Product Description
Number-one New York Times-bestselling author and master of the medical thriller Robin Cook returns with another heart-pounding story of medical intrigue.

"Cook can write up a storm and spin a taut tale...a master." - Kirkus Reviews

With her young son's potentially fatal neuroblastoma in complete remission, New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery returns to work at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, where she's been employed for more than two decades. Worried about whether she still has what it takes after so much time away, Laurie finds her first case back to be a dangerous puzzler of the highest order, involving organized crime and two start-up bio-tech companies caught in a zero- sum game.Against the advice of her colleagues and her husband, fellow medical examiner Jack Stapleton, Laurie is determined to solve the mystery the case comes to represent.

Satoshi Machita, a former Kyoto University researcher, is set to own a valuable patent controlling pluripotent stem cells, which are destined to spark a trillion-dollar industry of regenerative medicine. When he dies on a crowded New York subway platform, Laurie must decide whether his death was natural - or something more fiendish.

Behind the scenes, there are people who would like to see Laurie as far away from the investigation as possible. Despite threats against her, Laurie presses on, until threats are carried out against the person she loves most in the world: her son, JJ.Suddenly Laurie must face solving the crime - and saving her son's life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Another good book but not a great one
I really enjoy Cook's books but this one had a very abrupt ending. He had gone into great detail about the gangs and their rules and logistics but the end of the book they were'n't even mentioned, what happened to the tech helping Laurie??? What happened to how the people at iPS were going to do?? There was no answers on who was going to be charged with the massacre of the victims family. Too many strings not pulled together.

Extremely pedestrian writing
I haven't read Robin Cook since Coma, and won't again after this.It's surprising that an author so prolific who has written for so long could still write with such drudgery and plodding detail.The prose is absolutely plodding, with unnecessarily repeated phrases and explanations and far too many points of view to allow the reader to keep track of the characters.Oddly, even with all those POVs, the characters sound alike; their dialogue all sounds the same, from a Yakuza "psycho" to a Mafia capo to a New York cop to a well-educated medical examiner.Many obvious things are pointed out with painful pedestrian devices and it's tough to stay interested.I'm about halfway through the book and staying with it only to see if it gets better, which at this point I know it won't.Only extreme masochism can explain my actions, but perhaps there's enough literary skill to make me want to find out how it ends.Hence the single star.

One of the worst....
I think this had three different plots going on, one at the beginning, changing in the middle and then ending with a kidnapping?It was completely ridiculous.

"I sense that ...."
I enjoy Robin Cook's works and I've read all of his books.I like Jack and Laurie.But the dialogue in this book is just awful.People just don't TALK the way they do in this novel.The Chinese street thugs use grammar you'd expect from ... well, actually, practically no one.

No father whose child has been kidnapped would ever say he'd be playing basketball now if it weren't for this "ongoing tragedy." Ongoing tragedy??!

People in this book don't say, talk, feel, etc.: they "sense."

The story thus far is interesting enough (though I agree with others that the background dragged on in the beginning a lot).But Mr. Cook really needs to work on his dialogue in the future.

Totally Boring and a Real Disappointment
I normally love Robin Cook's medical thrillers, but this one, so full of Japanese names and words I can't pronounce and don't even want to deal with, is so boring so far I can't even get into it.In fact, I actually skipped almost all of the prologue because it was putting me to sleep, and I just wanted to get to chapter one and Dr. Laura Montgomery.

So far I'm barely into the first chapter and keep putting the book down out of boredom.All I care about are the medical aspects of his novels, and this one is a major disappointment so far.

Organized crime and turf wars aren't my thing and in my opinion they ruin this book

Had I borrowed this book from the library rather than having bought the hardcover, I wouldn't even read any further.

I cannot recommend this book.

... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling author Robin Cook returns with another ripped-from-the- headlines thriller, as New York City medical detective Jack Stapleton investigates the promises-and deadly risks-of alternative medicine and is led deep into the heart of a religious conspiracy... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (100)

Interesting
This was picked for one of our book club books. We enjoyed it for the most part. It was pretty predictable and there were so many holes left.

Robin Cook is clearly fresh out of ideas
... and even those ideas he does have these days are half-baked and poorly executed.

The first half of INTERVENTION (and, for my money, far and away the better half of the book) is an extended diatribe against alternative medicines and therapies such as acupuncture and homeopathy. In particular, Robin Cook, as an MD, clearly has some serious issues with chiropractic medicine.

The story starts with some promise as his returning favourite character, Jack Stapleton, New York City medical examiner, conducts a one man epidemiological study of vertebral artery dissections ostensibly caused by, shall we say, overly aggressive chiropractic cervical manipulations. Whether or not Robin Cook's obvious rant against chiropractic medicine is fundamentally sound is not for me to judge but, I will say, that as the foundation for a medical thriller, it had definite bite to it and was coming up in roses at around the halfway point of the book. That is, it was until Stapleton (or was it, in fact, Robin Cook) decided that the public so wanted to believe in the efficacy of alternative therapies that they simply wouldn't accept any efforts to shut them down or bring them under more serious regulation. And, that was all she wrote ... poof, end of plot-line, end of story, dropped like the proverbial hot potato and this poor reader was left with his jaw hanging slackly asking "Wha' happen?".

I guess that one didn't work out so it was onto plot line #2 and we'll see how that goes!

In this part, Robin Cook attempts an excursion deep into science vs religion territory in which he works with an archaeologist friend who claims to have discovered the bones of the Virgin Mary in a crypt underneath the Vatican. The story ends on a ridiculous, completely ambiguous note surrounding the miraculous cure of his son's neuroblastoma but, like the first half of the book, no real plot resolution is ever reached.

So what did these two ideas have to do with one another and how were the two threads united into a single story? Good question indeed! So far as I could see the answer is, "Nothing at all!" to the first question and "They weren't!" to the second question. So what we really have here is two exceptionally poorly executed vast ideas butted together to form (dare I say it?) a half-vast whole which is an utter waste of precious reading time and a sad testament to the thriller writer who can probably lay claim to the foundation of the medical thriller genre. Hang up those spurs, Mr Cook, and retire with dignity. I can't imagine you need the money!

Not recommended.

Paul Weiss

What is our direction, please?
A standard dictionary defines intervention as "an influencing force or act that occurs in order to modify a given state of affairs." The problem with Robin Cook's latest novel "Intervention" is that the term could apply to at least three "given state of affairs." So, which is it? One? All? Is it fair to make the reader guess? Isn't that what writers do? Granted, yes, but something is just off with this book.

Jack and Laurie Stapleton, the lead characters in a series of his medical thrillers, finally have a baby, only to learn a month after the birth that he has neuroblastoma, no, make that high-risk neuroblastoma, a potentially deadly tumor-laden condition. Now add the thread of the discovery (maybe) of the Virgin Mary's bones and there's a potential "intervention." For surely, DNA would be extracted from Mary to inject into the baby for an immediate cure. No way, this is not the intervention. This possibility was never suggested.

Oh? How would the discoverer of the bones and father of the baby connect? It just happens that they were best friends in college. Add this coincidence: the third in the triumvirate of best friends is a cardinal of the Catholic Church, who will be directly affected if the announcement is made that the bones belong to Mary. Problem? The Church declared that Mary ascended directly into heaven, both soul AND body--there should be NO bones!

The archaeologist wants to publish his fabulous findings; the Cardinal wants them hushed (if the assertion is true). Each wants Jack to intervene to convince the other of his stance. Jack becomes involved because he needs an intervention to take his mind off the horrible condition of his son and the depressing atmosphere at home.

Everything is just too convenient, even for a reader who allows an author much leeway for imaginative, even fanciful plotting. But this? I felt jerked this way, then that way. I finished the book to see what happened, but I won't read any more Robin Cook novels. In fact, the one I read prior to this was Foreign Body, a story about medical tourism in India--and a really weak novel.

To be fair, some of Cook's earlier novels were excellent, even provocative stories, with my favorite Chromosome 6. Now there was a story!

I was disappointed
After reading Robin Cook novels many years ago, sitting by the pool, enjoying a good trash novel, I was excited to pick up this book in a bargain bin on my way to the airport.
Thinking I could relax and enjoy for a few hours, I was extremely disappointed in how lazy the author has become in writing a novel. Boring rants, the storyline languishes almost
to the end. I was so bored. I finished it and it had a bit of a surprise twist at the end but this Robin Cook is not the old Robin Cook where I couldn't wait to finish the book. I guess
age and success does that to an author.

One of The Worst Books I Have Listened To!!!
I am usually a Robin Cook fan but I have to say this has to be one of the worst books I have ever listen to. No mystery, no intrigue no NOTHING! If I could have thrown it out the car window without getting a ticket for littering I would have done it. I would tell anyone to run away from this book without hesitation because I don't know why I even finished it. I guess after 5 CDs I needed to see what the outcome was. Terribly disappointed and really feel ripped off by the author. I usually do a research here at Amazon to see what most people think but it was on sale at Costco and I went and bought it site unseen. Bad mistake on my part. I never really understood where the author was going with it, there were many possibilities to turn this into a good medical mystery but all he seem to do was bash medical alternatives. Doctors are far from perfect and they make many mistakes, I should know since I work in the medical field. I like a good story no matter if it makes sense or not but this one just fell flat on it's face and never got up! ... Read more

Product Description
Robin Cook's explosive novel of a doctor accused of malpractice-a fugitive on the run who pierces the heart of a shocking medical conspiracy.

