Product Description
A trio of chilling tales of medical mayhem features unabridged versions of Harmful Intent, Vital Signs, and Blindsight. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Three Complete Novels
Robin Cook is as good a read as it was in the 80s. Three book in one is never a bad thing. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is Robin Cook's most controversial medical thriller-the shocking story of experimental fertilization, the passion to create life, and the power to destroy it.

Just what the doctor ordered. (New York Daily News)

Vintage Cook...Nonstop action. (Kirkus Reviews) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Good theme bad plot
Robin Cook books always brings out the new and vital scoops in medical field. Most of the time he translates into the good and readable novel -some times he fails to make a good plot -
Vital Signs brings out the upcoming medical money making machine "infertility clinics"
Positives:
1.Suspense: Even being the biology researcher I could not guess the enigma in getting the Chinese people in USA till the end of the book.
2.Location tour: It was interesting to read about the locations like Australia specially the deserted part of Australia, about Hongkong andChina If you have sufficient patience then you will enjoy reading them
3. The tensions brought out specially into the womens undergoing fertility treatment was quite accurate.
Negative:
1. Dropping dead bodies -specially could have avoided most of them.
2. Initially the book dragged too much with the arguements of Husband and Wife and also the introduction to the Wendy was too much abrupt.

Overall I will rate this book as three stars: one for the novel idea, one for the location description and the third one because I am fan of Cook!

So-so
This book started off with a lot of promise. I received this book as a hand-me-down - I get many of my books this way - but the story quickly unraveled. Rather than stick with medicine, there's now espionage and attempted murder. While a good thriller can have medicine and murder all in one, this book is unfortunately not one of them.

I found myself plodding through the book, quickly reading it just so I could get to the end. This is the first Robin Cook book I have read, and from what I see in the reviews, this is not the best work. I might pick up another Cook book, but if I ever buy one, I will make sure to check the reviews first. The ending to this book was unsatisfying and disappointing, with no real solution. The whole conspiracy of the Women's Clinic was interesting, but fell flat on delivery in this book. It might provide a diversion in the waiting room or on a airplane, but really, it's not worth reading.

A travelogue masquerading as a medical thriller
This is another one of Robin Cook's travelogues; as in "Sphinx" and "Seizure," he sends characters on wild goose chases to exotic locales."Vital Signs" details Marissa Blumenthal's globetrotting to the Australian outback, the Great Barrier Reef, the Walled City of Hong Kong, and the China coast.This is held together by a paper-thin plot about nefarious goings-on in a fertility clinic.

Reading this, I had the feeling that Cook loves to travel and rationalizes it as "research" for his novels.This is definitely one of his weaker efforts.

a total waste of time
As some one who typically enjoys spy thrillers and murder mysteries the back cover of this book looked like an interesting possibility. I was wrong. Robin Cooks attempt to capture your imagination fell far short. From the implausible world travels of the main character to her new found friends the whole thing was contrived and ridiculous. The whirl wind climax, complete with high level ties to the CDC and escape from a communist country was beyond ridiculous. Oh and the bodies that were left a long the way??? What ever became of them Marissa???? Save your time and a few bucks, look elswhere unless you just want to laugh at how poorly the story is told.

Cook goes after corporate medicine again
Robin Cook sticks with his strong suit-the lone individual doctor going after evil corporate medicine. While the plot is not one of the more believable--his protagonists do some pretty illogical things--it makes for some harrowing and enjoyable reading. Marissa Blumenthal makes a return from a previous book, but this time she is not only the white knight, she is also the victim. Really engaging book, just calls for a suspension of disbelief. ... Read more

Product Description
New York cab driver Yuri Davydov is a disgruntled Russian immigrant ready to lash out at his adoptive nation, which he believes has denied him the American Dream. As a former technician in the Soviet Union's biological weapons system, Yuri knows how to wreak havoc in his new home. But before he executes his masterpiece of vengenance, he experiments first on selected targets. Dr Jack Stapleton begins to witness some unusual cases in his capacity as forensic pathologist in the City medical examiner's office. A Greek immigrant apparently succumbs to sudden overwhelming pneumonia, while an obese Afro-American woman collapses with acute respiratory distress. When an unexpected coincidence suggest to Jack that these seemingly unrelated deaths are actually connected murders, his colleagues and superiors remain sceptical. Meanwhile he is taking himself deeper into deadly danger - but can he reach the heart of the puzzle before Davydov and his associates unleash into the streets of New York the ultimate terror: a modern bio-weapon!Amazon.com Review
Robin Cook's latest plot--the threat of an anthrax [bacterium] turnedloose in a New York government building and in Central Park--is rippedstraight from the headlines, and as such it may be charitablydescribed as having a certain lumpish quality in the prose and anoverabundance of cuteness in the lead characters.

Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery, the dueling forensicpathologists who bounced off each other in Cook's Chromosome 6, collideand combine once again as a mad Russian cabdriver, who used to work ina Moscow bioweapons factory, comes up with a plan to punish Americafor not welcoming him with open arms. The cabby forms an unlikelyalliance with two firemen who happen to be white supremacists; theyfund his anthrax research to further their own lunatic schemes.

Cook is, as ever, best at creating scenes of perfectly realized medicalterror which plug into the paranoia of the moment. But if you want deepcharacters and sensitive description, read Fay Weldon. --DickAdler ... Read more

Customer Reviews (120)

Better than I expected
This was much better than I expected. While it has the requisite lethal biological agent, the plot is quite a departure from Cook's normal fare. The occupation of one of the primary villains makes it obvious that the novel is pre-9/11. Cook would have a problem finding a publisher today without that change. It was nice to see Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery included to give some familiarity and continuity to Cook's earlier works. I really enjoyed this novel.

Interesting Read
I'm not very knowledgeable about bioterrorism, so I am sure the inconsistencies mentioned by others are there, and this book may not deserve 4 stars. But since I don't know about such things, I have to admit I found this a good read.

Most of Cook's books would be able to "fool" me, since I don't know much about medicine and diseases, but sometimes ignorance is bliss, so I enjoy Robin Cook's books (at least the ones I've read). I probably wouldn't notice inconsistencies and mistakes.

Well before its time...
It was quite odd and fascinating to read this book after this actual scare happened after 9/11 -- and it was written in 1999. Talk about foresight!I wasn't too impressed with the ending, though.I thought Cook could've gone another route and made it really terrifying.

I've yet to find a Cook novel that I didn't like. He is definitely one of my favorite authors.I can only hope to have a fraction of the successful writing career he's had over four decades.

~Chad Clegg - Author: The DOMINO EFFECT

Unbelievable, and Not in a Good Sense
I never heard of this Cook character previously, but I heard there was a bioreactor in this novel, so I decided to check it out.I'm sorry I did.This book was totally unbelievable, not to mention poorly edited, if at all.If it weren't for what seemed to be dozens of so-called coincidences, the dots would never have been connected.

The only memorable part of the book was when Jack flipped Curt the middle finger during his 'sanctioning' in the middle of rush hour traffic.

What ever became of Paul Sutherland?Was he really the secret leader of the PAA?

unpleasant to read
The author managed to create villians more evil than real life.Right wing skinheads commit the crime of skinning their victims alive.As a medical doctor, Robin Cook, should realize such an act would be an incredible amount of work for the criminal.I felt the writer was marketing his political agenda.Most people disagree with the extremist political views of skin heads/neo nazi types.However, it is not necessary for the author to demonize the fictional criminal to the point of losing credibility.The book has many sterotypical characters and I was not able to finish reading it.I put the book down in disgust.I also found the image of someone being skinned alive very distasteful.I will not even start another book written by this author.Robin Cook has gone too far. ... Read more

Product Description
A gripping tale of bacterial poisoning, product tampering, andcorporate malevolence by the dean of medical thrillers. After hisdaughter, Becky, dies from poisoning caused by "E. coli" bacteria,surgeon Kim Regis investigates and comes up against a code of silencemore impenetrable that anything he has ever encountered in the medicalworld.Amazon.com Review
Just when you thought it was safe to eat a hamburger again, Robin Cook--master of medical mysteries, deadly epidemics, and creepy comas--returnswith an all too likely villain drawn right from current headlines: theAmerican meat industry. If you've ever wondered where the E. colibacteria comes from, and exactly how it can ravage the human body,destroying everything in its path, this is the book for you.As usual,Cook delivers solid information, well-researched medical arcana, and ascathing indictment of managed health care.

His protagonist, Kim Regis, is an all-too-typical ego-driven surgeon, whosearrogance and invulnerability set him up to be brought low by the deadlytoxin that takes the life of his young daughter.Sparing no time and barely aparagraph to reflect on his loss, Regis goes right after the culprit, ameat-packing behemoth that brings dead and diseased animals to theslaughterhouse, breaking every health regulation in the book. The scenesset on the killing floor and in the boning rooms will make a vegetarian outof the most confirmed red-meat eater. Toxin is a heart-poundingthriller that hits very close to home. --Jane Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (271)

Helped Shape My Choices
I loved this book for its unflinching and courageous indictment of the morbid state of our food supply.

I am especially appreciative for the recommended reading (Spoiled: The Dangerous Truth about a Food Chain Gone Haywire) suggested by Robin Cook, which I have had an opportunity to peruse since finishing the novel.Reading a series of books on the subject has helped me make safer choices.

A missed opportunity
Toxin provided Cook with a multitude of opportunities for the fright he likes to engender with the American medical landscape, but instead he goes so far over the top that it's too unbelievable to even produce unease much less fright. Taking on E coli and the American meat packing industry provided him with easy targets, but he elected to make a top-notch heart surgeon and turn him into a Jekyll and Hyde. While arrogance among doctors might be believable, the undisciplined and impulsive Dr. Kim Reggis was not believable at all. His actions his life's tragedy were even more unbelievable. The book was plotted well, however, so it was a pretty quick read, but the total implausibility of his main characters' actions robbed it of any punch it may have had.

Worst Robin Cook book...and I love Robin Cook
Disappointing. Great potential to be a fascinating book about poor meat industry practices and the increasing health risks we're exposed to every day. Having just finished reading another RC book ("Marker," which was phenomenal), this book just wasn't believable. A cardiac surgeon having regular meltdowns, punching people in fast food restaurants and hospitals, just isn't realistic. A mother who loses her child would be too devastated to go on an investigative caper. By nature, surgeons have to exercise strict control in order to do their work. And they certainly would throw their careers down the toilet by repeatedly acting so stupidly. It was OK enough to hold my interest to the end, but I actually had to keep checking to see if pages fell out because the ending was so disappointing. No closure. Do yourself a favor. There are plenty of other RC books to choose from. I suggest you do so. You can also read Gregory Iles or Jeffrey Deaver for a better experience.

Ah, the memory of this 'book'
Once, many years ago, i was stuck on an oil rig, offshore. Nothing to do, and had run out of my own books.

I found a copy of this appalling book.

It is the worst book I have ever read. I had no choice.

At one point I burst out laughing like some madman, after reading some particular piece of 'dialogue'. Stunningly badly written.
So bad, I felt sorry for the editor and proofreaders.

There is a reason this book has 71 (now 72) 1 star reviews - it really is that bad, and there is no zero star option.

Coops

E. Coli Rampage
I read this book many years ago after borrowing it from my grandmother's library. It did not make me a vegetarian but it definitely has made me more conscientious about the meat I consume. To this day, I refuse to eat much hamburger or ground meat. I have officially reread it and I now have the upsetting renewal to stay away from all hamburger or ground meat. The story is harrowing as well as completely possible. Hell, it's already happened. The fear of E. coli and its effects is an ever-impending, dismaying concept that plagues the United States. In recent years, E. coli and its many versions has not only affected meats but other resources as well, making many individuals extremely ill with relatively few symptoms until it is a full-blown disaster. The book focuses around a fictitious, but sadly realistic case of a particularly deadly strand of E. coli finding its way into the daughter of Dr. Kim Reggis. A vendetta endeavor begins with stomach-churning results. Great drama, a great flow to the story and sickeningly true.

My only dislikes for this book is the language in which the individuals speak, since it seems forcibly contrived and far too heavy. I also dislike the unreal connection Tracy and Kim eventually rediscover. I feel it would have been a more appropriate ending if it had not dipped ever-so-slightly into the romantic genre. Despite these small issues, the book has a special, albeit unfortunate place in my heart. ... Read more

Product Description
Robin Cook confronts one of the most provocative issuesof our time--a terrifying glimpse into the dangers of antidepressantdrugs...

"Cook manages to keep the suspense mounting and thepages turning."-- San Francisco Chronicle

"King of themind-bending medical thriller"-Kirkus Reviews

"[A]morality tale of antidepressants and greedy medical entrepreneurs."--Detroit News

"One of Cook's best"-- AssociatedPress ... Read more

Customer Reviews (73)

I enjoyed it.
This book is about the Salem witch trials. I lived near there many years ago when I was a child so it was fun to read about the area again. The story flowed and I liked the characters. A fun thriller. It's not really scary but very tense.

Highly implausible, fun read
I enjoyed the linking of the Salem witch trials with the prospect of finding a new drug, but it quickly spiraled out to lengths that made the suspension of disbelief impossible. Still it was a lot of fun and a novel idea.

Loved it!
I thought this book was great, fast reading. I work in research so it held my interest through the whole thing!

Ok
Ardent fans of Cook, please forgive me for saying this, but in my opinion, after the first few, one learns to read his novels more or less to kill time, with eyes glazed over, as one would flip TV channels on a boring sunday afternoon. Acceptable Risk is one of his many fun, light, one-time reads.

Historical Medical Thriller
"Acceptable Risk" is part historical mystery and part medical thriller. It is about Kim, a woman who explores her own identity by researching the mystery of her ancestor Elizabeth's alleged execution as a witch. Meanwhile, her boyfriend Edward succumbs to the financial allure of high-profile drug development. His research proceeds with supernatural velocity, propelling him and his research team into unethical, and tragic, methods.As a fellow medical scientist, I found the description of drug development a little unsettling and unreal. His eerie successes and failures parallel the dark supernaturalness of the Salem witchcraft trials. In this book, Cook questions the ethics behind development of million-dollar drugs and the safety of casual use of psychoactive drugs. Although the plot was not as fast-paced or eerily believable as some of Cook's other books, the historical mystery was a refreshing change from main-stream medical thrillers. ... Read more

Product Description
Like Arthur Conan Doyle before him, best-selling novelist Robin Cook has turned from the practice of medicine to that of writing popular suspense fiction. Widely recognized as the "Master of the Medical Thriller," Cook uses the medium of the popular novel to address a range of social issues: environmental pollution, gender inequality in the workplace, the risks inherent in the common practice of secrecy in science research, and, above all, the ramifications of medicine's transition from profession to corporate industry. This study analyzes in turn each of Cook's medical thrillers, from Coma to Contagion. ... Read more

Product Description
A sudden outbreak defies diagnosis-because the causes are unlike anything humankind has ever seen...

"Cook fans will revel in this story." (Booklist)Amazon.com Review
Fans of Robin Cook's many thrillers will be happy to know another one is on the way. In this latest outing, Invasion, Cook envisions a contact with extraterrestials that is closer to Alien than to E.T.. A gigantic spaceship arrives in the stratosphere to dump some black disks onto Earth. Touch these things at your own risk, however; unsuspecting souls who handle the disks receive a sting, soon followed by flulike symptoms and ending in a kind of zombie assimilation into the alien consciousness. And make no mistake: these aliens are up to no good--we know this because the victims of the UFO-flu are soon transformed into hideous reptilian creatures.

Apparently, one consequence of being trapped by the aliens is that victims lose all semblance of natural speech--most notably, contractions. The book abounds in dialogue such as, "You must flee, Cassy," and "The electrical grid has been interrupted. There will be no force counteracting the antigravity ..." Still, readers looking for a good beach or bathtub book will find Invasion is right on the money. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

A Great Take on Alien Invasion
Invasion draws you in from the very beginning. The first half of this book was five stars. The second half, three stars. It averaged out to be a very compelling read. The author did a great job in making you believe the authenticity of the method by which Earth was compromised. Some of the plot twists later on in the book could have been more interesting. Overall this was a very good story and a recommended read.

Invasion
I thought the paper cover would be more new than it was. The book itself was in great shape.

An interesting blend...
...of science and science fiction.

Black discs are appearing all over.People are falling victim to a mysterious flu that 'changes' them.An eclectic group of people are all that stands between us...and them.

If you can believe that...
The earth is invaded by strange black discs which sting and infect people. An alien virus implanted millions of years ago into mankind's genetic code is being revived. People start to behave strangely and some of them become mutants, half lizard, half human. But a handful of haunted refugees struggle to piece together the puzzle of this improbable invasion in an attempts to save humanity.
To be avoided at all costs.

Awesome
If you are wishing to read any of Robin Cook's books then hopefully you have at least a basic interest in medical thriller. Invasion is no let down. The plot is an ancient alien race returns to earth. The twisting plot is that the alien itself is somewhat of a virus that unleashes the alien side already in the person. ... Read more

Product Description
Murder and mystery reach epidemic proportions when a devastating plague sweeps the country.

Dr. Marissa Blumenthal of the Atlanta Centers for Disease Control investigates--and soon uncoversthe medical world's deadliest secret.

"His most harrowing medical horror story." (The New York Times) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (49)

Great book
A page turner, just like any other Robin Cook book.If you like suspense this is the book for you.I enjoyed it a lot.

What happened to Tad?Poor guy.
So, this was my first Robin Cook book and I wasn't exactly thrilled by the last page, but I think I'd be willing to give the guy another try.Here's the thing, the book itself isn't so bad.Yeah, it's pretty predictable, but it genuinely captured my interest enough that I finished it in one day.Unfortunately, there are a few things about it that I feel I just can't let the author off the hook about.
1. Marissa was kind-of smart, but not as smart as I think she really needed to be for her role in this book.When she asked Tad to "speak English," because she didn't understand what he meant by "structural homology," I got frustrated.I realize that an author must let his/her audience in on what certain technical and scientific terms mean when it is crucial to the story, but there had to have been a better way to do this than to have Marissa ask so blatantly.I'm no doctor or scientist, but even I knew enough to guess that "structural homology" might mean something like "similarly structured," and for someone who works at the CDC to not even guess the simple meaning I took from the phrase, doesn't instill a whole lot of confidence in me for the character, or a whole lot of respect for them either.Also, I don't like that it takes this woman so damn long to become suspicious of the Ebola/doctor/recent mugging connection.First doctor is mugged days before being hospitalized with Ebola, okay, sad.Second doctor is also mugged before dying, huh, very weird.Now the third doctor to die is learned to have also been mugged...WTF?But it takes our darling heroine nearly five doctors' deaths/muggings before she becomes convinced that something's up.Wow.
2. Maybe this is just me, but there are times when I think a male author should really sit down and talk to a woman before writing an entire novel with a female as a central character, and vice-versa (a lot of women authors should do the same with men).I realize this book is circa 1987, but even then I don't think a woman on the run, possibly fearing for her life, would be so darn concerned with her appearance (unless she were trying to alter it) and yet I recall at least several pages when Marissa has found the time to do her make-up, dress herself into nice skirts, and pack-up said cosmetics, before slipping out the back door to avoid being captured by the most incapable henchmen I've ever read about.Now, yes Mr. Cook, women typically do try to look nice when they go out, but would a man on the run take the time to don a nice three-piece suit?Comb his hair just so?Splash on a little cologne?Not likely, and neither would a woman be so concerned at a time like this that her eyes were properly lined.
3. Finally, we come to what probably bothered me most--Marissa's relationships (or lack thereof, through no one's fault but her own) with several of the men in her life.Ralph, an extremely sweet and doting older man has his eyes set on all-too-cute little Marissa, but darn it, if he just wasn't so physically unattractive too her (how completely non-shallow of her).Sure, she might lead him on a bit, never actually intending to give in to his affections, but that's okay, he won't mind if she just uses him for what she needs at any given moment.And, okay, maybe he does end up trying to kill her in the end, but thankfully Marissa is too slow to realize just what a bad man he is until her neck is nearly between his two hands.Then there's Tad.He's younger than Ralph, but thank God, he's so much better looking.He's also willing to give Marissa anything she needs, even if it means risking his career, and she's even okay to let him believe that they might be dating, but heaven forbid he try to even kiss her.I couldn't believe how quick she was to slip from his grip.Any why can't she give in to sweet, compassionate Tad?We don't know, it's really never explained very well, because I'm guessing Marissa has no clue what she wants either.What she does know, however, what becomes ultimately clear in the last paragraph of the book, is that a man who treats her like garbage throughout ninety percent of the book (her boss) is quite the catch.Oh well, maybe they deserve each other.
So okay, it's not great, but it is readable.I just wish the lead hadn't lacked as much self-esteem and/or intelligence as she did.

Outbreak
I got the book in great time. I have been enjoying the book so much

Pure escapism
The plot is in no way plausible, but it is in general exciting enough to continue turning the pages with some degree of anticipation.

As thrilling as buying a new pair of 100% cotton socks!
Forgive the sarcasm, but this was truly the most frustrating book I've read in a long time.The main characters are just rediculous.They'll actually be explaining exactly why a theory is right or wrong and then just dismiss it for no apparent reason.Are they even paying attention to what they're saying?They routinely break Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot's cardinal rule: make your theories fit the facts and not the other way around.They follow up this brilliant detective work by routinely missing key points that are practically shoved in their faces.I would have rooted for the bad guys but they were just as incompetent and there plans were just asinine.They might as well have had Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget come up with it.

The ending is abrupt and leaves plenty of loose ends lying all over the place.I suppose the book's redeeming quality is that it is a very fast read.I am by no means a fast reader and I read it in about a day.The pain ends quickly, which is why I gave it a 2 instead of a 1.

Also, I don't know why people call this a medical thriller.First, the "medical" part is really peripheral.It's really more about politics and strange business wars than it is about medicine.The main character happened to work at the CDC, but a journalist or cop would have worked just as well.Her medical knowledge was not really integral to the plot.And as for "thriller", I don't know how this was thrilling.I could have cared less what happened to the main character, especially because in a book this formulaic you know she's coming out alive.If you want a real medical thriller, read The Hot Zone by Richard Preston.It's much scarier and you'll learn a lot more.

Finally, the most obvious complaint:I knew the ending of this book in detail by page 50 and I know I'm not the only one.It's so predictable, I actually feel as if Robin Cook was purposely insulting the intelligence of all of his readers.When our fearless hero finally figures out what she should have already known about 200 pages ago, I couldn't help but think of a scene from Family Guy where Lois in a dream discovers that Stewie is an evil genius.

"I finally understand.My baby's a diabolical genius bent on world domination.He's an evil, evil child," she says.

Stewie swivels his chair around slowly clapping and says, "And the last horse finally crosses the finish line." ... Read more

Product Description
TEST A group of aliens builds a colony deep under the ocean, for the purpose of watching humans and human society from afar. But what happens when this watching is no longer enough? In the tradition of his highly successful, TV-adapted novel "INVASION", Robin Cook again gives us an enthralling blend of cutting-edge technology blended with the possibilities of alien contact.Amazon.com Review
Perry Berg is president of Benthic Marine and a passenger aboard The Benthic Explorer, a 450-foot research ship endeavoring to drill into, and sample for the first time, the earth's magma core. Also onboard are the lovely Dr. Suzanne Newell; ex-navy commander and present submersible skipper Donald Fuller; and navy-cum-Neanderthal divers Richard Adams and Michael Donaghue. It is this cast of characters who, with the reluctant Perry, dive to the stilled drill site in order to make repairs. En route, they are sucked (or suckered) into a defunct undersea volcano and deposited into an otherworldly wonderland. That takes about 75 pages of fairly cogent spadework. The next 375 pages sprout some of the looniest, most derivative, made-for-TV-movie science fiction imaginable. Our heroes, you see, have been abducted to Interterra, an undersea world of staggering beauty and unheard of technologies--intergalactic travel and eternal life, for starters--populated by stunningly beautiful, toga-wearing, first-generation humans.

First-generation? They were here first, see, and had been doing very nicely until their scientists realized that the earth was about to be "showered with planetesimal collisions, just as had happened in its primordial state," and that they had better start digging. While the Interterrans prospered and thrived undersea, we, the second generation, began hauling our single-celled bodies up by our ooze-straps and started all over again.

And that's about it. People with names like Arak and Sufa speak strangely, giggle at the primitive second-generationists, recoil at the very thought of violence, press their palms together to have sex, and direct "worker clones" to do the dishes while the second generation does its stereotypical best to, in turns, exemplify, define, and defile humankind.

If you've yet to read Robin Cook's innumerable (and mostly successful) medical thrillers, start now. If you want to read about an alternative world, start off right with H.G. Wells's 1895 masterpiece, The Time Machine. --Michael Hudson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (185)

Not top of the line
This is quite a departure from Cook's usual fare, and it starts out with a lot of promise. It quickly goes boring, however, and the ending is just plain awful. Not a good effort.

Back cover needed to prepare the reader for a sci-fi flick...
First of all, I LOVE Cook's books. I love the science and facts he usually uses. Even when he does take literary/artistic license, he backs up his imaginative scenarios with some facts. I was totally unprepared for the science fiction utopian storyline of Abduction- there isn't even a hint on the back cover to tell you what's coming. I figured "Oh, maybe the oceanographers bring some oddball bacteria back with them," but noooo, the oceanographers are sucked into a bizarre utopia of lazy, beautiful humans. As another review said, there are no likable characters, so I found myself not caring about what happened. The twist at the end was a bit silly and felt very forced, as did many of the scenes. I'd recommend it to someone else as a for-fun, kicks-and-giggles read, but I would make sure they know Abduction is not a medical thriller.

Abduction
Thiswas totally different from Robin Cook's other books , and I really liked it. It was fast moving and very entertaining. I read it in a day and a half. Like his other books I was not disappointed.

More Airport Reading
"Abducted" is airport material.If you're just killing time waiting for your flight, this book isn't too bad, but it's not all that good, either.

The science is mostly poor, with a lot of naive mistakes.Physics, geology, and evolutionary biology all take a bit of a beating.For instance, early on, the characters' mini-submarine dives uncontrollably because the water warms up to about 100 degrees, and (supposedly) warm water is much less dense than cold water.If you took physics 101, though, you may remember that heating water (and most other materials) reduces its density by only a tiny amount.If you expect your science fiction to get the science right, you will find this sort of thing jarring.

That would matter less if the characters and story were well-crafted, but they aren't.The characters are cliches:macho jerk #1, macho jerk #2, uptight military man, wimpy corporate guy, brainy but hot scientist babe.That's pretty much all you need to know (and about all you ever find out) about any of them.Meanwhile, the storyline is straight from cheesy 50s SciFi flicks:a few ordinary humans encounter an ancient and extremely advanced civilization of people who look human and are all incredibly hot, who don't work, have a slave race, live in a "perfect" society, have no wars, don't use money, are fascinated by primitive humans but are perplexed by our emotions, etc.

Still, stock 50s SciFi movies were popular for a reason:they're goofy mindless fun.This probably won't hold your attention for long, and it's unlikely to make your top ten (or top hundred) list of favorite books, but if time is heavy on your hands and you really need to pass a few hours, you could do worse.Then again, you could also do a whole lot better.

a good read
Robin Cook's books are normally a good read and I enjoy them.Have read about everything that he has written.

This book isas good as it gets.It is a good read for those who like novels with a medical background and mystery and suspense involved.

Cook is able to capture our attention very quickly and does not let us go until we have finished.

Enjoyed it.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'" ... Read more

Product Description
Organ transplants are common today. But the master of medical suspense imagines what could happen when supply falls short of demand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

I never received the item
I never received the robin cook book , or the break up DVD ... :(

Did Cook write this with his eyes closed?
This was my first Robin Cook novel...and my last, for the foreseeable future.I had problems with Laurie's characterization almost from the start. The flashback to her brother's death, when she was a late-teenager, has her responding to her brother's threats('Don't tell Mom and Dad!") as if she were a five-year old, and using her guilt as'motivation' for her actions as an adult is hardly an original idea.
There was a hint of promise in her icy relationship with her parents, but I was glad they eventually played only a small part. The reconciliation with them at story's end was forced, and Cook didn't even bother to show it 'on camera'.
The rest of this book was just fluff; as mentioned elsewhere, the dialogue was terrible, and the characters cardboard(No, wait...that's an insult to cardboard!) Wow, New York has mafia guys named 'Vinnie' and 'Tony'! Stunning development!
From a reading standpoint, this book is marginally more interesting than an eye chart...but at least the eye chart is actually useful!

Fast moving plot
Blindsight has probably the best plot of any of the Cook books I've read so far (about a dozen). It really moves and holds interest, and even has a little more plausibility than most of what he writes. It was refreshing for him not to be bashing big medicine for a change. This is the best Robin Cook book that I have read. Not unbelievably deep or lyrical prose, but it's a page turner that was fun to read.

Quite possibly the worst book ever written
This book is terrible.The only reason I read it was because it was in my mother-in-law's bathroom when we were visiting and I got sick and stuck in there.It was either this book or the backs of shampoo bottles. In hindsight, I should have stuck with the shampoo bottles.The only reason I gave this one star is because Amazon wouldn't let me give it zero. Terrible dialog and a completely unrealistic plot.

Another great CSI book from Cook
I really liked the story; I should have listened or read it before the more recent books (Marker, etc) as the characters are developed in this one; enjoyed it emensely ... Read more

Product Description
The bizarre and deadly world of high-tech medicine run amok comes alive in a trio of Cook's best-selling horror tales--Outbreak, Mortal Fear, and Mutation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Not a bad way to spend a day
This is probably the best Cook book I've read. The premise, while a bit over the top, at least has the ring of possibility to it. He also does a better job of covering up the identity of the bad guys. Overall, a good read.

Good but typical Cook fare
Contrary to Forrest Gump's popular euphemism about life... when you read a Robin Cook novel you know what you're going to get. First, you're going to get a book concerned with a medical ethics issue. Secondly, you're going to get a quick read with somewhat shallow character development. Lastly, the book is going to be mostly modest lacking any gore, invigorating sex scenes, or harsh language. With these things being said Mortal Fear doesn't stray from the mold. The ethics issue here is concerned with science specializations like genetic engineering and the grave possibilities these have for mankind when used for less than noble purposes by humans playing God. The main character in this book, Dr. Jason Howard, struggles to find out why so many of his patients are dying somewhat prematurely after getting clean bills of health not that long ago. Has something gotten out of hand at the hospital where he works? Is there a new deadly infectious disease on the loose? The book takes you down this path until you eventually figure out what is going on and why the sudden deaths of patients. The shallow character development comes into play with first Dr. Howard and then secondly with other characters he interacts with. Primarily a stripper whom he is attracted to but never has the nerve to approach in any gritty way. We also know that Dr. Howard suffered a devastating loss with the death of his wife but never really see or feel his emotional grief over this grave loss. Where the book does succeed is in keeping the reader interested enough to read through till the end to unravel the mystery of the medical disasters taking place and also to find out the other tiny mysteries related to the main mystery. If you read this book knowing what to expect from Dr. Cook and realize it's going to be like most of his works-good but not great-you'll leave this with your expectations fulfilled but not exceeded.

When will be your next check-up?
As many books of Dr. Cook, you won't be able to understandmany parts of the book unless you are a doctor, but this book is a complete medical thriller, I am agree that at the end of the book the story is a little bit boring and predictable, but as always with these kind of books, you will think twice before going to a doctor or hospital.
The book is really easy and fast to read, maybe you will stop doing things just to finish it.

DEATH RATTLES
Cook once again serves us up a hero who decides to become a private investigator and research things he should leave to the police.At least in this one, the police are one step behind him.Cook gives us his standard sciene gone wrong plot, although fascinating at times and extremely readable.Cook is no great writer, but he manages to hook his audience, and enable us to root for the good guy even though most of the time they act like juveniles.
Readable.

IF YOUR ONLY GONNA READ ONE BOOK IN YOUR LIFETIME...
I'm not exactly a huge fan of Robin Cook.I actually never heard of him until I read this.I read a lot of books, and I think this is the best I've ever read.I'm not even into the whole medicine thing but I found this book most interesting on many levels.He slowly builds up the suspence until you just can't take it anymore!I finished reading this book in less than a day.I couldn't put it down!That's never happened to me before!!!

I definatley recommend this book to anybody, even if you don't like reading!It's guaranteed to hold your interest.Someone should make a movie out of this!WOW! ... Read more

Product Description
Robin Cook's "pressure cooker of a thriller" (Booklist) takes medical technology into a new realm, where everything we know about the human body-and the universe we live in-is about to be challenged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A TV movie script?
Ten minutes in I recognized this as the script for a TV movie that I've seen at least ten times. Stock characters, standard dialogue, totally predictable, and a lame ending.

Robib Cook's Worst
I've read many of Robin Cook's books, and this was definitely not his usual good writing. As another reviewer stated, it's like someone else wrote it. Someone who is not a good writer and used a formula for churning out novels. Even the storyline is dull.

Read Cook's earlier books, when he had the time and the imagination to write a very good novel.

A departure for Cook
While this novel is a departure from Cook's normal fare, I still found it fun. The characters were kind of fun and the plot while not riveting, did make me want to keep reading. I know many have been much more harsh in their estimation, but I never felt I was wasting my time. It's not deep reading, but it is fun.

I actually liked it...loved it!
This was the first Robin Cook book I ever read and I loved it. I have read others from him since then and I loved them even more. Well, except Abduction, it was ok. I prefer the ones that involve Jack and Laurie.

Cook trying to be Crichton
I do love Robin Cook's novels.They are so compelling, fun, and a good read.But this one seemed like the author was trying to write like someone he is not.It almost seemed like a Michael Crichton novel, but it turned out so second rate if that was the intention, it fell very flat.

You will find the book a page-turner, but at the end you will feel it was not nearly what you had expected from this usually good author. ... Read more

Product Description
A medical student from Boston accepts a post at Miami's Forbes Clinic, the world's foremost cancer research hospital, and discovers that an evil plot lies behind its success. By the author of Coma. 225,000 first printing. $150,000 ad/promo. Tour. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Smart people don't act this dumb
Terminal has a much better than average premise and a plot that moves along swiftly and definitely holds the interest. When you read a Robin Cook book you know it will deal with Big Medicine doing what's necessary to make a buck and always be at the expense of individual patients. This book is no exception. Knowing that, I generally enough reading these books. The downer for this one, however, is that the characters take actions which are totally unbelievable. Not science-fiction like (there are no walking through walls or mind-reading), but actions that rationale people would not take. Over and over again laws were broken with no thought of possible consequences. It just wasn't believable that people who had worked so hard toward futures would throw them away without a second thought. If you can look past that, this is a much better book. I couldn't.

The ratings for TERMINAL are surprising.
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.

SAVE YOUR TIME!
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!

You've got to be kidding me!!!
First of all, nomatter 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.

Threw it into the garbage can in disgust...
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!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Brain cancer patients are miraculously "cured"-when the rising cost of research sparks a medical conspiracy that lowers the price on human life. ... Read more