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Gray Apocalypse
Renegade assassin and the sole survivor of a resistance movement, Micahel Kendon races against time to try and stop the alien species the Breeder Grays from destroying the Earth with an asteroid.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 18, 2010
Gray Apocalypse by James Murdoch- This is a science fiction story and it is James Murdoch's first novel.
In 1954, a collaboration between the United States and an alien species formed. The two sides, would give each other things to either advance the technology or help understand humanity, but this was all done in secrecy. Little did the one's dealing know that the aliens would be Earth's downfall. It's up to Michael Kendon, a former assassin for the secret group, and the daughter of a scientist, Laura Meller, to prevent a global genocide. Before Laura's father's death, he told Kendon of a way to save humanity from "the Breeders", and the key to the powerful weapon is with his daughter. During the duos attempt to save humanity, an astronomer, Eric Tepler discovers the asteroid that will cause Earth's doom and tries to warn everyone but is forcibly prevented by a secret group. During Tepler's warning, he finds out the lighthouse that was recently converted to an observatory, is so much more than it seems.
Negatives:
1) Editing. There was just so many editing mistakes that were vastly overlooked. Paragraphs and sentences were suddenly split up for no clear reason. A lot of misspelled words, it was just horrible.
2) Kendon/ Laura. Their "love interest" seemed really forced and I really had a hard time believing it was real. It was just silly and obvious that it was going to happen. But really? Love at first sight... Give me a break. Sure, it's alluded that Kendon is, pretty much, hopelessly enamored with Laura from the first time he seen a photograph that her father showed him, but it just was silly. I just didn't really care for it.
3) Gullibility. Now, in the real world, I noticed that a little of people would be really skeptic of anything sort of government conspiracy theories and aliens. Heck, I don't believe any of that stuff. What I find unbelievable is most of the time, people in the story, when they hear this outlandish tale of aliens and conspiracies are almost instantly jumping on the bandwagon. I found it a little annoying.
Positives:
1) Pacing. I really enjoyed how fast paced the book was. It really was hard to put down at times because the pacing was just so good. It really gave you the sense of urgency that the characters have and it really helped up the excitement. It is really one of those books that you could finish in a day when you have nothing else to do.
2) Story. Although it is a little overused, the government conspiracy on aliens, the plot was wonderfully done, mostly do to the pacing. It does seem like an old bag of tricks, with aliens threatening to destroy the world and how only the elite can survive, but it never really felt overdone. The pacing really helps this out with having you not really reflect too much on what just happened and having you want to know whats going to happen next. Plus, here and there, different things happen to keep it a little different and engaging.
3) Excitement. Each chapter felt like a short story in a way. They almost all seemed to begin with something mundane happening and have a climatic moment at the end. It really kept the story exciting. It also helped that the scenes weren't suddenly split up and picked back up after another characters scene.
Side Notes:
1) Tepler/ Gabriela. They had a really good love story going on, which was so much better than the Kendon/ Laura one. You could see how the threat of impending doom really brought the two characters together and it just seemed more tender.
2) Gravity Weapon. I thought that was really unique. I don't want to give it away, I just really liked the idea.
3) Cover Art. Generic. Simple. If I saw this, I'd probably never would have bothered picking it up. It really seems like a general book about aliens. I just think that maybe something else would have been better.
Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
The story is good. What really makes the book interesting is that it's hard to put down. It's exciting and fast paced. The characters are a little bland and generic, and the love interest felt unneeded. But all in all, it's a fun, enjoyable read.
In 1954, a collaboration between the United States and an alien species formed. The two sides, would give each other things to either advance the technology or help understand humanity, but this was all done in secrecy. Little did the one's dealing know that the aliens would be Earth's downfall. It's up to Michael Kendon, a former assassin for the secret group, and the daughter of a scientist, Laura Meller, to prevent a global genocide. Before Laura's father's death, he told Kendon of a way to save humanity from "the Breeders", and the key to the powerful weapon is with his daughter. During the duos attempt to save humanity, an astronomer, Eric Tepler discovers the asteroid that will cause Earth's doom and tries to warn everyone but is forcibly prevented by a secret group. During Tepler's warning, he finds out the lighthouse that was recently converted to an observatory, is so much more than it seems.
