The Others

Infinite #2

by Jeremy Robinson

UFOs and alien abductions remain one of the most hotly debated and mysterious subjects of the twenty-first century. In the decades since 1960, with reports of strange encounters on the rise, thirteen million people have gone missing worldwide and never been found. The Others takes a fast-paced, unique, and moving look at the phenomenon that has fueled Jeremy Robinson's imagination since several sightings, strange happenings, and visits with renowned UFO investigator, and family friend, Raymond Fowler.

TO SAVE A MISSING GIRL...

Dan Delgado is a private investigator. When it comes to finding cheating spouses, corporate thieves, or runaway teenagers, he's unenthusiastic, and unmatched. As a former San Francisco detective, he misses more meaningful work, but he hasn't had the heart for it since his wife's death five years prior. That is, until a phone call from a distraught mother. An illegal immigrant who can't go to the police puts him on the hunt for a missing little girl.

By the time he reaches the mother's small home, she's missing, too. The circumstances are strange, but when a team of heavily armed mercenaries arrive, Delgado is convinced there is more going on than a simple kidnapping.

Joined by his elderly assistant, a gun-toting pastor, and a UFO enthusiast Uber driver, Delgado follows the clues west, to Colorado City, a town cleaved in two by the 37th parallel, also known as the UFO Highway. In a town infamous for fundamentalist Mormon cult activity, they uncover evidence of a massive child-trafficking ring, whose ringleaders might not be human.

Delgado and crew are plunged into a dangerous world of corporate competition, UFO lore, and government cover-ups. While they hunt for answers, they're pursued across the Southwest by high-tech mercs, brainwashed cults, and beings whose true identity has been concealed since 1947.

...HE MUST RISK THE WORLD

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction, Thriller, Aliens, Mystery

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 2018

About the author

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.

Reviews

[John Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aliens, Car Chases, Mormons, Gun Fights (with Mormons), Nukes, Mercenaries, Brothels and the fate of all mankind----yes please!

Book Information

The Others was written by Jeremy Robinson. The book was published on July 24, 2018 and is 314 pages. It is not a series but one of a group of 13 stand-alone novels in one universe all leading to a massive crossover. I listened to the audio version which is narrated by R.C. Bray. Jeremy Robinson is the New York Times bestselling author of seventy novels and novellas.

Summary

A girl has gone missing and the mother calls Dan Delgado, a private investigator who excels at finding people. But this seemingly simple case isn’t at all what it seems—that becomes apparent when a team of heavily armed mercenaries arrives in a helicopter and opens fire.

Dan is eventually joined by his elderly assistant, a gun-toting pastor, and a UFO enthusiast Uber driver. The group plunges into a dangerous world of corporate competition, UFO lore, and government cover-ups as they search for the missing girl, try to survive, and learn that all of humanity might be at risk….

My Thoughts

I have read and enjoyed several books by Robinson within this literary universe he is creating and this one does not disappoint.

The action starts early and doesn’t let up. Make no mistake, this is not Shakespeare or Tolstoy. It’s not a deeply philosophical novel designed to make you ponder your existence. It’s a fun thrill ride from beginning to end. If you want to analyze every piece or part, you are thinking too much—sit back and enjoy the ride.

The characters are enjoyable and well-written. A lot of contrasts and funny dialogue along the way. The book also delivers a fresh take on aliens (the extraterrestrial kind) which I found very interesting.

There are twists and revelations throughout the story. As I said above—this book is part of a universe that will cross over with other books in the future. I am excited to see how and when aspects of this story merge with others. No doubt good things are to come.

R.C. Bray’s narration of the audio version of this book is also noteworthy. He does a fantastic job of bringing the characters and story to life which is a challenge given both the number of characters and the action involved in the book. Very well done.

Recommendation

If you like action and want a fun read (or better yet, listen) – this book won’t let you down. Recommended.

Rating

4 Flying Saucer Stars

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Others by Jeremy Robinson and narrated by R.C.Bray is going on my favorite list! This had me hooked immediately! I had to listen to it non-stop! The suspense, the thrills, the mysteries, the humor, wonderful characters, twist and turns, the sci-fi, the fantasy, the total awesomeness was overwhelming!!! I laughed, cringed, and even cried at the end! What a wonderful story!
With R.C. Bray you know the narration was terrific! He enhances all books he narrates!!!
Definitely a book to get!