A real grabber.(Los Angeles Times)

Truly exciting.(Associated Press) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Game of life and death played by some sick, twisted people
I've read Robin Cook books since I was a teenager and this really reminds me of those great vintage Cooks I used to gobble up back then. Once I discovered him I was completely immersed in the world of medical thrillers, surprisingly they make for great reads, if you like books, have a bit of interest in science that is easy to understand, no worries about fancy jargon, then look no further, once you start this genre it's hard to stop.

The main character is a good guy with a bit of bad luck that turns against him in the worst way possible. Anesthesia isn't fast or easy, but when a healthy, young pregnant patient suffers from a grand mal seizure and dies, all eyes are on you. Jeffrey was having one of those days, the worst thing possible happens on a day that sends shock waves through all the layers of his life, in a moment everything seemed to collapse and not only is there a death, but punishment that will follow, both leave Jeffrey a man on the run. He decides to do the opposite of what is supposed to happen, he goes out to prove his innocence and earn back his freedom. Taking a huge risk, he dodges the law and in turn is followed by a nasty bounty hunter who gives him the worst chases of his life but only to find an enemy so weird, evil and cold hearted that his freedom suddenly seems a higher price to pay than he could have imagined. The book starts and doesn't stop, the thrills, chases, close calls, some funny moments and plenty of suspense kept me glued to the story, it was hard not to read it, once started it begged to be completed.

Reading this book was a lot of fun, just when I thought that Jeffrey had it hard, something else would come barging in, shaking up everything making me say things out loud. Fast and fun, it really is what good reading is all about, taking a trip somewhere, being taken prisoner and left breathless until the ending finally releases you exhausted but ready for more.

- Kasia S.

Love Robin Cook
If you love medical mysteries, Robin Cook is always a good choice.The only drawback at this point is that it was written in the 80's

The beginning and the middle better than the end
The often read Robin Cook's books but find myself continually disappointed with the endings.Stories open full of opportunity, compelling medical details and controversy, yet close with limited or simplistic resolution.Eight books on and I am still awaiting an ending which is as compelling as the beginning.Harmful Intent was no different, the anaesthesia logs, the bounty hunters and the hiding.But then, almost as if the ideas ran out, the book was over with the doctors playing happy families in a resolution which is not worthy of the thought and development impeded in the beginning.The will continue to read Robin Cook's books as I find them full of a community of protagonists I can identify with, however, I will continue to await an ending which equals the creativity of the concept on which the book is based.

Quick paced
I find it hard to put the book down. Robin Cook again used his great skill of mixing humor with suspense.

Wow, what a great story!
There's crooks and then there's real deviousness in white collar crime.This is one ride you won't forget.Think about what Shakespeare said about lawyers, not to mention the Bible.Scary story, but as always, Cook takes you for a great ride. ... Read more

Product Description
The master of the medical thriller returns with his most heart-pounding tale yet.

Unabridged CD - 14 CDs, 16 hours ... Read more

Customer Reviews (100)

Plodding prose, boring and tedious
I've read all of Robin Cook's books over the years.Each new novel gets more and more tedious and difficult to make my way through.Too much descriptive prose, not enough action.Dr. Cook has lost his way and his cutting-edge talent.

I stopped reading this one after the first hundred pages.What a waste of time and effort!

, George GuidallReads Marker
I did not know until a minute ago when I checked out the appropriate place to write the review that this is one of eight books Cook has written about the couple featured in Marker. Over the years I have occasionally picked up one of his books to read, there are over forty of them, but not another inthis series. Simply means I cannot judge how this stands in an ongoing saga.
I suppose a hit author has to fill a certain number of pages to justify the prices charged for the hard cover edition. However, I did not read but rather listened to the performance in the audio book byone of the stars of the genre, George Guidall. He does a good job with a book that, from my point of view, could have done with a good deal less of he-she stuff, which would have brought it down to a reasonable length. I also could have done without the rather lengthy "solution" which, as usual, is a platform for one or another of Cook's takes on contemporary medical practice, public health or some similar topic.
Despite these reservations, I believe Guidall's performance and the action features of the book, will prove entertaining to the average reader, who will find interest in the world of medical practice and malpractice. Some will undoubtedly be drawn by the dilemma of conflicting desires for career and family; and for the man's hesitation for a second time, to take on responsibility for home and family after anunhappy ending to his first effort in that direction.
As for the underlying rationale for the action; one can take it or leave it since it is laid out in an easily forgotten tag end.

Another amazing mystery in Cook's collection
I love Robin Cook's ability to create characters which feel like friends.Laurie Montgomery is one of those characters.As the heroine of this little story Laurie employs intelligence, science, and unfaltering compassion and dedication to her work and her life.Then she falls under the crosshairs of a ruthless serial killer.

A series of questionable deaths catches her attention from the morgue where she begins an independent investigation.Victims of varying ages admitted to hospitals for routine procedures are appearing in the city morgue much earlier than they should be.Her list of suspects grows much longer when she discovers the series of murders spans two hospitals instead of one.

Jack Stapleton, her confidant, lover, and coworker is left to piece together her clues and discover the meaning behind the murders.Will he be in time to save her though?

Balancing the mystery with the Manhattan Medical Examiner's world is the tenuous relationship Jack and Laurie share.Forced to accept Jack's reluctance to commit to a permanent relationship, Laurie also discovers a frightning medical condition of her own.Cook even sets the story in the real life horror of medical coverage and insurace rates.

As with all of Cook's novels there is unusual coincidence and circumstance that makes the outcome a little extraordinary.Still with the characters, setting, and plot, Cook's writing serves his fans well.I definitely enjoyed this book.Robin Cook's readers will too.

Fast Pace - That's all I need. Loved It
I love it, when at the end of a day's work, on my way back home I have pleasant thoughts of a good book thatawaits for me back at home (beside my the dear wife) .
This book is a good example of such pleasure.

Mark it an A+
THE SETUP
Medical examiner Lori Montogomery observes the unexplained death of a number of healthy young patients and suspects a serial killer.In a converging storyline, Lori breaks up with fellow medical examiner Jack Stapleton over his inability to commit to the relationship.That's the setup.

COMMENTS--contains spoilers
The premise that a for-profit medical company is behind the deaths to reduce costs is implausible--mostly because such savings would be hypothetical and in the distant future.Such a scheme might be plausible if the cost savings was assured and in the immediate future.

THE VERDICT
This is one of the best Cook novels.The characters are few, and the "good guys" are appealing, and well characterized.The plot is fast-paced, captivating, relatively straightforward, albeit predictable.The resolution is satisfying. ... Read more

Product Description
A brillant cancer researcher discovers his daughter is a victim of leukemia resulting from a chemical plant conspiracy that not only promises to kill her, but will destroy his career if he tries to fight it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Too many details?
I must admit to primarily being an action suspense fan.This book is suspenseful but perhaps a little too detailed for me.Some may like to know exactly how someone is dressed down to a hand-tied bow tie, but not me.There's a lot of medical detail which bored me a little.Although the protagonist was obnoxious,that was okay since it was the author's choice to make the guy like that.It did take awhile for things to really get interesting for me, but I like lot's of action.There were more personality studies in this book that I'm used to. The characters were all believable as was the story line.There wasn't any way-out fantasy stuff that defied credulity.I will probably read another Robin Cook book sometime when I need a break from the usual genre that I read.

Frantic...
Having read half of this book, I remember why I don't care for Robin Cook.Unlike a previous reviewer, I found "Abduction" a far better, more enjoyable read.The main character in "Fever", Dr Charles Martel, is frantic to the point of being obnoxious. I can understand a father's being upset about the miseries his life has delivered to him, but the development of this character leaves me unsympathetic toward his plight.I make a point of finishing every book I start, but this may be my Achilles Heel...

Gifts for Dave
I buy Robin Cook books for my Life Partner.It is his favorite author and he enjoys all of his books.

Fantastic!
The book FEVER by Robin Cook was one of the best of his books that I read. I really enjoy reading medical thrillers and this book fits that category.Because I enjoy and am interested in medical terminology and also leukemia (for personal reasons) I found this book to read easily and fast.I would recommend it to anyone with interest in the same field as mine.

Very great book
I am not into books but when I read this book I loved the story from this book. I felt touchy in the end of this book. A father showed a true love to his daughter and fought everything what had done for his daughter who was staying in the hospital when a daughter begged him that she wanted to go home and a father respected her wish and took her out of the hospital and look what happened to the end?? the cops was on their properity to arrest him. A father showed how much he really care for the daughter and do something what daughter really wanted. Thanks to one of my family forced me to read this book because I never like to read books. I assure you you will love this book guys!! ... Read more

Product Description
A series of unexplained deaths in foreign hospitals sends an idealistic UCLA medical student on a desperate search for answers, in this chilling tale from the master of the medical thriller.

