Imagine healing instantly from any wound you receive. Imagine not needing food or sleep. Imagine being unstoppable. Would being like this change you at all?
In 1999 in Africa, Richard Draven is on a quest. He is on a search for a species of monkey rumored to have given superior health and healing powers to the Timika tribe. He had been told about this species of monkey by a friend of his who had witnessed what happened to those who were bitten by one of these monkeys.
Genaro, a scientist, tries to play God. For his project, Project Apex, he takes what he considers to be flawed human DNA, improves it with the DNA of these monkeys, and turns it into a virus to be injected as a serum. Now he is ready to try it on volunteers. He has been trying to make the perfect soldier, and with this serum, he believes he has found his answer. Joshua volunteers to be a test subject. He is scared, but he will be the first human to experience what this serum does to his body. The changes take place slowly, but as the days pass, he is healed of anything that was wrong with him. That is awesome, right? But since it is a virus, all it takes is one bite from him to infect others. And if he bit someone, he would be spreading nothing but superior health, right? Wrong.
Those who are infected listen to Joshua, and they do what he says. Joshua and those like him are apparently unstoppable, healing quickly from any wounds. Sleep and food aren’t needed. What could possibly go wrong? To begin with, their rage is becoming uncontrollable. And Joshua looks down on those who are not like him. He believes it is his mission to save the human race and exterminate all those who are inferior. People will have to die, but in his mind, this means the human race will be perfected.
Joshua and those like him become known as “ragers” for the death and destruction they spread. And, so far, no one has been able to stop them. As part of his plan, Joshua attacks Washington, D.C. to take down the U.S. government.
The human race as we know it is in danger of extermination. Is there any way to stop these “ragers” before no sane, rational human is left?
This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page until the last. The horror of what was happening became more terrifying when I realized that there are scientists who play with and try to improve our human DNA.
This is part one of a series, so the story is not finished when the book ends. The next book in the series could be out as soon as March 2016.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you would like your own copy, I have provided an Amazon link below.
Amazon Link: Project Apex
Recommended Articles:
Meat: Uncut – a Review
The Island – a Review
Favorite Sentences:
Eleven days into his expedition, Richard Draven’s skin was a blanket of mosquito bites.
In the still air, the sound of the impact as knuckle connected with skull was sickening, second to the wet watermelon sound as the back of Smithson’s skull smashed into the concrete as he crumbled to the floor.
Draven shifted in his seat, picturing Herman as the nice guy who lures you into his house before chopping you up and feeding you to his pet cat.
In its place was one of those black clad humanoid locusts, saliva dripping from its maw as it hovered next to him, its wings pushing the dry air towards his face.
New Words Learned:
contrails – trails of condensed water from an aircraft or rocket at high altitude, seen as a white streak against the sky
gout – a mass or aggregate of something fluid, sticky, gaseous, or composed of fine particles
situ – situation or position
About the Author:
Michael Bray is a horror / thriller author of more than ten novels. Influenced from an early age by the suspense horror of authors such as Stephen King, Richard Laymon, and Brian Lumley, he started to work on his own fiction, and spent many years developing his style.
With books sold in over forty countries and rights optioned for movie versions of his work, he recently signed with Media Bitch literary agency where he intends to take the next step in his writing career. He currently resides in Leeds, England, with his wife Vikki and daughter Abi.
