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The Trouble with Miracles #1
The Cannastar Factor
The Cannastar Factor was originally published under the title A Cure to Die For.
This rewritten, revised, expanded and updated edition
is now part of a 3-book series entitled The Trouble with Miracles.
Alex Farmer, M.D. is a former drug addict trying to put his tortured life behind him. Cyd Seeley is a brilliant botanist and rancher in dire financial straits.
Inadvertently, they are thrown together when a mutual friend is murdered after developing an inexpensive, organically grown cure for viral diseases.
The miracle plant is called Cannastar and it cures all manner of viruses
from Coronavirus and cancer, to HIV and herpes. Cannastar costs next to nothing to grow, returns the hopelessly ill to good health, and threatens to bankrupt the pharmaceutical industry. Big Pharma will stop at nothing to keep it off the market.
Aided by faithful Native Americans from the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and the Navajo Nation in Arizona, Cyd and Alex fight to grow Cannastar and bring it to a desperate world.
Their harrowing and perilous journey ranges from the Rocky Mountain wilderness, to the political corruption of Washington D.C., to the jungles of Mexico, to the deserts of the Southwest.
Filled with mystery and suspense, The Cannastar Factor is part adventure and part love story; a timely thriller that unfolds with endless surprises and heartwarming relationships; an epic novel about the resolute passions of two people who stand against a broken world.
This rewritten, revised, expanded and updated edition
is now part of a 3-book series entitled The Trouble with Miracles.
Alex Farmer, M.D. is a former drug addict trying to put his tortured life behind him. Cyd Seeley is a brilliant botanist and rancher in dire financial straits.
Inadvertently, they are thrown together when a mutual friend is murdered after developing an inexpensive, organically grown cure for viral diseases.
The miracle plant is called Cannastar and it cures all manner of viruses
from Coronavirus and cancer, to HIV and herpes. Cannastar costs next to nothing to grow, returns the hopelessly ill to good health, and threatens to bankrupt the pharmaceutical industry. Big Pharma will stop at nothing to keep it off the market.
Aided by faithful Native Americans from the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana and the Navajo Nation in Arizona, Cyd and Alex fight to grow Cannastar and bring it to a desperate world.
Their harrowing and perilous journey ranges from the Rocky Mountain wilderness, to the political corruption of Washington D.C., to the jungles of Mexico, to the deserts of the Southwest.
Filled with mystery and suspense, The Cannastar Factor is part adventure and part love story; a timely thriller that unfolds with endless surprises and heartwarming relationships; an epic novel about the resolute passions of two people who stand against a broken world.
378 pages, ebook
First published June 6, 2011
71 people are currently reading
1704 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Steele
10 books28 followersSTEPHEN STEELE is the author of the adventure thriller series "The Trouble with Miracles". He is a graduate of the University of North Texas with degrees in English Literature and marketing, and lives in Montana with his ruthless editor Beverly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 400 reviews
July 30, 2011
A crime novel - but not a thriller.
Alex Farmer is a physician who was on the skids. A childhood friend has been murdered and Alex finds himself uncovering what amounts to medical espionage; a miracle cure is eventually unleashed, "Cannastar" (a hybrid of cannabis and a plant called Death Star), and society is in an upheaval.
The premise is good but it's more of a comfy, chatty, western-to-city-and-back-again romp instead of a thriller. There is none of the tension/intensity/threatening sinister-something lurking beneath the surface that a thriller should have. It does have its humorous spots and is a fast read. However, it's also uneven with back story tossed in whenever.
More importantly, and the bigger problem for me, is that the characters & much of the surrounding description are over the top. Their actions/reactions are so over-described that they end up sounding petulant and immature - they scream, wail, moan - someone goes off in a huff; someone looks like he/she wants to punch someone; they argue about silly things; a number of times people melodramatically burst into tears. For example, Cyd (the main female character) has a habit of flying off the handle without warning and is in Alex's face (like a doubly overwrought Karen Allen in the first Indiana Jones). Betty, the other female character, alternates from being a tough, riding & roping-type gal to emotionally weepy. These mood swings/variations come off as weirdly out of character as opposed to being multi-dimensional as the story bounces gingerly along the surface. In the end it feels closer to Reefer Madness than The Stand and with a dose of Blazing Saddles thrown in.