Jennifer Hernandez is a fourth-year medical student at UCLA, just completing an elective in general surgery, whose world is shattered during a break in an otherwise ordinary day. While relaxing in the surgical lounge of L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, she half-listens to a piece on medical tourism, where first-world citizens travel to third-world countries for surgery. But when she hears her beloved grandmother’s name mentioned, her own heart nearly stops: the CNN reporter says Maria Suarez-Hernandez had died, a day after undergoing a hip replacement in New Delhi’s Queen Victoria Hospital.

Maria had raised Jennifer and her brothers from infancy, and their bond was unshakable. Still, the news that Maria had traveled to India was a shock to Jennifer, until she realized that it was the only viable option for the hardworking yet uninsured woman. Devastated, and desperate for answers, Jennifer takes emergency leave from school and heads to India, where relations with local officials go from sympathetic to sour as she presses for more information. With the discovery of other unexplained deaths followed by hasty cremations, Jennifer reaches out to her mentor, New York City medical examiner Dr. Laurie Montgomery, who has her own deep connection to Maria.

Laurie, along with her husband, Dr. Jack Stapleton, rushes to the younger woman’s side, discovering a sophisticated medical facility with little margin for error. As the death count grows, so do the questions, leading Laurie and Jennifer to unveil a sinister, multilayered conspiracy of global proportions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (63)

don't bother!
Boring, to many words to say the same thing over and over again. I began to jump pages in the middle of the book. The end is like a fairy tale.

Painful. Simply painful.
The existing reviews have already summed up quite eloquently all the reasons why this books is so abysmal. I grabbed it to listen to on a long car ride because I enjoyed Coma back in the day. How far Robin Cook has fallen. From the ridiculous dialogue to the one-note characters to the shallow treatment of just about everything, this book was so painful that I simply had to come and see if it was just me. I'm so relieved that it wasn't.

Foreign Boring
If I could give this a negative rating, I would. I was sooo disappointed in this book. I think someone else mentioned "cardboard characters, and that is exactly what this entire book contains--cardboard writing. It is not typical Robin Cook. Save your money. Save yourself. I actually listened to this book on audio in the car. Believe me...it wasn't any better. I usually don't finish books that don't hold my interest, but I forced myself to finish this one. It really was a waste of time. Don't waste yours.

Kill a Patient-Gain Yourself an Entry into the Land of Opportunities
To think that nurses (not one or two, but several!) could be so easily persuaded into committing homicide of random foreign patients in hopes of alleviating their personal crisis or acquiring the means to better their lives strains credulity.

On the plus side, a quick & mildly engaging read that highlights contemporary medical/patient treatment trends.

Did Robin Cook really write this book!
This is the first Robin Cook book I've ever put down before finishing.It moves slowly and requires a real suspension of the readers belief system to believe that four separate people could be involved in serial killing solely for the sake of blemishing the reputation of hospitals in India who are treating Americans.Although I moved Cook into my paperback only category several books ago, this one now moves him into the used bookstore category.After that, it's the library only.It's obvious to this reader that's he's just cranking them out to satisfy his contract with the publisher. ... Read more

Product Description
The inventor of the medical thriller shows us a healer's dark side: the terrifying story of a doctor who plunges into a web of corruption and lies. The inventor of the medical thriller shows us a healer's dark side: the terrifying story of a doctor who plunges into a web of corruption and lies.

Unabridged CDs - 14 CDs, 16 hours ... Read more

Customer Reviews (86)

Great CD
I really enjoy Robin Cook and this one is as good as the other ME ones. I enjoy listening to this on the way to work.

book review
Another Robin Cook book that proceeds along at an interesting pace. Perfect lay out of the plot and characters as you progress thru the pages. For me, events that occurr in Mr. Cook's books are all very plausible + real. Thats the attraction for me. NOW !! about THIS book. This, I think,is the only book I've ever read where the crux of the story comes down to ----- the last sentence. Just fantastic and certainly, what a finish. Masterfully done, of course. I've read quite a few of Cook's writings and I like them all. He's an author who you hope will continue to write forever.

Glad it's not just me...I
Can't believe I went looking in particular for a Robin Cook novel and this is what I ended up with.Tried to overlook the dreadfully stilted dialogue and improbable relationships, expecting the sub-plots to come together.They never did.The last chapter was so bad that I went back -- looking to see if I'd missed something that would have made it pull together and make sense.It didn't.
I kept feeling while I was reading this book that it didn't feel like Robin Cook's writing.Perhaps he'd prefer not to take ownership for writing such a disappointing book.

Who wrote the ending????
While it is not great literature, I enjoyed the book until the last 50 pages, where CB is revealed to be a murderer. Let's see if I have it straight...

1. CB, a narcissistic doctor who nevertheless has a long history of dedication to his patients murders one of them for no reason. (tired of making housecalls??!!)

2. CB has ample opportunity to stop the autopsy that provides the evidence against him without arousing suspicion, but chooses not to. Instead, he terrorizes his own daughters in an attempt halt the autopsy...yea, that makes sense!

3. CB, during a break in the trial, flees the country using the passport of a patient who died a year ago. Obviously he has been planning the murder for some time...wonder why he didn't just drop the "murderee" as a patient instead...

4. Three days after CB flees, his brother in law sees him in Cuba and "thinks" he recognizes him. After talking with CB, brother in law then is persuaded he made a mistake, and that it must not be CB as his hair color is different and he speaks Spanish. Uh huh...

Without a doubt, this was the most disjointed and disappointing ending I have ever read! I actually spent some time trying to find the pages that had to be missing. Or did Cook paste the ending from another story into this one? A true "trasher"

Entertaining, but the ending was unsatisfying
I'll read anything by Robin Cook, and I am especially fond of the Jack Stapleton character. However, the ending of Crisis (spoiler alert) was ridiculous.

I am still wondering who paid to have the three daughters terrorized. Since Craig Bowman turned out to be the murderer, I guess we are supposed to conclude it was him, but that doesn't really make sense! Actually there are a number of things that don't make sense, but the book was fun to read, so I guess I shouldn't nitpick.

But it was just silly to suggest that Jack wouldn't recognize Craig after a few days just because he dyed his hair. Come on!!

Also, I was a bit distracted by the misuse of words such as effect/affect, phased/fazed, and so on. Any decent proofreader/editor should have caught those. ... Read more

Product Description
The bestselling master of medical suspense Robin Cook mines the mysteries of Egypt's magnificent past to deliver a one-of-a-kind thriller packed with compelling realism and unrelenting suspense.

An excitement-packed thriller. (Chicago Thriller)

Rates top marks for unmitigated tension and surprise. (Los Angeles Times) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Refreshing change for Robin Cook - please write more like this
It was quite a while ago I read this book.But I wanted to put a review in.

I love Robin Cooks writing style, and find his books difficult to put down.But I get frustrated at reading the same story again and again.Mysterious symptons/deaths eventually lead to the discovery that an unethical corporation is carrying out sinister experiments/activities all to enrich themselves or their shareholders.No doubt he has been instructed by his publishers that the formula works and not to change a winning formula.That was why it was nice to read an original story by the Author.I really hope he is able to break out and write some more original content like this - or even to stick to the medical thriller but with an original storyline.

Anyway, 5 stars for a great book from a great author.

Not exactly a medical book but it's good
It was nice to get one of Cook's old books, since the last 4 books he wrote are a piece of junk.
So it is not exactly a thriller regarding medical subject. but it is very good.

Plot Similarities
I'm not sure about this, as I read Sphinx (published in 1979) many years ago, but I read Barbara Michaels' book "The Jackal's Head" (published in 1968) last year and it seemed that there were some striking plot similarities.

Perhaps "Coma" was a fluke
Young Egyptologist, Erica Baron, inadvertently finds herself investigating the Egyptian antiquities black market and the curse of King Tutankhamen, when a trip to Egypt doesn't go quite the way she planned.

"Coma", the book that made Robin Cook famous, is one of the best thrillers that I have read in the last year or so. It is clever, exciting and well thought out. On the strength of this, I decided to try Cook's follow-up to "Coma", "Sphinx", one of the rare occasions in which Cook has moved away from the medical thriller genre. Big mistake. I can't comment on any of Cook's subsequent books, but based on "Sphinx", I am starting to think that perhaps "Coma" was a fluke. "Sphinx" is a slow-moving, utterly boring ordeal. I agree with other reviewers that Cook has done a lot of research in writing this novel, but that is one of the reasons why this novel is so boring. Rather than pack the novel with a series of exciting action scenes, Cook instead forces the reader to follow his protagonist on a tour of Egypt, showing off his knowledge at every stop. It is only in the final 20 or so pages that anything remotely interesting happens (most of the "exciting" events described on the back cover of the book happen in this final section), but by that time, all I really cared about was getting the book finished, so I could move on to something more enjoyable. Perhaps Cook's other books are better, but I'm not sure that I want to risk wasting my time and money on another book this boring in order to find out.

