Project Nemesis (a Kaiju Thriller)

it is a nice diversion reading from the usual stuffs that is around lately. dont get me wrong i still like all that stuffs too but like i said- it is always nice to break the monotony.

the writing and pace is quick, funny and enough details and imagination to keep the whole thing together and interesting. sorry i am writing this in my smartphone and its not the best tool for writing other than short texts. but hey, i try to help. the author i believe deserve good reviews for his effort in entertaining his readers.
bravo zulu good sir.

What a thrill ride! From the blistering and bewildering triple prologue to the satisfying, simultaneously tied-off and sequel set-up epiloges, Project: Nemesis is fun fun fun! Unputdownable: those prone to 'Just the next chapter' cram sesh reading are warned to pick a weekend and binge away!

Alternating in a linear narrative are action packed chapters of Special Forces-style tech ops (though the main protagonists are not active military) and evolving monsters running amok. The human characters are engaging, familiar yet just off trope enough to make you smile, with an anti-hero and kaiju both complex and unique, neither hand-waved as simply 'evil' or mindless. There's just enough of a wry point of view to inject a certain dark humor to certain passages without it ever feeling like a comedy. Highly enjoyable reading.

I am very involved in the kaiju community, and I’ve been hearing praise for Project Nemesis for years. This series has been on the backburner for me because my interests existed elsewhere. However, it wasn’t until Robinson posted on Facebook that he invented the kaiju thriller genre that my interest turned to this novel.

How should I say this? This book is not good. It’s not the worst I’ve ever read, but I hardly think it deserves the praise it gets within the kaiju community. I have read other kaiju novels out there that do the job better than Project Nemesis – Marc Cerasini’s Godzilla series, MM9 by Hiroshi Yamamoto, Godzilla by Greg Cox, Pacific Rim by Alex Irvine, King Kong by Delos Lovelace, Raiju by K.H. Koehler. Those are just a few examples of the literary kaiju genre, and some are licensed novelizations of preexisting products, but they are better than Project Nemesis.
I can’t pin-point a singular issue that makes the novel bad; instead, it is holistically bad. I’ll break down several key areas that provide my reasoning. Think of it as a rubric.

Characters – The character are flat. Motivations are entirely plot driven, meaning that character don’t feel unique. They barely have a drive outside of “Oh no, there’s a monster!” Jon Hudson, the protagonist, feels like an authorial insert, but not for Robinson. He is like an adolescent’s Mary Sue from a story on fanfiction.net. Whenever a problem arises, Hudson instantly knows the solution – he has a font of knowledge that just moves him and other characters through the novel. Collins, our female sheriff and secondary protagonist, is literally what I just wrote. Her characterization is nothing more than “I am the female character who can kick ass, but more importantly, I serve as the romantic interest for the protagonist.” Hudson just interjects on how attractive and girlfriend-worthy she is in the middle of his narration. The romance is forced. Most other characters are just cut outs that feel replaceable. Except for the antagonist. The antagonist reads like a comic book villain from the 60s – he’s got a motivation, yeah, but not a good one. His henchmen, Katsu Endo, is just a racial stereotype: the always obedient Japanese that respects his culture (which happens to be kaiju). Endo feels like he could be developed more and be more interesting. Nemesis, the kaiju, is bland and driven by revenge against humans.
Tone – We’re caught between edgy and cringingly comedic. People are just killed left and right, without any reasonable motivation (besides the kaiju killing. That makes sense). Hudson’s narration goes between serious and “Here’s a bad joke and here’s me suggesting affection towards Collins.”

Writing/Syntax – Robinson’s writing works. I’ve read other books by him and he isn’t a bad writer. However, his syntax and form is just bad. The primary offender would be the point of view in the novel. I’ve read novels where the POV switches between 1st person and 3rd person (the Joe Ledger novels by Jonathan Maberry, for example). Robinson does the same, but the tense changes. The Hudson chapters are written in 1st person present whilst the non-Hudson chapters are written in the 3rd person past. This switch of tense is irritating and removes the reader from the narrative.

