Mass Effect: Retribution

By: Drew Karpyshyn

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Humanity has reached the stars, joining the vast galactic community of alien species. But beyond the fringes of explored space lurk the Reapers, a race of sentient starships bent on "harvesting" the galaxy's organic species for their own dark purpose. The Illusive Man, leader of the pro-human black ops group Cerberus, is one of the few who know the truth about the Reapers. To ensure humanity's survival, he launches a desperate plan to uncover the enemy's strengths---and weaknesses---by studying someone implanted with modified Reaper technology. He knows the perfect subject for his horrific experiments: former Cerberus operative Paul Grayson, who wrested his daughter from the cabal's control with the help of Ascension project director Kahlee Sanders. But when Kahlee learns that Grayson is missing, she turns to the only person she can trust: Alliance war hero Captain David Anderson.

Together they set out to find the secret Cerberus facility where Grayson is being held. But they aren't the only ones after him. And time is running out. As the experiments continue, the sinister Reaper technology twists Grayson's mind. The insidious whispers grow ever stronger in his head, threatening to take over his very identity and unleash the Reapers on an unsuspecting galaxy.

©2010 BioWare Corp. (P)2010 Tantor

Wonderful! Images Become Real

I can picture it all while listening. I've played the games so it's easy enough. Great fun! Too bad it's only a trilogy.

great for mass effect fans

this one was great because you get an in depth look at what it's like for someone who is going through indoctrination from the reapers. like the other ones this is mostly enjoyable to mass effect fans.

Surprisingly Entertaining

I am not a big consumer of science fiction, but having Mass Effect on the brain after the release of ME3, I picked this book up for a long drive over the weekend. I came away impressed, and quite happy with the depth this book added to the Mass Effect universe without featuring any of the main cast of the Mass Effect games.

Criminal organizations, double-crosses and mad science fit together perfectly in this (relatively) gritty story full of interesting characters with reasonable motivations. I was surprised at how grounded the story was, despite the sci-fi setting.

I didn't listen to Mass Effect: Ascension, the previous chapter of this story, but was able to pick up on the plot and the characters quite easily. While your enjoyment of the story may be enhanced by starting with Ascension, it certainly isn't necessary. That said, a general understanding of the Mass Effect universe is helpful in understanding some of the more complicated political intrigue.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a solid Mass Effect fix when they can't be playing the game. Unlike a few others of this genre (Halo and Gears of War novels), this story held my interest entirely despite (or perhaps even because of) the fact that I wasn't following Commander Shepard, Garrus or Tali, but rather other interesting characters in the universe.

Drew Karpyshyn is great!

Karpyshyn did a great job with developing these characters, and expanding the mass effect universe. Any fan of Mass Effect or Karpyshyn should definitely read this book as well as Revelation and ascension!

play the game, the books add to the experience!

when you finish a game you are always left wanting more. This book fills the void untill the game is released

is there more afterwards?

good 3 book story kept me interested. problem is it just stops at book 3 with nothing else to follow.

pretty good story

story is pretty good. somethings don't follow how it was handled in the previous book. some of the things the protagonist does doesn't seemed earned. still wishing for more books

very interesting

an awesome look into the mass effect world giving us perspectives I didn't even consider (no spoilers)!! great story I listened to this nonstop as much as I could until it was over, great book and of Course great narrating!

Great, just like the game.

it was a great book. Worth it. just like the games. want more of these books.

Just amazing.

This is the best book in the series! The description of the transformation from human to humanoid machine is phenomenal.