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The Laptev Virus
Scientists have recently discovered the existence of megaviruses: viruses up to a thousand times larger than any viruses that we have known before. What if one of these newly found viruses was a human pathogen? Christy Esmahan’s fourth novel, THE LAPTEV VIRUS, begins with the discovery of just such a virus in the Laptev Sea basin by a company drilling for oil. Investigators in Houston race against the ticking clock of the short Arctic summer to discover a way to protect workers from the virus before competitors drain the basin of its rich resources…and before anyone else dies from the hemorrhagic fever that the Laptev virus causes.
248 pages, Audible Audio
Published February 28, 2017
83 people are currently reading
874 people want to read
About the author
Christy Esmahan
8 books44 followersAre you a member of a book club?I love visiting with book clubs, either in person (if yours is in the Austin area) or via Skype or cell phone if your group is elsewhere in the world. If your book club decides to read any of my novels, please send me a message and arrange for my "guest appearance" at your next meeting!
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and attended Miami University, majoring in Microbiology, then earned a doctorate from the Universidad de León in Spain in Molecular Biology. I worked both in Spain and in the US as a science teacher and administrator, before retiring to become an author. I now reside in Austin, Texas with my husband.
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and attended Miami University, majoring in Microbiology, then earned a doctorate from the Universidad de León in Spain in Molecular Biology. I worked both in Spain and in the US as a science teacher and administrator, before retiring to become an author. I now reside in Austin, Texas with my husband.
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Want to read
May 10, 2015Just met the Author,Christy at Katy Budget Book Store (small town outside of Houston, Tx). She was delightful. I told her of my intentions to download the book on Kindle and read it, but she shared concerns of no proceeds going to the small book store. We made our purchase for my daughter and left. As promised, I took the card home she gave me and decided to read the reviews and download the book. But one continuous theme rang true in all the reviews I read. "Doing the next right thing, even when no one is looking." This is something I've tried to live my life by and teach my children. So I have "re thought" the download. Christy is right. The Bookstore and Author signing introduced me to the book. I owe it to that small, family owned Bookstore in Katy, Tx to spend my money there! So I will not download the book, but return to that Bookstore and purchase it there. And shame on me for not doing it yesterday when I could have offered that support to small business owners then!
Christy- I'm sorry this isn't a review of your book yet, but I have every intention of returning here and writing one on completion of the read! Good Luck and keep doing the next right thing! ✌️❤️✌️❤️
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Christy- I'm sorry this isn't a review of your book yet, but I have every intention of returning here and writing one on completion of the read! Good Luck and keep doing the next right thing! ✌️❤️✌️❤️
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February 3, 2018
Not for me. While, there is no compelling mandate preventing a smart, well spoken, charismatic individual with movie-star good looks from toiling away as an amalgam animal care attendant/research technician/graduate student. Nor, one preventing a Megavirus newly discovered in the Arctic from proving a slate swiping pathogen of humanity. Both seem equally improbable.
May 2, 2015
Okay, let’s get to the point. I thought The Laptev Virus is a great read. For me, this is a solid sci-fi story rooted in actual science. As an author, I like to come up with some pretty bizarre situations myself. And usually I find myself making everything up—taking care to at least make the premise believable so as not to lose the reader. But it’s refreshing to read a story written by a scientist. This author not only has a wonderful imagination, but she has the scientific chops to back up what she’s selling. And trust me, when it comes to megaviruses, it ain’t pretty, folks.
Michael Crichton, an author who was also a physician and had a wicked imagination, was great at combining real-world science with entertaining fiction. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed The Andromeda Strain so much—both the book and the movie. To me, the key to any memorable story is that it must be plausible. And like Crichton’s work, The Laptev Virus challenges the reader. There’s a lot of technical jargon in the book, but it serves a purpose. As an example, I am now terrified of cats!
So if you like sci-fi backed by solid research, then I can heartily recommend this book.
