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Petroplague
UCLA graduate student Christina Gonzalez wanted to use biotechnology to free America from its dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Instead, an act of eco-terrorism unleashes her genetically-modified bacteria into the fuel supply of Los Angeles, making petroleum useless. With the city paralyzed and slipping toward anarchy, Christina must find a way to rein in the microscopic monster she created. But not everyone wants to cure the petroplague—and some will do whatever it takes to spread it. From the La Brea Tar Pits to university laboratories to the wilds of the Angeles National Forest, Christina and her cousin River struggle against enemies seen and unseen to stop the infection before it’s too late.
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First published July 19, 2011
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About the author
Amy Rogers
4 books89 followersAmy Rogers, MD, PhD, is a Harvard-educated writer, scientist, educator, and critic. Through her book review website ScienceThrillers.com, her publishing company ScienceThrillers Media, and her own writing, Amy advocates for literate entertainment in the form of great stories with real science.
Amy writes thrilling science-themed novels in the style of Michael Crichton (PETROPLAGUE, REVERSION, THE HAN AGENT). She also creates a monthly column "Science in the Neighborhood" for Inside Publications of Sacramento. She is a member of International Thriller Writers. Learn more at AmyRogers.com
Amy loves dim sum, Ted Drewes, redwood forests, Minnesota lakes, Hawaiian beaches, and cats. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two exceptional children who believe she has an unreasonable tolerance for mysterious things growing in her refrigerator.
Amy writes thrilling science-themed novels in the style of Michael Crichton (PETROPLAGUE, REVERSION, THE HAN AGENT). She also creates a monthly column "Science in the Neighborhood" for Inside Publications of Sacramento. She is a member of International Thriller Writers. Learn more at AmyRogers.com
Amy loves dim sum, Ted Drewes, redwood forests, Minnesota lakes, Hawaiian beaches, and cats. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two exceptional children who believe she has an unreasonable tolerance for mysterious things growing in her refrigerator.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 6, 2014
Neil, a disaffected eco-activist, meets an explosives expert at 2:00am. They drive to a deserted gas station in south-central LA.
Christina Gonzales, a PHD student at UCLA, volunteers at the La Brea tar pits. After monstrous gas bubbles burst over the tar, Christina and her co-worker smell vinegar, which doesn’t make any sense.
An elderly woman spots a huge puddle of “drain cleaner” in the alley behind her house. She blames the neighbors and calls the police because this could injure her cats. A moment later, explosions rock the entire block.
Christina learns that an apparent methane explosion at a deserted gas station has ruined her PHD project, an attempt to use genetically altered bacteria to break down heavy crude oil into easy-to-harvest natural gas.
If you think these events are coincidence, you have probably never watched a disaster film. Like the best movies in the genre, or the novels of Stephen King, Amy Rogers takes a mixed group of people, with their individual hopes, plans, secrets, and strengths, and puts them in an impossible situation. By the time I had read this far, I was hooked. From here, Petroplague just gets better and better – meaning the tribulations of Rogers’s characters get worse and worse.
Imagine Los Angeles, or the largest car-dependant megalopolis you know. Imagine a mutant bacteria in the underground oil supply and the local refineries that breaks down hydrocarbons, reducing petroleum into acetic acid and highly flammable hydrogen, among other things. Cars stall on the freeway. Airplanes fall from the sky. The acid corrodes gas tanks and lines, releasing hydrogen that the smallest spark can ignite. Nothing that runs on gasoline moves: no firetrucks or ambulances or police cruisers. No food deliveries or garbage pickups. The looting begins. Instability under the Santa Monica fault leads to bigger and bigger earthquakes. The La Brea Tar Pits “erupt.” When Christina and her PHD supervisor discover an antidote for the plague, both an eco-terrorist network and ruthless corporate interests are willing to go to any lengths to suppress it.
Are you scared yet? If not, as Yoda told Luke, You will be! Because this is just the beginning. Now that we care about Christina, the real chills and thrills begin. Eco-terrorists smuggle the petroplague out of the LA quarantine area and plot to release it worldwide in a matter of days. Christina and her allies face virtually every danger you can think of as LA spins into chaos – and some you can’t. Think of all the seat gripping you do watching James Cameron movies like, The Terminator and Titanic. This is what Amy Rogers does; she throws the good guys into a tight situation and keeps cranking up the pressure.
