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brassbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Another stunning read from Kathryn Fox.
Once again, Fox has created a novel full of suspense with a sturdy storyline.
I had a number of issues with this book though. I've quite enjoyed Fox's previous books for their thorough forensic detail. I've found Fatal Impact lacked that edge I've come to expect. I really enjoy the forensic aspect and was looking forward another forensically rich story, and I feel it missed that mark.
I was also expecting more from Anya's personal life. After the way things were left in [b:Cold Grave|13034614|Cold Grave (Dr. Anya Crichton, #6)|Kathryn Fox|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1336884040s/13034614.jpg|18198188] I was expecting perhaps a resolution to the Anya and Martin situation. I also missed Ben in this story.
While I found fault personally within the book with these things, I feel these are rather subjective. Had I not assumed certain content, this was another thrilling read from a great Australian author.
Once again, Fox has created a novel full of suspense with a sturdy storyline.
I had a number of issues with this book though. I've quite enjoyed Fox's previous books for their thorough forensic detail. I've found Fatal Impact lacked that edge I've come to expect. I really enjoy the forensic aspect and was looking forward another forensically rich story, and I feel it missed that mark.
I was also expecting more from Anya's personal life. After the way things were left in [b:Cold Grave|13034614|Cold Grave (Dr. Anya Crichton, #6)|Kathryn Fox|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1336884040s/13034614.jpg|18198188] I was expecting perhaps a resolution to the Anya and Martin situation. I also missed Ben in this story.
While I found fault personally within the book with these things, I feel these are rather subjective. Had I not assumed certain content, this was another thrilling read from a great Australian author.
chava_in_oz's review against another edition
2.0
I got a bit over the GMO stuff. Too much industrial thriller and not enough psychological thriller.
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
Fox returns with another stellar mystery, filled with medical and theme-specific jargon, requiring a little thinking along with the reader's entertainment. While on Tasmania at a conference, Dr. Anya Crichton is approached by a woman seeking assistance for her missing daughter and grandchildren. What begins as a missing persons investigation soon turns into a homicide case, when one child is found dead and surrounded by blood. Is it murder or could there be another cause? When Crichton digs a little deeper, she discovers that the girl has been on a strict, natural foods diet. Further investigating points to tainted organic spinach on a nearby farm. As the blame shifts to the owner of the organic food, Crichton helps local authorities determine who, if anyone, is to blame for all this. Fighting a losing battle with international food conglomerates, the owner tries to decipher how his food could do anything but purify the food chain. If Anya did not have enough to handle, her mother is showing signs of mental illness, though she refuses to admit a thing. Trying to keep her mother in check, aid in the investigation, and keep from being targeted herself, Crichton struggles to unearth the rationale behind this explosive case that pits genetically modified foods against natural alternatives. Fox leads the reader along and does not let go until the last page has been turned.
Always a fan of Fox and her Anya Crichton character, I thoroughly enjoyed the sub-stories that came out. With some great research and attention to detail, the story is less about simply a murder, but an issue that plagues socieity at present, even if the reader had not given it much thought. Using her quasi-soap box to espouse her views, the reader is not left inculcated or forced to agree or bear her wrath. Fox attempts to present both sides fairly, though does offer some explosive research to show what modified foods can do to the body and the battle being wages to move back towards a more wholesome approach. A great Aussie author right up there with Bryce Courtenay, it's not to be missed by series fans or newbies alike.
Kudos, Dr. Fox for such a powerful novel and great action for our favourite Dr. Anya Crichton.
Always a fan of Fox and her Anya Crichton character, I thoroughly enjoyed the sub-stories that came out. With some great research and attention to detail, the story is less about simply a murder, but an issue that plagues socieity at present, even if the reader had not given it much thought. Using her quasi-soap box to espouse her views, the reader is not left inculcated or forced to agree or bear her wrath. Fox attempts to present both sides fairly, though does offer some explosive research to show what modified foods can do to the body and the battle being wages to move back towards a more wholesome approach. A great Aussie author right up there with Bryce Courtenay, it's not to be missed by series fans or newbies alike.