Overall, while I felt the story had much potential, the parts that could have been described, the characters that could have been sinister, the society that could have been on the verge of anarchy never emerged - and left, at least this reader, somewhat puzzled.
*** reviewed, goodreads-1st reads ***
Alex Farmer is a physician who was on the skids. A childhood friend has been murdered and Alex finds himself uncovering what amounts to medical espionage; a miracle cure is eventually unleashed, "Cannastar" (a hybrid of cannabis and a plant called Death Star), and society is in an upheaval.
The premise is good but it's more of a comfy, chatty, western-to-city-and-back-again romp instead of a thriller. There is none of the tension/intensity/threatening sinister-something lurking beneath the surface that a thriller should have. It does have its humorous spots and is a fast read. However, it's also uneven with back story tossed in whenever.
More importantly, and the bigger problem for me, is that the characters & much of the surrounding description are over the top. Their actions/reactions are so over-described that they end up sounding petulant and immature - they scream, wail, moan - someone goes off in a huff; someone looks like he/she wants to punch someone; they argue about silly things; a number of times people melodramatically burst into tears. For example, Cyd (the main female character) has a habit of flying off the handle without warning and is in Alex's face (like a doubly overwrought Karen Allen in the first Indiana Jones). Betty, the other female character, alternates from being a tough, riding & roping-type gal to emotionally weepy. These mood swings/variations come off as weirdly out of character as opposed to being multi-dimensional as the story bounces gingerly along the surface. In the end it feels closer to Reefer Madness than The Stand and with a dose of Blazing Saddles thrown in.
Overall, while I felt the story had much potential, the parts that could have been described, the characters that could have been sinister, the society that could have been on the verge of anarchy never emerged - and left, at least this reader, somewhat puzzled.
*** reviewed, goodreads-1st reads ***
May 10, 2014
Please Note: I originally read this in August, 2011, and was provided a copy from the author through the Goodreads FirstReads program in exchange for an honest review.
My Synopsis: A Cure to Die For is a medical thriller, encompassing the greed and hypocrisy of the “health care” system. When Maury Bernstein, a brilliant geneticist, develops a plant that cures cancer, the pharmaceutical company that had been sponsoring his research (hoping for a cure for the common cold) sets out to destroy all evidence of the results – including Maury. Murder, kidnappings, theft and destruction all result as Alex Farmer – Maury’s childhood friend – and Cyd Seeley - Maury’s research assistant - desperately try to keep the dream of health alive.
My Thoughts: Drawing distinct parallels to the demonization of hemp done by the plastics industry, this book is taut and fast-paced. Each character is strongly individual and quirky, well drawn out and finished. The idea is one that is actually fairly realistic and should keep fans of thrillers up at night. A well-edited, well-crafted tale, suspense enthusiasts should get a bang out of reading this one.
My Synopsis: A Cure to Die For is a medical thriller, encompassing the greed and hypocrisy of the “health care” system. When Maury Bernstein, a brilliant geneticist, develops a plant that cures cancer, the pharmaceutical company that had been sponsoring his research (hoping for a cure for the common cold) sets out to destroy all evidence of the results – including Maury. Murder, kidnappings, theft and destruction all result as Alex Farmer – Maury’s childhood friend – and Cyd Seeley - Maury’s research assistant - desperately try to keep the dream of health alive.
My Thoughts: Drawing distinct parallels to the demonization of hemp done by the plastics industry, this book is taut and fast-paced. Each character is strongly individual and quirky, well drawn out and finished. The idea is one that is actually fairly realistic and should keep fans of thrillers up at night. A well-edited, well-crafted tale, suspense enthusiasts should get a bang out of reading this one.
August 5, 2018
In summary, this story is about a transgenic weed that can cure anything and is apparently indestructible. In order to "be cured", you dry the leaves then boil them in water (like tea), and in order to remain "cured", you have to keep drinking the tea forever. This amazing plant was created by a scientist, Maury, who is killed for it by a drug company that doesn't want people to be cured since they would stop profiting off of sick people. Maury's childhood friend, Alex, gets dragged into it and it becomes an adventure with Alex, Cyd (Maury's assistant) and a bunch of other characters who flit in and out as needed. Alex and Cyd are on the run from the drug company and the government that want people to stay sick so they can keep getting their money. Will they be able to save the world, and themselves, before it's too late?
Overall, it comes off as very interesting. So, why only 2 stars?
