Read Book 1 First... And Be Glad You Have This Book On Hand. This is one of those sequels that picks up from the first book and directly uses its base to tell this book's story. So if you haven't read Book 1 (Subhuman) yet, start there first. But go ahead and buy this book so you have it on hand when you finish Subhuman.

If you like classic horror/ scifi tales along the lines of Aliens, The Thing, or even Jurassic Park... you're gonna want to pick up this series. If you're looking for a Crichton-esque technothriller or a Preston/Child-esque dark mystery or a Brett Battles-esque tale of global peril... you're gonna want to pick up this series.

Indeed, my *only* quibble here, and I happen to be in somewhat of a rare/ possibly unique position to have it, is that here, in this ostensibly horror/ scifi tale, McBride creates a bigger and more ominous global threat than his alter ego Michael Laurence has created by the end of his own Book 2 in the Exinction Agenda series (which is still awesome in its own right, as more of a police procedural/ scifi action thriller). That noted... I happen to be glad I have an ARC of the next book in this series, Mutation, which releases in just 10 days from the time I write this review. Very much recommended. ( )

That was not as fun. Less science, lots of new mysteries, and very little progress. I feel a creeping X-files fear that the plot will just continue to elaborate and elaborate in future books and never actually resolve. Jumping ship now. ( )

Forsaken continues on from Subhuman where the scattered team is once again drawn together with a confluence of events that have all been started by their tinkering in the pyramid back in Subhuman. This time not only do we see them returning to the Antarctic, but also delving into undiscovered ruins in Mexico.

An excellent mix of archaeology, horror, action, adventure. I really enjoyed the first book and this one takes it even further making for a book that is rather hard to put down as you just want to find out where things are going. I'm rather bummed I have to wait awhile now for the next one to come out. ( )

It is so very hard to classify this book. It seems to be a blend of Preston & Child/Foster/Crichton but it is definitely in a league of its own.
The story takes place six months after a top secret paramilitary team (Unit 51) was sent in to destroy an ancient and deadly organism that scientists had found in Antarctica. It was assumed that the mission was accomplished but it was not and now the threat to humanity is even more dire. A group of diverse researchers who were drawn together in the events of book one of this series (Subhuman) are gathered together once again as an unsettling discovery is made in an ancient temple in Mexico that is connected to the one in Antarctica.
There was not too much depth with the characters but it did not detract from the book itself as there was so much action, suspense, and adventure that the book didn't really need characters with that much depth. I loved the fast pace of the writing and the vivid description of scenery. The theories seem very well thought out. My only regret is that I wish I had read book one of the series first. "Forsaken" is okay to read on its own but there were references that didn't make a lot of sense so I really would recommend reading Subhuman before you read Forsaken. I really did enjoy reading the book and am now reading Subhuman so that I will be ready for the next book in the series.
I received a copy of this book from Kensington Books through Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review. ( )