This is one creepy book.  What is creepy is that there are people out there trying to take over the world and really won't stop at anything to do it.  They will even kill family members who get in the way.  

I read the book that takes place before this one.  FBI Special Agent James Mason finds that his in-laws are part of a global group that is trying to kill off a major portion of the world's population to "save the world."  The group has its tentacles everywhere-even inside the FBI and most government and law enforcement groups.  Mason has some help that is unorthodox that he can call on.

I enjoyed this book.  It obviously sets up for a third book that promises to be just as creepy and convoluted, but interesting.

Whew! I thought the first book in this series was a whirlwind ride so I wasn't totally surprised when this one began with that same kind of over-the-top energy but I think I'm about worn out with it all after two books. Good plots, yes. Good characters, yes. Good heart thumping action, yes. However, I need a rest and I don't think I'm going to get it from this author. That's okay.

In this story you are going to find a shadowy group perfectly willing to release a virus to cause a pandemic or nerve gas in the middle of a major city. All kinds of motives behind all the violence with the agents from the bureaus who protect the population from these things compromised by moles within those organizations. Who can you trust when you've been burned so many times, when those you love have been killed just because of who you are? Those kinds of feelings run constantly throughout the novels in this series so you feel the depths of the hardship the good guys go through just to fight to save those who need their protection.

This series will continue into a third book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-galley of this novel.

Free ARC from NET GALLEY

Well DESPITE the book killer phrase (anything referencing Jack Reacher) I did read and enjoy the thriller

Mason is a good character in a good story that could translate into an upgraded Bruce Willis action flick.

Overall great thriller

Second book in this techno action thriller series.Can be read without having read the first.The author smartly gives enough background.Well written page turner.#netgalley #st .martinspress

A techno action thriller most fans of the genre will enjoy with its characters being tough and hard to kill. Most enjoyable fun read. Enjoy.

Michael Laurence has written a superb read with The Annihilation Protocol. Well worth the time and a true page turner!

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It was a well written book. I hope to read more books by this author.

Second book in the series, but easily readable with background provided. Lots of facts provided help in the believability of the plot which is well designed and keeps the reader reading.

This is a great read with a complex plot that never slows down. It is apparently Mr Laurence's second novel but will not be his last as he appears to possibly have the talent to become a great author in the genre. The manner in which the author forces the reader down certain paths the plot does not necessitate sometimes twinges ones suspension of belief but the reader never has time to slow down enough to be bothered seriously. It is also hard to get a true measure of the characters as we barely get even a glimpse of their history, character, likes, dislikes, loves, hates, triggers, etc. This inhibits the reader for cheering as much as one might be inclined to do. Still, a good read that places Mr. Laurence on my "Authors to follow" list.
*=yuck **=eh ***=like ****=really like *****=classic

A Long And Complex Mystery

There is lethal nerve gas in the hands of an unknown enemy, but he is not ready to release it. Not yet, not until he has fulfilled his last, dying wish. In this second book of the series, James Mason is tasked with finding and stopping the forces behind the plan to wipe out millions of people in New York City. But first Mason has to find the person behind a series of bizarre murders. Each murder scene has its own element of danger for Mason, who must follow the trail without becoming a victim himself.

If you enjoy learning all of the details and the history behind every action you will love this book. It is well written, a compelling mystery, and there are plenty of surprises. The author describes each scene and underlying historical data in methodical detail, making it a complex and tedious read for anyone, like myself, who likes a fast-paced mystery thriller. I found myself stopping at the end of a chapter and spending my time surfing the internet or scrolling through TV channels looking for something to entertain me before I was able to pick up the book and continue reading.

Thank you Michael Laurence, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book for review.

This is the second book in this series by Michael Laurence. I have not read the first one but this one gave enough background in the first few chapters. It might be fun to go back and read the first one.
This book about a shadowy organization out there with a nerve agent, motivated by greed and ideology. This book is action packed with a lot going on

This writing was particularly good and the story interesting. It was not really my type of book, but the story line kept me reading. If you like action packed – save the world from nefarious people, this series is for you

This was an excellent entrant to this series, and one that potentially allows Laurence to pivot the series a bit if needed. Laurence shows excellent creative work in coming up with some very interesting chemical weapon delivery mechanisms, to the point that I would not be surprised to learn he has drawn the attention of various alphabet soup agencies while researching this book or at least once it publishes and they begin reading it. Interesting use of a long-known-yet-still-not-officially-acknowledged bit of world history to further this saga, and particularly well executed there as well. While I very much hope Laurence is allowed to pursue the initial direction of the series, this book sets up a pivot into a short Black List type tale with much more at stake than that show ever really had going and that pivot could be very nearly as interesting given Laurence's storytelling abilities. Very much recommended.

I had not read the first book in the series, but the second does a pretty good job of summarizing what happens in the first book. The book seemed to be lengthy and detailed in places where I think it could have been shortened a bit. This is a good thriller that reminds me of the movie Live Free or Die Hard. It has a lot of sections that hit home during covid-19 with virtual meetings and advanced technology.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley!

This was intense.
I love the fact that James Rollins was the one who wrote the blurb for the book because I know James from a certain fantasy series he put out years and years ago before I knew he wrote the Sigma books.
There's so much going through my mind right now and I'm writing this from a cell phone so I wont be able to give my full assessment just yet.
This was the second book in a series and also the second book this week ive started with book two on without knowing a thing about the first. Listen, you can jump right into this one. All the information you need is in the second and third chapters. After that it is all go go go. This is a thriller I would recommend to people who like Dan Brown or the Bourne Novels. I will be going back to check out the first book too, because its worth it. This was gripping and exciting.

If you haven't read the first in this series don't worry....this one will make everything clear about the first one.

During this time of COV-19 and all that it entails I was a little skeptical about liking a book having to do with a shadowy organization, chemical weapons and the very real possibility of one of the most devastating nerve gases ever being released over a major U. S city. However I was absorbed from the very beginning.

This book made me think about what is really out there? Who is out there, and what are they capable of researching and developing to harm us instead of help us? What is the motivation? Greed is usually the answer but sometimes ideology contributes to the results and in this case finds its roots deep in history.

This book has a gripping ending and leaves the door open for the next. If I have any criticism I felt the story was too long and could have been pared down some. Other than that a wonderful read.