Plot – The overall plot follows the standard solo-monster narrative. However, the internal logic of the story is just…unbelievable. Some spoilers ahead. I mentioned character motivations and how flimsy they are, and that leads to world building. A character offers a giant monster to a Google-Stand in….because that makes sense? Human and kaiju DNA are just fused for plot reasons that are always nefarious – nothing besides that. Nemesis is revealed to be a god alien monster thing? It isn’t really confirmed. I know this is a story about giant monsters, but saying a giant monster is a god out of nowhere without any internal logic to the statement is poor writing. This revelation isn’t built up, but stated simply. I could hardly take the novel seriously at that point. The military acted in a way that was inaccurate, too. The world logic is inconsistent or non-existent and a lot of plot points needed better explanation.

Matt Frank’s art, however, is good. That’s a plus. However, this book falls into the same tropes and traps bad kaiju films fall into, but unlike some of those movies, Project Nemesis has no charm.

Great reading for all of us who watched "Shock Theatre" or "Sir Graves Gasthly" on the TV when they showed the Godzilla and Mothra flicks. Takes me back to a time when life was so much simpler and easier going than it is today. If you were one of the fortunate to have watched these types of flicks then this is your series.

Another great book.... I had my doubts about a kaiju book, but this put them to rest. This was an exciting read and a great change of pace from the zombies and aliens out there.. Can't wait to start the second book.

A really good read, it was interesting from the first few pages all the way to the end. I finished in a little more than 10 hours of off-and-on reading but then I'm a pretty fast reader. The plot isn't too complex and sometimes is easy to see coming. However, it was still very entertaining, I'm not sure I'd say I was riveted but I certainly enjoyed it. It's enough to have me read more of Mr. Robinson.

Jeremy Robinson has done it again, proving that he refuses to be tied down to one narrow concept like many other authors. While primarily an action-adventure type, he's not afraid to include other elements that most authors won't touch, whether it's sci-fi, ancient history, or - in this case - a giant monster making a big mess of things! He's successfully done it again in this very fun-to-read work, introducing a few new characters in the process. Maybe we'll see more of them at some point. You never know what Robinson is going to put out there!

I loved this book! Anxiously awaiting the sequel, whether it be the return of Nemesis or a new assignment for the DHS - P team. I must admit however, that about halfway through I wasn't so sure. I know this is science fiction genre but I expect an element of plausibility. When "Godzilla" past 40 feet in height I began to think this was ridiculous. But I got over that - good thing because she ends up well over 300 feet tall - and just went along for the ride. And what a ride it is. Nonstop action on every page and I guess that is why we read these sci-fi action adventures. Empty your mind and enjoy the wild ride!

You see...I get confused about this whole rating thing... I used to reserve 5 stars for books that I considered to be works of art by the entire human race. But now days, I just leave that decision up to, well, the human freaking race. You know why? Because I LOVED this book! I didn't think I would be impressed, to be honest. Because of Kindle and e-readers in general, I've been taking more leaps than I used to. And in this case, I was happily rewarded! What a cool romp from "close in/something is around the corner/up close and personal/ about to get you" fear to "we are screwed and it can't be stopped" terror. Rest assured, Mr. Robinson handles all of the typical giant monster tropes with aplomb. You don't quite expect each chapter so much as when you read it you are glad he included whatever catastrophic thing happened. (if that makes any sense) The only really minor note I can come up with is that I actually almost wished that (spoiler?) there weren't pictures of the beast in the book, although there are only a few. While the pics were fine, I think that the descriptions and resulting images in my head were more than satisfactory. Oh, the 5 stars? Yeah...we'll let the aggregate of all of our votes determine the "true" classics. As for me, who considers himself a cautious reader, I give it a 5. I loved it and was sad to finish it because I wanted more...

This book was wonderful! The non stop action was so superb I could barely put it down!

The writing made it feel like you were the one in the middle of all the action! I cannot wait to read the next book!

This book was great beyond words! It took me back to the old Godzilla movies ( not the one with Mathew Broderick, that was a train wreck ). The characters were fantastic. If you weren't rooting for Nemesis just a little I'm going to have to call you a liar. Nobody writes action like Jeremy Robinson. NOBODY. Anybody that's a fan of action or Kaiju you HAVE to read this!