Michael Crichton, an author who was also a physician and had a wicked imagination, was great at combining real-world science with entertaining fiction. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed The Andromeda Strain so much—both the book and the movie. To me, the key to any memorable story is that it must be plausible. And like Crichton’s work, The Laptev Virus challenges the reader. There’s a lot of technical jargon in the book, but it serves a purpose. As an example, I am now terrified of cats!
So if you like sci-fi backed by solid research, then I can heartily recommend this book.
April 23, 2015
The Laptev Virus was such an exciting read! Esmahan's story captivated me from the very first page and kept me hooked up until the end. I devoured the book during my commute to and from work and am not ashamed to admit that I actually hoped there would be just a little more traffic so that I could keep reading to find out what happens next. I hope there will be a sequel because I don't feel like I'm ready to depart with the story yet.
March 4, 2015
A book about values, about what to do when no one's watching, and an insightful look into the life of a researcher,this story enjoys heartfelt characters, scientific twists, and a shocking (but perfect) ending.
March 17, 2017
A GREAT virus story
A quick look inside my brain: I LOVE Bio-Thrillers. Some of the best books I've ever read were by the amazing author Richard Preston. They are hard science books and most of them are non-fiction that reads like fiction (which is even scarier). The reason I'm prefacing my review is because I absolutely loved this book because it felt like it got the science right. And the parts where it didn't Esmahan openly admits it in the epilogue of the book.
This book has been on my radar for quite some time. It's probably been recommended to me by Amazon more times than any other book. (Amazon knows all!) Well, I'm really glad that Tantor picked up the rights to this book in audio because I finally got a chance to give it the listen that it deserved.
Yes, this book is a lot of hard science fiction -- but so was The Martian and that book absolutely took off. Just because it contains actual science doesn't mean you should steer clear of it. I feel the complete opposite. The Laptev Virus drew me deeper and deeper because Esmahan kept sprinkling in more and more fact-based fiction (which feels like an oxymoron).
I've been looking for a Bio-Thriller that took the science seriously. Crichton got it right in Andromeda Strain, Preston in The Cobra Event, and I can gladly add Esmahan in The Laptev Virus.
The story is about a mega-virus that is found in the arctic that looks to have been laying dormant for thousands of years. Sarah is a researcher who is working hard to try and find a cure for AIDS when she is pulled off that project to figure out what this virus is and potentially find a vaccine for it. The story follows Sarah in her lab with her co-workers and assistants as they try and find out what this virus is and why it does what it does.
The other thing that really helped this book as the narration provided by Vikas Adam. The main character is a strong and vivacious female. Sometimes this can be rough when a male provides the voice. Adam absolutely crushes it. He is able to give Sarah a voice without it sounding fake or over-acted. Adam narration was perfect for this book.
Overall, if you can't tell already I loved The Laptev Virus. The only complaint that I have is that it didn't give a proper ending. Sure all the characters had most of their problems solved, but at the same time... I won't say since it will ruin the ending of the book. I had a brief chat on twitter with Esmahan and she mentioned that Sarah's adventures continue in The Cobra Effect.
A quick look inside my brain: I LOVE Bio-Thrillers. Some of the best books I've ever read were by the amazing author Richard Preston. They are hard science books and most of them are non-fiction that reads like fiction (which is even scarier). The reason I'm prefacing my review is because I absolutely loved this book because it felt like it got the science right. And the parts where it didn't Esmahan openly admits it in the epilogue of the book.
This book has been on my radar for quite some time. It's probably been recommended to me by Amazon more times than any other book. (Amazon knows all!) Well, I'm really glad that Tantor picked up the rights to this book in audio because I finally got a chance to give it the listen that it deserved.
Yes, this book is a lot of hard science fiction -- but so was The Martian and that book absolutely took off. Just because it contains actual science doesn't mean you should steer clear of it. I feel the complete opposite. The Laptev Virus drew me deeper and deeper because Esmahan kept sprinkling in more and more fact-based fiction (which feels like an oxymoron).
I've been looking for a Bio-Thriller that took the science seriously. Crichton got it right in Andromeda Strain, Preston in The Cobra Event, and I can gladly add Esmahan in The Laptev Virus.