Christina Gonzales, a PHD student at UCLA, volunteers at the La Brea tar pits. After monstrous gas bubbles burst over the tar, Christina and her co-worker smell vinegar, which doesn’t make any sense.
An elderly woman spots a huge puddle of “drain cleaner” in the alley behind her house. She blames the neighbors and calls the police because this could injure her cats. A moment later, explosions rock the entire block.
Christina learns that an apparent methane explosion at a deserted gas station has ruined her PHD project, an attempt to use genetically altered bacteria to break down heavy crude oil into easy-to-harvest natural gas.
If you think these events are coincidence, you have probably never watched a disaster film. Like the best movies in the genre, or the novels of Stephen King, Amy Rogers takes a mixed group of people, with their individual hopes, plans, secrets, and strengths, and puts them in an impossible situation. By the time I had read this far, I was hooked. From here, Petroplague just gets better and better – meaning the tribulations of Rogers’s characters get worse and worse.
Imagine Los Angeles, or the largest car-dependant megalopolis you know. Imagine a mutant bacteria in the underground oil supply and the local refineries that breaks down hydrocarbons, reducing petroleum into acetic acid and highly flammable hydrogen, among other things. Cars stall on the freeway. Airplanes fall from the sky. The acid corrodes gas tanks and lines, releasing hydrogen that the smallest spark can ignite. Nothing that runs on gasoline moves: no firetrucks or ambulances or police cruisers. No food deliveries or garbage pickups. The looting begins. Instability under the Santa Monica fault leads to bigger and bigger earthquakes. The La Brea Tar Pits “erupt.” When Christina and her PHD supervisor discover an antidote for the plague, both an eco-terrorist network and ruthless corporate interests are willing to go to any lengths to suppress it.
Are you scared yet? If not, as Yoda told Luke, You will be! Because this is just the beginning. Now that we care about Christina, the real chills and thrills begin. Eco-terrorists smuggle the petroplague out of the LA quarantine area and plot to release it worldwide in a matter of days. Christina and her allies face virtually every danger you can think of as LA spins into chaos – and some you can’t. Think of all the seat gripping you do watching James Cameron movies like, The Terminator and Titanic. This is what Amy Rogers does; she throws the good guys into a tight situation and keeps cranking up the pressure.
December 15, 2011
On the basis of having read two books by Michael Crichton, I will tell you that if you like his books, you’ll like PETROPLAGUE by Amy Rogers, M.D., Ph.D. Except, in some ways, PETROPLAGUE is better.
The book begins with an environmentalist who wishes he could do something really big. From there, we move to the main character, Christine, a biologist and Ph.D. candidate, working the La Brea Tar Pits. There’s an accident. Then there are further accidents in and around Los Angeles. All are the result of oil gone bad.
An eco-terrorist blew up an underground storage tank at an abandoned gas station, and now genetically modified bacteria is in the Los Angeles fuel supply. It’s eating up the fuel, causing accidents and halting the area transportation systems. And the environmentalist who wanted to do something really big now knows the really big thing he can do: spread the bacteria to other parts of the world so that no one can use oil, the root of all evil.
This idea of unintended consequences of environmentalists sounds so much like a Michael Crichton idea, I’d have sworn that Rogers cowrote this book with him if he were alive. But, even though I almost never think a movie based on a book is better than the book, I did feel that way with Crichton books. I don’t think that about PETROPLAGUE.
It’s not that this book wouldn’t make a great movie. I’m sure it would, and I’d love to see it.
But PETROPLAGUE is based on science, and probably because of Rogers’ credentials in microbiology and immunology, all of her book sounds possible. It’s not science fiction. When the accidents happen and cars and airplanes stop working, these really don’t sound like a stretch.
This is compared with a Crichton book I read, STATE OF FEAR. Although this book, too, has to do with ill-informed environmentalists, its action scenes seemed to me to be quite a stretch. How could some of his characters go so many places and endure so much in one day?
Christine tries to stop the petroplague in believable scenes. They are all based on real science.
I don’t normally read this type of book because I expect it to be corny. Honestly, though, this one isn’t. If you, like me, prefer what I call “intelligent, thoughtful fiction,” you should try this. I enjoyed it, and I’m not easy to please.