Kudos, Dr. Fox for such a powerful novel and great action for our favourite Dr. Anya Crichton.
kathryn08's review
3.0
This was quite a different Anya Crichton to the rest of the series. It didn’t involve much domestic violence or sexual abuse, and it was based around political/environmental issues such as GM food and foreign multi-billion dollar corporations buying up large tracts of Australian land. It is obvious that these are issues that Kathryn Fox feels passionately about - if what she has written about increases in medical conditions when GM food was introduced to the food supply is true, it is scary. I’d like to hope she has taken some artistic licence and made connections for the point of the story that aren’t true…
I liked that this was set in Tasmania, as I haven’t read many books set down there.
It was more difficult to keep track of what was happening in this one than the others in the series. Despite that, I am still keen to read more - this is the last book in the series at this point, but Anya’s story doesn’t feel finished, so I hope Kathryn Fox will continue with the series.
3.5★
I liked that this was set in Tasmania, as I haven’t read many books set down there.
It was more difficult to keep track of what was happening in this one than the others in the series. Despite that, I am still keen to read more - this is the last book in the series at this point, but Anya’s story doesn’t feel finished, so I hope Kathryn Fox will continue with the series.
3.5★
pjrochester's review
3.0
First, I think, get past the awful title. If I hadn't had the basics of the plot described to me before picking this story up, I would never have started it. No, it doesn't resemble an 80s action movie that should have Arnie or Bruce Willis in it. In fact, the title seems to have nothing to do at all with the plot, which is something I am very grateful for.
Where Fatal Impact and Kathryn Fox shine is the story. The subject matter—organic agriculture and industrial farming—is something I'm very involved in, and to see it as the setting for a political mystery / thriller is exciting. And it's handled well; many of the key elements of corruption and corporate monopoly are included and stitched together into a believable story.
The down side? The writing is there. It never flies, remains functional to the story. But it never (quite) descends into Dan Brown territory and there's very little to complain about. Servicable is probably the perfect word for it. You're never bored or horrified, but at the same time, you're never quite pulled entirely into the book's universe.
The ending, also, leaves a bit to be desired. Although most of the loose ends are tied up, I felt a bit cheated. It didn't really feel finished, we didn't really see the consequences for the villains and conspirators. What they were doing, in the story, had enormous real-world consequences, but Fatal Impact ended as if only the consequences to Anya and her family mattered, and once the threads were all tied up we can put the book down and wait patiently for the next Anya Crichton mystery.
I think Kathryn Fox has done us a service by bringing the subject matter and issues with the industrial, corporate food industry to a wide audience. But with that pat ending, I sense that Ms Fox has gotten more out of the issue than the issue will get from having its story told.
Where Fatal Impact and Kathryn Fox shine is the story. The subject matter—organic agriculture and industrial farming—is something I'm very involved in, and to see it as the setting for a political mystery / thriller is exciting. And it's handled well; many of the key elements of corruption and corporate monopoly are included and stitched together into a believable story.
The down side? The writing is there. It never flies, remains functional to the story. But it never (quite) descends into Dan Brown territory and there's very little to complain about. Servicable is probably the perfect word for it. You're never bored or horrified, but at the same time, you're never quite pulled entirely into the book's universe.
The ending, also, leaves a bit to be desired. Although most of the loose ends are tied up, I felt a bit cheated. It didn't really feel finished, we didn't really see the consequences for the villains and conspirators. What they were doing, in the story, had enormous real-world consequences, but Fatal Impact ended as if only the consequences to Anya and her family mattered, and once the threads were all tied up we can put the book down and wait patiently for the next Anya Crichton mystery.
I think Kathryn Fox has done us a service by bringing the subject matter and issues with the industrial, corporate food industry to a wide audience. But with that pat ending, I sense that Ms Fox has gotten more out of the issue than the issue will get from having its story told.
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