1) The title of the book: It's not just misleading, but flat out false. I expected to read about a cure. How is something a cure if you have to keep taking it forever? It's not really curing; it's holding disease at bay, preventing it from progressing any further. Not getting rid of it. Not curing it. The claim is that this plant, cannabis, cures everything. However, in the story, to prevent the cancer from getting worse and killing the individual, they have to keep taking it. So, is it really curing? This is a treatment, not a cure. If it was a cure, if the cancer was truly eradicated, at some point you wouldn’t need to take the plant anymore because there wouldn’t be anything for it to fight against. The point of this plant is that everything is cured and gone forever, so there shouldn’t be any chance for cancer to come back - once you're in remission, you're in remission for life. So why do they have to be dependent on it for the rest of their lives? It’s not a cure then.
2) Relationships: Wow. People move so fast in this book. One second, two characters are normal with each other, the next they’re all over each other. I know people tend to like seeing happy endings and whatnot, but the more realistically they are put together, the better. Characters were sloppily thrown towards each other, apparently because they should all be in relationships because that’s how people are going to be happy forever and ever. This is the relationship story: Oh look, there’s Alex! Here’s Cyd! Alex… Cyd… Alex… Cyd… They should be a couple! They will realize how much they were meant for one another and so they will never be able to live their lives without each other because that’s just how perfect they are with one another! It’s okayish to make this happen with one set of characters, but not every. Single. Possible. Couple. That. Could. Ever. Exist. -_-
Alex’s marriage: He’s sleeping with Cyd whenever she isn’t mad at him (which happened quite a bit), but suddenly
3) The seeds: They are very precious and must be protected at all costs. Obviously, when you have bags of the stuff, you keep all the bags together so that if someone finds one they find them all. [The previous sentence was dripping with sarcasm in case that wasn't obvious. The characters were so paranoid about protecting the seeds, but they didn’t take any semi-decent precautions. The whole time they just blundered through, and never seemed to learn that there's no such thing as being too cautious. Take Voldemort and his horcruxes (and this is how you can tell the author did not read Harry Potter, and if he did, he didn’t take anything from them) Voldemort’s horcruxes were so precious he took every single precaution possible – first by separating them, then by placing every single protection around them possible that would literally wear out the individual accessing them so that even if they got through the chances of their survival were relatively slim. Clearly Mitchell’s book doesn’t have magic, but with how everything managed to work out so conveniently for the characters, he might as well have just thrown some of that in there anyway.
4) Pills: Cyd is perfectly okay with being addicted to Cannastar and relying on it for the rest of her life. Yet she completely flips out on Alex when he takes a pain pill. Okay, her mom ODed – but I couldn’t even feel bad for Cyd because that seemed to have just been thrown in there to make a point about taking pills; that one can become addicted to them and ultimately OD. If someone takes one tablet for some pain, is that really the end of the world? How does that in any way inform anyone around them about being addicted to it? I don’t see much difference with Cannastar because one has to keep taking that in order to get better. People abuse drugs and suffer the consequences. Funnily enough, Cyd doesn't question Cannastar the way she should if worrying about ODing was truly a concern for her, such as Can one OD on Cannastar? How much is too much? As with anything, there would be a limit to how much Cannaster the human body would be able to handle. What would happen when this limit is reached?
5) Writing:
Foreshadowing: It’s horrible. Foreshadowing should be a little more subtle, it doesn’t have to be stated so blatantly. Every. Single. Time. “The roast beef would go uneaten”,“Cyd decided she needed a vacation and that’s when the trouble started.” It seemed to be an attempt at a cliff-hanger, except it didn't leave you in suspense. I was not only knew what expect thing, but also knew how it was going to turn out. Which sadly takes away from the "thriller" part of this book – where is the suspense, tension or excitement?
Luck: Everything just falls into place just because it can. The characters run into some danger but they get out of it unharmed. You know something else is going to happen, but there’s no tension or anything because every time they just get out completely okay and without too much trouble. Everything is extremely convenient:
OMG, taking things from other stuff – and not even putting them in right! Have some context before throwing Star Trek in there! Like when Cyd says to I think Otis, “Make is so, Number One.” -_- Really? Where did that come from? Since when was she a Star Trek fan? It’s not even something she can say casually by herself, it’s not her nature! There were a few other things, but I can’t remember them right now.
