5 comments about Terminal.

1. Robin Cook's medical thriller TERMINAL was so amazing, that it is hard to put into words. His use of medical knowledge really shows through in this novel and many of his others. When I first picked up this book I was expecting it to be interesting but a slow read, and I was not expecting to understand it at all. Let's just say that I have never been more wrong in my entire life. This book was exciting right from the beginning, and maintained that status the entire novel, from chapter one to the very last page. Even the afterward was thrilling. I was also wrong about it being a slow read, in reality I read this book faster than I have read any other book, ever, it took me an exciting two days to finish this amazing novel. I was wrong about it being boring and slow but the thing I was most incorrect about was that I would not be able to understand it. I have never been so wrong in my entire life. From start to finish there was not one thing that went unexplained or was unclear. The medical terminology was a mouth full but every term and every sickness was explained so that the reader could understand it, whether you are a world class neurosurgeon, a realtor, or a fourteen year old girl, you would not be confused while reading this or any of his other novels.
   In the medical thriller TERMINAL a man named Shawn Green is a medical student who is interested in a type of brain cancer called meduloblastoma. Because of his interest he takes an elective at a cancer hospital in Miami Florida, where one of his patients from boston has been transferred to. He never expected that this hospital had a murderer on its staff or that it might be creating the cancer and injecting it into patients and then treating them. While calling there treatment A miracle cure for the deadly disease. Maybe that is why all the patients who have developed this illness just had a minor surgery. Also happen to be filthy rich because they are CEO's of companies. Or because they are immediate family members of those who are. Shawn and his girlfriend Janet, who is a nurse at the hospital, begin piecing all the evidence together and have the case about solved but then the murderer tries to kill Janet. This is tragic, but she does not die, and it brings them even closer to solving the mystery. They are snooping around the hospital when they find the head doctors travel records and they discover that she was in every hospital when all of the cancer patients had there minor surgery before they contracted meduloblastoma.
   The case is solved but to find out the end and all the invigorating details check out Robin Cooks's medical thriller TERMINAL. This book is especially good if you are looking for suspense, and intellect, as opposed to the normal mystery of nothing all the way through and finally something. You will not be bored for an instant with this novel. I definitely recommend that you read Robin Cook's TERMINAL.



2. I cannot believe i had wasted my time reading this book while on vacation. The main character Sean is so unreal in every sense of the word that i am even more shocked when i found out that the author of this book was a medical doctor?!? Such an arrogant cartoonish character no real intern could ever become...like you get the feeling Sean is more fascinated in spy work right from the start since his enormous knowledge in the medical field is without question....like hello!! you are a medical student, not an experience know it all. I never seen stuff like this on ER. Janet is the nurse conspirator that seem to have a multiple personality complex in being so pompous in the beginning, then a complete change later into the plot that you get he feeling it was another nurse with the same name so i thought something sinister is happening here but the author never explained. There are many subplots that just doesn't lead to anything that really matters or it becomes lost and you don't hear from it again....a possible sequel, i hope not!!!
   
   I just this post below by jessica who had given 5 stars...Ummm are you like related to Dr.Cook because it happen to be the only post you have on here....nice try :) My guess is that the only people who would rate this book highly are those related to him or can't tell a horrible written book from a good one, is that even possible?
   
   The next time i read a book, i will get some reviews first before i read something as bad as this. I just didn't get the chance to and the back cover summary seem promising...WRONG when picking up this paperback at a yardsale for 10 cent days before i head off on vacation and i feel like being rip off!!!!



3. First of all, no matter how bad a book is, I read it all the way through. I managed to get through this book and when I read the last page I knew it for sure then. This was absolutely the WORST book I've ever read in my entire life!!!
   
   Robin Cook really lost touch with reality with this one. This was the first book I read by this author and I'm giving him a second chance with Acceptable Risk.



4. No matter how bad or boring a book is, I feel it necessary to finish it. I can't believe I wasted a week of my life reading this! Save your time & money. I enjoy Robin Cook, but HATED this novel!



5. This was not that bad a book folks...it was involved and pretty loaded with medical jargon, but it carried itself along with interest. Sure, it may not have been one of Robin Cook's greatest books, but it sure isn't as bad as some of these reviews. I listen to a lot of books on tape and this one kept me going...it didn't lag. It wasn't as good as VECTOR, but it wasn't that bad either! Shawn and Janet are the main characters and they did a good job of finding out the real culprits...get the book on tape...it's a fast listen.