Negatives:
1) Editing. There was just so many editing mistakes that were vastly overlooked. Paragraphs and sentences were suddenly split up for no clear reason. A lot of misspelled words, it was just horrible.
2) Kendon/ Laura. Their "love interest" seemed really forced and I really had a hard time believing it was real. It was just silly and obvious that it was going to happen. But really? Love at first sight... Give me a break. Sure, it's alluded that Kendon is, pretty much, hopelessly enamored with Laura from the first time he seen a photograph that her father showed him, but it just was silly. I just didn't really care for it.
3) Gullibility. Now, in the real world, I noticed that a little of people would be really skeptic of anything sort of government conspiracy theories and aliens. Heck, I don't believe any of that stuff. What I find unbelievable is most of the time, people in the story, when they hear this outlandish tale of aliens and conspiracies are almost instantly jumping on the bandwagon. I found it a little annoying.
Positives:
1) Pacing. I really enjoyed how fast paced the book was. It really was hard to put down at times because the pacing was just so good. It really gave you the sense of urgency that the characters have and it really helped up the excitement. It is really one of those books that you could finish in a day when you have nothing else to do.
2) Story. Although it is a little overused, the government conspiracy on aliens, the plot was wonderfully done, mostly do to the pacing. It does seem like an old bag of tricks, with aliens threatening to destroy the world and how only the elite can survive, but it never really felt overdone. The pacing really helps this out with having you not really reflect too much on what just happened and having you want to know whats going to happen next. Plus, here and there, different things happen to keep it a little different and engaging.
3) Excitement. Each chapter felt like a short story in a way. They almost all seemed to begin with something mundane happening and have a climatic moment at the end. It really kept the story exciting. It also helped that the scenes weren't suddenly split up and picked back up after another characters scene.
Side Notes:
1) Tepler/ Gabriela. They had a really good love story going on, which was so much better than the Kendon/ Laura one. You could see how the threat of impending doom really brought the two characters together and it just seemed more tender.
2) Gravity Weapon. I thought that was really unique. I don't want to give it away, I just really liked the idea.
3) Cover Art. Generic. Simple. If I saw this, I'd probably never would have bothered picking it up. It really seems like a general book about aliens. I just think that maybe something else would have been better.
Overall: 4/5
Final Thoughts:
The story is good. What really makes the book interesting is that it's hard to put down. It's exciting and fast paced. The characters are a little bland and generic, and the love interest felt unneeded. But all in all, it's a fun, enjoyable read.
May 10, 2009
In the course of one day an asteroid projected to pass a million miles from earth is suddenly redirected on a collision course with our planet. Projected to impact near Puerto Rico, this asteroid will destroy all forms of life leaving the planet free to become the home of The Breeders and their human hybrids.
Taken from an orphanage at a very young age, Michael Kendon was trained as a Directorate assassin. For many years he carried out his job with no hesitation but once Michael learned of the coming genocide he went undercover into the resistance and became a double agent.
Led by Dr. Donald Meller the resistance has a powerful weapon designed to deflect the asteroid but it's been hidden away and when all the members of the resistance are captured and killed Michael is expected to lead the Directorate to the weapon but he has other plans.
Gray Apocalypse is the perfect blend of sci-fi and thriller. With just enough technical aspects to make it realistic the book doesn't get lost in fantasy. It is action packed and suspenseful enough that it kept me up late into the night. I can definitely see this as a blockbuster movie staring some sexy action hero as Michael Kendon.
Be sure to visit the book's website grayapocalypse.com for a sample chapter and a chilling video of what an asteroid hitting the earth would look like. Scary! Gray Apocalypse is a must read for sci-fi and thriller lovers.
Taken from an orphanage at a very young age, Michael Kendon was trained as a Directorate assassin. For many years he carried out his job with no hesitation but once Michael learned of the coming genocide he went undercover into the resistance and became a double agent.
