Instinct (Chess Team Adventure) [Hardcover]

Jeremy Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chess Team Adventure | Publication Date: April 13, 2010

The high adventure of James Rollins combines with the gripping suspense of Scott Sigler in this second installment in the Jack Sigler Thriller 

A genetic disease known as Brugada Syndrome kills its victims without warning, without symptom. When the President of the United States falls victim to a weaponized and contagious strain of the disease, the Chess Team—King, Queen, Rook, Knight and Bishop—are assigned to protect Sara Fogg, a CDC detective, as she journeys to the source of the new strain: the Annamite Mountains in Vietnam. Surrounded by Vietnam War era landmines, harsh terrain and more than one military force not happy about the return of American boots to the Ho Chi Minh trail, the fight for survival becomes a grueling battle in the humid jungle.

Pursued by VPLA Death Volunteers, Vietnam’s Special Forces unit, the team’s flight through a maze of archaic ruins reveals an ancient secret...a primal secret that may stop the disease from sweeping the globe—even as it threatens both the mission and their lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Robinson's slam-bang second Chess Team thriller (after Pulse) opens in 1995 in Vietnam's Annamite Mountains, where Dr. Anthony Weston, a cryptozoologist, is studying a strange tribe of protohumans. When a pack of the creatures attacks Weston, one of them decides he'd make a tasty snack (he could taste the decaying flesh of some previous meal that clung to its two-inch-long canines). Fourteen years later, Jack Sigler, head of the elite Chess Team, is searching for the source of a deadly plague known as the Brugada syndrome, which has stricken the new U.S. president. Jack (call sign King) and his team members—Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight, Pawn—are soon in Vietnam on the trail of a cure. There they find a vast mountain hideout with a city built of bones. Robinson, who's been criticized for writing stories that are too much like video games, has come up with a wildly inventive yarn that reads as well on the page as it would play on a computer screen. (Apr.)
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Review

Praise for Instinct

“Pulse was a video game in print form, and [Instinct] is a tribute to James Cameron’s film Aliens. Intense and full of riveting plot twists, it is Robinson’s best book yet, and it should secure a place for the Chess Team on the A-list of thriller fans who like the over-the-top style of James Rollins and Matthew Reilly.”
–Booklist

"If you like thrillers original, unpredictable and chock-full of action, you are going to love Jeremy Robinson's Chess Team. Instinct riveted me to my chair."
--Stephen Coonts

"Jeremy Robinson is a fresh new face in adventure writing and will make a mark in suspense for years to come."
–David L. Golemon, New York Times bestselling author of Ancients and Leviathan

"Instinct is a jungle fever of raw adrenaline that goes straight for the jugular."
--Thomas Greanias, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlantis Revelation and The Promised War

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; First Edition edition (April 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312540299
• ISBN-13: 978-0312540296
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #762,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JEREMY ROBINSON is the author of numerous novels including PULSE, INSTINCT, and THRESHOLD the first three books in his exciting Jack Sigler series, which is also the focus of and expanding series of co-authored novellas deemed the Chesspocalypse. Robinson also known as the #1 Amazon.com horror writer, Jeremy Bishop, author of THE SENTINEL and the controversial novel, TORMENT. His novels have been translated into ten languages. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children. For more visit Jeremy at: www.jeremyrobinsononline.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Thrilling Adventure for the Chess Team!, April 18, 2010

By 

David B. Wood (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Instinct (Chess Team Adventure) (Hardcover)

Jeremy Robinson is one of those authors who, simply put, writes books I want to read, and Instinct is no exception. Instinct includes just about all the things I enjoy in a thriller: an exotic setting, a compelling mystery, creepy creatures, suspense, and action galore! Pulse was good, but Instinct is better. Chess Team is carving out a niche for itself alongside the likes of the Event Group, Sigma Force, and NUMA. If you like James Rollins, Michael Crichton, or Matthew Reilly, give Robinson a try. You won't regr

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Author that Rewards His Readers, May 6, 2010

By 

Jake Chism (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Instinct (Chess Team Adventure) (Hardcover)

The President of the United States is the most protected man in the world, at least that's what President Tom Duncan thought. All pretense of security vanishes when he falls victim to a weaponized strain of Brugada Syndrome, a genetic disease that kills without warning. To make matters worse, it seems the President is just the beginning. Brugada will soon wipe out the world's population if a cure can't be found.