No comments about The Point of Departure.

5 comments about Contagion.

1. One of Robin cook's best book, it's a medical thriller like almost of his books.
   there are a lot of action and suspense.
   The story is exciting, you never get bored.
   It's sometimes boring because Jack Stapleton is .
   The story: one day one "patient" of Jack has the pest and then three others strange disease appeared. Jack investigates in the Manhattan General hospital. There they don't like him and try to kill him.
   Jack wants the truth so he continue to investigate.
   If you want to know more read the book!
   sometimes, the medical jargon in Robin Cook's novel does not make it difficult reading. Most of the medical terminology is explained sufficiently for the reader to understand the significance of the medical find.
   This is the first time we hear of Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery. We hear of them again in Chromosome 6 and Vector. Robin tells you in more detail about Jack and Laurie then now the latter on. There is the plane crash that takes the life of Jack's family and how he leaves being a eye doctor to be a legist Doctor.
   I Highly recommended it!



2. Manhatten General Hospital seems to be a dangerous place to be hospitalized in. During a ninety-six hour period nine people have succumbed to not one, not two but three extremely rare diseases, especially for New York City. Jack Stapleton is the New York city Medical Examiner who discovered these occurrences in the course of performing autopsies upon the victims and while no one has questioned the natural occurrence of these deadly, highly infectious diseases, Jack eventually comes to the conclusion that these events are too much of a coincidence to be accidental.
   
   Contagion was written by a prolific writer named Robin Cook. If you are not familiar with Cook you should be. He is the unquestioned king of the medical mystery/suspense genre, having written well over twenty such books, dating back to the seventies. If you happen to remember the scary movie Coma, that was Robin Cook.
   
   With not one but three different extremely rare pathogens killing patients at the New York hospital, Stapleton suspects it's more than just coincidence. But Jack can't seem to get anybody's attention, especially at the Hospital itself where the management even resents and has barred his presence. This leads Jack to suspect there may be a connection between the mysterious microbes responsible for the deaths and the HMO that owns the hospital, Americare, the same HMO that once destroyed his flourishing medical practice. However Jack is unable to convince his friends and co-workers Chet and Laurie or his bosses that these occurrences are being orchestrated, even after a deadly form of Influenza makes an appearance killing many more patients and hospital staff.
   
   Could Americare deliberately killing off its sickest patients - those who cost the most money to treat? If not, is there an even more dastardly motive behind the mysterious happenings at Manhattan General, and what about the sudden attempts on Jack's life by members of a black gang who surprisingly rescued by members of another black gang?
   
   CONCLUSION
   
   Contagion is a fun read, one that, as commonly happens with an intriguing book, I kept finding reasons to to read when I should be doing other things. Though Cook is known to throw in a generous dose of medical terms I forgive him, it is after all a MEDICAL THRILLER! Other than that his writing is fluid and user friendly, though sometimes a little weak when it comes to character development, and his fulminations about the dangers of managed care tend to compete with the plot. Still, to his credit, Cook doesn't try to overwhelm you with his obvious intellect. He writes to be understood and appreciated by the masses.
   
   Speaking of the plot, Cook manages to instill a little bi-racial tolerance by having his protagonist (Jack)living in a flat in Harlem and becoming a basketball buddy with Warren, the imposing leader of a black gang. Coincidently another black gang is hired first to scare then to kill Jack and the interplay between good and bad black guys was a nice touch. In fact there were many nice touches which overcame some weaknesses which, to me, became evident toward the end of the book. But even though I questioned the improbable rational for the murders, I was totally surprised by the identity of of the perps.
   
   Beware, Contagion may make you think twice about going to the hospital short of anything life threatening.



3. I agree that this is a good medical thriller. But the story is too long. Too many diseases, too many deaths in the same manner. And at three quarters of it you know where does the diseases came from, so that make the reading a little heavy because you know that whatever they thought about the diseases is wrong. I don't know why, but 90% of RC's books are against Medicare or another Health Organization so I think that maybe RC started writing because he had a problem with one of these Organizations.
   Taking my jest apart, is a very readable book.



4. 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.



5. 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!

5 comments about Crisis.