The story is about a mega-virus that is found in the arctic that looks to have been laying dormant for thousands of years. Sarah is a researcher who is working hard to try and find a cure for AIDS when she is pulled off that project to figure out what this virus is and potentially find a vaccine for it. The story follows Sarah in her lab with her co-workers and assistants as they try and find out what this virus is and why it does what it does.
The other thing that really helped this book as the narration provided by Vikas Adam. The main character is a strong and vivacious female. Sometimes this can be rough when a male provides the voice. Adam absolutely crushes it. He is able to give Sarah a voice without it sounding fake or over-acted. Adam narration was perfect for this book.
Overall, if you can't tell already I loved The Laptev Virus. The only complaint that I have is that it didn't give a proper ending. Sure all the characters had most of their problems solved, but at the same time... I won't say since it will ruin the ending of the book. I had a brief chat on twitter with Esmahan and she mentioned that Sarah's adventures continue in The Cobra Effect.
April 24, 2016
Virus: noun, plural viruses. An ultramicroscopic (20 to 300 nm in diameter), metabolically inert, infectious agent that replicates only within the cells of living hosts, mainly bacteria, plants, and animals: composed of an RNA or DNA core, a protein coat, and, in more complex types, a surrounding envelope.
“We knew that ancient humans were itinerant, and that they migrated over the erring Straits some 15,000 years ago, in pursuit of mammoths, right? That’s how they crossed over from Asia to America. But, if they were successful 15,000 years ago, how long before that did they attempt to find a passage and not succeed? – Tally, Medical Microbiology Research Investigator, The Laptev Virus
As much as the ‘naysayers’ (and Republicans, and all the other stupid people out there) claim that global warming “doesn’t exit” – it is sort of hard to deny when it is actually happening. Lands not seen for millions of years is becoming exposed. Soil untouched and unseen under the ice and snow, buried beneath the tundra. Until, of course, the oil companies arrive. Huge tractors, deep drilling. And people. People, who are about to discover that they aren’t the most powerful beings on the ice. And the beings that are stronger and more deadly than they . . . are too tiny to even be seen.
Laptev Bay, where 30,000 years ago hunter-gatherer tribes ‘chased the mammoths around.’ And with both people and animals, where there is warm blood, there are bacteria, disease . . . and viruses. Viruses that can lie dormant for tens of thousands of years before blooming, moving, and spreading itself. Then there blood, death and insanity. But there is also greed. And no matter how deadly the virus, greed may be what destroys the world.
The Laptev Virus is, for me, a marvelous, adventurous tale based in known science and taken that tiny step farther to a “what could be” story that sends shivers down the spine. It isn’t the thing for every reader – some of the reviewers gave it bad ratings because they apparently couldn’t comprehend the science behind it, or were simply bored to death by it. I happened to love it. Anything that makes me think is worth reading, especially when it has a scientific bent. I was unfamiliar with the fairly recent ‘Frankenvirus’ findings in Siberia and other cold climates, and it is absolutely fascinating.
The book is free on Amazon, so if the idea interests you, check it out.
“We knew that ancient humans were itinerant, and that they migrated over the erring Straits some 15,000 years ago, in pursuit of mammoths, right? That’s how they crossed over from Asia to America. But, if they were successful 15,000 years ago, how long before that did they attempt to find a passage and not succeed? – Tally, Medical Microbiology Research Investigator, The Laptev Virus
As much as the ‘naysayers’ (and Republicans, and all the other stupid people out there) claim that global warming “doesn’t exit” – it is sort of hard to deny when it is actually happening. Lands not seen for millions of years is becoming exposed. Soil untouched and unseen under the ice and snow, buried beneath the tundra. Until, of course, the oil companies arrive. Huge tractors, deep drilling. And people. People, who are about to discover that they aren’t the most powerful beings on the ice. And the beings that are stronger and more deadly than they . . . are too tiny to even be seen.
