International bestselling author Jeremy Robinson has been compared to both Matthew Reilly and Stephen King. In Forbidden Island, he brings the characters and plotting of the fastest paced thrillers together with mind-bending imaginative horrors.
SEEKING TO CONTACT HUMANITY'S LOST TRIBE...
On the precipice of a cliff, contemplating suicide, dishonorably discharged U.S. Army Ranger, Rowan Baer, is invited to provide security to a research team visiting the most dangerous island in the world--North Sentinel Island in the Sea of Bengal. Seeking redemption, he accepts.
Living among Amazon rainforest tribes, eccentric Israeli anthropologist, Talia Mayer, is recruited to study the island's elusive inhabitants--the Sentinelese--who have resided on the tropical island since the dawn of mankind. Seeing the chance of a lifetime, she joins the team.
On the run from his past, Palestinian linguist, Mahdi Barakat, is given little choice: join the expedition and make contact with the Sentinelese, or be left to face the men tracking him down. Afraid for his life, he finds safe harbor halfway around the world.
As part of an expedition funded by the Indian government and supported by a local resort millionaire, the team struggles to make contact with the Sentinelese, a tribal people renowned for their violence, strange behavior, and mysterious ways. But when the expedition's yacht strikes a reef, and sinks, the team finds themselves stranded on an island few people have ever set foot on and survived, an island that they quickly discover is home to far more than primitive tribal people.
Jeremy Robinson is the New York Times bestselling author of seventy novels and novellas, including Apocalypse Machine, Island 731, and SecondWorld, as well as the Jack Sigler thriller series and Project Nemesis, the highest selling, original (non-licensed) kaiju novel of all time. He’s known for mixing elements of science, history and mythology, which has earned him the #1 spot in Science Fiction and Action-Adventure, and secured him as the top creature feature author. Many of his novels have been adapted into comic books, optioned for film and TV, and translated into thirteen languages. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children. Visit him at www.bewareofmonsters.com.
I've only read a few books by Jeremy Robinson, and yet he seems to resonate with me, in many ways. The kaiju book I read was awesome, Project Nemesis. This book ain't that at all. What you have here is a suspenseful thriller. It is based in reality and yet harkens back in history and religious myth to give it that extra push towards the real and the weird. Rowan is an ex-military guy, given a second chance at life, to be a soldier but there are conditions. He must stop drinking. Talia is living with an aboriginal tribe in South America and has to be lured out by Rowan and their benefactor. She is needed for her skills in communication and her knowledge of these out of the way indigenous people's that are so different from regular men and women. Fronted money by a wealthy resort owner, the group, including an Iraqi scholar and linguist hiding in London named Madhi, makes it to India and then are given a wild story. North Sentinel Island is not far from the coast of India. It is a place untouched by man. There are reasons for this. There is a dangerous coral reef around the island that is treacherous to boats. The Sentinelese people are violent and dangerous, the few encounters man has had over the years ending badly for man. The wealthy resort owner wants the group to go to the island and make contact. Of course there is a boat load (literally) of backstabbing, betrayal and lies involved here that sabotage the mission Rowan and crew embark on. This turns even stranger when the yacht they are on is propelled into the coral reef and stranded, so the group has to go ashore. Things get dark and just plain horrible as the true nature of the islanders is revealed and the group finds themselves in a battle for their lives and sanity. And the ending is an adrenaline fueled thrill ride that keeps you flipping pages like a fiend. I love the characters portrayed here. The plot is deep and we'll thought out. The weirdness factor and roots in our world are easily looked up online. The island is real, the islanders in fact are very dangerous. This place is one of the only unspoiled stone age civilisations on our planet, and it is protected by law now. Overall if you like a good thriller with plenty of action, you cannot go wrong reading this one.I really want to get more of this author's books. I did like the kaiju novel of his a little bit better, but only by millimeters.
