Where oh where do I start writing a review of a book that has been enjoyed by so many of my peers and yet I would honestly say it was the worst book I have read this year. How can some love a book so much and yet others find it impossible to see within its content any merit whatsoever? The story (i think!) involves a discovery made in Antarctica, a pyramid enclosed with bones and an odd shaped "cone" skull that spoke of an ancient people who inhabited our planet many many moons ago. From all corners of our present world a number of great minds are called to Antarctica to use their expertise and knowledge of this cone headed species having unearthed a few of the said skulls at their own particular digs/excavations....

This book falls somewhere between Michael Crichton, Scott Sigler with a touch of The Thing (Kurt Russell 1982 version) and without a doubt shades of Alien...remember that scene when Sigourney Weaver gets up close and personal with the alien in Alien 3...."Its cranium was elongated and the flesh of its scalp torn. Its eyes bulged from their sockets to such a degree that its lids had to remain mostly closed to contain them. The veins had rupture, causing a skein of blood to form on the surface, so thick it was nearly black"..... This quote is from Subhuman but everything about it speaks Alien to me, we have the crew of the good ship "Nostromo" being selected individually and savaged by an organism and in one horrific scene attaches itself inside the body of John Hurt. Now in our story a species or micro-organism referred to as "archaea" is "able to infest and subsume the bodies of these men."....I remember so vividly slime and blood dripping from the alien as one by one Ripley's (Weaver) crew are destroyed....now this quote from Subhuman, reads like something from Alien...."Something warm and wet struck his cheek. He slowly raised his eyes toward the ceiling, and the open vent directly overhead. Another drop streaked from the edge of the duct and struck the ground in front of him.".....

The first half of the book is so riddled with scientific jargon to the point of boredom and it is only when finally I am able to translate this technical vernacular that the theme begins to make sense. This new alien archaea/organism is able to communicate by using sound waves that are projected through water. This creates a ripple/shape effect similar to the "crop circle" mystery where strange patterns appeared overnight in fields of cereal crops and many believed were the work of aliens who were trying to make contact. Therefore it follows in Subhuman that the sound/wave ripples is an attempt to communicate.

Now at this point if you are thoroughly confused by my review then Subhuman is not the book for you but equally if you enjoy a story technically filled with senseless jargon (think Tom Clancy merged with Stephen Hawking) then you are in for a treat. My only regret was that the predator in Subhuman was not quite as successful in his kill rate as the alien that Officer Ripley encountered on the good ship Nostromo. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. A free reading copy will never stop me writing a truthful review and to me as a reader/reviewer if the book is not to my taste I will certainly voice my opinion, otherwise what is the point?

A non-stop rollercoaster of a read!

Subhuman begins by showing the seemingly disparate specialties of five scientists. Dr. Cade Evans is an archaeologist, who has just discovered a mass grave underneath an existing excavated Egyptian tomb. Within it, Evans finds a mass of animal and human bodies, one with an abnormally large skull. In Nigeria, forensic anthropologist Dr. Jade Liang studies the corpses from a recent massacre to obtain evidence for the UN International Criminal Court. Within the piles of the dead, she sees a young deceased girl with an unusually outsized head. Marvin Roche studies crop circles in the English countryside after an earlier career as a cryptanalyst at the US National Security Agency. Kelly Nolan predicts an earthquake in Oregon by reviewing sub-vocal sounds in the earth's crust. Anya Fleming exhumes a big skulled man in Russia. All five agree to work for Richards, an enigmatic venture capitalist, who has set up a state-of-art base in Antarctica.

Subhuman is a rollicking read that is hard to stop reading. The first half uses existing pop culture alien theories, Nazi Germany myths, and real science to describe what Richards is researching at the base on Antarctica. The author does an excellent jobs merging these divergent sources into a coherent plot. The second half will seem familiar to viewers of some famous 1980s horror films. Still the novel is a compulsive page-turner anyway. Subhuman is recommended for thriller, hard science fiction and horror readers. I can’t wait for this book to be made into a movie! 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher, Kensington Books, and netgalley for an advanced review copy. This book will be published on October 31, 2017.

This is an amazing journey that's filled with scientific fact and fantasy. The scientific element was especially interesting for me, and the book is obviously written by someone who knows about what he's writing. The locale in Antarctica was vividly described, the premise unique and fascinating, dialogue completely believable, and filled with characters with whom it was easy to relate. Highly recommended!

Michael McBride's newest thriller SUBHUMAN is his breakthrough novel into the "bigtime"  If you follow him on Twitter or keep an eye on his blog you know already that he snagged himself a major deal with Kensington and not only is SUBHUMAN the first of part of a trilogy - not to worry, it's easily read as a stand alone - but it will be sold everywhere books are sold.    Awesome!
 
SUBHUMAN is a science thriller; the stuff McBride does best.  It takes place in freezing Antarctica and like all his books left me gasping for breath.  SUBHUMAN debuts on Halloween; make sure to check it out and reserve your copy.

This book is so much fun! Well, for me as a reader, not for the characters: five of the top scientists in their fields who come to an Antarctica research station to solve an age-old riddle. Wonderful ruins, remains that don't look quite human, an isolated station at the end of the world, and well developed dynamics between the characters make for a very entertaining and fast read. Hollis Richards is trying to find proof of extraterrestrial life. He reminded me of another millionaire who liked dinosaurs too much in that Richards means well but may not be the best person to be in charge of this project. The pace is so well maintained that it's easy to fall into the "one more chapter before I go to bed" trap. But the action doesn't neglect the character development. Yes, all the characters follow the usual patterns of scientists in these kinds of books (smart and damaged), but they are actually quite smart when it comes to surviving against a stronger, faster, smarter enemy.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this horrific book

mind blowing and technical comes to mind...written so that when it was technical you could understand it and when the horror came it just blew your mind away

just wow cant wait for the next one

michael mcbride is now on my to read list of authors

It didn't take me long to figure out that this author was going to shoot to the top few spots on my favourites list and the more I read, the more I wanted to read more. I am not always one for science fiction type books, most of the time I'm rather picky and get annoyed when the story is bogged down with tons of pointless description that detracts from the action--but this book surprised me over and over. The author manages to use hard hitting science in it and yet keep the story flowing and interesting.

The characters were quite varied, but it was never confusing and each little part was integral to the whole of the story. He didn't waste his time on loads of pointless description and banter and I truly appreciate that. This book will keep you guessing about what is going on and make you speculate. I love that in a novel.

This book has the perfect amount of mystery, action and intensity to make it not only memorable, but definitely worthy of a recommendation. If you haven't read it yet, don't miss out on the opportunity.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Good concept, scary subhumans, wily scientist, multiple places of impact...can they all be tied together?

This book reminds me of a mixture of Ice Hunt by James Rollins and the movie called Alien vs Predator (2004) in some ways .With that said I would like to think NetGalley for giving me a chance at reading and review it.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will start off by saying that I am a fan of McBride’s work, who I feel has been getting better with each new release. I find myself doing research after reading his books because the factual background is very detailed and interesting. His novel “Sunblind” was one of my favorite books that I read in the year it was published and I felt it was an interesting monster story set into a non-fiction (and quite emotional) frame. He is continuing this trend here. Subhuman is filled with information about ancient civilizations interacting with extra-terrestrials—think Chariots of the Gods--as well as really interesting and strange scientific anomalies that really have no explanation. It was a bit of an “info-dump” at times I will admit but to me it made the first 25% of the novel really fly by. I was thinking that McBride was entering Michael Critchton-land and was pleased.

The middle 50% got a bit talky for me and I had some trouble with some actions of the characters who I felt were acting out of character to throw caution to the wind and then be surprised when it all hit the fan. The last 25% really got down to the meat (pun intended) of the story and once again I was engaged and the final scenes were especially well done.

This is the first in a new project that promises to be a high-tech version of X-files and, in McBride’s hands, will probably be a very good series. He is upping his game by taking on something this ambitious and I am looking forward to future installments.

Solid 4 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read SubHuman by Michael McBride. This book reminded me of The Thing - the 80's movie with Kurk Russell. This book describes the scenery and desolate landscape of the coldest area of our planet.
Something is strangly happening and something has awakened. This is pretty scary. Wel written.

So sorry really struggled to get into this book and every time I picked it up and tried to continue I couldn't remember the characters I had read about last time. Sometimes a book just isn't for you and this doesn't make it a bad read. Bearing this in mind I have given it 4 stars so as not to unfairly affect it's rating as I could not finish it.. I have also not left a review on Goodreads as I would normally for this reason.

Subhuman is the first book in the planned Unit 51 series. Other reviewers have quite accurately classified Subhuman as a Michael Crichton type blend of science and suspense.