Led by Dr. Donald Meller the resistance has a powerful weapon designed to deflect the asteroid but it's been hidden away and when all the members of the resistance are captured and killed Michael is expected to lead the Directorate to the weapon but he has other plans.
Gray Apocalypse is the perfect blend of sci-fi and thriller. With just enough technical aspects to make it realistic the book doesn't get lost in fantasy. It is action packed and suspenseful enough that it kept me up late into the night. I can definitely see this as a blockbuster movie staring some sexy action hero as Michael Kendon.
Be sure to visit the book's website grayapocalypse.com for a sample chapter and a chilling video of what an asteroid hitting the earth would look like. Scary! Gray Apocalypse is a must read for sci-fi and thriller lovers.
June 16, 2009
Considering the number of good reviews this book got online, I was pretty disappointed. The writing and dialogue are not very good, and the most promising part of the story (60 years of government collaboration with a coming alien invasion, and the failed resistance movement within that collaboration) is burned through in the first 10 pages, leaving nothing but a ridiculously overqualified and heavily armed hero with a surprisingly straightforward path to stopping a meteor from crushing the planet.
Kendon, the hero, is a former Collaboration special forces soldier, who turns against his human/alien masters. No real reason is ever given for why he does this, and the author doesn't even attempt to explain the superhuman powers of healing and mind reading that make Kendon's success possible. When other obstacles are thrown into Kendon's path, mind control is added to his skill set for no apparent reason. Kendon is the only surviving member of the secret resistance group among the aliens' human allies, but his dead colleagues left him more than enough money and weaponry to everything all by himself. Even random strangers are immediately willing to risk their own lives to help him.
Overall, the plot was kind of promising, and the book moves along well, but thats about the only positive thing I can say.
Kendon, the hero, is a former Collaboration special forces soldier, who turns against his human/alien masters. No real reason is ever given for why he does this, and the author doesn't even attempt to explain the superhuman powers of healing and mind reading that make Kendon's success possible. When other obstacles are thrown into Kendon's path, mind control is added to his skill set for no apparent reason. Kendon is the only surviving member of the secret resistance group among the aliens' human allies, but his dead colleagues left him more than enough money and weaponry to everything all by himself. Even random strangers are immediately willing to risk their own lives to help him.
Overall, the plot was kind of promising, and the book moves along well, but thats about the only positive thing I can say.
June 21, 2009
I love a good conspiracy theory and of course, government/UFO conspiracies are at the top of the list to provide intrigue and excitement. When the prologue of Gray Apocalypse makes your hair stand on end, you know that you better hang on and get ready for a thrilling ride.
James Murdoch did not just write a UFO story. Instead, he started with the conspiracies we are familiar with, the UFO sightings, alien grays and the underground bases, and took them to a new level with a well-planned plot, interesting characters, and non-stop action.
With the alien Breeder Grays preparing to destroy the human race, only Michael Kendon, trained from childhood to be a keeper of the secrets, can use his knowledge of the grays to save Earth. He is a complex character who is a killer and a healer. There are several other main characters, Laura Meller, a physician, working with Kendon to put the pieces of a puzzle together. Their work leads them to Eric Tepler, an astronomer and caretaker for a remote lighthouse observatory at Cabo Rojo and Gabriella Estrada, a local teacher, whose family gets caught up in the intrigue.
The story is exciting, frightening, touching and magical. The action never slows down, and I hope Mr. Murdoch writes a sequel or a prequel! Also, check out the website for this book for a video that will shock you.
James Murdoch did not just write a UFO story. Instead, he started with the conspiracies we are familiar with, the UFO sightings, alien grays and the underground bases, and took them to a new level with a well-planned plot, interesting characters, and non-stop action.
With the alien Breeder Grays preparing to destroy the human race, only Michael Kendon, trained from childhood to be a keeper of the secrets, can use his knowledge of the grays to save Earth. He is a complex character who is a killer and a healer. There are several other main characters, Laura Meller, a physician, working with Kendon to put the pieces of a puzzle together. Their work leads them to Eric Tepler, an astronomer and caretaker for a remote lighthouse observatory at Cabo Rojo and Gabriella Estrada, a local teacher, whose family gets caught up in the intrigue.