Enter the Chess Team, a Special Forces unit that is the best of the best. King, Queen, Rook, Knight, and Bishop have fought their fair share of enemies, but none as deadly as this silent killer. They are quickly dispatched to the jungles of Vietnam where this new strain originated. CDC agent Sarah Fogg joins the team as they traverse the rugged terrain in search of a cure. Standing in their way are the Vietnamese Special Forces who will stop at nothing to wipe them out. Unfortunately for the Chess Team, these VPLA Death Volunteers are the least of their worries. An ancient darkness is lurking and waiting to destroy them all.

Jeremy Robinson is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers and Instinct only furthers the cause. Our heroes from the Chess Team are back in grand style and in true Robinson fashion, the action and the thrills never let up. The jungles of Vietnam are the perfect backdrop for this all out fight for survival. Just when we think the environment couldn't be more grueling and lethal, we're treated to an ancient underworld that adds a creepy, yet fun dimension to the story.

Instinct is pure escapist fiction, the kind of novel that you love to get lost in. Jeremy Robinson sets out to entertain and he does so wonderfully, giving us a well researched plot laced with top notch action sequences. After reading Pulse I wanted to see the main characters fleshed out more, and I did walk away from this installment feeling like I had a better feel for each member of the Chess Team.

I was surprised at a major reveal in only the second book of this series, but on the other hand it's refreshing to know that Jeremy Robinson is proving to be an author that rewards his readers. This reveal has the potential to really make for some intriguing storylines and I can't wait to see what's next. In the end, we're also left with a nice little surprise that will leave fans hungry for more.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jeremy Robinson is FAST becoming one of my Don't-Miss Authors, April 20, 2010

By 

Jeff Edwards "RadioJeff" (Twin Falls, Idaho) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Instinct (Chess Team Adventure) (Hardcover)

For fans of Jeremy Robinson, this is one to really savor and enjoy--even though you'll feel nearly out-of-breath once you finish it. The follow-up to the Chess Teams first adventure (Pulse) has absolutely EVERYTHING that made me LOVE that book plus much more. In NO WAY does 'Instinct' suffer from the dreaded 'Sophomore Curse' that many authors seem to experience when writing a sequel...in fact, I would go so far to say that in EVERY way does this book improve upon the original. Seriously.

First off, it has the key ingredients to a fan of Action/Adventure novels, first and foremost being a fantastic plot. Jeremy steps confidently outside the box with an attack on the President of the United States in an assassination attempt which is decidedly carried out in a very different manner. 'Instinct' has a very familiar *feel* to it, while being entirely original (if that makes any sense). Let me explain: if you are a fan of Jack Du Brul, James Rollins or Michael Crichton's works, you will feel right at home here with the Chess Team.

The investigation into the jungles of Vietnam and the subsequent bloodbath that ensues is quite a journey worth taking. Suffice it to say that Jeremy has telegraphed that the Chess Team suffers deeply in 'Instinct' and he was NOT saying that lightly--and NO I will NOT reveal anything further regarding this fact. Lets just say that the action is NEVER far away from any given page and the creativity with the plotting is, well, lets just say this reviewer was impressed--especially considering what he's written in the past (ALL great, by the way). There is a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief involved here, but I'd wager that the majority of people who pick up 'Instinct' are already well aware of that, so no worries there--however if you love your adventure novels to have the 'Tom Clancy' ring of truth to each and every single page, well, I'd think again. For those up to a fantastic whirlwind tale of action mingling with a careful and VERY creative dose of sci fi, you definitely have something fun to look forward to.

In short: Open. Read. Enjoy. Repeat. (you're welcome)