Operation: Bug Spray

Argonauts #9

by Isaac Hooke

One man’s fight to save his family, and an entire world, from total destruction. Rade and the Argonauts hunt a fugitive alien to a colonized world. Embedded within the most populous city, the rogue is hidden in plain sight. Unable to obtain clearance from the local authorities, Rade and his team must sneak inside the city and quietly capture the rogue without alerting law enforcement. The operation won’t be easy. The city’s security forces have drones and mechs watching on every street corner, and the alien fugitive himself is known for his cunning, resourcefulness, and cruelty. But Rade has considered every possible scenario, planned for every eventuality. The operation won’t fail. Unfortunately, the alien has an unexpected surprise waiting for the team. One that not even all of Rade’s careful planning and ingenuity can account for. It will put his family and crew in grave danger. Not to mention a billion innocent lives. Talk about a rough day at work. Welcome to Bug Spray, where just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, the universe throws you a curveball.

Genres: Science Fiction, Aliens

308 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

About the author

Isaac 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.

Reviews

[Jim]

Once more I’m back aboard the Argonaut after having captured another Purple Phant. It wasn’t easy and that part of the book is pretty exciting as usual. It’s a team effort, but what a team. The Argonauts have mouths on them that are really talking trashcans. That’s all they do is talk trash. I don’t know how Rade can put up with it, but he does. After a while their vile trash talk gets pretty tiring. You’d think the author could come up with a better way to demonstrate how a crack para-military team should communicate with each other. They way they go at it reminds me of a bunch of junior high or high school students far behind on their studies.

Ok, so they’ve captured a deadly Purple Phant named Zhidao, one of their most dangerous adversaries. They had it in a containment device and loaded it aboard the Argonaut to transport it to the nearest star/sun. Once thrown into the sun, the Phant would never be able to leave, trapped forever due to the tremendous gravity of the star.

Of course things didn’t go as planned. Even though the Argonaut’s A.I. is supposed to have been shielded against takeover by a Phant, it fails for some unexplained reason and now the crew is trapped aboard their own ship with a dangerous Phant in control. Of course this is much worse than usual because Rade and Shaw have their two kids onboard the Argonaut. This is definitely not a place for kids. So anything that can be used against the Argonauts by the Phant will be used. He forces the Argonauts into a shuttle and tells them he’s going to keep the kids as insurance against their further attacks. He also knocks out all the Argonauts and they eventually wake up on a deserted planet without a real easy means of escaping.

Meanwhile, Zhidao has taken the kids and gone through a slipstream to another galaxy. Where he goes after that is anyones guess, but first the Argonauts must get free of the deadly planet they are trapped on. It never seems to amaze me that the Argonauts are all very powerful and skilled fighters, but they just don’t seem too bright. These Purple Phants are always, always turning the tables on them even though they say they are protected. I can’t count the times the Argonaut ship has been stolen by someone or another right from under the nose of Rade!

So, how does Rade and Shaw recover their children and can they do it in time. What kind of effect will this have on the kids even after they are recovered (if they are)? When are Rade and Shaw going to understand that their children with them are a terrible risk and could eventually get the entire family killed. It just seems like more of the same for the Argonauts. Not sure how many more books I can read in this series.

[Norma]

"Fourth star from the left and straight on until midnight."
With his usual panache and creative eye for a really horrible alien or two, Isaac Hooke again charts the horrendous battling against the odds as this time not just the Argonauts but Rade's two children, Sil and Alex, are threatened with almost certain death. Shaw takes up arms again to fight alongside (when they can keep eight of each other) her husband, and even Surus, trapped in a Phant container prison, finds herself hurtling towards a final entrapment in the heart of a gravity well. None of which can stop the ongoing (smutty) banter between Manic and Bender.

Anyone who has followed this fast paced, outrageous and very addictive series will want to read this one. For those readers of science fiction who have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the loud mouthed but hard fighting Argonauts, start at the beginning, there is a treat in store for you.
A good read.

[Nic Plume]

The Argonauts are back, and they’re kicking butt — at least that is what they thought. With only one task left before counting their current phant hunting mission successfully completed, they suddenly find that he mission had not at all played out as they thought and find themselves playing catch up.

This is another great installment with everything we have come to love about Rade and Company and Mr. Hooke’s writing style: Operation: Bug Spray is a fast paced, action packed fun read with great characters in a well developed universe. And, as usual, it can also be read as a stand-alone book, though personally I would highly recommend to start with the Atlas series to get the full history and background of the characters.

[Susanne Blackledge]

Argonauts!

Hi Isaac 😊. Finally read this series. I've read all the others. I grew very invested in the lives of everyone you created here. Thrilling from start to finish. I love your imagination. A true thing of beauty ☺. Thank you for this series. I will miss everyone. Absolutely Recommend!!

[Peter]

So at first I enjoyed this series but it got old real quick. Want to know why? AI’s. Every single issue the heroes face is caused by an AI being taken over or corrupted. Every single issue everyone faces could be solved by eliminating the use of AI’s, using all human crews and limiting computer assistance to non sentient devices. So obvious. So exhausting. So repetitive.

[Roger]

Rade Galaal, Shaw, & faithful crew are back. 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. No *spoilers* from me but it looks like the will be the last hurrah for Rade & Shaw.

[Preston Dannelley]

Said it before but...best yet

Excellent continuation of the series. I hope to begin the Hoplite story line soon.Thanks for your time involving your wonderful creation, isaac, you have a fan for life!

[juliette dempsey]

Psychotic aliens and asteroids

Another great addition to the series and I can't get enough.
Aliens that want to destroy worlds and turn their ghosts into fuel.
Great characters with realistic situations and lots of action and adventure.
I look forward to more from this author

[Seeker]

These hero’s will go anywhere to track down a bug.

This book is fast paced and does not disappoint in the bug killing, suspense department. Are the kids ok? Will the AI survive? Who’s driving this boat anyway.... read on.

[Shawn]

Keep em coming!!

Another great book Isaac Hooke! I just can not get enough of these characters! Keep up the great works!

S

[Sherry]

Good romp with bad bugs

I've enjoyed this series but liked it more when they were military.having the kids along is getting old they should be sent off to school.

[Lee Inks]

Series still winning!!

I am in love with this series and the characters. The writing is great and it keeps me in the edge f my seat with great action and incredible escapes!!!

[Jeff Frank]

And another

Great book in the series. I’m looking forward to more. I’m like to see a buildup to an epic conclusion.

[Skyla Forster]

Another good addition to the series, its starting to slow down a bit, but I still enjoy the characters just as much if not more

[Rick]

Entertaining diversion

[Maffew]

wasted that "rade's fury" title already huh? yeah it would have fit better on this one.
heck the whole series has a titling problem.

I think this series was only about 40% worthwhile/good. They were free and short so here we are. I certainly do not regret going through it all but it just seems to have wasted potential.
I can see myself LOVING the ideas and outlines. Some of the offshoot the story makes are truly great but it just gets bogged down by meaningless just then.

Again, let the following wor\ds be heard by the right people:
MAKE A VIDEO GAME OUT OF THIS!
for how cinematic games hove gotten (see mass effect), if you threw some real money and talent at the it could turn out to be a fantastic series, easily outdo halo at least in the campaign and storytelling and even action like this would be better.