6) Characters: Ugh. They were so childish! And annoying! And horny! (which is kind of oxymoronic to childish). They whined, complained, cried, became super scared then super brave then super scared then back to super brave... They all had the most convenient connections to help move the story forward. And the whole time, they were getting mad at each other, and when they weren't mad at each other, they were sleeping with each other....... I was pretty sure these characters were introduced as adults, not unruly, irresponsible teenagers.
Other than these components, I really liked the idea behind the book. It just needed to be put together better in order to actually be a thriller. The characters could have been written better, it could have been made so much more suspenseful and catching. It was a really easy read, and it did have the capability of drawing you in. It just wasn’t done as well as it could have been. I liked that there was a point about how politics and industry work in the US; companies just want to make money, the government is corrupt. If someone wants to make a change, it's not something you can depend on anyone else for - you have to take that step yourself.
Overall, it comes off as very interesting. So, why only 2 stars?
1) The title of the book: It's not just misleading, but flat out false. I expected to read about a cure. How is something a cure if you have to keep taking it forever? It's not really curing; it's holding disease at bay, preventing it from progressing any further. Not getting rid of it. Not curing it. The claim is that this plant, cannabis, cures everything. However, in the story, to prevent the cancer from getting worse and killing the individual, they have to keep taking it. So, is it really curing? This is a treatment, not a cure. If it was a cure, if the cancer was truly eradicated, at some point you wouldn’t need to take the plant anymore because there wouldn’t be anything for it to fight against. The point of this plant is that everything is cured and gone forever, so there shouldn’t be any chance for cancer to come back - once you're in remission, you're in remission for life. So why do they have to be dependent on it for the rest of their lives? It’s not a cure then.
2) Relationships: Wow. People move so fast in this book. One second, two characters are normal with each other, the next they’re all over each other. I know people tend to like seeing happy endings and whatnot, but the more realistically they are put together, the better. Characters were sloppily thrown towards each other, apparently because they should all be in relationships because that’s how people are going to be happy forever and ever. This is the relationship story: Oh look, there’s Alex! Here’s Cyd! Alex… Cyd… Alex… Cyd… They should be a couple! They will realize how much they were meant for one another and so they will never be able to live their lives without each other because that’s just how perfect they are with one another! It’s okayish to make this happen with one set of characters, but not every. Single. Possible. Couple. That. Could. Ever. Exist. -_-
Alex’s marriage: He’s sleeping with Cyd whenever she isn’t mad at him (which happened quite a bit), but suddenly
3) The seeds: They are very precious and must be protected at all costs. Obviously, when you have bags of the stuff, you keep all the bags together so that if someone finds one they find them all. [The previous sentence was dripping with sarcasm in case that wasn't obvious. The characters were so paranoid about protecting the seeds, but they didn’t take any semi-decent precautions. The whole time they just blundered through, and never seemed to learn that there's no such thing as being too cautious. Take Voldemort and his horcruxes (and this is how you can tell the author did not read Harry Potter, and if he did, he didn’t take anything from them) Voldemort’s horcruxes were so precious he took every single precaution possible – first by separating them, then by placing every single protection around them possible that would literally wear out the individual accessing them so that even if they got through the chances of their survival were relatively slim. Clearly Mitchell’s book doesn’t have magic, but with how everything managed to work out so conveniently for the characters, he might as well have just thrown some of that in there anyway.
4) Pills: Cyd is perfectly okay with being addicted to Cannastar and relying on it for the rest of her life. Yet she completely flips out on Alex when he takes a pain pill. Okay, her mom ODed – but I couldn’t even feel bad for Cyd because that seemed to have just been thrown in there to make a point about taking pills; that one can become addicted to them and ultimately OD. If someone takes one tablet for some pain, is that really the end of the world? How does that in any way inform anyone around them about being addicted to it? I don’t see much difference with Cannastar because one has to keep taking that in order to get better. People abuse drugs and suffer the consequences. Funnily enough, Cyd doesn't question Cannastar the way she should if worrying about ODing was truly a concern for her, such as Can one OD on Cannastar? How much is too much? As with anything, there would be a limit to how much Cannaster the human body would be able to handle. What would happen when this limit is reached?