My biggest gripe is the blurb. Instead of a slow reveal of the shocking revelations, the blurb outright declares this upfront and thus deflates much of the suspense as the five scientists take an inordinately long time to catch up with the reader's pre-existing knowledge.

The jumps in the multiple POVs can be jarring at times, particularly with the narrative flow, but the slow buildup does lead to a satisfying climatic, action packed conclusion.

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<I><b>"Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception." </I></b>
- CARL SAGAN

Combine <I>Chariot of the Gods </i>with <i>Aliens, </i>then add a some Crichton and a dash of <i>28 Days Later </i>and you'll have the feisty soup that is Subhuman.

It starts off very <I>Jurassic Park </i>with a motley collection of scientist lured by a wealthy individual to experience a new world. I mostly liked the characters and look forward to seeing how they grow, and hook up ;) in the series.

The major problem with the book is infodumpitis. Early on the characters are all explaining their fields of study and, while it's interesting, it was a slog to get through. I can't put my finger on why but it did seem to take forever.

Overall I like the idea of this series: an X-Files team having dangerous adventures. I will definitely read the next book.

I try not to spoiler books so I will just leave you with this...
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SUBHUMAN is A Unit 51 Novel, by Michael McBride. I've frequently been impressed by this author's attention to even the most minute details, his all-consuming atmosphere that makes you feel as though you're actually "in" the novel instead of merely reading it, and the thorough research he presents that make even the most improbably of scenarios seem possible. In SUBHUMAN, he takes all of these elements and combines them into an all new high.

A new discovery is made in the inhospitable region of Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. Entrepreneur Hollis Richards--along with his best friend and body guard, Will Connor--begin to assemble the best open-minds in their respective fields, to assist in their revolutionary find. Richards is a man that instantly garners your respect. Unlike your "typically portrayed" rich man out for himself, McBride gives us a sympathetic, friendly leader of this mission--along with a brief bio of his childhood to back it up.

". . . He figured the best measure of a man was how he treated those whose station in life didn't always command the utmost respect."

The reader is treated to the backgrounds and specialties of Dr. Cade Evans, Dr. Jade Liang, the enigmatic Martin Roche, Kelly Nolan, and Dr. Anya Fleming--among some of the other specialists on site. The characterization here leaves nothing out. I honestly found myself able to distinguish between, identify and/or sympathize with, each member brought on board. With few exceptions that make the situation seem even more realistic, this recently assembled group becomes "family" in a sense, each reaching out for a common goal, ready to discover something completely "new" to the scientific community.

". . . there was nothing fictional about this . . . "

We are taken through many exploratory "guesses" as to exactly what the scientists are going to unveil, but the reality is that we have as much insight into this mystery as they have, themselves. This is perhaps the aspect that I enjoyed most in SUBHUMAN--while each scientist had an idea and a "hope" on what they will ultimately uncover, nobody was "certain" of anything. In this regard, we are discovering alongside them.

"Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception." (Carl Sagan).

The frigid temperature and overall remoteness of Antarctica provide the perfect and essential background to harbor a new discovery of such magnitude. This difficult--almost hostile--location is described with such vivid detail that the reader can feel the cold winds blowing, and actually believe that if a new scientific discovery was to have remained undisturbed for so long, THIS was the place it would be.

The atmosphere alone may have been enough for some authors to go on, but McBride takes that extra step with his detailed descriptions. In this approach, he allows for the reader to "discover" the mysteries beneath the surface as the main characters do. In SUBHUMAN, we have a novel that makes us a "part" of it--one that I found impossible to leave until the very end.

From a "safe" scientific venture, the action begins to morph into something much more sinister by planting subtle suggestions and clues along the way. Even knowing ahead of time that things are not quite what the scientists are expecting, this book still had the power to shock me with the new revelations as they came about. When a reader is so immersed in a novel for that to happen, you know you are reading something truly spectacular.

". . . That's not a hallmark of superior intelligence; that's a predatory instinct."

SUBHUMAN is an easy contender for my number one read of the year. I sincerely hope to be seeing more from this author in the future.

Highest recommendation!

I'm torn about this book. On one hand, I give great credit to the author for the obvious and deep research he did. On the other hand, at several points I found myself skimming pages, thinking 'Just get on with it!' as the story dragged here and there.

The denouement was troublesome, too. It seemed very rushed, after all the build-up, and hardly answered any questions raised by the text. And was there a set-up for another book in this same vein, at the ending? A sequel, or something like that?

I kind of liked the book, but not enough to read it a second time.