As a child I would spend hours watching Kaiju films, Godzilla, King Kong, Ultraman and all the rest. This read like an Americanized Godzilla film. My biggest gripe is the fact there are so many hints thrown in about what Magio is or could be. But not a one is followed through. Maybe in the next book he will explore more about where the original creature was from.

So I bought this novel (the Kindle edition) based on the store recommending it to me and to be honest I've never heard of any of Jeremy Robinson's books at all so it was kind of an impulse buy. I have to say I liked it quite a bit! The main compliant I would have about the novel is that sometimes the writing seems a bit simple but that's just a personal taste issue. Some people don't care, some people care. It didn't bother me that much but it's just a warning to those that don't like reading books with that kind of writing style.

Overall I'm looking forward to any sequels or other books involving the same characters.

Reading this book brought me back to the Saturday afternoon "Creature Double Features" which I enjoyed so much.
The hero, the heroine, the bad guy, and of course, the monster--all of the characters fit right where they belong and work very well.
The action and suspense have humor inserted in just the right places throughout the story.
The plot kept moving at a good pace, and never provided a dull moment, all without feeling like reading a video game synopsis.
I can see loads of potential for a follow up, and the ending definitely leaves me wanting more!

This writer caught NY interest on page one. I love the paranormal genre, and the way they described the changes in the monster was excellent .
I recommend this book to people interested in crypto zoology .

This book was absolutely awe-inspiring! If Godzilla were a 300 foot tall beast, he would be Nemesis! If you're planning on buying this book, you will be surprised by the detail and plot put into it. I would not recommend this book for younger readers due to excessive language, but this book is the best young adult book I've ever read! Great job, Jeremy Robinson!

Finished reading Project Nemesis last night and found it to be a great read, but very addictive. I would finish a chapter and consider stopping for awhile, but the need to find out what happened to both the hero and the kaiju monster as the story progressed, kept me turning pages until I reached the end.

The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because the ability of the kaiju to survive both on land and deep underwater where there was no air was never fully explained. I also found Epilogue 2 a little disappointing in how it handled what happened to the character that was the focus of Epilogue 2.

But overall it was a great read and I will definitely be checking out the next book in the Kaiju Thriller series.

As a lifelong fan if Godzilla and everything "Kaiju" I loved this book. I am a Maine native, so the setting was very familiar. The characters are lifelike and memorable. The story and its "monsters" are in my opinion, excellent!! Definitely get the whole series!!!

A scientific mishap unleashes a monster. I loved this action-packed thriller, with its relentless movement and sassy characters, and a truck named Betty. Fans of this genre should buckle up for the ride. However, I disliked the sudden author intrusion near the end of the book (but before the story's conclusion) in which he asks readers to review his book.

Without giving away my true age, I remember rushing home from school just to see the 4:00 monster movies during Monster Week. This book was all that and more. Since I love the Chess series, I didn't hesitate to buy this book. Mr. Robinson please hurry with the next book to follow Project Nemesis. You have the makings of another good book series!

Another rousing tale from Jeremy Robinson. Too hard to put down, too engaging, well, not really. What it really was is fascinating, and rewarding in many ways. I've got the sequel in hand--Maigo. (And was a bit surprised to note the rising prices--the price of popularity, I suppose.)
But thanks for the great tale!

This book reminded me of the original thrill Godzilla gave me as a kid. I'm a Kaiju nerd anyway, but still. I cannot recommend it more if you want a giant monster romp. It's simply awesome. Most Godzilla movies wish they were written this well! Read it today! It will fill your giant monster void!!! And make sure to check out the sequel, Project Maigo!

This book brought me back to the days of watching Creature Double feature with my brothers on Saturday mornings! I loved the balance of the main characters and the tidy end of secondary ones. This book is well written and lots of fun! This is why I keep coming back for more of Jeremy Robinson! I am going to post this book on my FB and tell all my friends about it!

Fantastic read. It's got great adventure, action, science fiction, supernatural, a likable, humble, humorous-type hero guy and and an awesome leading lady. The author really makes you hate the bad guys too! Don't get me wrong, I like the Chess Team series, but I like Jeremy's non-Chess Team's books even more, and this is a non-Chess Team book. It's refreshing to have characters and action sequences that are not so so rigid-military. This book has a lot of humor, intertwined with the wild action.