Laptev Bay, where 30,000 years ago hunter-gatherer tribes ‘chased the mammoths around.’ And with both people and animals, where there is warm blood, there are bacteria, disease . . . and viruses. Viruses that can lie dormant for tens of thousands of years before blooming, moving, and spreading itself. Then there blood, death and insanity. But there is also greed. And no matter how deadly the virus, greed may be what destroys the world.
The Laptev Virus is, for me, a marvelous, adventurous tale based in known science and taken that tiny step farther to a “what could be” story that sends shivers down the spine. It isn’t the thing for every reader – some of the reviewers gave it bad ratings because they apparently couldn’t comprehend the science behind it, or were simply bored to death by it. I happened to love it. Anything that makes me think is worth reading, especially when it has a scientific bent. I was unfamiliar with the fairly recent ‘Frankenvirus’ findings in Siberia and other cold climates, and it is absolutely fascinating.
The book is free on Amazon, so if the idea interests you, check it out.
January 4, 2016
I need to preface this with the information that I have a master's degree in molecular biology and have spent many hours in a biology lab doing wet work. That said, I found this book extremely realistic except for the compressed time frame (which the author says herself was shortened to keep the book moving) and the number of people working on the task. Other than that this is a very good glimpse into what goes on in a biology lab, specifically a virology lab. From that perspective this book is extremely good and was familiar to me, having been there myself. The only part of the modern lab that is missing is the amount of bioinformatics that would be used to assist in this research. I found the topic well done, the pressures of the money making energy market realistic, and the politics involved on the mark.
The only real problem I had was expectations. It was billed as a "thriller" so I was expecting a viral out break on at least the scale of a large city, not a tiny little nice and neat set of isolated people. For the first half I was wondering how the virus was going to make it out of the lab, it certainly had ample opportunity and reading the aftermath of society in its wake, yet it never happened. Since this was an expectation problem, I was pleased with the read anyway but I think as it is most appealing to those in the biology community, a general reader might find the lab settings less interesting.
My second issue was with the character Shane. This was just an inappropriate character for the setting. No research doctor would deal with someone like that unless required by the department. As I said, I really liked the lab setting and the realism coming from a knowledgeable author, so why ruin it with a maverick fighter pilot "jet jockey" archetype?
Overall, though it was very enjoyable. I zipped through it all on one coast to coast flight and found it an enjoyable read that was bolstered by my own knowledge in the field. I sure do wish John would have mentioned Ophiocordyceps sinensis along with his story of the host altering Dicrocoelium dendriticum, but I suppose a viral case was more appropriate than a fungal.
The only real problem I had was expectations. It was billed as a "thriller" so I was expecting a viral out break on at least the scale of a large city, not a tiny little nice and neat set of isolated people. For the first half I was wondering how the virus was going to make it out of the lab, it certainly had ample opportunity and reading the aftermath of society in its wake, yet it never happened. Since this was an expectation problem, I was pleased with the read anyway but I think as it is most appealing to those in the biology community, a general reader might find the lab settings less interesting.
My second issue was with the character Shane. This was just an inappropriate character for the setting. No research doctor would deal with someone like that unless required by the department. As I said, I really liked the lab setting and the realism coming from a knowledgeable author, so why ruin it with a maverick fighter pilot "jet jockey" archetype?
Overall, though it was very enjoyable. I zipped through it all on one coast to coast flight and found it an enjoyable read that was bolstered by my own knowledge in the field. I sure do wish John would have mentioned Ophiocordyceps sinensis along with his story of the host altering Dicrocoelium dendriticum, but I suppose a viral case was more appropriate than a fungal.
March 23, 2016
This was a little slow getting started, with an early chapter seemingly unrelated to the others. However, THAT chapter proved to be the key to solving the problem! After I was about 10% into the book, I had a hard time putting it down!
This is a medical/scientific thriller that goes to great lengths to use the scientific method while showing real, complex characters doing research - and how they find the extraneous variable which caused an anomoly in their research - linking to that earlier chapter that seemed unrelated at the time.