Facts - Sentinelese are indigenous people who inhabit North Sentinel Island in the Andamans. They are a fiercely private tribe who have resisted all contacts with the 'Civilized world'. According to some studies, this tribe is over 60000 yrs old and separately evolved from rest of the mankind. In 1956, the Government of India declared North Sentinel Island a tribal reserve and termed any attempt to contact them as illegal. This was an excellent move, considering how the other such indigenous tribes were decimated after they were brought into the mainstream. Most recently, the interest regarding this tribe was piqued, when in Nov 2018, John Allen Chau, an American Christian missionary was killed by the Sentinelese, after he illegally travelled to North Sentinel Island in an attempt to preach Christianity to them.
This novel gives a very imaginative and supernatural spin on who this tribe are and why they are so secretive. There is lot of action and some interesting hypothesis about these mysterious people. As some reviewers have already mentioned, this book reminds of thrillers by James Rollins, Michael Crichton and Matthew Reilly.
It was fun for a while but towards the end, the hide and seek and the action became repetitive. Whatever the reason behind the expedition (an authentic research by the Indian Government or a greedy plot by a billionaire), the team seemed to be the least organized and there was minimal planning.
The characters were the same as in these kind of novels - broken people, hiding from their past and this expedition was their only way to redemption!
The portrayal of the Indian characters made me laugh and also slightly annoyed. The rich Indian resort owner was called Rattan Ambani (he shares his name with the richest Indian, Mukesh Ambani- that was not a coincidence!) Shashi's character was really strange. She started off as a strong woman who could easily recruit people to her dubious mission. But does some foolish things, like rushing inside a mosque without a thought (and it takes a Jewish woman to bring her into her senses) And wearing flashy clothes for the expedition through a thick forest. Huh! I have news for the author- you rarely see modern Indian women dressed like a peacock. And someone undertaking such an expedition would surely be dressed appropriately.
So, I take some points away for incomplete homework. However, the writing was promising and I would read other books by this author.
When a resort developer sets his sights on North Sentinel Island, the natives of the island are in danger. They must be eradicated before the land can be developed. But modern technology and weapons might not be a match for the ancient forces unimpacted by the modern world.
The experiences in this adventure range from funny to terrifying. Parts are weird while others are outright trippy, but the entire reading experience is unique and entirely enjoyable. This is another Robinson novel that will keep you reading long into the night.
This book was great. The characters were all fleshed out well and though the reasons for them being together were kind of basic, the elementary quality of the plot stopped there. The island and its inhabitants were quality and they were terrifying. The twists and attempts at explanation, the preview of the end, the end, and the idea that there could be more intrigue outside of the boundaries of the book made me want more. The idea that there could be an island or a tribe of people like this is the stuff of nightmares. I can not remember reading or listening to a book quite like this before. And the writing and narration were top notch. Great job guys. Dolphin calls drizzled in terror fuel indeed!
This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.
As part of an expedition funded by the Indian government and supported by a local resort millionaire, the team struggles to make contact with the Sentinelese, a tribal people renowned for their violence, strange behavior, and mysterious ways. But when the expedition’s yacht strikes a reef, and sinks, the team finds themselves stranded on an island few people have ever set foot on and survived, an island that they quickly discover is home to far more than primitive tribal people.
I expected a lot more from Forbidden Island by Jeremy Robinson. The book description (above) intrigued me enough to purchase the book and then the first 50% of the story had me hooked. However, from that point on, the story seemed to lapse into kind of a limbo - a continuous game of hide and seek without an end in sight.
During that time, the team learns the real reason behind their expedition and also discover that the islanders can't be killed. In fact, they discover healing powers in both the drinking water and from the sunlight that filters through the canopy. It gets weird from then on as they later uncover evidence of biblical proportions and realize these tribal people are guardians of an island that may go back to the beginning of time. The odds are against them ever leaving Forbidden Island alive.
The ending is unbelievable. Per readers who follow this author, they claim in reviews that this work is subpar as compared to others that he's written. I will not be reading any of this authors other books.
This book is sort of the son of Island 731 (A ship is wrecked on a freaky ass Island) I think Robinson did a great job with the characters in this story along with their interaction. I just found the story to be too repetitive (fight, run, hide, discuss and repeat). And would a billionaire kill so many people just to make a few million dollars? Once again, authors give billionaires a bad name.