The story is exciting, frightening, touching and magical. The action never slows down, and I hope Mr. Murdoch writes a sequel or a prequel! Also, check out the website for this book for a video that will shock you.
March 1, 2010
This is a good, page-turning, sci-fi, thriller. I would say it is in line with the Dan Browns and the Grishams of the world.... but the writing is a little bit novice. The author is quite adept at enticing the reader to turn the page to find out "what next?!" However, it seemed apparent to me, whether true or not, that the author had taken some tricks on "how to write a novel" and gone just a little too far with them.
In particular, there were a few sentiments that were repeated in *over*-abundance. There really was no need to "repeatedly repeat" the "if only!!" thoughts of the main character. Also, the stories of romance between the main characters and their ladies were a bit cliched. You know, the better-than-average, yet romantically-inexperienced guy with the so-beautiful-she-turns-everyone's-heads, brilliant lady. And this line appears not once, but twice in this novel!
All that being said, I would still recommend to anyone looking for a good conspiracy-theory thriller about those little gray guys coming to take over the world.
In particular, there were a few sentiments that were repeated in *over*-abundance. There really was no need to "repeatedly repeat" the "if only!!" thoughts of the main character. Also, the stories of romance between the main characters and their ladies were a bit cliched. You know, the better-than-average, yet romantically-inexperienced guy with the so-beautiful-she-turns-everyone's-heads, brilliant lady. And this line appears not once, but twice in this novel!
All that being said, I would still recommend to anyone looking for a good conspiracy-theory thriller about those little gray guys coming to take over the world.
Read
July 26, 2011In Gray Apocalypse, James Murdoch takes the basic alien storyline and gives it his own spin. This is a fast-paced thriller full of action and adventure. The short chapters make it an easy read that I was able to complete in a single afternoon.
While I had one or two small problems with the book – namely a few clichés and a couple of plot elements and character behaviours that were almost too perfect, and thus didn’t quite ring true – on the whole the story was strong enough to keep me reading to the end.
This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys conspiracy theories/alien theories. It’s really more of a thriller than science fiction, but there was sufficient effort put into the science behind the weaponry and the astronomy to keep the premise believable. It probably won’t appeal much to anyone looking for in-depth or detailed science.
As a first novel, this is a great effort from Mr. Murdoch and I would be interested in what he delivers in future.
While I had one or two small problems with the book – namely a few clichés and a couple of plot elements and character behaviours that were almost too perfect, and thus didn’t quite ring true – on the whole the story was strong enough to keep me reading to the end.
This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys conspiracy theories/alien theories. It’s really more of a thriller than science fiction, but there was sufficient effort put into the science behind the weaponry and the astronomy to keep the premise believable. It probably won’t appeal much to anyone looking for in-depth or detailed science.
As a first novel, this is a great effort from Mr. Murdoch and I would be interested in what he delivers in future.
August 29, 2015
I found it amazing that this is Murdoch's first novel. Yes, it was more brain candy than literature. There were some stumbling blocks and it was utterly predictable. Yet it flowed well and was amazingly readable. It reminds me a bit of the DaVinci Code. Something that would appeal to a large group of people and would be easy to understand even if the reader was not well versed in the topics at hand. [return][return]I found it formulaic and the main character suffered from being too much of a hero. I occasionally felt that Murdoch gave Kendon a new power every few chapters just to get him out of the messes he found himself in.[return][return]Yet the characters were likable. The writing was remarkably polished. I found the novel fun and pulpy. I can't really complain. [return][return]Far and away the best member giveaway I've received.
August 20, 2009
We’ve all been fools. It’s the worst kind of conspiracy. Not only has the government been lying to us but it could mean the end of humanity.
For years aliens have been abducting, testing, and experimenting on humans. The frightening part is that the government has known about these experiments since the Roosevelt era. Without any other option, they even condoned the breeding projects that these aliens conducted. Even if they had known the intentions of the aliens, could they have stood against them?