A different kind of book by Robin Cook
Erica Baron, a young American Egyptologist, gets to see a centuries old statue in an antique store in Cairo. It depicts Pharaoh Seti I, the powerful successor of Tutankhamun. It contains a mysterious inscription, but before she has a chance to study it, the store owner gets murdered and the statue stolen.
With help of some local 'friends' Erica tries to find out where the statue went. She discovers the trace of a gang of ruthless black market traders.

At the same time she discovers a papyrus scroll with dangerous contents. If these contents were to be made public, the consequences would be disastrous...

By far not as medical as his usual works, but still as much as a page turner as always! ... Read more

Product Description
Robin Cook's most frightening bestseller is "exciting...a good, fast read."(Denver Post)

One of Cook's most successful-and timely-bestsellers. Contagion is a terrifying cautionary tale for the millennium as a deadly epidemic is spread not merely by microbes-but by sabotage.Amazon.com Review
When not one but three different extremely rare diseases killseveral patients at a New York hospital, forensic pathologist JackStapleton suspects it's more than just coincidence.He thinks there'sa connection between the appearance of the mysterious microbesresponsible for the deaths and the HMO that owns the hospital--thesame HMO that once destroyed his flourishing medical practice.IsAmericare deliberately killing off its sickest patients--those whocost the most money to treat?Or is there an even more sinistermotive behind the strange goings-on at Manhattan General, not tomention the attempts on Jack's life? And what is beautiful TereseHagen, the hard-driving creative director of a Madison Avenue adagency, doing in the middle of this slightly muddled, but stillengrossing, tale of greed, medicine, and mayhem? Like MichaelCrichton, whose Andromeda Strainremains the classic in the genre, Cook is sometimes heavy-handed whenit comes to character development, and his fulminations about thedangers of managed care often get in the way of the plot. Still,Contagion will make you think twice about taking your next caseof flu to the ER instead of your own bed. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

Spectacularly bad
This is bad in a big, big, big way.

Unlikable, wooden, two-dimensional characters.

Stiff dialogue.

Character backstories that have nothing to do with the plot and that do not inform the characters' actions.

Black characters drawn with cliched, caricatured strokes.

The ONLY things that kept me reading to the end were coffee-induced insomnia, a mild interest in the author's asides on H1N1, and a masochistic drive to see how the author ties up all this drivel.

A plot that spreads like wildfire
This book is one of Cook's better efforts. The plot is quick and well-thought out, but it becomes a bit convoluted and some elements stretch the bounds of plausibility. Still, you know with Cook you will get a good-intentioned doctor railing against the medical machine with a plot that moves. For me, I can accept that. I enjoyed the book, I just won't try fooling myself into believing it's great. It is, however, pretty good.

Do Not Go To Manahattan General If You Want To Live!
After loosing his ophthalmology career tohealth care giant AmeriCare, Dr. Jack Stapleton turns to a career as a forensic pathologist. It is a routine day a work for the ME until a body arrives in the cold room that had died of a strange disease. After examining the body, Jack comes to the conclusion that the person has died of the plague. He then goes to Manhattan General Hospital where the body came from to let them know of his finding. Ironically, the hospital is owned by AmeriCare, the health care giant that took his first career from him. Eventually, after many diagnoses of even stranger and rarer infectious diseases and a few threats on his life, Jack decides to once again go back to Manhattan General where he is not welcome to investagate these strange and highleyuncommon diseases. As he continues to uncover evidence linking Manhattan General to this string of deadly Diseases he makes more and more enemies and finds himself running for his life. Along the way he meets and becomes friends with a women in advertising, plays street basketball with men who have strong ties to gangs, dodges several attempts on his life from unkown assailants, gets kidnapped, and stumbles onto the shocking people responsible for the string of deadly infections all while he himself is starting to show signs of being infected with a contagion of some type.

All of this makes for a very good medical thriller. If you do not have some knowledge of medicine you may need to google a few desriptions that Cook uses, but for the most part it is a very enjoyable read. The book reads easy and has a conclusion that I just did not see coming. The only negatives for me were, some extremely long chapters(no place to stop reading so that I could go to bed) and it was a bit wordy in some places(just to much detail that was not relevant to the plot). I will definitely be reading the next instalment with DR. Jack Stapleton.

Not Cook's Best By Far
This was one of those books that I just could not finish.I skimmed through the last 100 pages just to get a general idea of how the story ended.I agree with many other readers here that the plot lines are just totally implausible (I live in a small midwest town and even I know gang members do NOT talk or act like that) and the dialog is extremely leaden and awkward.Robin Cook has written much better books than this!

An Interesting Medical Thriller
Personally, I quite enjoy reading Medical Thrillers and would say that Contagion was a fun read. The plot and the characters are well built and the story moves on an interesting pace. Although at times I got a little lost due to the Medical Jargons and reference to specific bacteria, I never lost track of the plot and enjoyed the book from front to back. Would definitely recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Angela Dawson, M.D., appears to have it all: at the age of thirty-seven, she owns a fabulous New York City apartment, a stunning seaside house on Nantucket, and enjoys the perks of her prosperous lifestyle. But her climb to the top was rough, marked by a troubled childhood, a failed marriage, and the devastating blow of bankruptcy as a primary-care internist. Painfully aware of the role of economics in modern life, particularly in the health-care field, Angela returned to school to earn an MBA. Armed with a shiny new degree andblessed with determination, intelligence, and impeccable timing, Angela founded a start-up company, Angels Healthcare, then took it public. With her controlling interest in three busy specialty hospitals in New York City and plans for others in Miami and Los Angeles, Angela's future looked very bright.

Then a surge of drug-resistant staph infections in all three hospitals devastates Angela's carefully constructed world. Not only do the infections result in patient deaths, but the fatalities also cause stock prices to tumble, leaving market analysts wondering if Angela will be able to hold her empire together.

New York City medical examiners Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton are naturally intrigued by the uptick in staph-related post-procedure deaths. Aside from their own professional curiosity, there's a personal stake as well: Laurie and Jack are newly married, and Jack is facing surgery to repair a torn ligament at Angels Orthopedic Hospital. Despite Jack's protests, Laurie can't help investigating-opening a Pandora's box of corporate intrigue that threatens not just her livelihood, but her life with Jack as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

Robin Cook's Critical
Critical is a good book but not quite what I expected.As usual, Robin Cook tackles a controversial topic in the medical profession.

Critial by Robin Cook
An excellent choice by my book club.Hope to read more Robin Cook.Soooo many books sooo little time...

A good medical mystery
If you like well-documented medical mysteries, Robin Cook's "Critical" is the book for you.While his details on the medical side sometimes slow down the mystery, he managed to create well-rounded characters with whom we can identify.If there was any criticism it would be directed at "wasted" medical terminology which seems to have been included to enhance credibility.Unfortunately it occasionally gets in the way of the plot.However, the ending was exciting and he managed to keep reader interest to the very end.

Ignore the Message and Enjoy the Book
In Critical, Robin Cook takes the opportunity to give us his picture of the state of medical care in the US and how much of it is controlled by corporate interests rather than the patients' well being. Okay, he's a doctor and he's allowed to have an opinion the same as everyone else. It's nothing more than he's done before on similar occasions such as with meat processing.I did not find the message intrusive and felt it was a natural part of the story.

In Critical, the world's most uncongenial couple, Laurie Montgomery and her husband Jack Stapleton, become involved in investigating a particularly virulent series of post operative staph infections at a surgical hospital chain. Laurie has a personal stake in the case because Jack is scheduled to have knee surgery at one of the hospitals in the chain, and she is afraid that he will contract the staph infection. As usual, Laurie and Jack spend most of the time arguing as she tries to convince him to postpone the surgery, and he refuses to listen to her or take her very valid concerns seriously. And as usual when reading about these two, I get the urge to send them to separate corners (or divorce court) until they can come out and act like adults.

As far as the mystery, it's interesting enough. There are some villains from Laurie's past and some oafish organized crime bunglers to lighten things up. There are some well meaning people who just happen to get caught up in a bad situation and some nice people who allow themselves to get dragged into a bad situation. Things are wrapped up a little too neatly at the end, but as pure escapism it was enjoyable-- and kudos to Cook for managing to give Laurie a plausible reason for being without her cell phone at a key moment and for allowing her to respond to situations with intelligence and bravery.

If you like Robin Cook and you are looking for pure escapism without much believability, you will probably enjoy this book. If, however, you expect more plausibility in the plot, my guess is you won't enjoy this book. Since I was looking just for an escape, I rated it more highly than I might have otherwise.

Critical Medicine
I have read Robin Cook's novels for years. This one is one of his best novels.Hebrings up the problems of specialty hospitals, MERSA infections, corporate medicine and more who are interested in the bottom line rather than the welfare of the patient. We both live in Florida which provides plenty of food for thought in this cautionary tale.