The storyline is creative and the characterizations are full and descriptive. This is an entertaining read, although sometimes disjointed. For fun fiction, this is a well told story.
This was such a suspenseful, well thought out book. The end was unique and intriguing. Face paced and action packed with a beautiful blend of fiction, reality, history, and mythology.
I gotta hand it to Robinson. Once again, the guy delivers, trying yet another stab in yet another genre, and, not surprisingly, managing to pull it off.
Forbidden Island may not be the most original plot-wise, and it may have one of the most lackluster and generic titles (especially when you take into account may of Robinson's other books), but it works and works extremely well.
In typical Robinson fashion Forbidden Island is a thrill fest of the highest order, starting with a bang and never once letting up. Have there been similar stories like this? Yes, but they've never had such a breakneck pace with such a crazy mash up of ideas.
I've written far longer and far more precise reviews of Robinson's other work, so I'll just leave it at this: I don't know a single author who works harder, pumps out more novels, and does so with such consistency (seriously, I think in 50+ novels/novellas/short stories I've only ever disliked 2) than Robinson. Forbidden Island, along with the previously published Infinite and Viking Tomorrow also show Robinson's maturation as an author and his willingness to change genres, plots, and ideas and never let himself get stuck in one particular area; a sure sign of an writer still growing, even after so many fantastic works of fiction.
This is my first book that I have read of Jeremy Robinson but I read somewhere that his work was like a mixture between Matt Reilly and Rollins and they are two of my favorite authors.
Just like them the plot and action of the story really set it above and beyond. The majority of the book was set in a positivly possible realm and I enjoyed the mystery and action while the realism.
Some of the plot choices were underveloped and thrown in there to help create conflict like the Resort owner being the over arching bad guy but nothing really supported it except use being told he was bad.
The ending of the book was slightly confusing for me. Through the book was it was fiction it was all set in a realistic possibility and when things that weren't possible began to happen the author explained it scientifically with like psychological warfare. But then to thrown it that it really was supernatural was a surprise because the author had moved away from that idea through the entire story.
Overall a fun book to read and I can't wait to dip my toes into another one of his books.
Jeremy Robinson is a new-to-me author. I found this audiobook during one of Audible’s two-for-one sales. I thought the story sounded interesting and I’m a huge fan of Jeffrey Kafer as the narrator. I decided to give this story a try. I’m really glad I did.
This story is a fantasy, but it takes a long time for you to get to anything paranormal. The story starts with a ship that is stranded off the shore of an island and they notice natives on the island that appear hostile. They are rescued before anyone gets hurt.
The characters are really great. Shashi is an Indian woman working for the Indian government. She’s trying to bring together a group of people to attempt to initiate contact with the Sentinelese, the natives on North Sentinel Island. So far, the Sentinelese have killed anyone who has stepped foot on the island. The team that she gathers include: former Army Ranger from New Hampshire, a tribal expert from Israel, a linguist from Palestine. Then when they get to the resort closest to the island, they meet the boat captain and his niece and a guy to film the expedition.
It is quite an eclectic group of characters on an interesting mission. I found the story to be very interesting. I had a great time learning more about the Sentinelese people and the process the others used to try to talk to a group of natives that have never interacted with the modern world.
While I greatly enjoyed this story, I did see in the blurb that Robinson was compared to Stephen King. I did not see that comparison with this story. It was a good story, just different, in my opinion. I haven’t read the other author mentioned, so I can’t comment on it. I don’t regret grabbing the story. I’ll probably look for other stories by this author.
Narration: Jeffrey Kafer is part of the reason I picked up this story, so I knew I would enjoy the narration. Kafer always does a great job with his performance of any story. Forbidden Island is no exception. There’s a varied cast of characters and I thought he handled the accents very well. I really got lost in his telling of the story.