[Reeda Booke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love me a good tale about aliens and this one hit the spot!
What if everything you have ever believed about aliens was a lie? The premise of this story was interesting...throw in child trafficking and a cast of motley characters and you have one wild ride!
Mr. Robinson never lets me down and I definitely recommend this one!

[Ryan H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Robinson at his best! This will be my favourite audiobook of 2018 and it is one wild ride. It is spooky, interesting, mysterious and gosh darn funny. The tone Robinson uses throughout the whole book is awesome. We got cults, aliens and a whole lot of tech that will bend your mind taking you in places you never think are coming. The scenery throughout the Southwest is so vivid it took me along for the ride. You will come to love the characters and all their flaws. An amazing assortment of a rag tag team if I have ever seen one... and wait for the ending. The narration is top notch and done by the one and only RC Brey. There is not much more to say then his name but holy smokes he brings it. Perfect tone, speed and delivery. A great audiobook all around. I could not believe how funny the shout outs were to other Robinson’s work as well. That was probably my favourite part. It was done with flare, wit, and perfect timing. Just awesome!!

[Sam Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been obsessed with conspiracies, aliens, ufos, and government cover ups for a long time, but I've never come across a sci-fi book that had an interesting enough premise to convince me to give it a shot. I'm glad I did because this one really knocked it out of the park. It's really cool how some of the major plot points are based on actual conspiracies that are rumored to have happened in real life. Robinson builds on to these conspiracies and adds some terrific plot twists. Also, the characters are real, relatable, and I was emotionally invested in their stories from start to finish. I'll definitely be reading more from Jeremy Robinson in the future!

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some original ideas, but the relentless similes and repetitive wording made this an unpleasant read. Couldn’t wait to finish it, would not read it again if given the chance.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining take on UFOs, but heavy on crazy action and light on big ideas.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I loved this audiobook and was hooked from the very beginning. This started out as a detective novel, where Detective Dan Delgado is asked to find a missing girl, but you start to realize that things are not completely "normal" when the detective, Dan Delgado, and his elderly assistant, Winnie (who is anything but feeble) are quickly swarmed by what seem to be black-ops type mercenaries. They team up with a gun-toting pastor and a UFO obsessed Uber Driver to figure out what they heck is going on. There is mystery, humor, personal moments, and plenty of action and the ending is pretty awesome. This was my first book by Jeremy Robinson, but after listening to this, I'm planning on checking out other works.

[Julie Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just revisited this book, in audiobook form, in preparation for a future book by Jeremy Robinson. It is still such a great story, and of course the narration by RC Bray was top-notch!

The Others is a fast-paced story with some intriguing characters, including a gun-toting pastor and a UFO enthusiast. I enjoyed the unexpected revelations throughout the book, right up to the very end. I liked the relationship between Dan and Wini and thought the banter between them was excellent.

[Dee Haddrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read a Jeremy Robinson book, I think that the next book will never be as good. And every time I am wrong. The Others is my new favourite.

If you’re thinking, this is just another aliens are among us/abductions/anal probes suck type story, you are so wrong.

There’s all the action, twists and turns, and gripping suspense that you can always expect with one of Jeremy’s book.

There is more heart in this book than in previous (in my humble opinion), and don’t be surprised if you are moved to tears.

Dan Delgado is a great character and his sense of humour is reminiscent of Jon Hudson, yet also his own brand of comic wit.

[Janey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Jeremy Robinson!

[Nathan Sloan · Rating 2 out of 5]

From me, two stars means nice try, but not worth the time. That's what I feel after finishing The Others. I purchased this from Audible on sale and listened to it over the course of about 3 months because, well, I was never really that into it.

What I liked:
- Easy to follow.
- Modern setting and details, a change for me to read something that feels relevant to today.
- Fun subject matter, rollicking and well paced.

