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How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.
Genre: SciFi, genetic engineering, horror.
A brilliant young geneticist, Marius Tenartier, starts work at the top security Chrysalis Biopharmaceuticals. It seems like he's landed a dream job, but is a bit perturbed by the excessive regulations and the way in which the company appears to expect full life commitment. The first 20% was brilliant; I was totally engrossed. It was clear that the author really knows her stuff, and was so well-written, and cleverly, subtly sinister. Then Marius is sent on a mission to pick up one of the boss's daughters and pick up some samples, and the book turned into something else. I felt as if it had switched genre from a terrifically convincing scifi thriller into comedy horror, with humans growing tentacles and damsel in distress Miranda's inner thoughts about how hot Marius is when she's strapped to a gurney by a mutating madman.
The book is more people-fighting-monsters-ish than I thought it would be, but of its type it's jolly good. I liked the writing style a lot, although sometimes the quip-filled dialogue became a little irritating, particularly that of Miranda. I notice that the author has a military type background and this is clear; this aspect of the novel was highly convincing, as was the medical. I liked the ending very much; I love a book that surprises and leaves you up in the air in the last chapter, a perfect lead in to the next book.
If you like intelligent scifi/horror and have an interest in horrendous viral outbreaks, I'd most certainly recommend this book.
Thanks Terry.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thorough review, Terry!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
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