But I think in this decade the sins of the past are beginning to disappear. With the news media bringing these horrible things to light, the public is screaming bloody murder and the news media is hot on the trail of deceit, greed and death.
I can highly recommend this book.

Sara Howard, Author of "Something Funny Happened on the Way to The Moon" and "The Greatest Explosions in the Universe." ... Read more

Product Description
Dr. Cassandra Kingsley is about to discover that neither her marriage nor her job is what she thought. And when she sets out to find the truth, it may just kill her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Excellent Robin Cook!!
This is one of my favorite Robin Cook books!Usually my favorite Robin Cook books are the "Jack and Laurie" novels, however, Godplayer was an excellent book and highly recommended if you are a Robin Cook fan.Even if you have never read Robin Cook, this is a great place to start!!

One of my top 3 favorite Robin Cook thrillers!!!
Godplayer, along with Chromosome 6 and Mutation, are my 3 top favorite Robin Cook medical thrillers to date (and I've read about 50% of his novels so far).This story takes an in-depth look into the life of a cardiac surgeon whose life is torn by narcissism, egoism, power, greed, adultery, and drugs.

Similar storyline
I previously read "Marker" by Robin Cook, and "Godplayer" has a very similar storyline in that people are being 'offed' in a comparable manner.I enjoyed "Marker" much more, so if you like "Marker", you will probably be disappointed by this book.

Just to have fun
Let me tell you that you'll read this book in no-time. But the end of the book is worthless, I think that the last pages RC said to his child to finish the book and he finished at his will. In the book are many loose ends that when you're reading the book seems important, but when you finish the book and you see that those stories never ended you'll be disappointed. I won't give you here these examples just in case you want to read the book. As always with all RC's books you'll thinktwicebefore going to an hospital.
Despite all of the above, you'll have a good time reading this book but don't expect an excellent end. Thinking better, don't expect anything at the book's end (the last two chapters and the epilogue.)

Formulaic
I was bored - really bored, which is why I picked this book to read from the free book trade shelves at work.It has a good basic story but is so formulaic that I was able to predict the ending after the second or third chapter.Being a medical professional, it was difficult to read about procedures that are outdated now and remember when they were cutting edge.Perhaps it's also a bit scary to remember those I've worked with in the past who have had the same narcissistic outlooks.

I think I'll pass up the other books by Dr. Cook that I have not read as ofyet.This is the second one of his that, in my opinion, bombed miserably. ... Read more

Product Description
A gigantic drug firm has offered an aspiring young doctor a lucrative job that will help support his pregnant wife. It could make their dreams come true-or their nightmares... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Not great, but not horrible either.
Mindbend was good until about 3/4 of the way through the book. Once Adam gets on that ship, the story gets silly and predictable.
This is a good book to read if you have no other books in the house and want to read something. Or if you need to read something to pass the time.

Intriguing but not Cook's best
Adam Schonberg is in medical school and trying to make ends meet without the support of either his or his wife, Jennifer's, parents.His family was not happy when he married outside the Jewish religion.Now he finds that their already struggling family of two is about to be a family of three and he doesn't know how to cope or manage financially.Jennifer will have to quit her job as a dancer and so Adam decides to take a leave of absence from medical school to go work for a drug company.But all is not what it seems with their fancy corporate headquarters and high dollar paychecks.Adam soon finds himself in the middle of a corporate plan to take over the field of medicine by drugging and mind controlling as many doctors as the company can get their hands on.All the while, Adam must deal with the conflict developing between Jennifer and himself because of his suspicions that her OBGYN is drugged as well.

Cook weaves an extremely interesting conspiracy theory about how the business world is beginning to affect medicine and it's treatment, or lack thereof, of patients.It confronts theidea that for-profit companies will continue to have an influence on the field of medicine that is not always as positive as these companies would lead you to believe.The unfortunate aspect of this book was that the story line jumped from idea to idea a bit and often portrays Jennifer in a overly simplistic and patronizing manner.Just when the adventure really heats up, the story ends abruptly and rather predictably.A story with a lot of potential ended flat and in disappointment.Still, one still finishes with the contemplation that Cook intended.

Excellent overview via fiction novel of drug company excess
This was truly a frightening novel based on a lot of fact and not without some fear after reading it.A drug company gone mad using human experimentation to sell more product.The four books Dr. Cook recommends for research at the end are truly enlightening.This was a quick read

I got a kick out of the early 1980's setting
Mindbend was first released in the early 1980s.Although the story is good, I really got a kick out of the pay telephones, the typewriters, the PAPER medical records (oh, wait, that's still a big problem -- it's 2006:bring on the electronic health records!)

Such a fun little evil 80's flashback.

Mindbend-A Real Mindbending Experience.
Mindbend was really mindbending after all, like the title proclaims. The book is about a guy named Adam who discovers that the drug company taking care of his wife's pregnancy is part of a horrible conspiracy involving mind control. Naturally, he has to take action. Alone, of course. This was Cook's 5th book and was one of the ones that made him famous for his time. Over 20 years old, this book is still in print and read by millions. ... Read more

Product Description
The New York Times bestseller is now in paperback.

Power, religion, and bioscience collide in the new novel from the master of the medical thriller. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (79)

I recommend you read the jacket review and go buy another book.
I would only recommend you read this book if:

* You are a die-hard Robin Cook Fan.
* You liked SHOCK, and understand that Spencer Wingate and his cohorts at the Wingate Clinic play a relatively small but central role in this book.
* You are interested in the medical aspects and the ethical debate concerning cloning and stem cell research.
* Finally: you are a speed reader who only skims most novels for the central element of the plot and are not bothered by unlikable characters and uneven writing.

The plot is as described the book jacket. Dr. Daniel Lowell, a brilliant medical researcher (previously employed by Merck) resigns the Harvard faculty to start his own biotech firm. He is joined by his younger associate, Stephanie D'Agostino, with the hope of commercializing a procedure developed by Daniel, HTSR (Homologous Transgenic Segmental Recombination). Their future is threatened when the powerful Senator Ashley Butler threatens to introduce legislation banning the procedure at a time when Daniel's firm is in need of a further cash infusion from his venture capital backers. Meanwhile, Senator Butler's staff research has led him to believe that the HTSR treatment might successfully provide a cure for his recently diagnosed but rapidly progressing Parkinson's Disease. (Since it would threaten his political career, his disease has been a closely kept secret, known only to his long time aide Carol Manning and his physician.) There are several subplots including a DNA sample extracted from a fragment of the Shroud of Turin, the use of the facilities of the Wingate clinic (which has relocated to the Bahamas), and Stephanie's family connections to the Boston Mob (in an unbelievable use of stereotyping).

As the author has explained, he wants to use his books to inform and enlighten, as well as preach whatever happens to be his message of the moment. However, in the process he forgets that his stories should also be interesting and entertaining. He claims that he needed to research the political aspects of this book in D.C., and yet the political insights are minimal. The information on the Shroud of Turin was new to me, but the segments on therapeutic cloning were much too technical and lengthy to maintain my interest. Thus a story with several potentially interesting subplots and which had the potential to involve an interesting discussion of the potential ethical dilemmas involved in biotech experimentation tried to do too much and as a result accomplished almost nothing.

In addition, without exception the characters were totally unlikable stereotypes and caricatures. Daniel was a selfish individual lacking in judgment who was only interested in fame and fortune; the Catholic clergy were primarily interested in their political goals; Senator Butler was a totally self-centered fraud, Stephanie was portrayed as the typical female companion who was too weak to resist Daniel's and the Senator's plan even though her instincts and her intuition told her it was wrong and would probably fail; finally, the distractions caused by her family had no discernible purpose except to lengthen the book. And if you plan to read this book to find out what happened to Spencer Wingate, Paul Saunders and Kurt Hermann you will be disappointed as well. Even the dialog and the writing style seem unnatural for much of the book.

I recommend you read the jacket review and go buy another book.

Overrated and badly written
It's been a while since I read a Robin Cook novel, it will be a long time before I read another one.
The use of language in this book is pathetic to say the least. He throws in numerous long words that he clearly doesn't know the meaning of, presumably to try and elevate the rest of the poor writing. He failed to do so, only managing to further confirm that he has lost any ability that he may once have had.
There are a few typos in the book as well as mixing up words, like using negligent when he means negligible: did he skimp the process and not bother with an editor?
The story itself? Sets up a number of interesting scenarios and one by one ignores them all. The characters were boring, predictable and wooden. As was the plot.
Who in their right mind would say to their girlfriend "I find you alluring"? A 13 year old might do right after he'd seen it written in a book like this one!
I was going to copy a couple of other ridiculous phrases but there are so many it wasn't worth the effort finding them again.

Buy a bucket of paint instead, decorate some walls and watch it dry. At least you get something for your money.