5) Writing:
Foreshadowing: It’s horrible. Foreshadowing should be a little more subtle, it doesn’t have to be stated so blatantly. Every. Single. Time. “The roast beef would go uneaten”,“Cyd decided she needed a vacation and that’s when the trouble started.” It seemed to be an attempt at a cliff-hanger, except it didn't leave you in suspense. I was not only knew what expect thing, but also knew how it was going to turn out. Which sadly takes away from the "thriller" part of this book – where is the suspense, tension or excitement?
Luck: Everything just falls into place just because it can. The characters run into some danger but they get out of it unharmed. You know something else is going to happen, but there’s no tension or anything because every time they just get out completely okay and without too much trouble. Everything is extremely convenient:
OMG, taking things from other stuff – and not even putting them in right! Have some context before throwing Star Trek in there! Like when Cyd says to I think Otis, “Make is so, Number One.” -_- Really? Where did that come from? Since when was she a Star Trek fan? It’s not even something she can say casually by herself, it’s not her nature! There were a few other things, but I can’t remember them right now.
6) Characters: Ugh. They were so childish! And annoying! And horny! (which is kind of oxymoronic to childish). They whined, complained, cried, became super scared then super brave then super scared then back to super brave... They all had the most convenient connections to help move the story forward. And the whole time, they were getting mad at each other, and when they weren't mad at each other, they were sleeping with each other....... I was pretty sure these characters were introduced as adults, not unruly, irresponsible teenagers.
Other than these components, I really liked the idea behind the book. It just needed to be put together better in order to actually be a thriller. The characters could have been written better, it could have been made so much more suspenseful and catching. It was a really easy read, and it did have the capability of drawing you in. It just wasn’t done as well as it could have been. I liked that there was a point about how politics and industry work in the US; companies just want to make money, the government is corrupt. If someone wants to make a change, it's not something you can depend on anyone else for - you have to take that step yourself.
December 14, 2013
Let's start with the premise. A botanist genetically engineers a marijuana plant and a poisonous plant together to make an herbal medicine that can cure any disease known to mankind and some unknown ones, I presume. The one hitch is the patient has to continue to take the medicine or the disease will return. The pharmaceutical company that funded the research stops at nothing to eliminate the miracle cure, including murder, less all their products, and obviously profits, go down the tube. It is left up to our heroes to battle the drug companies, an evil senator (is there any other kind in a thriller?) and mercenary thugs in order to keep the research alive and therefore save humankind.
Let's think this through. The drug company owns the research, they therefore will own the patent and have a monopoly on the cure. I don't think it takes much brains to see that the corporation holding the cure to cancer, the universe and everything, will make tons of moola, regardless of what they sold before. The fact that their customer have to keep taking it, therefore buying it repeatedly, is icing on the cake. Why the hell would they want to destroy it? Now keeping other people from stealing it make sense but destroy it? I don't think so. Such a plot would only be sensible to Laetrile proponents and gimmicky conspiracy thriller writers.
But if that was the only complaint I had, I could go with it. After all, wasn't it Arthur C. Clarke who said that every novel is entitled to have one unbelievable thing in it? Unfortunately, A Cure to Die For is sloppily written, loaded with spur-of-the-moment unbelievable contrivances, and packed with cardboard heroes and villains. It's the kind of world in which the evil senator sprouts out things like "Words are Turds!" and our hero's first thought, on finding out his new infatuation is going to die of cancer, is what her breast will look like in the last stage. I know we males obsess about breasts but be real! The heroine isn't much better, going off like a volcano because her boy friend takes pain pill while she is taking a drug that is basically addictive. Well, OK. It cures her cancer. But I think you see what I mean.
Essentially, it's a thriller that isn't much of a thriller. It's predictable with no real sense of tension and foreboding. I really wanted to like it. Despite the preposterous plot it could have been fun. But the string of predictable actions and cliche responses got to me. By the end I was still rooting for the heroes but only so they could win or lose and I could get on with my mundane but realistic life.
So obviously it is a book I can not recommend. As I said. I really like thrillers but this novel isn't thrilling nor it is very medical. I guess I'll just have to reread some old Robin Cook novels if I want a medical thriller.
Let's think this through. The drug company owns the research, they therefore will own the patent and have a monopoly on the cure. I don't think it takes much brains to see that the corporation holding the cure to cancer, the universe and everything, will make tons of moola, regardless of what they sold before. The fact that their customer have to keep taking it, therefore buying it repeatedly, is icing on the cake. Why the hell would they want to destroy it? Now keeping other people from stealing it make sense but destroy it? I don't think so. Such a plot would only be sensible to Laetrile proponents and gimmicky conspiracy thriller writers.
