Antibodies

The X-Files, Book 5

By: Kevin J. Anderson

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Don't miss this thrilling book in the series based on the Emmy Award-winning television show The X-Files!

When a disease-ravaged body is found in the smoldering ruins of the federally funded DyMar genetic research lab, Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully fear that a deadly, manmade plague is on the loose. As the FBI agents investigating the X-Files - cases the bureau has deemed unsolvable - Mulder and Scully pursue the truth wherever it leads, even into the labyrinthine corridors of the FBI...and beyond.

Racing to contain the lethal virus before it can spread, Mulder and Scully make a chilling discovery. Before his death, Dr. David Kennessy, a hotshot cancer researcher at DyMar, had been experimenting with a promising but highly dangerous technology: microscopic biomachines that can cure any disease and heal any wound. In theory this research could be a miracle cure, perhaps even a doorway to immortality. It was also the only way Dr. Kennessy could save his leukemia-stricken son.

But when a second corpse turns up, savagely mutilated from within, it's anything but theoretical. Could machines created to cure have learned to kill? Scrambling for answers, Mulder and Scully are opposed at every step by faceless enemies with all the resources of the government - even perhaps of their own agency - at their command. These enemies will stop at nothing to ensure that the secret of immortality falls into the right hands - their hands.

As sinister forces close in, Scully fights to save the life of an innocent boy while Mulder comes face to face with a crazed and desperate man - a man whose slightest touch brings agonizing death and perhaps a resurrection more horrible still.

©2015 Kevin J. Anderson (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

good two parter

most x files like story so far in the series. seems like it would have made a good two part episode. still feel the same way about the narrator though. good for narration, but not good for acting out the characters. even characters that we all know and love and know how they should sound like (not looking for a perfect impression, but at least I want to hear the right intonation and speech pattern), but this guy just doesn't cut it.

Xfiles

I loved it, didn't think it would be as good as it was. read it

I like a sci-fi and distrust the government

Right up my alley. X files is a classic. The scary thing is that a lot of these stories probably actually happen, we just don’t know as a general public. Enjoy! If someone comes to you with their face all slimy, cross the street and walk away.

Very nicely done

This certainly seemed like it could have been an episode of the show. It's funny though, how Scully keeps getting glimpses of the impossible and still clings to the old "if I can't see it, it can't be real" mentality.

Really really good

As entertaining to listen to as watching the show. If you're looking for a good story. This is the one

4.5/5 stars

4.5/5 Stars Antibodies by Kevin J. Anderson
The X-Files Book 5
Narrated by Patrick Lawlor
Run Time: 7 hrs and 48 mins
Summary: Is it a miracle cure or a deadly plague? This tale sets Mulder and Scully frantically searching the backwoods of Oregon to find a young boy and his mother who might be in grave danger.

Additional Comments:
- Nanotechnology is always fascinating, especially in an X-Files book, where it’s sure to wreck all sorts of havoc.
- This story might have a hair more action than the other books in the series.
- I enjoyed the pursuit of Jody and his mother.
- Have to love that the dog’s name is Vader.
- There are fun vestiges of sneaky government agencies within agencies. Have to appreciate the classic conspiracy vibes all over this one.
- Still a little weird to have the books feel so dated even though they’re scifi and paranormal.

Conclusion:
I forgot how much I loved this show (at least the first 6 seasons). Great series.

Definitely felt like an X-files episode

This story felt basically spot on for an episode or run of episodes. Fun, and very much worth the read.

Enjoyed

The experience of listening to this audiobook was similar to listening to an action packed comic book being read. A fun ride, and a part of the Audible Plus catalog.

Spoilers ahead

The build up and general mystery surrounding the "nano-critters", the deaths, and miraculous recoveries of characters was fun and interesting. I am no where near approaching a scientist of any discipline so I can't comment on any accuracies or inaccuracies, but I found the explanations generally engaging. My main issue with the story is what I consider to be a rushed and sloppy ending concerning them.

Suddenly, in the last ten or minutes, Scully and Mulder take Jodie to the hospital and after some tests, it's discovered that his critters have just disappeared. All of the sudden he basically says "Oh yeah. My dad said my critters would turn off after I was healed" or something to that affect. To my recollection, it's not mentioned anywhere else that Jodie's critters were altered or that that would happen. It felt like the author just did that so the kid could have a somewhat "normal life" because he's a kid I guess. That's slightly undercut however with the return of Vader though. I wasn't happy that it was implied that he died because I love a good boy, but it made sense for the "normal life" ending. However in the last like, minute or two he comes back out of no where! So, why did Jodie need to be spontaneously cured and "critter-free"? What happens with Scully and her reasoning is also a bit infuriating.

Mulder and Scully are characterized very faithfully in this book. I could always just picture them actually having these conversations in the show (of which I am a massive fan). If you know Scully, you know she's a skeptic, but here it's a bit ridiculous. She SAW Jodie fully heal from a gunshot to one of his lungs and likely his heart. All she, as a doctor, was able to do for him was to try to staunch his bleeding. After a bit, he wakes up and his bullet hole has a new patch of skin over it and the bullet gets pushed out of his back. She finds the bullet! Later when the critters are gone, she just kinda thinks "Well maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe it just went through and through." Like what?! He would still need medical attention and recovery time. It baffled me that she was written to be THAT skeptical.

Overall, I liked most of the book, but the ending just absolutely stunned and baffled me.

Meet the CREATURE...

“AntiBodies” is a tightly constructed X-file that calmly reveals increasingly scary events as Scully & Mulder methodically track down the creation & escape of a monstrous ’mutation-plague' that could transform the human race into inhuman-mutations too hideous to look at without loosing a grip on your sanity.

However, that’s not the worst part... this 'mutation-plague' isn't just changing organic things like test-animals & human-subjects, it'll also infect the structure of ...well, of everything!

These mini-molecular-mighty-mite-machines cold take apart the very atomic-structure of the planet... and do it in only 2 or 3 days!
( The real bad news is it's true. Look it up. The “Grey Goo” theory is a hypothetical global catastrophic scenario involving molecular nanotechnology. )

Our dynamic duo has to race against time as well as a psychopathic ’shadow-agency' to find patient zero-human who’s infected and still alive... although, turns out to be a 'funny thing', see this 'mutation-plague' doesn't really care if your 'dead' or not. It’s created a nightmare monster that no known weapon will put down… permanently.
Boy, isn’t science just wonderful?

Yeah, now Mulder & Scully really have to believe, in each other… or it’s all over.