3 stooges
This book is extraordinarily bad.The main characters bicker endlessly, when they are not rolling their eyes at each other.It is apparent early on that Dr. Cook needs plot filler so he goes off in any feasible direction to fill his word quota.Eventually it is entertaining because it is so funny.Basically the plot proceeds due to the ineptitude of all characters, especially the main ones, and while I am supposed to be reading a "serious medical thriller" I am laughing at the antics of characters who cannot do anything right.All ends appropriately just out of the three stooges.Somehow the seriously little lecture at the end ("faction") tops things off perfectly.

Not his best work
It is completely unrealistic to use an off-shore clinic for secrecy and then tell them that the DNA being used came from the Shroud of Turin. When no one asked. How long would that secret be kept? From that point on it was obvious it would fall apart.

promising, but missed the mark
At the outset I thought this book was going to be very good.A senator looking to keep a promising medical prodecure from the public for purely political gain becomes ill and has to go to the very people who came up with said procedure for help, the very definition of irony.

But after that, the book starts to languish.I don't mind a good long book, but I think this one was perhaps TOO long.In addition to the medical procedure and the senator's plight to use it despite his political 'views' on it, there's a whole subplot involving one of the protagonist's relatives and the mafia.This is something that really didn't help in the book's main development.It was almost shoved right into the middle of everything.I do think that the subplot is going to be in a book later on down the line (if it hasn't been already, I haven't read cook's latest).

In any event, the book kind of drags for the most part.One of the good things is that it once again pulls in characters from previous books in the Cook 'universe' if you will: Wingate and Saunders and they're crazy security cheif, of the Wingate Clinic.I always enjoy seeing guest appearances from characters, both good and bad, in later works by any author.

I wouldn't say it's the worst book I've read or a complete waste of time.There were some enjoyable parts but I just found them to be interspersed with alot of dragging chapters. ... Read more

Product Description
Still considered one of the best of the genre, Coma propelled Robin Cook to the top of his field and earned him a reputation as the "master of the medical thriller" (New York Times). Now readers have another chance to discover this classic masterwork of nightmarish possibility. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

Reading with Tequila
Coma is a medical mystery written originally published in 1977. The medical world and your average person's knowledge of health and medicine have expanded hugely in the thirty-plus years that have passed. I was delighted to find that amongst the predictable parts of the book, there were still some surprising twists to find. The mystery was very good, even now, and must have been mind-blowing in its day.

My rather large problem with the book was in the form of the main character, Susan. She's a medical student on her first surgical rotation. This is her first time treating patients, her first time putting in an I.V., on her very first day in this hospital. She's demanding. She's blowing off pages calling her to treat patients. She's not going to lectures. She's all consumed by the mysterious coma patients. It's her first day and she's getting involved in things she obviously shouldn't instead of doing the things medical students should be doing. The scenario is ludicrous, as she obviously should have been kicked out of the program for her behavior.

There are some interesting parts focusing on sexism in the medical community and how she battles it. The situation may be dated, but her reactions to it are beyond belief now and in the 1970s. She sleeps with her immediate superior on her second day and yet gets mad about not being taken seriously. This and her entire attitude towards the career she supposedly longs for make her a very unsympathetic main character. Susan brought the entire novel down. Every time she did something, or even thought about something, I have the urge to scream "Are you freaking kidding me?" The plot is great, but the main character is atrocious and distracting, causing the entire novel to be average at best.

Thriller in real sense..
I have read many of the cook books recently, and i read COMA as one of the last one. I enjoyed the reading thoroughly, and as the Biomedical resercher i could follow all the medical terms used. (which I can understand may the other readers who is not in science may find difficult to appreciate and follow). The plot of cook book is always novel and engrossing. As the first of the books cook had made many mistakes in this book.
1. It was unbeleivable that on seeing the two cases of coma susan gets too much upset as the only third year medical student, it was unwarranted, I could have accepted this if the NY medical examiner office Laurie and Jack ( the charecters of other cook books)does this as they are more mature and experienced. On the top of it the gang beats her up to much early to let susan confirm that there is really something sinister!
2. Writing style is terrible as some places, like Bellows, Bellows Bellows all over!!!
3. Factual error, at one place Susan gets up at 9 am and then ater alomst 2 hrs time it is still just after 10 am when she reaches Bostom Memorial!
4. Even after seeing that susan was beaten-up bellows lets her go casually alone which is difficult to digest as no one in real life will take the beating so lightly.
5. After escaping out from the Jefferson the natural thing to do for Susan was to go to police as any normal person will do, her not going to authority immediately was to just add spice in the book by COOK.

--However over all this book is very enriching and enjoyable to read and it is nice to know the medical profession from the insider, Thank you Dr. Cook for this insight.

Medical thrillers
Anyone who enjoys a good medical thriller should read this book. Robin Cook is a terrific writer and I would recommend reading all his books. He is my favorite writer. All his books are great reads.

Read all of Crichton's novels? Try Cook.
Michael Crichton is one of my favourite writers, but having read all of his novels, I was at a loss as to what to read next. Taking into account the fact that Crichton wrote and directed the movie of "Coma", I decided that the book of this film would probably be along the same lines as a Michael Crichton novel and I was right. Robin Cook is to medical thrillers what Michael Crichton is to technological thrillers.

This, Cook's second novel, tells of young medical student, Susan Wheeler and her quest to solve the mystery of why so many seemingly "healthy" patients are slipping into comas at the Boston Memorial Hospital. Although first published in 1977, over 30 years later this book is still relevant and exciting (although the description of the hospital's "state of the art" computer is laughable by modern standards). Being relatively new to writing, Cook does make some of the mistakes that you would expect of an inexperienced writer, and the ending was a bit abrupt for my liking, but in general, the mistakes are few and far between and aren't all that important.

Overall, the book is well written, the characters are believable and in Susan Wheeler, Cook creates a heroine whom I felt I could cheer for and identify with. Best of all, Cook does not talk down to his readers. He assumes that his readers are as intelligent as his characters. There is a lot of medical-talk in this book and by the end of it, I still didn't understand a lot of it, but simply from 380 pages of exposure, I felt that I had picked up some of it and felt like I had learnt something as a result.

Finally, prospective readers should note, in my edition of this book there is a letter from Robin Cook at the very beginning. If you don't already know what happens in "Coma", don't read this letter. It contains some major plot spoilers. You should also avoid reading the "Author's Note" (at the back of the book), until you have finished.

Good, but forgettable
Coma is a good book of the suspense genre with a few flaws.If you read the 25th anniversary author's note at the beginning, you will know why the patients are being put into comas.This took away from the experience and shock value of the ending.However, the plot itself was fast and fun to read.The characters are a little on the shallow side, but were actually quite interesting.The protagonist's actions and motivations are not explained well at all, but this is being picky.Coma came out 30 years ago, so some of the technology is dated, but I found this humorous.Give this book a shot if you are looking for a fast, easy, but forgettable read. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published by Signet in 1973, this startling novel reveals what happens to a young intern as he goes through the year that promises to make him into a doctor-and threatens to destroy him as a human being. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Reading with Tequila
The Year of the Intern reads like a non-fiction memoir-like account of a medical intern. It focuses on the dull, day to day life of an intern that we've all seen countless times on medical television shows like ER. Robin Cook fans are used to his fast-paced thrillers and this early book is nothing like his more recent novels.

The Year of the Intern looks at the stressful and exhausting job a surgical intern has. The book focuses on Dr. Peters' fear and his grief at the loss of patients. It's disconcerting reading about a doctor unsure of himself as we usually like to believe that doctors are strong and have all the answers.

The bottom line is the book just wasn't that interesting. It kind of got under my skin, making me fear being left in the hands of an intern at the hospital, but the actual story in the book left me wanting more. If you're looking for suspenseful, medical thrillers, skip this one and stick with Robin Cooks later books.

Loved this Robin Cook book.Even better if you are a nurse, doctor or other health professional
This book was written in the early 70's.What I loved most about this book is the truth to it.I am a registered nurse and work with a lot of interns.It is amazing that although this book was written a long time ago, nothing has changed.This book is not only entertaining, but it also will give you a very good idea of what it is REALLY like to be an intern.It did amaze me after reading this that after all this time, again, nothing has changed. I could almost say that this book does not belong in the fiction category.Robin Cook fans will enjoy this one and medical professionals will appreciate this one as well!Happy Reading!!:)

Scares the health service consumer, not a Robin Cook thriller
I thought that this book would be a medical thriller, as so many of Robin Cook's book are. Instead, I found a brief series of anedoctal medical cases, described by a barely fictional intern. The book has little to no plot. The series of patients problems described are brief and repeatedly focus on just how poorly trained, exhausted and frightened the intern in the book is, over and over. It IS frightening to know that though this book was written in 1972, little has change in the life of an intern. The intern is "turned out" to function on his own and when he consults the full fledged physicans, they cannot be bothered with his quantries. THIS is the FRIGHT that Robin Cook has placed in a supposed medical thriller. Save your money to read his more recent, truly medical thrillers, if that is the genre you are looking for. This book will just leave you with a fear of your next trip to the ER or for surgery. Certainly, there HAS to be genuinely educationed, experienced, and compassionate physicans out there, but from reading this book, you won't be assured that this is the best medical care that you will find for your medical conditions.