In the Sea of Bengal lays North Sentinel Island. By all accounts an isolated, prehistoric island inhabited by Sentinelese; secluded, secretive natives who have lived there since the beginning of time. Our group of professionals and adventurers has come to the island in the hope of establishing a rapport with the natives. The goal is to bridge the communication gap, develop trust, and form a sort of treaty to protect the natives and prevent possible interference by the government. The island and its inhabitants have been veiled in mystery and any previous meeting attempts have been met with violence. The group is headed by Talia Mayer an Israeli anthropologist, Mahdi Barakat a Palestinian linguist, and Rowan Baer a former Army Ranger serving as security. Our well-meaning group discovers much more than they bargained for when they are forced ashore due to sabotage. The story is fairly complex with several unexpected twists and turns that will keep the reader surprised and interested. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.
It was an average read for me. While I found the premise of the story to be intriguing, the execution fell short. The characters were not well-developed and lacked depth, which made it difficult for me to become invested in their journey. Additionally, the pacing of the story felt uneven, with slow and drawn-out sections that didn't add much to the overall plot.
Despite these flaws, there were some redeeming qualities to the book. The concept of a mysterious island with dangerous secrets was interesting, and the action scenes were well-written and engaging. However, these positive aspects were not enough to make up for the lackluster characterization and pacing.
Overall, "Forbidden Island" was an average read that didn't quite live up to my expectations. While it had some interesting elements, the weaknesses in the characters and pacing prevented it from being a truly compelling story.
A lot happens in this book in a very short period of time. There is some biblical lore and some fantastical creatures. Every year there are new discoveries on this planet. Who is to say there isn’t a yet to be discovered &/or explored island/& peoples with some ‘supernatural’ tendencies..... the characters were well written but could be fleshed out a bit more. I’d love to see them go on more adventures but not sure how that would be possible. Our seekers became the protectors. Narration was excellent. I would read more by this author (this story reminds me a bit of James Rollins work) and definitely listen to more by this narrator. I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.
Interesting premise with colourful unique characters (Robinson is getting better at characterisation) and some eyebrow-raising scenes. Chilling and gripping, but ultimately forgettable. More of a supernatural bent than his usual works.
__ Rowan was an empty vessel. The course of his life would be determined by what eventually filled him, whether it be love, hate, nobility or alcohol.
Mahdi had known men like him, zealots of the self, disguised in cloaks of national, religious, or social interests.
Better to live with regrets and seek forgiveness, than die with his current list of regrets, which had yet to be forgiven.
An Israeli, a Palestinian, and an American walk into a ba... Island.
On the Island live the Sentinelese, a tribal people, have no contact with the outside world. Whenever someone gets closer to their shores they get killed. Few survived their attacks. A new expedition is being recruited to uncover the mystery of the Sentinelese and make a peace pact with them. Only there is one thing on that Island, Evil.
Okay, this is the second book I've read by Jeremy Robinson and I'm in love with his books. The Forbidden Island is Horrifying and thrilling. The suspense, the uncertainty about what may happen makes you want to turn pages faster.
I started out liking this book, but as it went on, it went downhill. Sorry Jeremy...I am a fan, but I am gonna stick to your Kaiju Thrillers. And the profanity! Really took away from the story. When I found out what was really on the island, I just skipped to the end to see if anyone made it off the island. At least the ending went well. Nope. Did not like book and the religious aspects just put me on edge. I know this book got all 5 stars so far except for me, but hey...it is what it is. Sorry.
I found this book riveting. A real page turner. The subject matter combined with the author's writing style had me hooked from the start. Although the book has a definitive ending I'm still holding out hope a sequel or even prequel is in the works. I feel the same about his Añtarktos Rising series. This author is very prolific yet NEVER seems repetitive! In much the same vein as Rollins, Michael R Hicks, Peter Hamilton and Preston/Child I no longer read samples of their latest offerings. Automatic buy!
