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painteagle's review against another edition
3.0
A quick easy read. If you are looking for an easy thriller full of hitmen and doctors, this is for you. The racism of the late 80s was a bit offputing, but aside from the standard that all of the characters were white unless otherwise stated, and the dated descriptors now considered out of place, it wasn't overwhelming.
maddieabbott's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
lori_loves_reading's review
4.0
One of the better Robin Cook books I’ve read even though I had a suspicion of “who done it” very early on!
jenniferjayde's review
3.0
Here is the thing about Robin Cook - he writes all of his characters like I can only assume he himself speaks. So every character is brilliant. Every character uses their massive vocabularies in everyday, casual conversation. Every character is pretentious. This particular aspect of his writing drives me batty. They don't use contractions, for god sake. Everyone uses contractions when they're speaking, Mr. Cook, it's just natural.
That being said, I read his books because I enjoy a good suspense thriller. Many of them are the same... so much so, in fact, that in browsing through Robin Cook titles on Good Reads, I honestly couldn't remember which I've read and haven't read. I'm not sure I ever will.
Entertainment is entertainment, though, right?
That being said, I read his books because I enjoy a good suspense thriller. Many of them are the same... so much so, in fact, that in browsing through Robin Cook titles on Good Reads, I honestly couldn't remember which I've read and haven't read. I'm not sure I ever will.
Entertainment is entertainment, though, right?
dajna's review
3.0
I enjoyed it, of course: Robin Cook is one of those name I'm drawn to when I'm looking for some light reading. But I'm surprised about how few "doctor stuff" is in this novel. As I said in previous reviews I think the general public gained a broader and better knowledge of science and medicine since these novels have been written.
Overall is a nice reading, but t's not the best in Cook's wide bibliography.
Overall is a nice reading, but t's not the best in Cook's wide bibliography.
ortizv3133's review
4.0
this book was so good<3 i literally adore the writing and the plot. this authors use of dictation is phenomenal but omg was there so much medical mumbo jumbo. i was VERY confused most of the time, but the author usually clears it up and i can, therefore, understand the plot. anyways, muah. chefs kiss<3 i usually like psychological thriller movies and books, but this medical thriller truly slapped
pussreboots's review
4.0
Even after reading a half dozen books by Robin Cook, I'm still not sure how I feel about him as an author. Some of his books I adore (Sphinx, for instance) and some of them I want to throw across the room (Chromosome 6). Mortal Fear was one of those enjoyable Cook thrillers that where the characters were more or less competent and believable and the mystery plausible enough to be interesting and entertaining.
Mortal Fear's mystery unfolds in a manner reminiscent of Coma (without the overt sexism, thankfully). The story follows the first couple of victims as the routine becomes the bizarre and then the deadly. From their deaths we meet the hero of the story, Dr. Jason Howard who finds himself in the middle of a puzzling rise in deaths at his practice. Why are people who are coming in for routine physicals dropping dead only weeks later?
As with Chromosome 6 the secret lies within genetic engineering but the methods employed are more grounded in reality and less reliant on old school science fiction. Even though I figured out the basics of the plot before Dr. Howard, I still enjoyed following along as he tried to figure things out. My only complaint is that Howard didn't have much of the usual chutzpah of the typical thriller hero; when people tell him no, he stops!
I'm currently finishing up Abduction which is unfortunately somewhere between Chromosome 6 and Mortal Fear. I'm still not sure how I'm going to review it. Stay tuned.
Mortal Fear's mystery unfolds in a manner reminiscent of Coma (without the overt sexism, thankfully). The story follows the first couple of victims as the routine becomes the bizarre and then the deadly. From their deaths we meet the hero of the story, Dr. Jason Howard who finds himself in the middle of a puzzling rise in deaths at his practice. Why are people who are coming in for routine physicals dropping dead only weeks later?
As with Chromosome 6 the secret lies within genetic engineering but the methods employed are more grounded in reality and less reliant on old school science fiction. Even though I figured out the basics of the plot before Dr. Howard, I still enjoyed following along as he tried to figure things out. My only complaint is that Howard didn't have much of the usual chutzpah of the typical thriller hero; when people tell him no, he stops!
I'm currently finishing up Abduction which is unfortunately somewhere between Chromosome 6 and Mortal Fear. I'm still not sure how I'm going to review it. Stay tuned.
09elle90's review
4.0
I've been meaning to try out Robin Cook for ages and after reading Mortal Fear, I will certainly read more of his offerings in the future. First off, I felt that for a quick-paced mystery, there was pretty solid character development. As with many books, at the end I still had a few questions, particularly about whether there was more to the story about what had driven the villain to act the way that [insert androgynous pronoun here] did. All in all though, I felt that you understood the characters, particularly the main character.
Overall, the mystery was engrossing though I was able to guess the end well before it happened. Even having a pretty strong idea of the what would occur, I still very much enjoyed reading it and getting there with Jason, piece by piece. I also was not bothered by the medical jargon, but in fact enjoyed those pieces very much -- it definitely added to the story, in my opinion. Overall, a very good read, though it will likely give me a lot to think about in terms of medicinal ethics and where we have potential to end up in the future.
Overall, the mystery was engrossing though I was able to guess the end well before it happened. Even having a pretty strong idea of the what would occur, I still very much enjoyed reading it and getting there with Jason, piece by piece. I also was not bothered by the medical jargon, but in fact enjoyed those pieces very much -- it definitely added to the story, in my opinion. Overall, a very good read, though it will likely give me a lot to think about in terms of medicinal ethics and where we have potential to end up in the future.
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