attempt to draw parallels between their treatment and that of black slaves in the late nineteenth century. Overall worth a read but I won't be perusing the rest of the series
Ok so I read the first two books in this series. They were cheap! The stories are pretty much stand alone. The plots are ok nothing earth shattering. A couple of times I wondered if I had missed a prequel series? The tech was completely believable, as was at least some of the banter between characters. My main problem was that the characters lacked depth. Even after two books I found it difficult to distinguish among them. Treating robotic characters in a similar way to humans white not unique,was interesting, and I think I detected an attempt to draw parallels between their treatment and that of black slaves in the late nineteenth century. Overall worth a read but I won't be perusing the rest of the series
May 30, 2019
Another solid, yet deflating book. The story was enjoyable and firmly builds from the first book in this series. Has good action sequences, mystery and intrigue. My main gripe is still Shaw/Rade - it's too cringey and cliched, their dialogues and continuous love making. I found myself skipping over many pages whilst they liaised with each other. This book would have been four or five stars to me otherwise. Maybe I'll pick up the next book, 50/50 on that right now.
May 7, 2017
I love this serial story line!
This author has a knack for relating the emotions of relationships, leadership, combat and the brotherhood of a combat team. When I read these stories I am emersed in the story and time vanishes. Thank you for that because realty that's why I read SF. To live a life outside this world. Great work!
This author has a knack for relating the emotions of relationships, leadership, combat and the brotherhood of a combat team. When I read these stories I am emersed in the story and time vanishes. Thank you for that because realty that's why I read SF. To live a life outside this world. Great work!
May 19, 2017
Excellent sequel
Great follow-up in the series! As always Hooke's books are action filled and a lot of fun. A great bargain on Kindle Unlimited too but worth a purchase even if you don't have KU.
Great follow-up in the series! As always Hooke's books are action filled and a lot of fun. A great bargain on Kindle Unlimited too but worth a purchase even if you don't have KU.
June 23, 2017
Solid read! Good sci-if action
Really fun read. Solid characters (ok honestly they aren't complicated, maybe a little predictable but it works!). Fast paced story, moves a long well & has real high points and low points in the story. A great weekend read.
Really fun read. Solid characters (ok honestly they aren't complicated, maybe a little predictable but it works!). Fast paced story, moves a long well & has real high points and low points in the story. A great weekend read.
July 9, 2017
Good series
This book was a good continuation of the first with our heroes finding themselves in more and more trouble. Stuck on the far side of the galaxy and facing off with an army of giant bugs they find themselves in one problem after another. Good action. Good dialogue.
This book was a good continuation of the first with our heroes finding themselves in more and more trouble. Stuck on the far side of the galaxy and facing off with an army of giant bugs they find themselves in one problem after another. Good action. Good dialogue.
December 19, 2017
Great series
A book worth reading,if you like sci fi you will love these books. Although slightly exzadurated inlaces it has a good plot and is very worth the time it takes to read
If you have any I imagination at all you will enjoy this book and the series
A book worth reading,if you like sci fi you will love these books. Although slightly exzadurated inlaces it has a good plot and is very worth the time it takes to read
If you have any I imagination at all you will enjoy this book and the series
January 23, 2018
Great story
As always Isaac has given us another great space adventure with wonderful characters and exciting action so if you're looking for a great space fantasy I recommend this book for you.
As always Isaac has given us another great space adventure with wonderful characters and exciting action so if you're looking for a great space fantasy I recommend this book for you.
February 5, 2019
Un segon volum molt millor construït i desenvolupat que l’anterior. Un llibre ple d’acció que no para ni un segon, de lectura ràpida i una trama militar però molt diferent del que he llegit fins el moment. Molt recomanable!
March 15, 2017
Good bugs, bad bugs
These are wonderful sci-fi military stories. Excellent, fast moving plots with nonstop action. Can't put them down. Just read and enjoy!
These are wonderful sci-fi military stories. Excellent, fast moving plots with nonstop action. Can't put them down. Just read and enjoy!
May 16, 2017
Action packed machismo
I can't pin it, but I enjoy these books. like a good popcorn movie. I'll keep reading the series but they will be spaced between other reads
I can't pin it, but I enjoy these books. like a good popcorn movie. I'll keep reading the series but they will be spaced between other reads
May 31, 2017
Starting to become slightly annoyed with the constant love crisis' and reaffirmations of the commander and his girlfriend. If this continues into novel #3 I'll drop the series.