🔱 There is nothing more that I like as to sit down with a cool drink & a good Book... I started reading this book on my Tablet purely by accident & came close to deleting it but *THEN* it grabbed my attention & I couldn’t put the darn thing down.....Page after Page , I just couldn’t stop , just had to find out what happen on the next page...I finally had to stop as the words were getting blurred from lack of sleep....... You want to read an AWESOME book , please read this one !!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my second novel by Robinson, the first being Infinite. It's funny because these two stories are nothing alike, and it shows Robinson's range as a story teller. The characters were fleshed out and enjoyable including the tribe which , for me, personified the island entirely. Great suspense, dialogue, descriptions, you name it. Might be deserving of five stars but I enjoyed infinite i bit more so I guess that factored in for me. That doesnt take away from this great adventure, leading you through a jungle inhabited by horror, true undying horror.
I'm a great fan of Jeremy Robinson's Kaiju thrillers, so I came into this story really wanting to like it. And I did like it (the story -- more on that later) at first.... But as the story went on it got weird and went downhill. The religious aspects of the ending rubbed me the wrong way and took alot out of any enjoyment I was getting from the story.
Finally, I consumed this title as an Audible audiobook. I've become used to (perhaps spoiled by) narrators who 'act' out the various characters in the story with differing voices. Jeffrey Kafer (the narrator) did not do this.
WHAT a story! Stayed up all night reading it in one go...could NOT put it down!!! This author has such a creative mind and uses such descriptive terms and goes into such depth! Loved the spin he put on the islanders and their appearance and behaviors...different for sure!
If you're looking for something interesting in a mystery, with a lot of unexpected twists, this is the book for you. My first experience with Mr. Robinson's work, and he not only didn't disappoint, he delivered waay beyond my expectations. Looking forward to reading more of his work!!
I love to read books by Jeremy Robinson he always has great stories that keep you guessing what’s going to happen next and Forbidden Island is no different. A team of specialists are sent to North Sentinel Island to try to communicate with the native tribe in the island. Between the sinister island tribe and somebody in their group sabotaging the boat the reader is left not knowing who to trust. A series of events strands them on the island and they must make since of what is happening around them and trying to stay alive. A 4 star read!
Another fine adventure from Jeremy Robinson. Like several of his novels I've read, this one would have been good without the sci-fi edge to it. In fact, I enjoyed the first half much more than the second half where the sci-fi/horror angle was added. The characters are well developed and have some depth to them and the suspense is excellent. Sure I'm a sucker for an adventure on a tropical island, but this one moves quickly and there are no lags in the action. I'd love to see this author try his hand at just plain thrillers or action adventure stories.
The most dangerous island in the world - that is what North Sentinel Island is called. A team is being put together to investigate this island and it's primitive inhabitants. This team is anchored off the coast of the island to observe the strange behavior of the tribe, but get a much closer look when their yacht sinks. What they find puts them in a fight for their lives. Jeremy Robinson has once again provided us with an excellent story that kept me turning pages all night!
I love it when a book speeds along on the back of a good story. It was action and adventure on a forbidden island, a dangerous place with a mystery to be uncovered. Characters in this type of story need to fit a certain profile otherwise you have to constantly ask yourself, how did he know? or why did she do that? Jeremy Robinson created unique and flawed characters that become heroes and gave us a damsel that does not need to be rescued, thank you very much.
I am a huge fan of Jeremy Robinson and loved the main characters but was very disappointed with this book. It just seemed like a bunch of people being chased around an island. I really didn't understand what was going on with the whole Eden backstory and did't care. The three main characters, however, were strong and interesting. If not for them, I would have folded this book up and moved on...something I never do because I'm always hoping it will get better.
"A very refreshing read" A refreshing take on the "Forbidden Lands". Plenty of action interspersed with human interaction. Well written and edited. A really well told tale with an unexpected twist to the tale. Narration is excellent - rich tones,smooth and clear. I listened to this book over the course of 3 evenings - very easy listening. I do recommend this book.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review
I was looking for a fun adventure story with jungles, lost tribes, and dark mysteries and this story did not disappoint. This is the first book I have read by Jeremy Robinson and I am excited to read more. I have to say the characters, good and bad, we're unique and interesting. A truly thrilling tale that feels fresh and new even as you can see the familiar storytelling roots. A modern take on Lovecraft and Howard.