While most monster books come across as either hokey or outdated, this book mixes in all the right things to make it a great read with great characters who have many books left in them (we can all hope). Even if you do not think the monster book is your thing, this is the book that will change your mind. The fast paced, non stop action with great characters made this a 3 day reading event for me. Two thumbs up.

Let's face it, this is not high literature. What it is however, is a fun, fast paced monster story with all the destruction and awesomeness you'd expect. This is an origin novel, featuring the transformation of a murdered girl into a vengeful Kaiju, and her first run-in with humanity. The plot is fairly predictable, but it's done well.

Excellent read! Full of excitment and even though it was science fiction, it had enough real stuff in it to actually make the reader think it was possible. Finished it in a day and moving on to the next Jeremy Robinson.

Did you enjoy the wonderful gigantic monster movies as a kid? Bruce Willis movies where he can do anything and always win? Well, get that and much more from Jeremy Robinson's Kaiju thriller series. Mr. Robinson is a wonderful writer and I am eagerly following his Refuge series too. You won't be sorry if you join me!

Excellent read! Full of excitment and even though it was science fiction, it had enough real stuff in it to actually make the reader think it was possible. Finished it in a day and moving on to the next Jeremy Robinson.

Did you enjoy the wonderful gigantic monster movies as a kid? Bruce Willis movies where he can do anything and always win? Well, get that and much more from Jeremy Robinson's Kaiju thriller series. Mr. Robinson is a wonderful writer and I am eagerly following his Refuge series too. You won't be sorry if you join me!

This was a great introduction to the Kaiju genre in literature, a genre that I didn't know existed.
This isn't Godzilla, though it does pay homage to the iconic monster.I love the storyline, which is packed full of action and interesting characters, with a plot line that does have some twists to it. However, it is straight forward, and really exceeded my expectations.

Great start to the story. Nice twists and action. Keeps you wanting to read more. Keeps humor and seriousness well balanced and I for one can not wait to read the next development in this ongoing series.

I hope Robinson adds more to the adventures of DHS Fusion Center-P. This was a very fun, creative take on Kaiju (Japanese giant monsters). Clearly inspired by Gojiru/Godzilla, it approaches it from a very original, more western viewpoint. Good characters, humor, and great action. I eagerly look forward to more.

Stellar kaiju drama. But hamstrung by some bad writing of female characters and a little too much exposition coming from the mouths of characters and narration. Nonetheless the monster, the conceptual field that gives it birth, and the beautifully painted scenes are breath taking. We finally have a great original kaiju novel folks.

My usual preference for reading material is hard science fiction. That, this book is not. I really like giant monsters however, and that this book has. I consider it a "light" read. But it was still fun and interesting. I think anyone who likes giant monsters should read it.

Picked this up after reading previous Jeremy Robinson books and though this is somewhat of a departure from what I'm used to reading from him, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Inventive storyline and writing style. Would be interested in reading more about this character too.

Move over Rheudosaurus and Kong, the Queen of the Monsters is here. This was one of those suggested buys that I gave a shot and I am so glad I did. The story is fantastic and filled with all sorts of stuff to make any kaiju fan giggle like a schoolgirl. Jeremy Robinson has really outdone himself here alongside Matt Frank's fantastic creature designs, Project Nemesis easily takes 5/5 stars from me.

I was pleasantly surprised by the book. I downloaded it for free or very little (can't remember), so I didn't expect too much. It ended up being one of those books I stayed up too late reading. A captivating and original work. I look forward to reading more Maigo books.

I Really Enjoyed the storytelling and characters. Robinson is a master of the Cover-To-Cover All Nonstop Action roller-coaster ride! But the completely indestructible monster that will obviously go on forever concept smacked just too much of the endless string of Godzilla flicks. Okay, maybe that was the whole point, but still I think that the critter should have at least ONE vulnerable point.
Even still, I will be picking up the sequel! . . . Hey, I LIKE roller-coasters! ;-)

robinson is fast becoming one of my goto authors whenever I want to buy a book and nemesis is another great one.like other reviewers have stated alot of us grew up watching the giant monster movies on tv and this book feeds that love.it takes the subject matter seriously and I found myself finishin it in one day thats how liked this novel and I hope to read some more adventures of the characters soon.