Very Satisfied!
This book was completely new and arrived in just a few days, right in time for my trip overseas. I ordered it on a whim, but it turned out to be a very good investment because I love the book!

Don't judge a book by its main character
At first, the temptation is to read this book as an autobiography of Robin Cook. Don't give in to it, or you might be further tempted, as I was, to swear off reading anything else by the author. The experiences of the main character are fascinating, and that almost allows you to overlook his increasingly unavoidable character flaws. Mercifully, Dr. Peters isn't Dr. Cook. He's an avenue by which Cook diagnoses the symptoms of a disease doctors catch from internship.It is damning of the medical field that this book is so relevant in the 21st century.

In the end, the book is brave, subtle, and excellently crafted.

... Read more

Product Description
A brilliant physician dares to create the son of his dreams-only to unleash his worst nightmare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (130)

Average and predictable
Relatively fast read but writting was predictable and generic.Maybe it's the 21st century, but text that reads: "those meddling kids" rings of Scooby Doo, not a thrilling page turner.Simple sentences, predictable dialogue are only mitigated by an mildly interesting plot.3/5 stars = more of a 60% rating as opposed to the "I liked it" rating.

Average read.

Barely tolerable
As others have mentioned, this book is a rip-off of Dr. Frankenstein. Notwithstanding that, it is very poorly written, extremely predictable and intolerably inane.

Despite the fact the child's mother is a psychologist, she spends the entire book second-guessing her own intelligence and being placated by her husband's obvious disinterest in her concerns about their son. Cook, as in many other books, has a very difficult time hiding his prejudices and low opinion of certain groups of people. In "Mutation," women are the target of his bigotry and it's irrelevant that this one is an accomplished doctor in her own right. Cook even goes so far as to have her get up late at night to make her husband eggs and toast (like a "good, little woman should.").

Mutation is an okay read if it's the only option you have, you enjoy pointless story lines, repetitive discussions and nonsensical subplots. Or, just follow the masses and buy it. He just needs to plaster his name and photo on garbage and it will make some best seller list. In the meantime, exceptional authors who can actually write and some semblance of connection with human interaction are being passed over by editors everyday. It must be nice to have such a claim to fame for one or two decent novels. I'm glad I read "Coma" first. I never would have attempted another one if some of his other trash was on top of the pile.

great, exciting reading.
I love Robin Cook MD's books.I think I have read them all now.He is extremely gifted.I especially like his medical experiences within the pages.I will buy the very next book he writes.

Bringing nothing new to the table, it's hard to find a reason to enjoy Cooks mess...
I will admit that when I first read this novel I was only fourteen and I remember liking it.Then I read it again, now that I'm older, and I realize now just how amateur it really is.From the writing to the plot to the clichéd characters `Mutation' fails to live up to the reputation of a beloved author.Maybe my growing distaste of this novel is due to the fact that I'm not a huge fan of the medical thriller...but before you automatically disregard this review as biased let me just explain the main reasons for my complaints, for they in themselves have nothing to do with the `medical' aspect of the story.

The strange child / scary child plotline has been done a time or two or three-hundred.In this book the scenario isn't revived as much as revisited.It seems the same, nothing new or exciting, and when the child or quote-unquote creation trumps over master it seems, what did I call it, that's right...clichéd.The master / creator, whatever you want to call him...dad, is Dr. Victor Frank, a bio-physicist who attempted to create the perfect child but instead created a monster.He quickly becomes the guilty victim and I had trouble decided whether or not I, the reader, was supposed to sympathize or loathe him.Really, his character is so boring that I couldn't muster up any feeling whatsoever for him.

The mother, the true `victim' if this story calls for one, comes off somewhat stupid.Cooks first mistake was making her a child psychologist because everyone knows that, at least in the entertainment world, psychologists spend their free time analyzing their own families so it's ridiculous to conclude that she never noticed her son's strange behavior until it was too late.The ending, contrived as it is (the third definition in the dictionary for this is "brought about with difficulty" so it fits), does redeem some of the bad qualities of this book because it is a bit, oh how do I put this, chilling.Not so much, but enough to make me wish to god almighty Robin Cook had started with the last half and built a well oiled machine.

Like I mentioned, as a young teen this isn't half bad, but now that my palate has been tempted by the fruit of much more deserving literature I can't truly applaud this sloppy work.If you're a young reader then this may work just fine for you.If you're a fan of Cook then you may want to read it just to say that you had (I know how I am, if I love an author I will read everything he's written just because he wrote it) but if you're looking for a good thriller or just a well written book then this is not the one for you.It's a quick read, but for the reader who relishes in a good read this will not resonate as a worth while nor satisfying read.

Strange..
I actually thought this book was pretty good. It was a bit creepy, but thats what made it good. Dr. Frank messes with mother nature when it comes to making a child. Creating a monster or the child of his dreams... the child he could only hope and pray for. But will VJ prove to be more then the doctor ordered? I recommend this book. It was quick and highly enjoyable. ... Read more

Product Description
Two doctors place their lives in jeopardy to find out why a young woman died on the operating table-and had her brain secretly removed.

"Absorbing...provocative." (Houston Chronicle) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Not Bad
Brain by Robin Cook is a nice little book that is easy to read and quite interesting for most of the book.If you're looking to be blown away, this is not the book for you, but nonetheless, I did enjoy reading it.As with Coma, the story is really engaging, but it seems to take a familiar course toward the end.

Whoa, this one will really freak you out!
The story may be fiction, but the premise is factual and what Dr. Cook tells at the end of the book is enough to raise the hair on the back of your neck.In the 30s and continuing into the 70s the government experimented on a group of black men with the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments via the U.S. Health Dept., which is now the CDC. See BAD BLOOD by James Jones and THE TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS STUDY: THE REAL STORY AND BEYOND by Fred D. Gray who as a lawyer representing the Tuskegee Syphilis survivors sued the federal government.As well, see Eileen Welsome's THE PLUTONIUM FILES: AMERICA'S SECRET MEDICAL EXPERIMENTS DURING THE COLD WAR.If you believe Robin Cook's comments at the end of this book are fictional, think again!It took Eileen Welsome 10 years to research and write her book and she received the Pulitzer for her work.Robin Cook's information in this book should make you ponder what you sign when you visit a doctor's office...read it carefully and make sure you aren't another government experiment as there have been countless experiments besides the ones I've mentioned here.

from a high school standpoint.
Recommended by a teacher, Robin Cook, the first novel that caught my attention was Brain, my first Cook book too. this book had it all. I'm not a reader at all, and I dont usual enjoy it, but this book kept my interest and I couldn't put it down! Brain gives an amazing sense of imagery. Confusing, but you get the hang of it. I would DEFINITELY recommend it to anyone who wants a quick intense read!

Brain-a real experience for your brain.
This book is about a medical center that goes from saving lives to taking lives, like one of Cook's other books, Godplayer, only this one is about brain surgery. It may have been done before, but this book makes the plot of removing unsuspecting surgical patient's brains to make a supercomputerand is very disturbing. If you don't like to read descriptions of people's brains being disposed of and removed in the most gut-wrenching ways or if you can't understand complicated scientific jargon about how the brain interacts with computers, don't read this. If you do, read IT!!!!!!!

Worth Reading
Although this novel is over 20 years old, I found it interesting, intriguing, and shocking.

Dr. Martin Philips,Assistant Chief of Neuroradiology at Hobson University Medical Center is thrilled and intrigued with the new computer program that his colleague Michaels, a genius working in the Department of Artificial Intelligence presents to him. Eager to test his new program, Philips begins to try it out on a series of x-rays, and soon discovers some strange abnormalities in several patients, some whom have recently expired, and one who went missing. Soon, Dr. Philips begins to suspect that something very strange and unethical is taking place at Hobson Medical Center. As he pursues his investigation, he faces threats of losing his position, and inadvertantly discovers that the FBI may likely be involved in the illegal activities that are taking place at the Medical Center.
Although parts of this story dragged a little at times, I never lost interest, and found it to be a good read. ... Read more

Product Description
The most controversial thriller ever written about health-care reform in America.

"Riveting...filled with action." (San Diego Union-Tribune)

"A hair-raising, cautionary tale." (Detroit News) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Robin Cook and HMOs
I recall loving "Coma" which was Robin Cook's first novel.Myadvice to him now is to give up writing.Fatal Cure has these starry-eyed former Boston med students being offered good positions with a hospital in Vermont.It is all so trite and obvious when they are offered a great home from the bank and everyone on staff is smiling ear to ear.Others have told you the basic plot, but it opens with an orthopedist being depressed about the deaths of two of his patients who had been doing very well until hospitalized.These new kids on the block are not interested in this said orthopedist's supposed suicide, nor checking his patient records.The new doctor begins having the same problem, yet he accepts his patient deaths as his fault.Duh.His pathologist wife is being sexually harassed and although she is an independent and outspoken woman, she says nothing about it for way too long.This book is about an HMO dictating what patients will be treated and where (ER or inpatient).The author says the health crisis in this country is our government's fault, when in fact I firmly believe HMOs are the problem and Cook even proves that in this silly book!!It all ends after many ridiculous moves by our two fledgling doctors and then who do they go to work for in NY?An HMO!!!!!!!!!!!So bad.Shame on you Robin Cook.Don't waste your time, folks, unless you want a good laugh.

