Project Maigo: A Kaiju Thriller

Jeremy Robinson delivers again. Crazy action and awesome description of characters and sequences. the Kaiju he came up with were insane.

Project Nemesis was my second foray into the mind of Jeremy Robinson’s fiction. It forewent the ominous feeling of isolation and mystery that came with Island 731’s slower narrative, and instead went with an over-the-top approach with an emphasis on kaiju films and its surrounding popular culture. It was a solid novel that was unfortunately plagued with a slew of issues. I praised its original take on the kaiju genre, yet I wasn’t impressed by its lackluster characterization and world-building. While some of the previous issues still prevent the sequel from reaching greatness, it’s still a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, and one fans of the original are certain to enjoy.First off, there’s a noticeable improvement with the protagonist Jon Hudson is utilized in the story. I found him to be an extremely underwhelming character in the first book with little to no defining characteristics to make him memorable. Robinson tried making him more nuanced by adding a degree of humor to his character, yet it wasn’t enough in my opinion to make Hudson truly flourish as an interesting protagonist. Fortunately, this has changed in the sequel. Whereas Jon was the underdog in the first book, often laughed at by his peers in the government and treated as a joke; now he has a vast amount of discretion and responsibility in regards to protecting the United States against future kaiju attacks. It’s a welcome evolution for his character since it places him in a position of power and authority; yet he is also heavy burdened with all of the responsibilities and potential consequences that come with it. No longer the underdog, he is now the sole figure everyone is looking towards for guidance in dealing with a threat that even Hudson can barely comprehend, let alone know how to stop entirely. This also helps the series’ world-building since the FS-P now has an actual justification for existing. In the last book, there was no reason to have an office that specializes in hunting down paranormal threats since up to that point, the federal government had no logical reason to believe any of them even existed. Yet with the events of the first book, the FS-P is now center-stage as the brains against combating the kaiju menace. I only wish that the FS-P was created in response to the events of the first book and introduced in Project Maigo, rather than starting off as the unjustified laughing stock that it was.The rest of the characters are just as mixed as before. A major complaint I had with the first book was the incredibly cliché and underdeveloped romance that sprung up instantly between Hudson and Collins. This is where the first book’s problems continue to sink into the sequel, since the relationship between these two is just as cookie-cutter as ever. I still like Collins as a character, I just don’t care for the romance between her and Hudson. It’s akin to being told that they love one another, rather than actually feeling that they do. On a more positive note, Endo is easily one of the better characters in the series. Between his past association with General Gordon, and his current employment by the Zoomb Corporation, it’s never clear where his loyalties lie in the greater scheme of things. Just like Hudson and the rest of the FC-P, you’ll be constantly questioning his loyalties and whether or not he can be trusted. Yet like any kaiju film, the star of the book is Nemesis and the moral ambiguity she brings to the table. Is she humanity’s destroyer, protector, or something else altogether? Couple this with her tragic origin story and you have a very compelling character. It’s her actions and god-like presence that convey her intentions far greater than any words ever could.Pacing, the double-edged sword of the first book is back with the same pros and cons. Like before, if you enjoy a fast-paced narrative that feels like a nonstop roller-coaster ride then you’re in luck, for this hasn’t changed in the sequel, for better or worse. As was the previous case with Project Nemesis, due to the pacing being so fast and urgent, the characters are given minimal, if any moments to slow down, smell the roses, and go through some level of development. There isn’t any moments where a character undergoes some manner of personal growth, or discovers some kind of epiphany that changes who they are as a person, or how they act. What you see from the very beginning is what you get to the very end. In fact, the little character-development that is actually present within the book actually occurs during time-cuts and transitions, with Hudson merely reflecting upon it like a past memory. I would have much preferred to have experienced these moments firsthand, rather than simply being told they exist.Some serious praise must once again be given to artist Matt Frank for illustrating both the old, and new kaiju in such an impressive manner. I once again found myself taking pictures of the illustrations with my phone in order to return to them as a reference. I didn’t want my own mental interpretation, I wanted the artist’s legitimate interpretation and I wasn’t disappointed. I particularly loved the artwork of Typhon and Scylla; each of whom remind me of Attack on Titan and Pacific Rim particularly.It concludes with an absolutely jaw-dropping climax that sets the pages ablaze with nonstop energy that truly needs to be seen to be believed. Overall, Project Maigo is definitely a step above its predecessor, yet it unfortunately does suffer from many of the same issues that plagued the first book. While characterization is somewhat improved in certain areas; many of the characters are likable, yet underwhelming at best. Robinson needs to step on the brakes for the third book and give these characters some time to breath. In this regard, the book reads much like a summer blockbuster movie. It’s loud and in your face; it isn’t particularly deep or nuanced, yet it demands your attention and is a blast to experience from start to finish.

The direct sequel to Project Nemesis. In This we see where things are for Jon Hudson and his small team ar Fusion Center-Paranormal in the aftermath of Nemesis introduction and rampage in the first book. In the previous installment Fusion center-P is pretty much the joke of the Department of Home security, naturally this image changes dramatically after Nemesis.If you read the previous book, and spoilers right here if you haven't, at the End General Gordon is still alive and took on a more monstrous form thanks to the heart from Nemesis transplanted into hos body. He also found some eggs in the Chamber they found the original Nemesis body (the Nemesis the book follows is a hybrid clone of the original creature and a murdered girl named Maigo). And at the end he had the hatched creature make a snake out of a poor hiker in the area. In this one the kids have grown up, rather quickly, in the moths after the first book. And there rampage makes up most of the plot of the book as Gordon mentally commands his "children" to attack those he thinks wronged him, including Jon Hudson.Endo, Gordon old subordinate in first novel, is back as well. The company he works for now has made a device they think can let them control a human being mentally, and now they want to try this with nemesis. Jon is the candidate for the controller thanks to the connection seemingly formed between him and nen=mesis at the climax of the first book. Although this does let him have a short, if slightly mind opening, contact with Nemesis/Maigo.Over all I believe this is a good book. It is well paced, the characters are nicely developed. Although I should point out the author does bring in a couple of characters from another novel of his entitled Island 731. The author's own webpage list it as "Book 0" in the Kaiju Hunter series making it a prequel though it stars somebody else entirely. Also the third book in the series is called Project 731 so I'm going to have to read book 0 first I'm sure because there probably I'll be able to understand and get by doing so. But getting back to the other characters I mentioned, they don't have a big a role in this book and Jeremy Robinson provides enough back story for them so you don't really need to read Book 0 to enjoy this, and he probably does this for Project 731 as well. But the idea behind one character from there, I won't say who, does kinda make you want to go back and read it for yourself.So if you're a fan of the giant monster genre and need a fix this would be a good option.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I can enjoy both detailed and complex books (Banks, Brin) and I can simply scream with delight at line 'am up and know 'em down fast movers like the Nemesis series.I read the first book in paperback form a long while back, but enjoyed this so much better as the characters, quirky but we'll rounded, become more familiar. I am not a monster fan, but you don't have to be to appreciate this book.Go on, but it. You'll have a blast!!

A thrilling story that I couldnt put down until I'd read the last page.

loved nemesis and couldn't wait to get started on the next instalment, which in turn was a cracking read. have read all Jeremy's kaiju books including island 731, now pondering on the next set of his novels.

Its been awhile since i read the first one I'd forgot how much i enjoy this type of book and I'm glad to say the second one did not disappoint.

Brilliant follow on, wish there was more books in this series. A truely epic book with a stunning story. Bring back nemisis