But if that was the only complaint I had, I could go with it. After all, wasn't it Arthur C. Clarke who said that every novel is entitled to have one unbelievable thing in it? Unfortunately, A Cure to Die For is sloppily written, loaded with spur-of-the-moment unbelievable contrivances, and packed with cardboard heroes and villains. It's the kind of world in which the evil senator sprouts out things like "Words are Turds!" and our hero's first thought, on finding out his new infatuation is going to die of cancer, is what her breast will look like in the last stage. I know we males obsess about breasts but be real! The heroine isn't much better, going off like a volcano because her boy friend takes pain pill while she is taking a drug that is basically addictive. Well, OK. It cures her cancer. But I think you see what I mean.
Essentially, it's a thriller that isn't much of a thriller. It's predictable with no real sense of tension and foreboding. I really wanted to like it. Despite the preposterous plot it could have been fun. But the string of predictable actions and cliche responses got to me. By the end I was still rooting for the heroes but only so they could win or lose and I could get on with my mundane but realistic life.
So obviously it is a book I can not recommend. As I said. I really like thrillers but this novel isn't thrilling nor it is very medical. I guess I'll just have to reread some old Robin Cook novels if I want a medical thriller.
July 20, 2011
This is one that I got for free through goodreads giveaways.
Originally, I was interested in the book because the premise seemed realistic. Someone finds a miracle cure and the results of the discovery are complicated-it is a tremendous ethical dilemma. A cure like that has the potential to make health care almost completely obsolete. I felt like the ethical issues were really played down.
While initially interested in the story, I didn't find the writing enjoyable. There was an unnaturally abruptness in the way the story was pieced together. The flow was off and the characters were stale. And the name Cannastar...I know it is just one word, but i thought it was silly. I know there are a lot of silly names for just about anything out there, but it seemed like a cheesy choice. And every time I read the word I thought of the word canister.
I found that the description for the book was more exciting than the actual book. I have never read anything labeled as a medical thriller, but I would have thought that there would have been a stronger medical background for the story. Everything just seemed so generalized.
I appreciated the chance to read this book, but with all the issues I had with it, I couldn't really enjoy the book. It had an interesting plot, but the execution was off.
Originally, I was interested in the book because the premise seemed realistic. Someone finds a miracle cure and the results of the discovery are complicated-it is a tremendous ethical dilemma. A cure like that has the potential to make health care almost completely obsolete. I felt like the ethical issues were really played down.
While initially interested in the story, I didn't find the writing enjoyable. There was an unnaturally abruptness in the way the story was pieced together. The flow was off and the characters were stale. And the name Cannastar...I know it is just one word, but i thought it was silly. I know there are a lot of silly names for just about anything out there, but it seemed like a cheesy choice. And every time I read the word I thought of the word canister.
I found that the description for the book was more exciting than the actual book. I have never read anything labeled as a medical thriller, but I would have thought that there would have been a stronger medical background for the story. Everything just seemed so generalized.
I appreciated the chance to read this book, but with all the issues I had with it, I couldn't really enjoy the book. It had an interesting plot, but the execution was off.
November 28, 2013
This book is touted as a medical thriller. Also a mystery, a love story, and an adventure tale - and herein lies the rub. Quite simply, it tries to do too much. The premise of the story is intriguing, but the delivery is handled with an utter lack of subtlety that comes close to sullying the entire exercise. The foreshadowing is dealt with such a heavy hand that it loses all effect.
Passages like these are nothing but distracting - an adult woman who was so elated that 'she clapped her hands together like a happy chipmunk'. We have another lady who was made 'so mad when he said it that the top of her head almost blew off'.
With all that being said, the core idea is good and was just interesting enough to keep me reading. With a sterner hand at the editing wheel, it could have been so much better.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you.
Passages like these are nothing but distracting - an adult woman who was so elated that 'she clapped her hands together like a happy chipmunk'. We have another lady who was made 'so mad when he said it that the top of her head almost blew off'.
With all that being said, the core idea is good and was just interesting enough to keep me reading. With a sterner hand at the editing wheel, it could have been so much better.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you.
July 15, 2011
I received this book free in return for a review.