What I disliked:
- Too many characters, not enough time to care. Everything in this story moves fast, and it seemed like every other chapter a new "friend" was introduced to the adventure. New characters are no substitute for more compelling development of existing characters.
- Obnoxious humor just not my style. A joke at the wrong time can undermine the impact of serious moments. I can see why some people like the often crass and sharp humor of the characters, and I can tell it's written by a younger author, Gen X or maybe even a Millennial like me, but it rarely made me smile. More often it was just cringey, especially from the main comic relief character, Winnie.
-Winnie in general. If feels like the author said to himself when concepting her - "INSERT Wisecracking old lady sidekick that you're supposed to like." The problem is that I don't like being made to feel like I'm supposed to like a character, I just want to naturally like them, which I never did in her case. Something about this character just left me feeling like she was unbelievable, unrelateable, and more annoying than endearing. Perhaps she falls victim to the first person perspective of the novel. We only hear how the main character is endeared to her, she never gets a chance to show us really, so we just have to take his word for it that she's great.
- The voice of the audiobook narrator. He sounded almost exactly like a parody of the "Action Movie Trailer Announcer" voice. This is fine for a while, but it is a put-on voice, so after a while you feel sorry for the guy having to keep it up for so long, and sorry for yourself that you have to notice it.
- Just doesn't bring anything new to the table. Author borrows a lot of sci-fi tropes (ALIENS - ANCIENT ALIENS - SECRET UNDERGROUND BASES - GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY - REVERSE ENGINEERED ALIEN TECH - NANOTECH FUSING WITH HUMANS - MIND CONTROLLED RURAL BUMPKINS) and blends them into a unique special sauce based on the concept, "What if aliens were from underground instead of outer space." Cool, not a bad premise, but not an especially incredible one either; It's just serviceable, and when your premise is just serviceable, you have to bring something else to the table to make a truly stand out novel.

Things I'm ambivalent about.
- The Frankenstein's monster revel of who the Other is. Not bad. But, yeah, kind of weird.

A certain type of reader will enjoy this book as a time killer and for a chuckle along the way, unfortunately, that just wasn't me.

[jboyg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can A Book Be Too Action-Packed?

Kind of hard-boiled detective yarn crossed with an SF aliens in our midst tale. It has its moments but the action is relentlessly relentless. You just want to shout WHOA after a while. Take it down a notch, son. I like JR a lot, but admit it was a relief when this novel ended.

[Juan Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

good but not as good as Jeremy's other books

[Kacy❁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tell you what, Jeremy Robinson knows how to write a great story. Take a little humor, a load of action, a dash of conspiracy theory, and mix it all into a freaking great tale. The characters were great and I loved them all from the start.
also,
R.C. Bray is a legend.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Robinson's books (that I've read/listened to) are, at best, B-movie quality. I should have known this one would be another of that variety, but I was enticed by RC Bray's narration. Unfortunately, even Bray's outstanding voice and performance couldn't make this more than it was, but I gave it an extra star for Bray's narration.

It also fails the Bechdel test. The only named female characters: dead wife (of course), she was pregnant (of course); wise-cracking sidekick, who appears to partly be there for the "joke" of an overweight older woman who has the gall to have a sex drive; a madam with a heart of gold; a missing girl; the girl's mother. None of them speak to each other; some don't speak at all, they're just there for the main character's motivations.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to other books by Jeremy Robinson and love RC Bray as a narrator. However, this book was loaded with random sucker punch style fighting, ridiculous stereotyping, and after about the 4th spontaneous gun battle with inept mercenaries, I was done. And no aliens yet. Yeah, I get suspending disbelief for a good story, but details got to a point where the idiocy just couldn't be ignored. Plus, I no longer cared about what happened to the (mostly) underdeveloped characters. The only one I was remotely curious about anymore was the Uber driver.

[Bob McCormick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A by the numbers thriller (?) about a reluctant Detective and his quest to accidentally discover aliens. After the third time he meets just the right person at the exact right time, it got a bit dull.

Readable but forgettable. Might make a good plane book.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 2 out of 5]

And the prize for the nuttiest and most far-fetched explanation for alien abductions by UFOs goes to . . . Jeremy Robinson, for The Others. In a story that involves a rural Arizona sheriff, an Uber driver who isn’t an Uber driver, squads of mercenaries, black helicopters, human traffickers, a community of polygamous Mormons, and lots and lots of guns, a private detective stumbles into the midst of a conspiracy so vast and nefarious that only a devotee of QAnon could possibly believe it.