Gray Apocalypse is an exciting and terrifying journey. One man attempts to thwart the aliens in their plans for human annihilation. The only hope is a young woman who doesn’t even know she has a secret.
For years aliens have been abducting, testing, and experimenting on humans. The frightening part is that the government has known about these experiments since the Roosevelt era. Without any other option, they even condoned the breeding projects that these aliens conducted. Even if they had known the intentions of the aliens, could they have stood against them?
Gray Apocalypse is an exciting and terrifying journey. One man attempts to thwart the aliens in their plans for human annihilation. The only hope is a young woman who doesn’t even know she has a secret.
May 1, 2009
Gray apocalypse is a book that you can't put down. The action starts on the very first page and doesn't stop until the last. It is unlike anything I have ever read. I became absorbed in the book and it's characters, which James Murdoch describes in a way that they become alive while you are reading. He creates a vivid world in which the citizens of earth are unaware of an entire underground community which has covered up the existence of alien species and their genetic experiments, as well as the planned destruction of our planet. I will eagerly be awaiting more writings from James Murdoch.
August 1, 2009
A fast-paced story complete with aliens! In some respects it reminded me of the alien/human conspiracy in the X-Files. I wonder if the author was influenced by the series.
A point of contention: the main characters were able to influence/convince others to help them a little too easily. It didn't seem real that people would completely believe that an asteroid was coming to Earth under the control of aliens and these same aliens were out to destroy the human race.
I would like to see a follow-up book on how humans are handling the existence of good and bad aliens.
A point of contention: the main characters were able to influence/convince others to help them a little too easily. It didn't seem real that people would completely believe that an asteroid was coming to Earth under the control of aliens and these same aliens were out to destroy the human race.
I would like to see a follow-up book on how humans are handling the existence of good and bad aliens.
March 12, 2010
An excellent sci-fi story filled with action and suspense! There are only three days left before the Earth is destroyed by a giant astroid which is being guided by aliens.
Michael Kendon is a former assassin and healer who is the sole survivor of a resistance movement and he is Earth's only hope for survival. He has only three suspense-filled days left to locate a special weapon used to deflect the astroid and he has the help of Laura Meller, daughter of the deceased leader of the resistance.
An unforgettable tale of human persistance and survival!
Michael Kendon is a former assassin and healer who is the sole survivor of a resistance movement and he is Earth's only hope for survival. He has only three suspense-filled days left to locate a special weapon used to deflect the astroid and he has the help of Laura Meller, daughter of the deceased leader of the resistance.
An unforgettable tale of human persistance and survival!
April 2, 2010
I would describe this book as a Sci-Fi Thriller! I happen to love both, so this book was great for me. You get to know the characters quickly, but well. I love the way the author gets to the point but at the same time, gives the reader plenty of information to know what's going on. Very well written. By the end, you are there with them helping to...well, I'll let you read it yourself. I loved it!
February 17, 2010
I am glad I read this book. Not because it was good, but because it helped me realize how hard it is to be a writer. I think we take for granted how hard it is to describe objects and how hard it might be to write a realistic conversation. This book was written very poorly. The story was OK but I literally found myself laughing at some of the descriptions and conversations in the book. Don;t waste your time on it.
Want to read
January 28, 2009A pyschic healer/assassin (choosing neither but forced to do both, oh the drama!) who stops those cute little gray aliens from using a big rock to destroy the Earth by teaming up with the daughter of a scientist he assassinated who had created some silly rock-deflect sci-fi device? This plot sounds too ludicrous not to read.
May 17, 2009
Another one I had trouble getting into initially, but I'm I glad I stuck with it. My bias for a good love story definitely shows here; my interest picked up once the two potential couples started interacting. The way all the plot pieces intertwine to create the resolution made this book well worth my time.
Want to read
April 22, 2009The author of this book signed it and mailed to to me FREE!
April 15, 2009
good solid plotting, strong character development
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews