“McBride writes with the perfect mixture of suspense and horror that keeps the reader on edge.”
—Examiner
IT LIVES.
In a research hangar in Virginia, a Unit 51 team studies an ancient but long-dormant virus that can transform human physiology—and turn it into something else. . .
IT MUTATES.
In the Amazon rainforest, a newly evolving life form known as Subject Z acquires the ability to think conceptually, build elaborate traps, create new carriers—and spawn a new race . . .
IT SPREADS.
In Mexico and Turkey, the men and women of Unit 51 race to uncover a global link between the mutations: a connection as ancient as the oldest tombs on earth—and as alien and unknowable as the universe itself. But time is running out. The infected are growing in number. And the nightmare is going viral.
“This novel is for everyone who’s still a little scared of the dark . . . a very good sci-fi/thriller.”
—The Oklahoman on Subhuman
“Thriller powerhouse McBride begins his Unit 51 series . . . evoking feelings of shock and terror.”
—Publishers Weekly on Subhuman
Not The Direction I Was Expecting, Excellent Conclusion (Or Was It) Regardless. First off, as I said on the review for Forsaken (Book 2 in this series where this book is Book 3), IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE EARLIER BOOKS HERE (Subhuman, Forsaken), READ THEM FIRST. You're not going to really know what is happening here without having read them, and McBride spends pretty well zero time catching the reader up on previous events.
That out of the way, this particular entrant into the series works well as a blatant effort by a writer who was given a three book contract and is hoping to be picked up to continue the series... but doesn't know as he is writing whether that will happen. So while the conclusion of FORSAKEN almost sets up a potential dozen ish book series, MUTATION goes the more balls-to-the-wall, Matthew Reilly's Jack West Jr series combined with Jeremy Robinson's CHESSPOCALYPSE event series approach to wrapping everything up in one fell swoop... then using the epilogue to "move the chess piece" (as in the last second of X-Men: The Last Stand) to allow for future stories within this universe.
Overall an excellent book and series, one I hope McBride can come back to once his current contract for these books expires and he gets the rights to them himself. Very much recommended.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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26 September, 2020:
Finished reading
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26 September, 2020:
Reviewed