1. I did enjoy this book. It was nice to see repeat characters we have grown to love from other books of Robin Cook. There was nothing outstandingly great about the story line. It was a quick read that held my attention to the end, however, the ending left me feeling like it needed more to complete the story. Parts of the story were frustrating, e.g. the whole wedding scenario. I have come to expect more from Robin Cook. I have given it 3 stars as I do not feel it was a bad story nor a great story. It was just average.



2. I usually prefer reading non-fiction, but this time I was in the mood of a relaxing, non-stressful, easy and entertaining reading. I like stories where I can learn something, and thought this medical thriller will increase my knowledge of the medical world.
   
   I did learn new things about the state of a body during exhumation. Apparently, as long as no humidity or water enters the coffin, the body will be perfectly preserved. For this reason, people pay top dollar for air tight coffins. But who really wants to have his body preserved? The Egyptian Pharaohs ended up in museums.
   
   There were some interesting information about autopsies; doctor concierge service; and especially about lawyers, and how important it is for them to relate with the jury. You know what is the difference between a prostitute and a lawyer? A prostitute stops screwing you after you are dead! (I don't want to be vulgar, but this joke is mentioned in the book). One interesting fact I learnt is that a woman never commits suicide while naked. Unbeknownst to me, a woman likes to look good when her body is found!
   
   The story is about a malpractice suit. A patient dies of a heart attack, and her family doctor is sued. Most of the story takes place in the courtroom, and shows you how nasty lawyers can be. The story will also give you a glimpse into the life of doctors in general.
   
   There is a twist at the end of the story, but I felt it was a little exaggerated. This is more a TV style story than a really captivating novel. I found myself just wanting to finish the book out of curiosity of how it will end. Though the end was not anticipated, it still did not offer an extraordinary twist.



3. Robin Cook's books tend to be quick-read medical thrillers that follow the same basic formula. Which is not always a bad thing -- people like what's familiar.
   
   Generally, I do enjoy these formulaic stories; however, this book proved to be an exception. It did follow the formula, but Cook and his editor seemed to have forgotten to actually tie up all the loose ends before the last page. I won't be too much of a spoiler, but in the beginning the narration claims that these two bodies hundreds of miles apart, will ultimately be related. I'm not saying that they aren't related, just that it was never fully revealed how. Also, the plot took a severe turn in the last few pages -- and didn't follow up. There was no explaination.
   
   If you could cut out the very beginning, and then again the very end, the middle of the story managed to be a decent tale. As long as you can ignore the occasional dangerously cliche end-of-chapter sentences.
   
   That said, I'm not sorry I took the time to read it, but I am glad that I only paid $.01 for it (plus S&H).



4. This is one of my favorite authors but not one of his best books. This is a Jack Stapleton novel. Recently, Cook's books have become arrogant and pompous -written as if you have to be a medical professional to understand them. Someone is spreading the MRSA bacteria at several hospitals. Jack and Laurie must find out whom. If you have a medical background or like books with a technical medical component, read it. If not, skip this one. I am a mircobiologust and even I got lost in th emumbo jumbo of this book sometimes!



5. Like so many others, I have been a fan since "Coma" was published. But, believe me, this is no "Coma," though at times I felt as if I were drifting into one reading it. Characters and situations, which start out with promise, quickly become unreal and boring cardboard constructions. Conversations among intimates sound computer-generated, lacking any verisimilitude. It doesn't take much time to see that every situation is being stretched and milked to the limit, with lots of tangential descriptions, asides, and inconsequential actions that add nothing to plot or mood.
   
   Dr. Craig Bowman's frustration and depression at having his competence challenged are mentioned in detail so frequently that I wanted to scream. And what was this implied mob-connection via personal injury lawyer Tony Fasano? Did he arrange the terrorizing of the Bowmans? Does anybody really care? It was unnecessarily introduced then dropped flat.
   
   Several times names are incorrectly applied, substituting Craig for Jack. Laurie comes off as a one-dimensional, unsympathetic nag. Boo hiss. Jack makes incredible statements, like days before his wedding he says he can't drive from Boston to NYC if he can't get a flight back home early in the morning. Say what? After making his way around the Boston area streets for days, he can certainly drive the four hours back to NYC via the interstate if necessary, even after the autopsy in the middle of the night. Furthermore, adding to incredulity, Jack doesn't seem to really recognize Craig later because Craig has dyed his hair dark. Now I really believe that.
   
   The courtroom scenes should have been left to John Grisham. Talk about boring. At the end things are left hanging. Exactly why did Craig commit the murder (because Patience was a hypochondriac?) and exactly how did he introduce the poison? Since Cook spends so much time on the microbiology, it might have been nice to follow through and explain Craig's process as well as his thinking about it.
   
   The book ends hurriedly with Jack solving the puzzle, racing home, barely making it to his wedding after a series of anti-climactic time-wasting difficulties. All wrapped up in a hastily tied, pretty pink ribbon.
   
   In good conscience I can't recommend this book to anyone unless he or she is in need of a sedative.

5 comments about Marker.

1. although quite lengthy in his descriptions, the premise for this novel is quite intriguing and certainly not beyond the capabilities of those involved in running the HMOs presently in existence. worth the read to see what you think!!!



2. The author is pushing Hillarycare (government controlled health care) solution. He absolutely makes no sense. Here are the reasons: (1) It is impossible to have a top-down wide conspiracy described in the book and maintain a secrecy at the same time. (2) Only total idiots would even try. Obviously, the author thinks that the people that manage hospitals are idiots. It only proves that he is. (3) The author (as all liberals) thinks that he has a monopoly on morality. He, therefore, describes all the opponents of Hillarycare as immoral. (4) Most importantly, the alleged villains (at the very top) simply have no motivation to do what they allegedly did - risk their life and reputation for no gain at all. The alleged gain is to reduce the premiums for all the subscribers by killing the subscribers with genetic diseases. It would take on average 10-30 years for these diseases to develop. Why would anybody at the top of hospital organization care about the increased operating costs 10--30 years from now?



3. Surprisingly, I love this book. Robbin Cook's became my favorite author ! Go for it



4. Robin Cook, the reigning king of the medical thriller, returns New York City medical examiners, Laurie Montgomery and her lover, Jack Stapleton (previously seen in his earlier novel "Vector") to centre stage. Montgomery autopsies a mysterious string of unwarranted post-surgical cardiac arrests for which she is unable to formulate any reasonable explanation. Her fertile imagination makes the leap to hypothesizing a demented serial killer stalking the halls of Manhattan General, a well respected tertiary care teaching hospital recently taken over by the HMO giant, AmeriCare. At every turn, despite an obviously rising death toll, Laurie is met with skepticism, institutional political resistance and even direct orders to keep her unsubstantiated and possibly libelous speculations to herself.
   
   Cook's continuing mastery of the ability to create suspense and to convey the complexity and urgency of the daily running of a major metropolitan hospital, the medical examiner's office, an autopsy, a surgery, a "code blue" and emergency room trauma provide more than enough reasons to keep the pages turning smartly into the wee hours.
   
   But there were definitely cracks in the wall that made "Marker" a much less satisfying novel than Cook's earliest works such as "Coma" or "Blindsight".
   
   The identity of the killer, nurse Jasmine "Jazz" Rakoczi, is known almost from the opening pages. It was never a matter of "who", only a question of "why"! While the characters of Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton are developed in depth with care and a completely believable and quite moving pathos, Rakoczi is a stereotypical cardboard villain - a cartoon caricature of the nasty bad guy that is at best weak and at worst almost laughable. As a cautionary tale against a possible macabre result of the continuing business takeover of the US medical health care system, "Marker" is left frustratingly open ended.
   
   Robin Cook's fans will still enjoy this one but it's probably not the best place for a potential new reader to take the first dip into the pool.
   
   Paul Weiss



5. Robin Cook, once again, takes a medical marvel, genetic marking, and turns it into a suspenseful roller-coaster ride.
   
   Dr's. Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery are medical examiners for the city of New York. They are also lovers, but Laurie starts questioning their relationship when she verbalizes a desire to start a family and Jack, who lost his first wife and their daughter, isn't excited about trying again. Their relationship is hanging in the balance but will have to take a back seat when Laurie suspects that a string of deaths at a local hospital are not of the "natural variety". People who are young, seemingly healthy and undergoing routine, minor surgical procedures are ending up dead just hours post-op. Everyone around Laurie, including Jack and their boss Calvin, believe Laurie is making a mountain out of a mole hill. Laurie persists in her conviction and uncovers a shocking plot that will rock the medical foundation. To make matters worse, an unplanned surgery puts Laurie in the same hospital, under the same circumstances as those who have already mysteriously died. Will Jack come around to Laurie's way of thinking in time to save her?
   
   Marker is a story within a story. This keeps the reader engrossed and engaged. Cook is a master at medical thrillers and has a way of "dumbing down" all the medical jargon so that anyone can understand and enjoy his books. This story is so intriguing because like most of his other novels, it is plausible, which makes it frightening. This is a must read for Cook fans and anyone who enjoys exciting medical thrillers.

5 comments about Abduction.

1. I LOVED this book! I have tired of the multitude of medical scenerios written by Robin Cook and delighted at a sci-fi storyline. This was one of those books you just couldn't put down. (Hope they do a movie.)



2. As a fan of Robin Cook's medical thrillers, I wasn't sure I would be able to get into his first sci-fi effort. I was hooked from the very beginning! All the gripping terror and chilling suspense he brings to his hospital horrors are present in this whirlwind encounter with a lost civilization.
   
   The characters are believable, the descriptions fascinating, and the premise Cook has concocted is absolutely extraordinary. I especially enjoyed the explanations of "birth" and "death" in the lost world, finding similarities to Walden Two and at least a few R.A. Heinlein novels.
   
   While entirely unlike anything else Robin Cook has written, The Abduction is definitely worth your time, and I happily recommend it. It's a bit disappointing that other reviews trash this book, but then again, it is a *total* departure from Cook's usual genre and writing style. I still thought it was quite good.



3. Occasionally young authors find that even though their first few novels are rejected by publishers, after they become famous the publishers are willing to publish almost anything. However, sometimes the early efforts are not publishable regardless of the author's name. This book was published after Robin Cook was quite famous, but went straight to paperback.
   
   This is definitely not a "Robin Cook" medical thriller, but rather a poorly written science fiction story with an utopian society with open marriages reminiscent of sci fi from the 1950s and explanations of the Alantis Myth, the Gulf Stream, and myriad others topics "unknown to scientists."
   
   If you love Robin Cook, and I do, pick a different book.



4. Let me try to bullet point the other reviews.
   
   * This is science fiction -- not Cook's typical Medical thrillers
   
   * It would actually make a much better short story. (Atlantis Lives) It could be told very well in about 75 pages or a hour long TV show
   
   * The characters are fairly flat and one dimensional.
   
   * The plot, while not bad, is reminiscent of a 1950s twightlight zone, or 60s Star Trek episode. Its very straightforward and you can see where its going.
   
   * The ending twist was one I didn't find that amusing -- again, a decent short story conclusion, but not enough for a full novel.
   
   Saying that, the book isn't *that* bad. I think some reviewers might have been expecting something more in the lines of Cook's other works. I would give it a little more than 2 stars, but given the lenght it's closer to 2 than 3.



5. This is the first book by this author that I have read. The storyline is about a group of varied people being sucked into an ancient subterainian civilization under the sea which has evolved into a utopia. While slow moving as far as action is concerned, it is stimulating for those with intelligence and imagination, even suspenseful up to its abrupt hastily wound up ending. It begs for a sequel, though making one would require a different theme. This novel is written in the tone of the contemporary humanistic relgious attutude of modern America, but what makes it different is the fictional challenges to the Evolutionary Darwinian faith, which while intriguing, is even more unbelievable than Macro-evolutionary scientific theory itself, which is presently crumbling in the more open-minded circles of the scientific community. In addition to the mixture of simpleton characters with the more "elite" politically correct, educated characters (paradoxically promoting acceptance of certain sexual behaviors and personal liberty in our imperfect world where it leads to suffering and destruction of the family, the basis of our civilization, yet is promoted in an advanced society concerned with the whole of their civilization, though it is based on selfish impulses and the labor of a created sub-class. Such conflicts make one think!) are social issues, environmental issues, and the spiritual condition of the human race. It is interesting that the story recognizes a difference between the human body and the "essence", though it tends to explain the spiritual in physical terms, a mistake that many intellectuals will only realize when they pass on, only to realize the spiritual is real and the physical is an illusion. But coming from that physical standpoint, no explanaition for the origin of life or the design of the universe is explained, and perfection is achieved only buy large amounts of time and human evolution and effort. Typical of those who refuse to entertain the concept of God, or wish to be their own god, usually to justify his own sexual desires. Man can be so blind as to not see the fingerprints God in our world and universe...we are without excuse as it is so obvious. Anyway, despite the attempt to circumvent the spiritual, I found it an enjoyable novel, save the abrupt ending. In reality, man is born with a sin nature, and will never evolve into a better being, or create a utopian world, and those who are trying to conform us into their social engineering will bring us all of the negatives of the undersea civilization of this story, but none of the benefits. But this book gives one something to dream about, and though we cannot re-enter eden, I have had a glimpse of paradise to come...to bad, like the 4 in this story, most will reject paradise in favor of their own will and destruction. Like Satan himself, we wish to be as God...and the world groans as a result....

5 comments about Critical.

1. I have been a fan of Robin Cook's with ever decreasing fervor since Sphinx and Coma. However, he has lost me forever after this one. I only wish I had gotten it at the library instead of wasting my money. I am stunned that Cook persists in using his tedious pairing of protagonists, Drs Stapleton and Montgomery. Jack acts like a naughty child hiding from a scolding, which is understandable considering his wife,Laurie, treats him like her little boy. They are so trite and predictable, even their stilted, unrealistic dialogue is way off. (Does Cook not HAVE conversations with real people and therefore not know how to converse?) The plot, such as it is, stretches the belief of the most ardent medical thriller fan. This is by no means a thriller... a total bore does not even begin to cover it. Last, but by no means least, Cook seems intent on reminding us that he is an M.D. by throwing around as much medical jargon as possible. Perhps that is to not so cleverly divert our attention from the absolute nonsense he is blathering on about. Never again, Dr. Cook....I'll spend my money elsewhere.



2. I had stopped reading Cook because I thought his books had fallen into somewhat of a predictable pattern, and this one proved no exception to the rule. While they are well-written, and the characters are enjoyable, it somehow lacks that spark. The twists in the plot are more like gentle curves, with plenty of warning signs of what's ahead.
   
   Even so, it was not a bad novel. There were plenty of interesting characters, decent action sequences, and solid dialogue. The plot was neither too contrived nor fantastic. It was... okay. If you haven't read a lot of Cook and/or aren't bothered by slightly predictable plots, it's a fun, light read.



3. Critical is the latest in Robin Cook's series highlighting the fascinating lives of Dr. Jack Stapleton and Dr. Laurie Montgomery, Medical Examiners for the OCME in New York. This newest of Robin Cook's medical thrillers offers more of the same, simple detective novels made unique by medical and scientific terminology thrown in to impress on the reader that (1) Robin Cook was at one time an M.D. and (2) These books are better researched than a typical John Grisham novel.
   
   In Critical, there is an oddly connected series of deaths at brand-new specialty hospitals. The deaths are MRSA, which is an unusually lethal and fast-acting bacterial infections. Patients go in for routine surgeries and die in a matter of hours. Dr. Montgomery suspects something is up and almost dies in a near-fruitless effort to get at the bottom of it. In the process the mafia, a deranged Iraq-war veteran and many unethical business execs try to stop Dr. Montgomery from hurting the company before the stock goes public.
   
   Cook offers an appropriate morality tale about the evils of mixing business and medicine. Most will agree with the premise and enjoy the story, though if you have read his other work the ending will seem disappointing. Critical offers good beach reading for the summer.



4. I may be predjudiced because Robin Cook has been my favorite diversion for many years, but I was surprised by all the bad reviews this book got. I particularly like the Laurie and Jack books and thought this was at least as good as any before. As, a chemical engineer (doctor) / wannabe MD (REAL doctor), I also read Cook to learn something more about medical technology. I wonder if the bad reviews come from people bored by such things. Anyway, what I liked most about this one is that all the characters, good and "evil", had some good qualities that we could get interested in. We see a picture of healing being distorted by greed and the disasterous train of events it often puts in motion. I was never quite sure how it would turn out - a fairly complicated tale, in which Laurie, the heroine gets herself in quite a pickle, as she has before, and again Jack is not quite available to save her, but Lou does it. Anyway, according to me, at least a 4 - I liked it. I am waiting eagerly for the baby episode; at Laurie's age, it should be fraught with medical perils.



5. Being a Robin Cook fan, I was let down by this book with a mixture of confusing mess of events. Very unlike his book!!

No comments about Foreign Body.