Honestly, if you like Godzilla, Mothra or any old Japanese sci-fi then this is easily a 4 or 5 star story. That Robinson writes well there is no doubt and while many of his books are "out-there" this one is even further out than there. And it's still a great read! Totally unbelievable but who cares? Great fun!

Project Nemesis: A Kaiju Thriller written by Jeremy Robinson was one of those stories that leave you wanting more. I even found myself rooting for the creature in the end. Be prepared for a powerhouse of ups and downs with all the action you would expect from Robinson.

A wildly exciting book that grabs you from the very beginning and doesn't let go till the very end. I was skeptical at first since I have only read his Chess Team books, but found myself reading into the hours of the morning to finish it. A great story with relatable characters. Mr. Robinson you've done it again. Perhaps your best yet.

Fast moving, none stop action story that kept me reading. Reminded me of the Godzilla movies I watched as a kid. Solid writing and the kindle edition is enhanced with illustrations of the creature as it evolves. Excellent Saturday night creature feature novel.

Very readable story of an alien monster brought back to life by evil military men. The hero and his cohorts are believable as they attempt to stop the rampage. Would have rated higher but the ending was inconclusive, thus leading to another undoubtedly lame sequel
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I first discovered this book by frequenting a deviantart account of comic book artist Matt Frank. The design of the creature drew me in and I had to learn more. This book combines sci-fi, kaiju, horror, suspense, and mystery. Coupled with amazingly written 3 dimensional characters and an awesome giant monster. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a great thrill ride and no you don't have to be a favor monster movies to enjoy this, but it helps.

Finally an excellent giant monster book that doesn't come from Japan. This book has everything you could want lots of action, just the right amount of humor, with a dash of romance. I started reading and couldn't stop reading, the story just pulled me along and wouldn't let go.

Put Godzilla into a bio terror thriller and you have Project Nemesis. The author's fondness for Saturday afternoon creature features come through in this fun fast paced story with great dialog and wonderful character's.

The ending is satisfying but open ended that leaves the reader wanting more.

My favorite kinds of books are books like this. Just fun books to read while on the beach or even at home on my time off.

This book has monsters, a bit of romance, and explosions. I couldn't ask for a better beach read.

If you are into fun books, this one is written for you.

Reading the title of this review, you have to wonder if I am some sort of conspiracy freak, or just a freak in general. The fact is, I bought this for my kindle just before bed last night, and started reading as soon as I woke up this morning. There might have been some teeth brushing in there at some point, but the morning is a blurry memory. I discovered I was trapped. Project Nemesis had it's hook through me, and I read it straight through. I was thrilled as it was finished, and yet sad because it was over. I thought, "Should I have read this more slowly, savoring it like a fine wine?" and realized "No way, this is no fine wine, this is that 21st birthday beer that haves you at some point howling to the moon, making inappropriate jokes to nuns (who shouldn't have been at the bar in the first place), and even though the night is a blur that has you completely unaware of your surroundings, as you are swept up in the magic of this great event. You remember your 21st for years, even though you can't recall exactly what made the day a blur, you just smile and know that even though you accomplished nothing that entire day, you enjoyed yourself more than should probably be legal. So as I said, don't let this book fall into the hands of government officials, because they sit on their butts doing too little as it is. This would bring all progress to a complete halt. LOVE THIS BOOK!

I really enjoyed reading Project Nemesis. The characters were great, the plot was fun, and the book overall kept up pretty well. It helps that I love the giant monster stuff, but any Jeremy Robinson fan should enjoy Project Nemesis. Definitely going to recommend it to friends.

It's perfect timing that I found this book before Pacific Rim opens. Thrilling, terrifying and an original take on the giant monster vs. mankind story. I'm looking forward to reading more of Jeremy's books and, hopefully, a sequel! I highly recommend Project Nemesis, a very fun read!