This book is written for popular culture, while at the same time explaining science - both biology/immunology as well as the general scientific method in easy-to-understand terminology. Understanding the scientific method, how and why science does what it does, makes the rules it does, and how it teases things out of the research is needed more by common people today than ever before - although much popular media has gone out of its way to confuse the issues.
The scenario presents a real possibility in what could happen, with different pathogens, and similar or related situations.
This is a medical/scientific thriller that goes to great lengths to use the scientific method while showing real, complex characters doing research - and how they find the extraneous variable which caused an anomoly in their research - linking to that earlier chapter that seemed unrelated at the time.
This book is written for popular culture, while at the same time explaining science - both biology/immunology as well as the general scientific method in easy-to-understand terminology. Understanding the scientific method, how and why science does what it does, makes the rules it does, and how it teases things out of the research is needed more by common people today than ever before - although much popular media has gone out of its way to confuse the issues.
The scenario presents a real possibility in what could happen, with different pathogens, and similar or related situations.
July 24, 2016
Imagine a group of oil company workers in the far reaches of the North Pole taking core samples from the permafrost when they accidentally mess up and extract a mega-virus that has lain dormant for thousands of years. Everyone falls ill and they have what could be a virus that has been unleashed on the rest of the world unless they can contain it. Scientists currently working on the AIDS virus are called in to analyze the virus and hopefully silence the alarm giving the company permission to go back to drilling. The author knows her stuff and it is the process of how scientists unscramble the mystery of this virus that is fascinating. With the polar ice cap melting and new viruses becoming a threat every day this book is not so much science fiction as it is not in the too distant future problem solving. Much like Michael Critchton books, this does go pretty deep into biomedical research jargon but it is not so much that the lay person can't understand what is happening. The story is a bit slow to start but by the end you are begging for a sequel.
May 28, 2015
Interesting and educational novel
I found this novel to be interesting, educational and we'll written. The subject of large virus and how a research lab goes about studying virus in general and how discoveries are made was fascinating. If I had to offer one critical review it would be that the author did not spend enough time on closure. The book ends too abruptly leaving this reader wanting for a more detailed description of the end of the story. But I would recommend this novel to anyone who interests include science, medical research and corporate workings.
I found this novel to be interesting, educational and we'll written. The subject of large virus and how a research lab goes about studying virus in general and how discoveries are made was fascinating. If I had to offer one critical review it would be that the author did not spend enough time on closure. The book ends too abruptly leaving this reader wanting for a more detailed description of the end of the story. But I would recommend this novel to anyone who interests include science, medical research and corporate workings.
February 16, 2016
Great idea BUT ...
Far too much lab chat, not enough character development, zero plot and that ending??? You have GOT to be kidding me! A suicide .. of someone barely important enough to the story, as written, to be of real consequence?! Again, great idea, good writing but in dire need of MORE ... everything! Except all that clinical chatter .... this is, in NO way remotely close to being another "Andromeda Strain" .. the author is not a Michael Crichton. Nearly quit reading after the first few chapters but wanted to see how it ended. Shouldn't have bothered.
Far too much lab chat, not enough character development, zero plot and that ending??? You have GOT to be kidding me! A suicide .. of someone barely important enough to the story, as written, to be of real consequence?! Again, great idea, good writing but in dire need of MORE ... everything! Except all that clinical chatter .... this is, in NO way remotely close to being another "Andromeda Strain" .. the author is not a Michael Crichton. Nearly quit reading after the first few chapters but wanted to see how it ended. Shouldn't have bothered.
March 12, 2015
Really makes you think about your code of ethics and the great influence that just one decision can make. inspires us to reflect on our responsibility to our community to behave morally despite external pressure
September 22, 2015
Excellent story
I hope that there is a sequel. I really enjoyed the scientific information that was used throughout the story and the layman's terms that helped explain everything. Very good job Mrs. Esmahan.
I hope that there is a sequel. I really enjoyed the scientific information that was used throughout the story and the layman's terms that helped explain everything. Very good job Mrs. Esmahan.
