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3.09 AVERAGE
3.09 AVERAGE
Darnton creates another scientific thriller, his second one of the medical genre, that captures the attention of the reader from the opening sentences. Setting the scene with an apparently random preface, Darnton pushes through and sets the plot with an accident that yields a traumatic brain injury in a teenager. What happens next is a mix of medical uncertainty and science fiction possibilities. As the reader navigates through the book, the preface becomes the central theme of the book. Darnton lays out the possibility of futuristic neuro-regenesis and neuro-communication. Weave in the dramatic pull a father feels for his son and a doctor not yet ready to accept that the brain holds its own ‘personality’
With each Darnton book, I become more and more amazed at his attention to detail. I was blown away by Neanderthal, with its evolutionary undertones. From there, Darnton took us on trips through organ transplantation and now, the inner workings of neuro-science. A masterful writer, Darnton is not afraid to experiment with scientific ideas that may not jive with the mainstream. He does so from an apparent ‘knowledgeable’ standpoint, putting the reader at the centre of the debate. Some may say the book was too scientific or too ‘futuristic’, and to those people I would ask them what they feel the role of modern medicine should play in society. While there are many paths not worth following, medicine is all about forging ahead and looking at what seems impossible. Darnton dazzles those who enjoy expanding the brain, but keeping things fictional.
Kudos, Mr. Darnton. Keep up the excellent work!
With each Darnton book, I become more and more amazed at his attention to detail. I was blown away by Neanderthal, with its evolutionary undertones. From there, Darnton took us on trips through organ transplantation and now, the inner workings of neuro-science. A masterful writer, Darnton is not afraid to experiment with scientific ideas that may not jive with the mainstream. He does so from an apparent ‘knowledgeable’ standpoint, putting the reader at the centre of the debate. Some may say the book was too scientific or too ‘futuristic’, and to those people I would ask them what they feel the role of modern medicine should play in society. While there are many paths not worth following, medicine is all about forging ahead and looking at what seems impossible. Darnton dazzles those who enjoy expanding the brain, but keeping things fictional.
Kudos, Mr. Darnton. Keep up the excellent work!
Better than I expected and with a different ending than I had expected.
John Darnton, Mindcatcher (Onyx, 2002)
Darnton's latest novel has all sorts of nifty stuff going for it, not least a punchy, adrenaline-rousing plot. Tyler, a thirteen-year-old boy, has been injured in a rock climbing accident. Two scientists, brain surgeon Leopoldo Saramaggio and [b:artificial intelligence|27543|Artificial Intelligence A Modern Approach (2nd Edition)|Stuart J. Russell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167881696s/27543.jpg|1362] guru Warren Cleaver, see Tyler as the gateway to performing a revolutionary new experiment that could further the medical field by orders of magnitude. At the other end of the spectrum are Tyler's father Scott and Kate Willett, one of Saramaggio's team, who find themselves confused by the ethical ramifications of what the two doctors are up to. Add to this a mutual animosity underlying the necessity of collaboration between Saramaggio and Cleaver, and you have all the makings for a decent medical thriller.
And decent it is, if overly wrapped in cliché and a little predictable at times. Darnton draws his characters well and invests them with real emotion, when they're not spouting phrases that were old when Shakespeare was writing soap operas. The pace rarely leaves breakneck level, and usually gets back up to speed within a few pages. The book goes quickly, especially once the operation begins about ninety pages in. It's good brain candy, gripping but eminently forgettable. An excellent beach read, as we head for another summer. *** ½
Darnton's latest novel has all sorts of nifty stuff going for it, not least a punchy, adrenaline-rousing plot. Tyler, a thirteen-year-old boy, has been injured in a rock climbing accident. Two scientists, brain surgeon Leopoldo Saramaggio and [b:artificial intelligence|27543|Artificial Intelligence A Modern Approach (2nd Edition)|Stuart J. Russell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167881696s/27543.jpg|1362] guru Warren Cleaver, see Tyler as the gateway to performing a revolutionary new experiment that could further the medical field by orders of magnitude. At the other end of the spectrum are Tyler's father Scott and Kate Willett, one of Saramaggio's team, who find themselves confused by the ethical ramifications of what the two doctors are up to. Add to this a mutual animosity underlying the necessity of collaboration between Saramaggio and Cleaver, and you have all the makings for a decent medical thriller.
And decent it is, if overly wrapped in cliché and a little predictable at times. Darnton draws his characters well and invests them with real emotion, when they're not spouting phrases that were old when Shakespeare was writing soap operas. The pace rarely leaves breakneck level, and usually gets back up to speed within a few pages. The book goes quickly, especially once the operation begins about ninety pages in. It's good brain candy, gripping but eminently forgettable. An excellent beach read, as we head for another summer. *** ½