Now why, you might ask, would any self-respecting book reviewer turn to a story filled with such nonsense? OK. You deserve an explanation.

Since UFOs are back in the headlines . . .

As you’re no doubt aware, UFOs have been much in the news lately. The US government finally consented to open its old files on Unidentified Flying Objects that first came to wide attention in 1947 at Roswell, New Mexico. Decades of reports of alien abductions by UFOs followed. With (most) of the truth now out in the open in a new government report, the many thousands of people who have claimed alien abductions over the years, and the millions more who believe them, can now point fingers and claim that even the federal government agrees they’re “out there.” Conveniently ignoring the fact that the intelligence community has “found no evidence that aerial phenomena witnessed by Navy pilots in recent years are alien spacecraft.” So, I figured, why not? And thus I decided to check out a novel that so compellingly features a flying saucer in the act of abducting someone on its cover. And, as you can gather, that turned out to be a bad idea.

So, here come the black helicopters . . .

So, here’s the story (or at least how it starts). A private detective in the American Southwest named Dan Delgado goes in search of a missing young girl in the company of his sixty-plus secretary. (Winifred, or Wini, is really more like his mother, but she packs a pistol.) Delgado stumbles into a gunfight involving an Arizona county sheriff and a community of polygamous Mormons. Somehow, an Uber driver (who, it will turn out, is anything but an Uber driver) gets involved in the search—and the gunfight. Or maybe Delgado, Wini, and the Uber driver (whose name may be Lindo) get caught inside a Protestant church when they’re attacked by a platoon of heavily armored mercenaries who arrive in black SUVs and black helicopters. And soon we’re off in the farthest reaches of la-la land, chasing reports of alien abductions by UFOs. Actually, I can’t remember which comes first, the Mormons, the church, or the UFOs. But it hardly seems to matter. Because, believe it or not, the story becomes even wilder and crazier as it goes on. Don’t waste your time with this book.

About the author

American author Jeremy Robinson (1974-) has written more than sixty novels under a variety of pen names. According to the anonymous editors of Wikipedia, “Many of his novels have been adapted into comic books, optioned for film and TV, and translated into thirteen languages.” That reference to comic books may help explain this puerile attempt at a novel. Robinson lives with his wife and three children in New Hampshire.

[Brian's Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Others Didn’t Disappoint

My favorite sci-fi books are the ones that seem believable, those that are based on a premise (like aliens). Books that seems a bit out there but are so well done you occasionally forget that you’re reading fiction. They’re so unsettling that you get a bit nervous. Jeremy Robinson’s novel The Others is one of those books.

The Others combines all of the things that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up a bit with a unique take on alien origins, a pinch of corruption, great imagery detailing the landscape of the southwest, and a number of honorable people determined to find answers and protect the ones they care about most in this world.

Robinson drew me in right away with his characterization of private investigator Dan Delgado and his elderly (yet feisty) longtime assistant Wini. Both characters are immediately likable. They are fiercely loyal to each other and have secrets that create some intrigue, a trend that continues throughout the book as additional characters are introduced.

The Others opens with an apparent abduction that felt different from a stereotypical alien abduction and had me wondering if I was being duped. Was it a parental kidnapping, trafficking, or something otherworldly? What was the motive? Where is the child? The answers to these questions come slowly as the story progresses, with a thickening plot and building mystery.

RC Bray’s narration was as I’ve come to expect from him–spot on. His tone and pace paired well with the book’s first-person narrative and was a great fit for The Others’ protagonist, Dan.

If you’re searching for a story about short (or extremely tall), grey extraterrestrials with disproportionately large heads, huge black eyes, and flying saucers, this book is not for you. If you’re interested in a fresh take on aliens, with a healthy dose of conspiracy, a trafficking ring with connections to a fundamentalist cult, and some unlikely do-gooders to cheer on (along with your obvious hero, the private investigator), take a listen, I don’t think The Others will disappoint.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Others is a wild ride that plays on the myths, legends, rumour, and possibly hits on the periphery of truth about extraterrestrial life, Cryptozoology, experimental tech and disinformation muddied with government & corporate secret projects. It starts off rather ridiculous, but after page 100 solidifies into a story with legs. While the work represents both the far-fetched and ridiculous, it is nevertheless an entertaining tale grounded in research. When this level of greed & power are involved, we can be sure an audacious deception is at work. Corporations getting too big for their britches with the attitude they own & control all is a theme woven into the narrative. Black triangles brought to life and secret base settings give depth to the story. But what is real and what is fiction? And what is utterly nonsense? Although the story ended with some strength, there was some nonsense involved, however genetic mad science in the form of the Frankensteinian monster endures in a dark corner of science today. Old-world Mormons remain controversial and Robinson successfully kicks the hornet's nest in their camp, painting a dark 'collaborator' image.

In the final analysis, the story makes you think about what is real and what are lies on Earth and the universe around us. We can be sure about one thing: when the stakes are high, people will always lie.

[Dan Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

For over a decade, Jeremy Robinson has been writing outstanding sci-fi, action/adventure, and horror novels. This is another terrific book, and the premise of this story further shows the breadth of his creativity.
One of the key elements of Robinson’s stand-alone novels is relatable characters. In this story, Dan Delgado is a private investigator who finds missing children . He is a good man with a strong sense of morality and dedication to his mission to save kids. He is something of an every-man, though by no means a perfect person.
While working on a new case Delgado is suddenly caught up in a situation that goes well beyond what he normally encounters and the lives of himself and his elderly partner Wini. The easy thing would be to quit the case and take another, safer one. But that would leave a child in danger, and that is not acceptable to Delgado.
During the case, Dan and Wini befriend a pastor with keen shooting skills, and an adventurous Uber driver. Together they discover an alien mystery, come across a polygamist compound, and come face-to-face with some Greys.
There is plenty of action, character depth, mystery, humor, and a moral, as are common in the majority of Robinson’s books. This is another hit novel from an extremely talented author.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic new perspective on the alien abduction phenomenon. They say there are no new stories left in the world. Jeremy Robinson disproves the notion once more with a unique and compelling tale that explains much of the classic alien green/grey experience as something decidedly terrestrial in origin. The premise is as interesting as it is plausible, at least when compared to the concept of little green men snatching people from desolate country roads simply to probe their tailgates.

A 5-star read for action, mayhem, humor, creativity, and heart. In short, a whole lot of fun!

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Others was a really big mistake. I am one of those people that does not notice fine details. That’s why I use GoodReads and I still screw up. I swore I’d never read Jeremy Robinson after Infinite.
Mistake: I was lured by the idea of an alien invasion story I grabbed this from Audible. Without researching the author, my bad.
Mistake: I couldn’t stand the narration. So I bought it on kindle. Silly me.
Argh: I didn’t connect or like anyone but Winnie. Her character with still a manipulative device to entertain the reader because everything else was hard and unlikable in this story.
Wrong: This kind of pace would be excellent in an exciting military space opera not here.
Ending: Yes it was fine but I didn’t care by then. Although it was massively better than Infinite. Yup, I really hated that book the more I think about it this was all my fault.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roswell Meets Pacific Rim. The best way I can think to describe this one is just that - here, the Modern Day Master of Science Fiction takes elements of both Roswell and Pacific Rim and spins them into a tale all his own. Yet another action packed tale that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. Very highly recommended. :)

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant, really loved this book. What a mind-boggling view on the alien concept. Does make you look around and wonder.
I really enjoyed books don’t go outside the square and come up with totally original concepts. This shows that extremely well. Recommend to anyone who loves mysteries, science-fiction and just to have their mind blowing a little bit.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! A terrific book. Interesting premise, great characters, and exciting to the end. I've been somewhat neutral towards some of the author's other works, but this one fired on all cylinders for me. Time to take another looks at what else he's got.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a whole lot more fun than I was expecting. The characters are a hoot! There's a lot of mystery, shoot-em up, run for your lives kind of stuff happening. I really enjoyed it and RC Bray made it all the better.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeremy Robinson does a fantastic job at crafting a fun, action packed, thrill ride. I'm becoming a bigger fan with every book. Fun story elements and hilarious dialog made this super fun to read for me.

[Sabrina S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really makes you think.....