January 23, 2026
Sci-fi written by someone outside of science and with insufficient background knowledge to write compelling, believable experts. I appreciate her afterword where the author highlights liberties she's taken and how reality is similar or different to how she portrays academia in this book.
March 7, 2017
The meticulous research in this science fiction book reminded me of The Martian.
November 16, 2016
The author of this book seemed both well informed and ill informed. The science seemed plausible, but the timelines were ridiculous, something the author admits at the end of the book. This wasn't that big of a deal for me, but what was a big deal was the bland dialog, the lack of suspense and the bland brush strokes of an attempt at character development. We didn't get into the lives of the main characters. In fact, most of them you can just remember their names and why they were there and be done with it. One of the characters was intended as a sort of comic relief, but did not come off as realistic. The protagonist was the only one we got to know and frankly that seemed forced as well. For example a conversation meant to inform the reader of the science involved, like a lecture, was couched in the form of an at home dinner but the dinner portion just seemed to be thrown in between science sentences. Also the author had the habit of essentially telling the reader something and then having a character build up to that something amongst the other characters to reveal. . . drum roll please. . . what she told us earlier as if we are supposed to be surprised upon hearing it the second time.
So that's the bad stuff. The good stuff is that the book is pretty informative about several subjects and it is a light and easy read to get through. There was no overt attempt to convince you to change your religion or adopt a political philosophy, just a quick story. If there was harsh language, there wasn't much and there was nothing in the way of sex.
I either paid for the book or borrowed it on amazon and was not compensated for the review.
So that's the bad stuff. The good stuff is that the book is pretty informative about several subjects and it is a light and easy read to get through. There was no overt attempt to convince you to change your religion or adopt a political philosophy, just a quick story. If there was harsh language, there wasn't much and there was nothing in the way of sex.
I either paid for the book or borrowed it on amazon and was not compensated for the review.
June 3, 2017
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*
First Impression: Virology and pandemic fiction is very interesting and scary in a good way!
Characters: Characters mainly unfold through dialogue, and are more archetypes than fully developed.
World Building: The focus here is viruses and how they work. This book offers a backdrop for what could plausibly happen in the future. I appreciated the political pulse of global warming and fracking awareness, and one of the possible side effects.
Writing Style: Esmahan writes from a scientific perspective - very educational and thorough. If you have a teen or young adult interested in science, or you want to get them interested in science, this might be a great read.
What I Enjoyed: The Laptev Virus made me think...about the state of our world and the natural consequences of unnatural progress. If you want to understand bacteria and viruses, how they work, and the study of virology this is a good anecdotal read.
Deal Benders: I wanted to like this book, but at my level it was just okay. Certain repetitions to remind the reader of something stated earlier were unnecessary. I enjoy hard science with my fiction, but am going to need a little more story and fiction to keep my attention.
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars because there is nothing outright wrong with this book. It just wasn't what I thought, and I didn't catch the bug.
First Impression: Virology and pandemic fiction is very interesting and scary in a good way!
Characters: Characters mainly unfold through dialogue, and are more archetypes than fully developed.
World Building: The focus here is viruses and how they work. This book offers a backdrop for what could plausibly happen in the future. I appreciated the political pulse of global warming and fracking awareness, and one of the possible side effects.
Writing Style: Esmahan writes from a scientific perspective - very educational and thorough. If you have a teen or young adult interested in science, or you want to get them interested in science, this might be a great read.
What I Enjoyed: The Laptev Virus made me think...about the state of our world and the natural consequences of unnatural progress. If you want to understand bacteria and viruses, how they work, and the study of virology this is a good anecdotal read.
Deal Benders: I wanted to like this book, but at my level it was just okay. Certain repetitions to remind the reader of something stated earlier were unnecessary. I enjoy hard science with my fiction, but am going to need a little more story and fiction to keep my attention.
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars because there is nothing outright wrong with this book. It just wasn't what I thought, and I didn't catch the bug.
May 9, 2016
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.
April 12, 2018
A great story and short course in the science of viruses.
The author does a wonderful job of mixing science and the life of a female scientist in the study of a deadly virus. This is not a story were the world is saved, but a story about the greed of man that overrides the overall safety of man kind. If you love to learn and enjoy a good story this is a book well worth your time.
The author does a wonderful job of mixing science and the life of a female scientist in the study of a deadly virus. This is not a story were the world is saved, but a story about the greed of man that overrides the overall safety of man kind. If you love to learn and enjoy a good story this is a book well worth your time.
September 22, 2015
I won this off of Goodreads giveaway.
I found the book well written but a little bite beyond my knowledge of science and technology in
science. Could of used a little less science talk and more down to earth for us average people
The author on the other did put a lot into her research for this book. I really enjoyed the character
which I found funny at time and other times very serious as a scientist would be...
The book was enjoyable and I would recommend it to others. It shows us how companies will
do what ever to keep their companies going. Even at the cost of others.
I found the book well written but a little bite beyond my knowledge of science and technology in
science. Could of used a little less science talk and more down to earth for us average people
The author on the other did put a lot into her research for this book. I really enjoyed the character
which I found funny at time and other times very serious as a scientist would be...
The book was enjoyable and I would recommend it to others. It shows us how companies will
do what ever to keep their companies going. Even at the cost of others.
September 30, 2015
The cool thing about this book being written by a microbiologist is that not only is it entertaining but it's educational. It also debunks a lot of inaccuracies found in similar stories. That being said, it's a quick and easy read with enough tension to keep you turning the pages. It has a dramatic and unexpected ending that screams for a sequel. There are a few unanswered questions but those questions are appropriate in this case. They are questions we should all be asking. It's an edge of your seat scientific thriller based on fact. I highly recommend it.
October 8, 2016
This is a quick easy read for me but then I have a degree in microbiology so I was familiar with the subject matter and found it interesting.
The author who is a microbiologist does a fantastic job of making viruses and the new "megaviridae" group understandable for everyone.
Despite being a fictional novel much of the story line surrounding the mega-viruses and viral research is accurate. It has an almost Michael Crichton feel about the story and interweaving of scientific research. And like a Crichton book it has a scary aspect to the story, but I will say no more.
The author who is a microbiologist does a fantastic job of making viruses and the new "megaviridae" group understandable for everyone.
Despite being a fictional novel much of the story line surrounding the mega-viruses and viral research is accurate. It has an almost Michael Crichton feel about the story and interweaving of scientific research. And like a Crichton book it has a scary aspect to the story, but I will say no more.
April 12, 2015
This science fiction novel is full of interesting microbiology knowledge as well as an inside look at how Big Oil operates. It's an easy read though - don't be scared off if microbiology is not your forte. The plot, although a little bit predictable, has a few surprising twists and turns. I found the ending quite abrupt, but I believe that is what the author intended!
May 9, 2015
Five stars
Enjoyed this fast paced book. Wish there were more and that it was longer. Loved the author's style and technical descriptions. Explanations made technology understandable.
Enjoyed this fast paced book. Wish there were more and that it was longer. Loved the author's style and technical descriptions. Explanations made technology understandable.
June 27, 2015
Scientists vs Big Oil Company. I really enjoyed this book, especially since I loved microbiology. The story goes into quite a bit of microbiology detail, as it's an important part of pulling the story together. It also leaves you wondering if this could happen!
October 27, 2016
Very
Descriptive and it's obvious that the author knows the subjects she wrote about. Good explanation for the procedure and processes for those of us that didn't know much about the subjects. Great read.
Descriptive and it's obvious that the author knows the subjects she wrote about. Good explanation for the procedure and processes for those of us that didn't know much about the subjects. Great read.
March 18, 2015
Ms. Esmahan creates believable characters to face an unheard of challenge. The exciting novel intersects big business with danger in unexpected events. A fascinating read!
September 25, 2018
Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! What a terrible book.