Among Cook's best
I've read more than a dozen Cook novels and this one is the best yet. At times, he tends to have unrealistic plots and characters that make dumb decisions, but in this one most everything tracked. People acted in ways that were reasonable, and yet the plot stayed fresh and the characters likable. I recommend this one.

Typical Robin Cook
In this twist of Cook's signature "doctors-gone-wild" plotline, unsuspecting patients of a rural hospital are plagued by sudden unexplainable deaths as a duo of doctors digs up the dirt. Literally. Although many of Cook's plots are quite similar, his style is fast-paced suspense that will have the readers guessing at the bad-guy until the last turn. I'm generally not a fan of redundant plotlines or recycled characters, but I've recently noticed Cook's works embody a gigantic medical ethics course. Each book explores a new ethical dilemma. Fatal Cure suggests to the reader that although America's medical system needs to be renovated, we may be driving it down an even more dangerous superhighway--one with very few exits. This is not one of Cook's best works. His introduction to the hospital backdrop limps through a few administrative meetings. I'm already having nightmares about administrative meetings, thank-you, I don't need to read about them at bedtime. Once the readers zone out (or check their blackberries) through this sludgy beginning, the plot quickly picks up pace. I recommend this book to any avid Robin Cook fan.

Recurring theme
I just finished Robin Cook's Fatal Cure first published in 1993. Health care reform was a huge topic then, and surprise it is, or will be a big topic in the upcoming presdential election in 2008. The plot and characters are not developed well but the read is easy and engaging. As a physician myself, I can relate to the excitement and uncertainty of finally finishing your training to start your career, but with the economic burden of debt.Now as a practicing physician, I am acutely aware of how the economics of medicine do not necessarily mix with good patient care.Dr. Cook's thoughts on the subject are well presented in the last few pages of the novel.An old novel with a timely message.

Fatal just about describes it!!
Complete waste of time!I am done reading Robin Cook books for now..The story line for this book is so stupid I am amazed Mr. Cooks editors even allowed it to be printed..I'm not sure about the hospitals where Robin lives or works at, but in the area where I live, if just one patient died there would be an immediate investigation, but here we have several patients die from unknown causes and the characters just move along like it's no big deal..The Wilsons even allow their daughter to be admitted!!!Give me a break!!Like I said..don't waste your time on this one!! ... Read more

Product Description
In his most prophetic novel, Robin Cook challenges the ethics of genetic manipulation and cloning.

"Shocking and thought-provoking...Cook's best to date." (ssociated Press) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (147)

One of Cook's best
This is a fun read complete with Mafia types, organ transplants and Cook's staple of big, bad medicine. The plot kept moving quickly with few dragging spots. While I don't believe medical technology has advanced to place Cook takes it, the premise seems plausible. I enjoyed it and think most others would as well.

Student Book Review
This was a replacement for a book that my daughter lost.It arrived in great shape and provided her the information she needed for her report. However, I paid for overnight delivery and did not receive the book for almost six days.

Cool and hot at the same time
In this fast-paced medical thriller, Cook develops two parallel and intersecting plots about scientists in Equatorial Guinea who are frantically exploring the ethics of genetic engineering, and medical examiners in New York who are stubbornly (and against all odds) determining the cause of death of a mysterious mobster-corpse. I found Cook's characters well-developed, his plot original, and his narrative both humorous and suspenseful. Although I am generally not a fan of authors who reuse characters (how often can once-in-a-lifetime adventures happen to one medical examiner?), I loved this book and recommend it to any fan of medical suspense. So far, this is my favorite Robin Cook book.

One of Cook's Best!!!
This is one of my favorite Robin Cook books.This rather prophetically scary story weaves together genetic engineering and cloning in humans and primates.Given rapid advances in modern technology, a story like this not only could come true any day, but do we really have any idea whether something like this is actually happening, without general public knowledge of it???Think about it.

The Perils Of Genetic Engineering -- Interesting Topic, Gripping Action
I'm a bit puzzled by the slams of this book in some of the other reviews.I found the topic of the book intriguing and the action strong.Also the ending while admittedly "neat" didn't seem as abrupt or contrived as some of the other reviewers thought.

In a nutshell, a murder victim in New York shows evidence of a recent liver transplant, oddly the victim has no record of such a procedure and no evidence of taking the needed anti-rejection drugs.Its almost like he was transplanted with his own liver.

The connection is to an lab in Equatorial Guinea where a brilliant scientist has discovered a way to genetically engineer Bonobos to develop the perfect "clone" for a particular human's organs.However, the alteration of the Bonobos has other effects on them which leads to the pimates being a closer "host" to humanity than was initially intended...

I found the action constant and gripping throughout the book.Yes there were a number of implausibilities or coincences as the book progressed, but that is something I typically anticipate in a thriller.

What gave this book the little extra in my view was that the plot was more believable than other genetical engineering plots.The Bonobo idea is a direct extension of pig-based organ transplants, and the Bonobo may be the closest relative to a modern human (or at least very close to a chimpanzee) and the idea of them being used as an organ farm would have to take place in a more lawless country, but is still one that would be plausible.

I hate not being able to give half stars since I would really put this at a 3.5, but in this case I'll do a round-up to 4 stars to counteract some of the other reviews. ... Read more

Product Description
The New York Times-bestselling author and master of the medical thriller returns with another heart-pounding story of medical intrigue.

With her young son's potentially fatal neuroblastoma in complete remission, New York City medical examiner Laurie Montgomery returns to work, only to face the case of her career. The investigation into the death of CIA agent Kevin Markham is a professional challenge-and has Laurie's colleagues wondering if she still has what it takes after so much time away.

Markham's autopsy results are inconclusive, and though it appears he's been poisoned, toxicology fails to corroborate Laurie's suspicions. While her coworkers doubt her assassination theory, her determination wins over her husband, fellow medical examiner Jack Stapleton, and together they discover associations to a large pharmaceutical company and several biomedical start-ups dealing with stem-cell research. Laurie and Jack race to connect the dots before they are consumed in a dangerous game of biotech espionage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Another good book but not a great one
I really enjoy Cook's books but this one had a very abrupt ending. He had gone into great detail about the gangs and their rules and logistics but the end of the book they were'n't even mentioned, what happened to the tech helping Laurie??? What happened to how the people at iPS were going to do?? There was no answers on who was going to be charged with the massacre of the victims family. Too many strings not pulled together.

Extremely pedestrian writing
I haven't read Robin Cook since Coma, and won't again after this.It's surprising that an author so prolific who has written for so long could still write with such drudgery and plodding detail.The prose is absolutely plodding, with unnecessarily repeated phrases and explanations and far too many points of view to allow the reader to keep track of the characters.Oddly, even with all those POVs, the characters sound alike; their dialogue all sounds the same, from a Yakuza "psycho" to a Mafia capo to a New York cop to a well-educated medical examiner.Many obvious things are pointed out with painful pedestrian devices and it's tough to stay interested.I'm about halfway through the book and staying with it only to see if it gets better, which at this point I know it won't.Only extreme masochism can explain my actions, but perhaps there's enough literary skill to make me want to find out how it ends.Hence the single star.

One of the worst....
I think this had three different plots going on, one at the beginning, changing in the middle and then ending with a kidnapping?It was completely ridiculous.

"I sense that ...."
I enjoy Robin Cook's works and I've read all of his books.I like Jack and Laurie.But the dialogue in this book is just awful.People just don't TALK the way they do in this novel.The Chinese street thugs use grammar you'd expect from ... well, actually, practically no one.

No father whose child has been kidnapped would ever say he'd be playing basketball now if it weren't for this "ongoing tragedy." Ongoing tragedy??!

People in this book don't say, talk, feel, etc.: they "sense."

The story thus far is interesting enough (though I agree with others that the background dragged on in the beginning a lot).But Mr. Cook really needs to work on his dialogue in the future.

Totally Boring and a Real Disappointment
I normally love Robin Cook's medical thrillers, but this one, so full of Japanese names and words I can't pronounce and don't even want to deal with, is so boring so far I can't even get into it.In fact, I actually skipped almost all of the prologue because it was putting me to sleep, and I just wanted to get to chapter one and Dr. Laura Montgomery.

So far I'm barely into the first chapter and keep putting the book down out of boredom.All I care about are the medical aspects of his novels, and this one is a major disappointment so far.

Organized crime and turf wars aren't my thing and in my opinion they ruin this book

Had I borrowed this book from the library rather than having bought the hardcover, I wouldn't even read any further.

I cannot recommend this book.

... Read more