The book begins with an environmentalist who wishes he could do something really big. From there, we move to the main character, Christine, a biologist and Ph.D. candidate, working the La Brea Tar Pits. There’s an accident. Then there are further accidents in and around Los Angeles. All are the result of oil gone bad.
An eco-terrorist blew up an underground storage tank at an abandoned gas station, and now genetically modified bacteria is in the Los Angeles fuel supply. It’s eating up the fuel, causing accidents and halting the area transportation systems. And the environmentalist who wanted to do something really big now knows the really big thing he can do: spread the bacteria to other parts of the world so that no one can use oil, the root of all evil.
This idea of unintended consequences of environmentalists sounds so much like a Michael Crichton idea, I’d have sworn that Rogers cowrote this book with him if he were alive. But, even though I almost never think a movie based on a book is better than the book, I did feel that way with Crichton books. I don’t think that about PETROPLAGUE.
It’s not that this book wouldn’t make a great movie. I’m sure it would, and I’d love to see it.
But PETROPLAGUE is based on science, and probably because of Rogers’ credentials in microbiology and immunology, all of her book sounds possible. It’s not science fiction. When the accidents happen and cars and airplanes stop working, these really don’t sound like a stretch.
This is compared with a Crichton book I read, STATE OF FEAR. Although this book, too, has to do with ill-informed environmentalists, its action scenes seemed to me to be quite a stretch. How could some of his characters go so many places and endure so much in one day?
Christine tries to stop the petroplague in believable scenes. They are all based on real science.
I don’t normally read this type of book because I expect it to be corny. Honestly, though, this one isn’t. If you, like me, prefer what I call “intelligent, thoughtful fiction,” you should try this. I enjoyed it, and I’m not easy to please.
July 6, 2012
I have a huge ego. To keep its luster, I keep it away from embarrassing situations. Naturally, I was a bit intimidated when I followed a stray link from Booktrib to the website of Havard grad, former Cal State Professor, Amy Rogers, MD/PhD. I know several PhDs and find myself constantly steering their conversations away from topics that will make me feel like a mere mortal at the foot of Mount Olympus. Topics like chemistry, physics, geology, math, news, weather, and … yeah. Well. Anyway. So I asked myself, do I want to read a book that’s probably filled with polysyllabic words I’ll have to look up?
I’d followed the link because something about the concept of petroleum plague intrigued me. Sounds impossible, right? So I read a few pages, bought the ebook, added it to my 12-book-deep “to-read” pile, and figured I’d get to it eventually. But the premise kept calling me: what is a petroleum plague? And do I want to humiliate myself in a vainglorious attempt to find out?
Sure, why not? Like 50 Shades, who would ever know?
I dove in.
This is the best science-thriller I’ve read this year. Maybe ever.
You might think a PhD-level science story would be short on thrills. You’d be wrong. You might think a book by a certifiable genius might be hard to read. You’d be wrong. You might think, this is gonna hurt my brain the way A Brief History of Time hurt my brain. You’d be wrong. Well, some of you.
Every scientific concept in Petroplague is not only accessible, it’s crystal clear. Not like other science-thrillers where you just go along with it. You know what I mean, those “trace evidence” stories that have you skimming through arcane bits about molecular science, accepting them because you’re afraid they’re so full of baloney that knowing better would ruin the book you just paid $15 for? Petroplague is not like that. Not at all. It not only makes sense, it teaches you everything you need to know to grasp the story—and then some.
Plausibility, originality, and thrills make the thriller.
Realistic details create plausibility. James Rollins said, “If you get the location of the Starbucks in Kathmandu exactly right, it buys you enough credibility to make the reader believe in telepathic marsupials.” Doctor Rogers goes well beyond that standard. In easy to follow theories, she builds your understanding of exactly why modern society will inevitably collapse. Half way through, you’ll be running for your doomsday bunker. (You don’t have one? You will after you read this book.) Her scenario is not only plausible, it’s real.
Originality, the second component of a great thriller, is where our new fave author shines. Remember how your interest in apocalyptic nuclear scenarios waned when the Berlin Wall came down? Professor-Doctor Amy Rogers offers an original scenario so incredibly realistic as it spills off the pages that you’ll want to top off your tank and get busy on that bunker. If gasoline no longer worked, civilization as we know it would break down. Throughout this thrilling novel, that fact is brought home in tossed details like airplanes falling from the sky and emergency responders unable to respond. Petroplague takes your notions of the apocalypse and turns them upside down. We are one bacteria-mutation away from meltdown.
Above all, thrillers have to thrill. There are passages in this book that will not let you put it down. Even though the heroine of this story, a lowly grad student named Christina González, never kills anyone (unusual for a thriller, I know) she keeps readers on the edge of their seats from the early going. Her friends make heroic transformations, the villains step ever lower on the rungs of villainy, and the love interest blossoms … um, organically. Every decision the characters make is the one you would have made. And every danger they face an unpredictable, yet logical twist. And every page you turn, another heart-stopping thrill.
The best thing about reading any book is the learning aspect. I like to feel just a little smarter for having read a book. It’s the education factor that keeps me coming back to authors like James Rollins and Clive Cussler. (I have to consult Wikipedia before, during, and after reading Rollins’ books. I know about the explanations at the back of the book but those are like letting the fox guard the henhouse, don’t you think? And let’s just go with whatever Mr. Cussler tells us about history, OK?) What you get with Harvard grad, Professor-Doctor Amy Rogers, PhD is not a little smarter—you get a whole new education on diverse topics such as bacteria, geology, doomsday cults, petroleum reserves, dependence and much more.
It even made me smarter.
I know, right?
At the dinner table, I was able to tell my two teenagers, “Did you know Syntrophus converts into hydrogen, acetic acid and carbon dioxide?” You can imagine their expressions. And later, during an elegant dinner party at a mansion, I casually worked into the conversation, “The most valuable hydrocarbons in petroleum are simple straight-chain alkanes like hexane.” A real show stopper, that. (Our hostess responded by saying, “Uh-huh … Anyway, Nieman’s shoes are five percent off tomorrow.” I gotta find new swine for these pearls if I’m going to keep reading Amy Rogers.)
While I make light of it here, underlying those anecdotes is the fact that I understood those important concepts while reading the story. It is her ability to make us comprehend complex models that separates Amy Rogers from all other science authors.
If you like Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, James Rollins, Jeffery Deaver, or any other science-leaning thriller, you will love Petroplague and Amy Rogers. To quote a line from Petroplague, it is “the work of a meticulous, original thinker.”
Best science thriller of the year!
If you are the science-thriller evangelist in your circle of friends, read and recommend this book.
Peace, Seeley James
PS: I twisted her considerable degrees around for fun. Her resume is actually: Harvard undergraduate in Biochemical Sciences; MD/PhD from Washington University; and former biology professor at California State University. And now, GREAT author.
PPS: I opened James Rollins' BLOODLINE and read the acknowledgments. Who was listed there? Who is among Rollins' pre-release readers? Yep. Amy.
Petroplague
I’d followed the link because something about the concept of petroleum plague intrigued me. Sounds impossible, right? So I read a few pages, bought the ebook, added it to my 12-book-deep “to-read” pile, and figured I’d get to it eventually. But the premise kept calling me: what is a petroleum plague? And do I want to humiliate myself in a vainglorious attempt to find out?
Sure, why not? Like 50 Shades, who would ever know?
I dove in.
This is the best science-thriller I’ve read this year. Maybe ever.
You might think a PhD-level science story would be short on thrills. You’d be wrong. You might think a book by a certifiable genius might be hard to read. You’d be wrong. You might think, this is gonna hurt my brain the way A Brief History of Time hurt my brain. You’d be wrong. Well, some of you.
Every scientific concept in Petroplague is not only accessible, it’s crystal clear. Not like other science-thrillers where you just go along with it. You know what I mean, those “trace evidence” stories that have you skimming through arcane bits about molecular science, accepting them because you’re afraid they’re so full of baloney that knowing better would ruin the book you just paid $15 for? Petroplague is not like that. Not at all. It not only makes sense, it teaches you everything you need to know to grasp the story—and then some.
Plausibility, originality, and thrills make the thriller.
Realistic details create plausibility. James Rollins said, “If you get the location of the Starbucks in Kathmandu exactly right, it buys you enough credibility to make the reader believe in telepathic marsupials.” Doctor Rogers goes well beyond that standard. In easy to follow theories, she builds your understanding of exactly why modern society will inevitably collapse. Half way through, you’ll be running for your doomsday bunker. (You don’t have one? You will after you read this book.) Her scenario is not only plausible, it’s real.
Originality, the second component of a great thriller, is where our new fave author shines. Remember how your interest in apocalyptic nuclear scenarios waned when the Berlin Wall came down? Professor-Doctor Amy Rogers offers an original scenario so incredibly realistic as it spills off the pages that you’ll want to top off your tank and get busy on that bunker. If gasoline no longer worked, civilization as we know it would break down. Throughout this thrilling novel, that fact is brought home in tossed details like airplanes falling from the sky and emergency responders unable to respond. Petroplague takes your notions of the apocalypse and turns them upside down. We are one bacteria-mutation away from meltdown.
Above all, thrillers have to thrill. There are passages in this book that will not let you put it down. Even though the heroine of this story, a lowly grad student named Christina González, never kills anyone (unusual for a thriller, I know) she keeps readers on the edge of their seats from the early going. Her friends make heroic transformations, the villains step ever lower on the rungs of villainy, and the love interest blossoms … um, organically. Every decision the characters make is the one you would have made. And every danger they face an unpredictable, yet logical twist. And every page you turn, another heart-stopping thrill.
The best thing about reading any book is the learning aspect. I like to feel just a little smarter for having read a book. It’s the education factor that keeps me coming back to authors like James Rollins and Clive Cussler. (I have to consult Wikipedia before, during, and after reading Rollins’ books. I know about the explanations at the back of the book but those are like letting the fox guard the henhouse, don’t you think? And let’s just go with whatever Mr. Cussler tells us about history, OK?) What you get with Harvard grad, Professor-Doctor Amy Rogers, PhD is not a little smarter—you get a whole new education on diverse topics such as bacteria, geology, doomsday cults, petroleum reserves, dependence and much more.
It even made me smarter.
I know, right?
At the dinner table, I was able to tell my two teenagers, “Did you know Syntrophus converts into hydrogen, acetic acid and carbon dioxide?” You can imagine their expressions. And later, during an elegant dinner party at a mansion, I casually worked into the conversation, “The most valuable hydrocarbons in petroleum are simple straight-chain alkanes like hexane.” A real show stopper, that. (Our hostess responded by saying, “Uh-huh … Anyway, Nieman’s shoes are five percent off tomorrow.” I gotta find new swine for these pearls if I’m going to keep reading Amy Rogers.)
While I make light of it here, underlying those anecdotes is the fact that I understood those important concepts while reading the story. It is her ability to make us comprehend complex models that separates Amy Rogers from all other science authors.
If you like Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, James Rollins, Jeffery Deaver, or any other science-leaning thriller, you will love Petroplague and Amy Rogers. To quote a line from Petroplague, it is “the work of a meticulous, original thinker.”
Best science thriller of the year!
If you are the science-thriller evangelist in your circle of friends, read and recommend this book.
Peace, Seeley James
PS: I twisted her considerable degrees around for fun. Her resume is actually: Harvard undergraduate in Biochemical Sciences; MD/PhD from Washington University; and former biology professor at California State University. And now, GREAT author.
PPS: I opened James Rollins' BLOODLINE and read the acknowledgments. Who was listed there? Who is among Rollins' pre-release readers? Yep. Amy.
Petroplague
April 29, 2015
The novel is a self-described 'science thriller', comparing itself to something in the vein of a Michael Crichton novel. The plot involves a graduate student protagonist whose research on genetically modified bacteria become a target for radical eco terrorists, who end up releasing her experimental Syntrophus into the wild, where they evolve from a strictly anaerobic lifestyle to survive in aerobic ones as well, soon spreading to contaminate all local oil supplies. The Syntrophus excel at breaking the hydrocarbons of oil down into acetic acid and, most dangerously, hydrogen gas.
The speculation of the novel is actually quite interesting, and the science forming the foundations of the plot is firm and well presented (with an appendix highlighting the real research behind it all, including design of phososynthetic E. coli ). Unfortunately in all else the novel is rather mediocre or disappointing. Despite the novelty of the microbiology the entire story comes off as standard for the thriller genre. The characters are all exceptionally cliché, with only the protagonist showing a modicum of depth.
Far more disappointing, after forming such a solid rock of hard science for the base of the novel, Rogers turns to a 'scientific solution' to the environmental disaster that the plot engenders that is simplistic and, by her own admission, unrealistic. Rather than staying true to the story and events — the situation her plot has created — Rogers turns to deus ex machina resolution to ensure a happy, well-wrapped ending.
While I wasn't particularly impressed with Petroplague, people that enjoy a standard techno-thriller without high expectations may find it a good easy read, particularly if you are curious to see interesting SciFi speculation involving microbiology.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review that originally appeared at Small Things Considered.
The speculation of the novel is actually quite interesting, and the science forming the foundations of the plot is firm and well presented (with an appendix highlighting the real research behind it all, including design of phososynthetic E. coli ). Unfortunately in all else the novel is rather mediocre or disappointing. Despite the novelty of the microbiology the entire story comes off as standard for the thriller genre. The characters are all exceptionally cliché, with only the protagonist showing a modicum of depth.
Far more disappointing, after forming such a solid rock of hard science for the base of the novel, Rogers turns to a 'scientific solution' to the environmental disaster that the plot engenders that is simplistic and, by her own admission, unrealistic. Rather than staying true to the story and events — the situation her plot has created — Rogers turns to deus ex machina resolution to ensure a happy, well-wrapped ending.
While I wasn't particularly impressed with Petroplague, people that enjoy a standard techno-thriller without high expectations may find it a good easy read, particularly if you are curious to see interesting SciFi speculation involving microbiology.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review that originally appeared at Small Things Considered.
November 1, 2011
International Book Giveaway & Review:
After seeing a review we had done for a science-based thriller a few months ago, Amy Rogers approached us about looking at her novel Petroplague. It sounded like a very interesting concept, so I read it. Not only was it interesting but it was also a very believable thriller, a la Michael Crichton, thanks in part to Amy’s background in microbiology and biochemistry. And she’s sponsoring an international giveaway for us to host!
For some reason, Los Angeles is the city people love to destroy. We’re used to being disaster central by now and it makes for great entertainment. One of the things that makes it such a good location for disaster scenarios is that Los Angeles is surrounded by mountains, dessert and the ocean on three sides, making it a tough place to escape from on foot. Petroplague is an entirely new way to bring LA to its knees. Enjoy! Read the rest of my review & enter our international giveaway at http://popcornreads.com/?p=2159.
After seeing a review we had done for a science-based thriller a few months ago, Amy Rogers approached us about looking at her novel Petroplague. It sounded like a very interesting concept, so I read it. Not only was it interesting but it was also a very believable thriller, a la Michael Crichton, thanks in part to Amy’s background in microbiology and biochemistry. And she’s sponsoring an international giveaway for us to host!
For some reason, Los Angeles is the city people love to destroy. We’re used to being disaster central by now and it makes for great entertainment. One of the things that makes it such a good location for disaster scenarios is that Los Angeles is surrounded by mountains, dessert and the ocean on three sides, making it a tough place to escape from on foot. Petroplague is an entirely new way to bring LA to its knees. Enjoy! Read the rest of my review & enter our international giveaway at http://popcornreads.com/?p=2159.
November 5, 2012
The US has prepared for public health emergencies with stockpiles of antibiotics, anti-virals, and field hospitals. But what if the plague doesn't strike humans--or even animals? What if the victims are gas-powered and the infection turns gasoline to vinegar?
Amy Rogers' thriller PETROPLAGUE explores such a premise when an experimental virus infects oil deposits and refined products in the Los Angeles area. It is up to the doctoral student whose sabotaged experiment is at the heart of the plague to find a way to save the world from the complete loss of all oil. She must overcome extreme environmentalists, greedy corporate executives, local and federal officials, and even her own cousin to do so. Dr. Rogers has woven an intriguing and complex tale that vividly illustrates the world's dependence on oil and what the total loss of that commodity would mean.
Amy Rogers' thriller PETROPLAGUE explores such a premise when an experimental virus infects oil deposits and refined products in the Los Angeles area. It is up to the doctoral student whose sabotaged experiment is at the heart of the plague to find a way to save the world from the complete loss of all oil. She must overcome extreme environmentalists, greedy corporate executives, local and federal officials, and even her own cousin to do so. Dr. Rogers has woven an intriguing and complex tale that vividly illustrates the world's dependence on oil and what the total loss of that commodity would mean.
September 22, 2012
I've only read the Kindle sample, but it's a fairly extensive one so I can say with some confidence that Petroplague is well-written and exactly my kind of near-future brand of realistic sci-fi. I don't ordinarily gravitate toward American books, and this is very American, but I enjoyed it rather more than I expected to.
(I hope one day to read the full book and will amend this review.)
(I hope one day to read the full book and will amend this review.)
November 1, 2012
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. The science thriller is not my normal genre, but I thought I'd give it a shot. The storyline itself was definitely scary; however,the character development was lacking and the "who-dunnit" was a bit too predictable.
March 11, 2012
Hot Zone meets Andromeda Strain
Except the bacteria eats petrol
No big deal? Imagine.
Carmageddon in LA!
And other surprises follow.
Excellent Sci with Fi
Except the bacteria eats petrol
No big deal? Imagine.
Carmageddon in LA!
And other surprises follow.
Excellent Sci with Fi
December 14, 2022
This book starts with a blast and lights up from there. Poor old Los Angeles is all I can say, but the troubles don't stop there. As with any pandemic there is no end of trouble, some of which has nothing to do with petroleum. If you can't cope with science, don't worry, laymen like me can follow the easy descriptions - these were so good, I almost felt like a biochemist.
You'll want to invest in an electric car after this!
You'll want to invest in an electric car after this!
July 11, 2024
Fun to read, interesting premise, well structured story, good character development, and very tense. If you like thrillers with a lots of science and some politics, this is for you. The story will keep you guessing, and thinking. Could it happen? Maybe! And, as the antagonists ask, should it happen?
Happy Reading! :)
Happy Reading! :)
April 28, 2013
If Amy Rogers keeps writing thrillers like Petroplague, she might be crowned the successor to Michael Crichton. Like Crichton, she has an M.D. behind her name, but also a PhD. But don’t let that scare you. She takes a potentially complex subject and writes in a simple, straightforward style. She explains the technical aspects very simply, allowing the reader to understand exactly what’s happening and why.
What is happening is that an eco-terrorist’s act has released a special, laboratory-developed bacteria into the petroleum supply of the Greater L.A. area. Vehicles can’t operate, necessary supplies and foodstuffs can’t be delivered and the situation in L.A. is becoming chaotic and dangerous—crime, looting, etc. Only one person has the possible solution. That’s Christina, a PhD. candidate at UCLA who developed the bug. The action follows Christina, her sister River and River’s beau Mickey as they fight against an unscrupulous corporate chief who is thwarting their efforts. Add in some ominous earthquakes, a California wildfire and an L.A. mayor who desperately wants to believe in Christina and you’ve got a thrilling rollercoaster of a ride.
As an independent author like Dr. Rogers, I’ve recently been reading a lot of independent authors. Her book is by far the best I’ve read. I would have given it five stars but I thought the involvement of a senior public official in the end was not quite what would happen. But to those seeking a romantic angle, it’s there.
And a note to Dr. Rogers; Please write more!
What is happening is that an eco-terrorist’s act has released a special, laboratory-developed bacteria into the petroleum supply of the Greater L.A. area. Vehicles can’t operate, necessary supplies and foodstuffs can’t be delivered and the situation in L.A. is becoming chaotic and dangerous—crime, looting, etc. Only one person has the possible solution. That’s Christina, a PhD. candidate at UCLA who developed the bug. The action follows Christina, her sister River and River’s beau Mickey as they fight against an unscrupulous corporate chief who is thwarting their efforts. Add in some ominous earthquakes, a California wildfire and an L.A. mayor who desperately wants to believe in Christina and you’ve got a thrilling rollercoaster of a ride.
As an independent author like Dr. Rogers, I’ve recently been reading a lot of independent authors. Her book is by far the best I’ve read. I would have given it five stars but I thought the involvement of a senior public official in the end was not quite what would happen. But to those seeking a romantic angle, it’s there.
And a note to Dr. Rogers; Please write more!
November 5, 2012
The US has prepared for public health emergencies with stockpiles of antibiotics, anti-virals, and field hospitals. But what if the plague doesn't strike humans--or even animals? What if the victims are gas-powered and the infection turns gasoline to vinegar?
Amy Rogers' thriller PETROPLAGUE explores such a premise when an experimental virus infects oil deposits and refined products in the Los Angeles area. It is up to the doctoral student whose sabotaged experiment is at the heart of the plague to find a way to save the world from the complete loss of all oil. She must overcome extreme environmentalists, greedy corporate executives, local and federal officials, and even her own cousin to do so. Dr. Rogers has woven an intriguing and complex tale that vividly illustrates the world's dependence on oil and what the total loss of that commodity would mean.
Amy Rogers' thriller PETROPLAGUE explores such a premise when an experimental virus infects oil deposits and refined products in the Los Angeles area. It is up to the doctoral student whose sabotaged experiment is at the heart of the plague to find a way to save the world from the complete loss of all oil. She must overcome extreme environmentalists, greedy corporate executives, local and federal officials, and even her own cousin to do so. Dr. Rogers has woven an intriguing and complex tale that vividly illustrates the world's dependence on oil and what the total loss of that commodity would mean.
October 14, 2012
I received this book for free on a giveaway from First Reads. My husband read this book and this is HIS review.
An entertaining book, I enjoyed reading and diving in to the story. It was like an action movie you watch and you enjoy it but it is not a movie you walked out of amazed about how good it was. You walked out feeling satisfied that the money you spent was worth the entertainment.
A few things about the plot and the situations could be researched better and improved and some additional editing could improve the quality of the reading but I still kept wanting to read it after finishing a chapter.
Worth the read, could be improved but I would pick up and read another book from the author.
An entertaining book, I enjoyed reading and diving in to the story. It was like an action movie you watch and you enjoy it but it is not a movie you walked out of amazed about how good it was. You walked out feeling satisfied that the money you spent was worth the entertainment.
A few things about the plot and the situations could be researched better and improved and some additional editing could improve the quality of the reading but I still kept wanting to read it after finishing a chapter.
Worth the read, could be improved but I would pick up and read another book from the author.
September 13, 2012
Really great book that is also very thought provoking! Christina is a scientist going for her Ph D and using an engineered organism to help create a environmentally friendly fuel. Unfortunately, Eco-terrorists have blown up the primary fuel tank and end up creating a disaster of unheard of proportions. As Christina and her mentor, Dr. Chen work to find a cure for the problem, there are others working against them. As earthquakes begin and total havoc reign, will they solve the problem before the entire country is brought to their knees? You'll have to read the book to find out! ; ) highly recommend this excellent book!
December 2, 2012
I won this book through goodreads. I had a bit of a difficult time at the beginning only because it's unlike anything I've ever read. I quickly lost myself on the book and loved every minute of it. This sort of thing seems very plausible. It's quite scary. I applaud Amy Rogers for this well written book about a gasoline plague. I also really enjoyed the budding romance at the end. Perfect ending to the book! :)
September 24, 2011
Science thriller with microbiology themes. Genetically-altered bacteria that eat oil and turn gasoline into vinegar contaminate the fuel supply of Los Angeles and paralyze the city. Only the young graduate student who helped create the bacteria for noble purposes can stop the plague. For my full review, see ScienceThrillers.com
January 8, 2013
This was recommended to fill my Crichton void and I can see the comparison, but it still didn't grab me the same way. It took me a while to get into it, although I found the premise fascinating. But I didn't like Christina. I found her naive and irresponsible until late in the story. I liked River and Ramirez more, and I liked Mickey a lot. So it wasn't bad, but I won't be raving.
June 11, 2012
This is a really smart thriller written and published by a mommy-professor-acquaintence of mine. Extremely well done. The characters are well rendered and the plot is very compelling. I was impressed and do recommend it.
May 1, 2013
A snack size book that glosses over most of the science, which is a bit odd given the story: "GMO bacteria escapes and eats all the oil, Oh Noes! But then, plucky protagonist science girl saves the day!"
TBH this reads more like a screenplay than a book.
TBH this reads more like a screenplay than a book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2018
A very Crichton-esque thriller with a fascinating and chilling premise. The book reads like a disaster movie... not always the strongest storytelling (to be fair, neither is a lot of Crichton), but the constant tension and excitement makes up for its weaker moments. Overall it was quite enjoyable.
September 27, 2016
Bought this book via Books Outlet on Amazon and some of the cheap books I have bought from there have been so-so at best. However this wasn't half bad at all. A tidy thriller with science thrown in and well worth buying.
Ray Smillie
Ray Smillie
October 25, 2012
This was a good book but it took until a third of the way in for me to be able to really have any interest in it. I dont know why because, like I said, it was a good book.
October 6, 2012
Loved this book. Read If you like Michael Critchton and Kevin J Anderson - Ill Wind,
July 14, 2014
Interesting read, with real science as a basis.
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