Okay, to clarify, the basic premise is great. However, the storytelling was miserable. The characters were wooden and not developed and not interesting. They seemed like they had no life at all. The progression of the story was forced. The author either pushed extensive and overly drawn out dialogue or jumped ahead several days with no solid continuity. Then, there was the whole plot thing.
In my mind, I call this the Plot Resolution Vehicle. I do not remember from English class what a teacher would call it, but I am referring to the one thing, event, person, location, or other such device that provides the characters with that intangible what-not that allows them to get through the conflict stage of the plot and enter into the problem solved stage of the plot.
In this case, are you kidding me? The tool used by the author to allow the characters to solve the problem is SO UNBELIEVABLE! It was utterly ridiculous and just about as fake as one could possibly imagine. I read a lot of books, and this was the worst Plot Resolution Vehicle I have encountered in many years. It was so bad, that I almost quit on the book. Generally, I will only quit on a book if the foul language is really bad or if there is too much lewdness or sex. I came this close to adding a third reason. If the book weren't such a short read, I would have thrown this book as far as I could.
That was so unbelievable and stupid. (At least, they should have fired that stupid, self-centered, completely disrespectful girl. Like really, if this had been real life, she would have been so fired and probably expelled from school. That would have helped make things a little more believable... but only a little.)
Okay, to clarify, the basic premise is great. However, the storytelling was miserable. The characters were wooden and not developed and not interesting. They seemed like they had no life at all. The progression of the story was forced. The author either pushed extensive and overly drawn out dialogue or jumped ahead several days with no solid continuity. Then, there was the whole plot thing.
In my mind, I call this the Plot Resolution Vehicle. I do not remember from English class what a teacher would call it, but I am referring to the one thing, event, person, location, or other such device that provides the characters with that intangible what-not that allows them to get through the conflict stage of the plot and enter into the problem solved stage of the plot.
In this case, are you kidding me? The tool used by the author to allow the characters to solve the problem is SO UNBELIEVABLE! It was utterly ridiculous and just about as fake as one could possibly imagine. I read a lot of books, and this was the worst Plot Resolution Vehicle I have encountered in many years. It was so bad, that I almost quit on the book. Generally, I will only quit on a book if the foul language is really bad or if there is too much lewdness or sex. I came this close to adding a third reason. If the book weren't such a short read, I would have thrown this book as far as I could.
That was so unbelievable and stupid. (At least, they should have fired that stupid, self-centered, completely disrespectful girl. Like really, if this had been real life, she would have been so fired and probably expelled from school. That would have helped make things a little more believable... but only a little.)
September 10, 2020
A science thriller about an ancient virus being unearthed in the Arctic, this one was kind of unique in focusing almost entirely on the researchers doing the work of discovery and not the people actually affected by the virus. In fact, only one scene even takes place in the Arctic, and it's the first one.
That choice made this book less the standard 'oh the horror of disease' and more 'oh the horror of research manipulation for profit,' which was kind of refreshing.
I'm not sure of the author's background, but I would guess they have some experience with this type of research. The only real downsides for me were that the novel overall felt very short (both in actual story timeline, and in just feeling like some elements that would have made sense to have included weren't there at all) and that, in order to clarify scientific concepts that a general audience would likely be rusty (at best) on, several times characters 'think back' to when they learned about concepts in school. That was a pretty heavy handed technique. The more common 'lay person needs it explained to them, which gives an excuse to explain to the reader' technique was also present, but handled much more smoothly imo.
That choice made this book less the standard 'oh the horror of disease' and more 'oh the horror of research manipulation for profit,' which was kind of refreshing.
I'm not sure of the author's background, but I would guess they have some experience with this type of research. The only real downsides for me were that the novel overall felt very short (both in actual story timeline, and in just feeling like some elements that would have made sense to have included weren't there at all) and that, in order to clarify scientific concepts that a general audience would likely be rusty (at best) on, several times characters 'think back' to when they learned about concepts in school. That was a pretty heavy handed technique. The more common 'lay person needs it explained to them, which gives an excuse to explain to the reader' technique was also present, but handled much more smoothly imo.
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