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People are fascinated by the prospect of life on other planets—that we’re not alone. It’s often been the subject of books and movies and popular TV series. And author Michael McBride’s Forsaken mixes the study of ancient civilizations with the search for alien life to create a breakneck thriller about an ancient enemy that endangers the human race.
The story catches up with a number of scientists who are still struggling to get back to their old lives after surviving a deadly attack by an ancient creature at a research station in Antarctica. Though they thought that the creature was under control—that the threat was behind them—it seems that it was only the beginning. And now new discoveries in Antarctica, an archaeological site in Mexico, and other locations around the world suggest that the creature is not only still alive, but it’s also multiplying and becoming even more powerful.
Forsaken jumps back and forth from the touristy site in Mexico to the top-secret facilities far beneath the surface in Antarctica, where the scientists have been working with a shadowy military unit known as Unit 51 to investigate what seems to be an ancient alien life form that’s been awakened and now threatens humanity. It’s a tense sci-fi thriller, following the characters as they find themselves once again facing an adversary that they thought they’d defeated. The danger isn’t over; in fact, it’s only grown—and they have to work together to survive yet another attack. With each discovery, the horrors increase—and you might find yourself reading late into the night, too anxious to set the book aside and drift off to sleep.
Of course, it’s rarely easy jumping into a series after it’s already begun—and if you haven’t read McBride’s Subhuman, you might feel like you’re missing something. Though the author offers some background on the story, the characters here aren’t especially developed, apart from the occasional mention of their personal relationships—and the origins of the threat sometimes seem unclear, too. And though it builds to heart-pounding action and suspense, first-time readers may struggle to connect to the characters, which can make for a slower, more challenging read.
Fans of Subhuman are sure to enjoy the continuing action of Forsaken—and once this latest installment comes to an end, readers will be eager to see what’s still to come for this unlikely team. Keep in mind, though, that this second installment doesn’t have much of an opening or a conclusion—so it’s best to start from the beginning of the series.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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