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Monday 17 December 2012

Kaiju Book Review - Project Nemesis by Jeremy Robinson

Only a few kaiju related novels are available to fans of the genre. So when word of a new 'Kaiju Thriller' titled, Project: Nemesis, by author, Jeremy Robinson, was muttered across the interwebs, I immediately caught wind and was automatically intrigued.

I received my paperback copy of the book the other day, but actually did not start reading it until today. I must admit - I do not read a lot of novels, but since Project: Nemesis was right up my ally it turned out to be the first book in years where I read it from cover to cover in just under a day. It was just that good!

Here is the official description as stated on Amazon.com:

Jon Hudson, lead investigator for the Department of Homeland Security's Fusion Center-P, thinks his job is a joke. While other Fusion Centers focus on thwarting terrorist activity, Hudson's division is tasked with handling paranormal threats to national security, of which there have been zero during his years at the DHS. When yet another Sasquatch sighting leads to a research facility disguised as an abandoned Nike missile site in the back woods of Maine, Hudson's job becomes deadly serious.

Hudson and the local Sheriff, Ashley Collins, suddenly find themselves on the run from a ruthless ex-Special Forces security team, but the human threat is short-lived as something very much not-human destroys the facility and heads for civilization, leaving only a single clue behind--a name scrawled in blood: Nemesis. Working with his team at Fusion Center-P, Sheriff Collins and a surly helicopter pilot named Woodstock, Hudson pursues the creature known as Nemesis, attempts to uncover the corporate secrets behind its creation and accidental release and tries to comprehend why several clues lead to a murdered little girl named Maigo.

But as the body-count explodes, along with the monster's size, it quickly becomes clear that nothing short of a full military response can slow Nemesis's progress. Coordinating with every branch of the U.S. military, Hudson simultaneously searches for clues about Nemesis's origins and motivations, and leads the counterattack that will hopefully stop the monster before it reaches Boston and its one million residents.

Witness the birth of a legend as Jeremy Robinson, bestselling author of SecondWorld and Ragnarok, combines the pacing of Matthew Reilly with the mystery of James Rollins and creates the first iconic American Kaiju* story since King Kong. Includes original creature designs by legendary Godzilla artist, Matt Frank.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that as well - Matt Frank did the creature designs for Nemesis. There are several designs for Nemesis throughout her stages of development. Each stage is shown throughout the book every five to ten chapters. There is also a section towards the end of the book which showcases the designs much more fully. A nice little addition to give the reader a more visual representation of Nemesis if they haven't already conjured up an image of her in their head from the detailed descriptions. 

So as I stated, this is the first book in a while in which I read entirely in a day. The way the story was written and paced really kept me interested. The characters of Jon Hudson and Sheriff Ashley Collins are equally developed and likable. I'd go into more details, but there are just many aspects of what I want to say that would spoil the book for any potential buyer and reader. So, I'll just conclude by saying this...

This book is awesome! Nemesis is truly a true American Kaiju by every definition. This is a definite must for any fan of the kaiju genre. Buy it! Go, do it now! It gets a full fledged 5/5 rating. This book kept me glued to it all day. I kept my eyes peeled on those 250 or so pages as if it was crack. As I read the book, I could imagine myself in the characters' shoes to the point where the creature's presence did in fact frighten me to some degree... I admit. 

I certainly hope Robinson does eventually write a sequel. I am hooked on Nemesis! :D

7 comments:

  1. Hey Arlo,

    Thrilled you enjoyed Project Nemesis and thanks for the spectacular review! I'm hoping to do a sequel, possibly and ongoing series, but it all hinges on how Nemesis sells, so I really appreciate your support and efforts to spread the word.

    -- Jeremy Robinson

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    1. You're very welcome!

      I am aspiring to write and illustrate my own kaiju comic some day surrounding an original monster of mine, Olragon (I actually commissioned Matt to do a poster featuring Olragon and another of my original monsters, Mirma, a few years back - http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&global=1&q=olragon#/d2amf94). At the moment I'm pretty much brainstorming story ideas and characters. I did a short story years ago (2009 I believe), but I am hoping to rebuild the Olragon story, so to speak, with new characters, and a new origin.

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    2. Very nice! The world could always use more Kaiju. Love the illustration!

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    3. Yeah. With the kaiju genre having a definite comeback with Pacific Rim and GODZILLA, more and more people would be interested in other original works as well!

      Also, yeah Matt's illustration is pretty awesome. I had it printed as a huge poster and is hung on my wall. I absolutely love it!

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    4. Jeremy, your book was awesome! It's my new favorite book. Hey, for a sequel, you should do Godzilla vs. Nemesis. Think about how much THAT would sell. Just buy a liscense to use godzilla in your book! I don't know how much it would cost, but you will CERTAINLY get your money back with THIS book. Please respond and tell me what you think. I'm certainly a fan of yours.

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  2. Jeremy definitely delivers! Sounds like an excellent book! I bought another one of his Robinson's novels last week on my kindle. With the holidays coming up.. I've not had time to read. MUST MAKE TIME! Glad that you found him!

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  3. lmao.. Whoooops.. meant to replace his with Robinson's. NEED more COFFEE!

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