The focus of my blog is to review book series and not individual novels. But writers are going to continue writing novels within a series even after I have done my review, so I plan on reviewing the individual novels as they come into circulation.   Michael C. Grumley has just recently added book #4, Ripple to the Breakthrough series.

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Michael C. Grumley has created a rather unusual scifi/technothriller series which focuses on technology that is similar to the ‘universal translator’ that is used in numerous science fiction works including the likes of Star Trek. Grumley’s translator doesn’t translate humanoid languages but instead the language of any cognitive species. The series, so far, has used the translator, which is referred to as IMIS, to communicate between dolphins and gorillas, but there is indication in this most recent addition to the series, Ripple, that the abilities of the IMIS will be expanded as the series continues.

Ripple is a continuation of the previous book Catalyst. There are three plots going on at the same time in Ripple; Li Na Wei, the only human that has been exposed to a ‘specialized’ bacteria, is trying to escape from her pursuers and get out of China; a team is investigating the alien ship at the bottom of the ocean near Trinidad; and yet another team is investigating something interesting in the jungles of Rwanda. Bottom line is there is whole lot of action with good guys, bad guys, and some interesting technology to boot. If you like animals, aliens, and fascinating technology then I think that Ripple and the Breakthrough series will be for you. Though it is not necessary to read the whole series first, it is necessary to read Catalyst beforehand.

To learn more about the series check out the Breakthrough series.