This is classic McBride right here. Plenty of smartypants sciencey stuff that doesn't make me feel stupid while I'm reading it and more than enough action and horror to keep me engaged and entertained all the way through. Nicely done, as usual from McBride.

4+ Stars and Highly Recommended!

<i>I received an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was it. Thanks, NetGalley.</i>

4 and 1 / 2 stars

In the beginning of the book, we are introduced to several people. Most of them are scientists and one is a very rich man. They gather to journey to Antarctica to explore one of the world’s great mysteries.
Their study is one of an organic creature – but not one that is human in origin. The action starts.

Sometime later in the book, people start to die. It looks like the “creatures” that the team has woken doesn’t like modern humans. After four or five people die, the power goes out in the station. Fear runs through the survivors. People disappear in elevators; get pulled up through the ceiling, and so on. Then seven people have died. Oh my and what do we have here? What are these creatures? WHO are these creatures? Extraterrestrials or not?

The last 25% to 30% of the book is pure action.

This is a remarkable novel. It is very well written and plotted. It starts out slowly while introducing all the main characters and their various backgrounds. The scientists are all varied in their specialties and are very intelligent. The wealthy man who put the expedition together is also very crafty and determined. He also goes along for the journey. All their equipment is top-notch. But then after they all get together and travel to Antarctica, the suspense starts. The science is incredible. The novel is packed with scientific facts and interesting theories. The research that must have gone into this book was surely extensive and exhaustive.

I’ve read Michael McBride’s books before and this is the best I’ve read to date.

I want to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books/Pinnacle for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely wonderful book to read and enjoy.

Five scientists who specialize in differnt fields are asked to come to Antartica by Hollis Richards. They are each given very little informaiton as to they their presence has been requested, but what they are given entices each of them to drop what they are doing and accept Richard's invitation. Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective with the beginning chapters being dedicated to learning about Richards and the five scientists. As with many thriller/horror books and movies, the beginning has a typical slower pace. There was some scientific gargon that I was not familiar with and was thankful for the dictionary on the Kindle. Once the excitment starts, it is nonstop action above and under the waters of Antartica. While reading this book I was imagining how it would play out on film and I defiently belive this would make a great movie. There are many horror books, but it was nice to read one set in Antartica. I give this book a 3.5 star rating rounding up to 4 stars.

After misshapen skulls, all bearing the same deformity and chromosomal irregularities, are discovered in various locations across the globe, a group of disparate researchers are whisked away to a secret research base in the Antarctic where an even more chilling discovery has been made - one that could redefine what we knew about humanity's origin.

I've only read a few previous titles by Michael McBride, and while each were terrific and exciting in their own way, they did little to prepare me for the scope and scientific depth of Subhuman. I have no idea what McBride's background is like, if he's an active scientific researcher or an armchair enthusiast, or just somebody who is able to distill a heck of a lot of information into a cogent story, but it's clear that a heck of a lot of research on a wide range of issues went into this book. I'm used to McBride's thrilling creature feature horror novellas, like the two Snowblind books, so it was really cool to see him stretch out and get comfortable with material more in the vein of Michael Crichton and James Rollins.

While the attention to science, both weird and otherwise, gets high marks, the characters suffer a bit in comparison. For such a large cast, we hardly get to know anybody over the course of 400-some pages beyond their names and affiliations. We have Roche, a former NSA decryption analyst turned UFO hunter; Jade, a war crimes investigator; Kelly, the seismologist; and Richards, the dude funding the whole excavation and fueled by a UFO sighting in his youth. A few other names are bandied about, but they get even less attention than the primaries. Each of the co-leads get a few nice moments to shine, but I never really found a reason to latch onto them.

Despite the shallow characterizations, there's plenty else happening to keep one's attention. I'm a sucker for horror stories that utilize weather extremes (one of the reasons Snowblind caught my eye, in fact), and the colder the better. Subhuman definitely brings the chills, along with a nifty sense of discovery that culminates in an Alien-like bloodbath that left me grinning. The story is a bit of a slow burn while the stage gets set and all the various pieces of scientific anomalies are put into place, but it's all oh so very worthwhile. For the last 100 pages or so, McBride sets the climax to roller-coaster speed, and things get freaking intense fast!

Subhuman marks the debut of McBride's Unit 51 series, and I'm more than ready for book two. Fans of Rollins's Sigma series (or lapsed fan like me looking for something fresh) would do well to check out this title ASAP.

[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the author in exchange for an honest review.]