June 15, 2017
Not bad.
July 1, 2017
More of a great series
This is the second book in the series. Trade and the team continue to battle great evil. The plants or at least two are defeated.
This is the second book in the series. Trade and the team continue to battle great evil. The plants or at least two are defeated.
May 1, 2018
I'm about half way through, and it's just not holding up for me. The first one was okay, this one's "meh". And "meh" ain't worth my time any more. Time to move on.
August 25, 2018
I have trouble with the plot. The author seems to pull stuff out of thin air as he goes.
April 12, 2019
I'm still tried of reading Isaac Hooke books
What can I say they keep me up past bedtime. That ends up making me tired.
So Isaac STOP IT
What can I say they keep me up past bedtime. That ends up making me tired.
So Isaac STOP IT
February 12, 2024
Really enjoyed it! Good plot, different than most of the other books involving Rade & Co, even if it's basically brining back old enemies (but from a new angle).
Well written and enjoyable tale.
Well written and enjoyable tale.
August 13, 2024
Good
Really enjoy the story. Rade and Shaw are a good couple. The gatorbeetles are cool and Ms. Bounty/Surus is interesting. Love the phants and all the surprises they bring.
Really enjoy the story. Rade and Shaw are a good couple. The gatorbeetles are cool and Ms. Bounty/Surus is interesting. Love the phants and all the surprises they bring.
March 21, 2017
A FUN SPACE MONSTER TALE IT IS...
Hello, this is another enjoyable entry into the world of the Argonauts. Look for bad aliens, find said bad aliens, have trouble of some sort and eventually win the day. Thanks.
Hello, this is another enjoyable entry into the world of the Argonauts. Look for bad aliens, find said bad aliens, have trouble of some sort and eventually win the day. Thanks.
March 17, 2017
Got Bugs? Get RADE!
Rade (I love that name for a bug hunter) and his merry band of bug squashers are at it again in this second book of the series. Evil villains, overwhelming odds and non-stop action. Highly recommended.
Rade (I love that name for a bug hunter) and his merry band of bug squashers are at it again in this second book of the series. Evil villains, overwhelming odds and non-stop action. Highly recommended.
March 5, 2017
Rade Galaal and his faithful crew are back in a new adventure in the Argonauts Trilogy. Hooke’s writing is again, a little more adult in nature with the soldierly banter, but everything that made you love his writing before is present in this new adventure. I look forward to the final book in this new trilogy.
August 31, 2022
Originally i thought the author’s attempt at locker room talk was so pathetic because he must be someone who just never experienced this particular way guys speak to other guys in some situations... then the realization hit me. Oh god. That's not it at all. This is what guys talking about women and/or cutting down other guys looks like after you clean it up with political correctness and social justice awareness. The other thing is the rape scene.
I don’t believe the rape scene was handled appropriately. Oh, it was handled in a politically correct manner of course, but by handling it like that it made the characters' reactions awkward and the related feelings seem insincere. Books and stories from earlier generations would not even have classified what happened as a rape or at least would not have drove the point home so forcefully or as often. Perhaps that was part of the author’s point but it made all the attention paid to the scene throughout the book inauthentic (to me. Ymmv.). I would tend to think that having one's body and mind physically taken and possessed by an evil and malevolent alien entity to be at least as traumatic as the rape scene in the book but that seemed to be no problem whatsoever.
I don’t believe the rape scene was handled appropriately. Oh, it was handled in a politically correct manner of course, but by handling it like that it made the characters' reactions awkward and the related feelings seem insincere. Books and stories from earlier generations would not even have classified what happened as a rape or at least would not have drove the point home so forcefully or as often. Perhaps that was part of the author’s point but it made all the attention paid to the scene throughout the book inauthentic (to me. Ymmv.). I would tend to think that having one's body and mind physically taken and possessed by an evil and malevolent alien entity to be at least as traumatic as the rape scene in the book but that seemed to be no problem whatsoever.
April 7, 2022
not all that good.
March 26, 2017
Good read
The fast pace with the way you think the team screws up but comes out on top. Let's see what happens next
The fast pace with the way you think the team screws up but comes out on top. Let's see what happens next
March 27, 2017
Another fun read
Continue to enjoy every on of his books and the speed that they are released. I recommend the atlas series as well.
Continue to enjoy every on of his books and the speed that they are released. I recommend the atlas series as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews