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thisqueerreadstoomuch's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.75
losapala's review against another edition
5.0
This book is packed with the fascinating biological science behind deadly viruses, the effects of climate change, and the totally weird symbiotic relationships that can be found in nature, but it also has a whole lot of thriller in it, too.
I was hooked into the story by the second page. We jump right into the action, the stakes are high, and the suspense delivers a cliffhanger that leads us into the rest of the book, which teaches us all about mega-viruses and the potential threat they can pose to the human race as we know it. Even though the subject matter is complex and scientific, I found myself drinking it in page after page with no problem. The author does an excellent job of smoothly breaking down advanced concepts so that even the most naïve layperson (namely, me) can easily understand what’s going on.
The ending reminded me of how I felt reading Stephen King’s The Stand. I got that eerie, sobering feeling of looking into the future of mankind and seeing that if we don’t change some core attitudes and ethical principles about the way we do business and how we value our environment, we might end up very sorry indeed.
This is an awesome book. I can see the science appealing to the non-science people (again, me) and the science nerds, and the thriller/suspense quality to the storytelling makes it an addictive read.
I was hooked into the story by the second page. We jump right into the action, the stakes are high, and the suspense delivers a cliffhanger that leads us into the rest of the book, which teaches us all about mega-viruses and the potential threat they can pose to the human race as we know it. Even though the subject matter is complex and scientific, I found myself drinking it in page after page with no problem. The author does an excellent job of smoothly breaking down advanced concepts so that even the most naïve layperson (namely, me) can easily understand what’s going on.
The ending reminded me of how I felt reading Stephen King’s The Stand. I got that eerie, sobering feeling of looking into the future of mankind and seeing that if we don’t change some core attitudes and ethical principles about the way we do business and how we value our environment, we might end up very sorry indeed.
This is an awesome book. I can see the science appealing to the non-science people (again, me) and the science nerds, and the thriller/suspense quality to the storytelling makes it an addictive read.
meggyroussel's review against another edition
5.0
Do you ever wonder about how scientists’ minds work? About how cures are discovered and people saved? About the process of medical research?
Me neither.
When I think of any of this, unpronounceable words and complex notions come to mind. I remember those long hours in high school, sitting in the chemistry lab, completely lost. Then I read a review of The Laptev Virus on http://scifiandscary.com/ And I got curious.
An oil company is conducting drilling in the Artic. Two white bears later, a sample of ice gets messed with and a megavirus is set free, killing crew members (Don’t worry, I did not know what a megavirus was either). Now, it’s up to a team of scientists in Houston to find a way to protect the workers and stop the virus from spreading. Time is running out as other oil companies are also doing their best to reach the Artic’s resources.
Aren’t you curious too, now?
Of course, I was afraid I would not understand a thing, I would get bored, I would feel like crap because I could not grasp a single notion discussed in the book. After all, I had been warned it would be heavy on weird never-ending terms and scientific references. How little did I know.
I learned a lot reading the Laptev Virus. The story wraps up the explanations in a clever way, so it never feels like you’re reading a textbook or listening to an old dribbling teacher. Notions and key elements are described with smart and easy-to-understand examples and notions are broken down to their simplest. Still, the right terms and processes are used, so you actually feel like you’re witnessing real science happening and the book is opening a tiny window for you to get an understanding of what’s going on.
The focus is not entirely on sciences, though, or I would never have been able to finish it. I always need something else going on, pauses between experiences and small breaks into life. We get to follow different people all related to the event, from the young girl working part-time at the lab to the CEO of the oil company. This allows us to fully comprehend what’s at stake for everyone. We spend a lot of time with Sarah, the head of the team of investigators in charge of the research on the Laptev Virus. Her team is composed of very different people, leaving room for some interesting progress meetings and unexpected culture references (I was surprised and pleased to get them!). I really appreciated spending time with every character, each with their priorities, issues, feelings. It really gave depth to a story that could easily have slipped into a cold and neat scientific paper.
I absolutely do not regret stepping out of my comfort zone to read this. I highly recommend it to anyone willing to learn a bit more about viruses, not afraid of big words and mice experiments, or simply looking for a well-built storyline filled with interesting characters.
Me neither.
When I think of any of this, unpronounceable words and complex notions come to mind. I remember those long hours in high school, sitting in the chemistry lab, completely lost. Then I read a review of The Laptev Virus on http://scifiandscary.com/ And I got curious.
An oil company is conducting drilling in the Artic. Two white bears later, a sample of ice gets messed with and a megavirus is set free, killing crew members (Don’t worry, I did not know what a megavirus was either). Now, it’s up to a team of scientists in Houston to find a way to protect the workers and stop the virus from spreading. Time is running out as other oil companies are also doing their best to reach the Artic’s resources.
Aren’t you curious too, now?
Of course, I was afraid I would not understand a thing, I would get bored, I would feel like crap because I could not grasp a single notion discussed in the book. After all, I had been warned it would be heavy on weird never-ending terms and scientific references. How little did I know.
I learned a lot reading the Laptev Virus. The story wraps up the explanations in a clever way, so it never feels like you’re reading a textbook or listening to an old dribbling teacher. Notions and key elements are described with smart and easy-to-understand examples and notions are broken down to their simplest. Still, the right terms and processes are used, so you actually feel like you’re witnessing real science happening and the book is opening a tiny window for you to get an understanding of what’s going on.
The focus is not entirely on sciences, though, or I would never have been able to finish it. I always need something else going on, pauses between experiences and small breaks into life. We get to follow different people all related to the event, from the young girl working part-time at the lab to the CEO of the oil company. This allows us to fully comprehend what’s at stake for everyone. We spend a lot of time with Sarah, the head of the team of investigators in charge of the research on the Laptev Virus. Her team is composed of very different people, leaving room for some interesting progress meetings and unexpected culture references (I was surprised and pleased to get them!). I really appreciated spending time with every character, each with their priorities, issues, feelings. It really gave depth to a story that could easily have slipped into a cold and neat scientific paper.
I absolutely do not regret stepping out of my comfort zone to read this. I highly recommend it to anyone willing to learn a bit more about viruses, not afraid of big words and mice experiments, or simply looking for a well-built storyline filled with interesting characters.
lilyn_g's review
4.0
The Laptev Virus is definitely an interesting read, but one that will not appeal to everyone. Christy Esmahan gives the reader a fascinating tale of what could happen, based on current knowledge of megaviridae, standard scientific practices, and extrapolation of the the effects of global warming upon our planet. If that last sentence made your brain hurt, chances are this book will be a bit much for you. It is chock full of speculation, research details, and general information specific to the subject. 4 Star Rating
I loved it. It had a bit of a rocky start that made me a bit nervous about how it was going to go, but after I stuck with it for a few pages, it was easy to see that it was going to be the type of book that was right up my alley. This is not an action-packed book filled with people dying everywhere and brave scientists giving their lives in the process of trying to save the human race. Instead, she sets the scene for potential danger early on (including a few deaths), then she spins you a tale rooted in realism. Its intriguing and educational to see an actual microbiologist’s take on the emergence of a megavirus and how it would be handled.
Now, the book does end rather abruptly, and as I knew the end of the book was coming up, some of the things that happened had me thinking that the author was setting me up for a case of sequel-baiting. Luckily, that was not the case. While The Laptev Virus could easily have a sequel written, Esmahan ends it in a solid way that is believable if mayhaps a bit too quick.
Overall, it has its problems, yes, but The Laptev Virus is an interesting read for those who enjoy scientific/medical thrillers that are less about car chases and espionage and more about the realistic playing out of viable scenarios. Oh, and by the way, it won the 2015 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR MEDICAL THRILLERS.
For this and many other science fiction, horror, thriller, and kids' books reviews, please visit Scifi and Scary's Book Reviews.
I loved it. It had a bit of a rocky start that made me a bit nervous about how it was going to go, but after I stuck with it for a few pages, it was easy to see that it was going to be the type of book that was right up my alley. This is not an action-packed book filled with people dying everywhere and brave scientists giving their lives in the process of trying to save the human race. Instead, she sets the scene for potential danger early on (including a few deaths), then she spins you a tale rooted in realism. Its intriguing and educational to see an actual microbiologist’s take on the emergence of a megavirus and how it would be handled.
Now, the book does end rather abruptly, and as I knew the end of the book was coming up, some of the things that happened had me thinking that the author was setting me up for a case of sequel-baiting. Luckily, that was not the case. While The Laptev Virus could easily have a sequel written, Esmahan ends it in a solid way that is believable if mayhaps a bit too quick.
Overall, it has its problems, yes, but The Laptev Virus is an interesting read for those who enjoy scientific/medical thrillers that are less about car chases and espionage and more about the realistic playing out of viable scenarios. Oh, and by the way, it won the 2015 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR MEDICAL THRILLERS.
For this and many other science fiction, horror, thriller, and kids' books reviews, please visit Scifi and Scary's Book Reviews.
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