Genesis II

by Adam Paul

The Fens, Cambridgeshire - during a dawn raid on Transgenic Biotech, Dan Cruickshank leaves the eco-warriors ripping up GM crops to search the company laboratories for a secret file. As he makes his escape, he is hit by a security vehicle and is killed.
Several miles away, an organic farmer is taken seriously ill with a bizarre strain of influenza. When virologist Karl Housman visits the farm, he discovers a virus that can not only jump from species to species, but has the potential to kill in epidemic proportions.
Representing one of the arrested eco-warriors, solicitor Madeleine King quickly discovers she's not the only person interested in Dan Cruickshank - the security services are also involved. As Madeleine and Karl's investigations overlap, they learn exactly what Transgenic and M15 are desperate to cover up - a project known only as Genesis II ...

Genres: Thriller

455 pages, Paperback

First published January 18, 2012

Reviews

[Curly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be a run of the mill airport-thriller if not for the ending. I think we are conditioned to expect certain kinds of endings from this genre, if not most books. This is what elevates my star rating from 3 to 4.

A new strain influenza breaks out in the UK, associated with GM crops. A virologist, a solicitor and a reporter hunt for the truth. There is a cover-up conspiracy that leads from the company's testing sites in India to the UK government. The plot was tight and suspenseful. However, the characterisation was a bit dull. The characters initially seemed like plot devices rather than well-rounded people. It took awhile to warm up to them. I mainly empathized with the female solictor.

However, that said, for the ending and other suspenseful elements to work for me, I must have had some connection to the characters.

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING: It is unsettling. A downer. Two of the main characters die, one while escaping with critical evidence of the underlying conspiracy. It is made to seem alright by a rushed summary of arrests and resignations based on the evidence they had had so far, but I was left wondering 1) about all the people and their families who had been killed/damaged by the outbreak and conspiracy; 2) how many charges would stick; 3) how much evidence the company had disposed of before the evidence went public; 4) how many people were getting away with murder as a result. The subversion of standard thriller tropes of the preceeding chapter was good (e.g., the heroes always survive). I'm just unsure if the final chapter was intended to be a bandaid or to leave the reader slightly unsettled.

[Trinity Waddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a lot of this book was quite 'scientific', I didn't feel like it was over my head as similar books can sometimes be. It was an excellent eco-thriller with a great message. Although it didn't end the way I had hoped, it was a thrilling read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Artemis Eclectica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this a while back and after a few pages lost interest, sick of commercial thrillers with their mediocre prose, and put it aside. Having picked it up again, I got into it after a while and ended up quite enjoying it. It's OK for it's genre; a thinly veiled polemic against genetic meddling.

[Jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story set close to my home so recognise the landscape. Rather chilling storyline.

I worked with the authors wife many years ago so feel a connection.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real page turner.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gripping.
Eco-thriller, GM food, bio-technology - India used for GM Food testing.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting tale of government corruption with GM crops