This "medical thriller" (I've never heard that phrase before) is enjoyable, captivating, exciting, entertaining and funny. The author has a knack for describing his characters succinctly by means of memorable and often amusing turns of phrase, so the reader easily remembers who's who.
The story begins with the murder of one of Alex's old friends, Maury. It turns out Maury has secretly been working for years on a potentially controversial cure-all product, a hybrid between the cannabis plant and a poisonous plant called the Death Star. It can cure both Aids and cancer, as well as everything else, apparently. An unscrupulous, evil pharmaceutical company, or rather its boss, turns out to have been responsible for the murder, since the new product, Cannastar, would eradicate the need for all medicine. Alec, a likeable doctor with health problems of his own, gets together with Maury's friend, Cyd, and the mortician Otis and together they fight to save the live-saving Cannastar seeds that Maury had sacrificed his life in developing.
The action is extremely fast-paced, the heroes continually getting themselves into arduous, apparently inextricable, situations, only to escape at the last moment.
The book is an amusing, though on one level serious, parody of modern American society, the book's theme being based on the actual sorry state of affairs in present-day USA, in that it addresses the ruthlessness of the medicinal companies who have no interest in curing anybody but are focused only on earning billions of dollars at the expense of public health. Perhaps the author is at the same time making a statement about the actual curative properties of the illegal cannabis plant. He also gets a few digs in at the legal profession and the media.
It is the story of a battle between good and evil. The "baddies" are portrayed in such a way that you're left in no doubt as to how diabolical they are, so you're not offended if they come to a bad end. Alex & Co. are aided in their quest to save Cannastar by a wealthy Native American and a notorious drug baron with a soft heart also plays a leading role. In fact drug dealers all over the country do their bit.
The story has also a romantic side, and we follow the love lives of the main characters, all of whom find loving partners, eventually.
The book is extremely well-written, except for a very few grammatical mistakes, including the use of semi-colons where it would have been more correct to use colons. There are also many places where the author suddenly changes from describing things from the perspective of one character to that of another or to the omniscient author's viewpoint in a somewhat disconcerting or jarring manner.
But, all in all, I found this to be a delightful, highly amusing page-turner of a book. I got the feeling the author really enjoyed writing it. I would recommend that you read the book - it's one of the most entertaining books I've read for a long while.
This "medical thriller" (I've never heard that phrase before) is enjoyable, captivating, exciting, entertaining and funny. The author has a knack for describing his characters succinctly by means of memorable and often amusing turns of phrase, so the reader easily remembers who's who.
The story begins with the murder of one of Alex's old friends, Maury. It turns out Maury has secretly been working for years on a potentially controversial cure-all product, a hybrid between the cannabis plant and a poisonous plant called the Death Star. It can cure both Aids and cancer, as well as everything else, apparently. An unscrupulous, evil pharmaceutical company, or rather its boss, turns out to have been responsible for the murder, since the new product, Cannastar, would eradicate the need for all medicine. Alec, a likeable doctor with health problems of his own, gets together with Maury's friend, Cyd, and the mortician Otis and together they fight to save the live-saving Cannastar seeds that Maury had sacrificed his life in developing.
The action is extremely fast-paced, the heroes continually getting themselves into arduous, apparently inextricable, situations, only to escape at the last moment.
The book is an amusing, though on one level serious, parody of modern American society, the book's theme being based on the actual sorry state of affairs in present-day USA, in that it addresses the ruthlessness of the medicinal companies who have no interest in curing anybody but are focused only on earning billions of dollars at the expense of public health. Perhaps the author is at the same time making a statement about the actual curative properties of the illegal cannabis plant. He also gets a few digs in at the legal profession and the media.
It is the story of a battle between good and evil. The "baddies" are portrayed in such a way that you're left in no doubt as to how diabolical they are, so you're not offended if they come to a bad end. Alex & Co. are aided in their quest to save Cannastar by a wealthy Native American and a notorious drug baron with a soft heart also plays a leading role. In fact drug dealers all over the country do their bit.
The story has also a romantic side, and we follow the love lives of the main characters, all of whom find loving partners, eventually.
The book is extremely well-written, except for a very few grammatical mistakes, including the use of semi-colons where it would have been more correct to use colons. There are also many places where the author suddenly changes from describing things from the perspective of one character to that of another or to the omniscient author's viewpoint in a somewhat disconcerting or jarring manner.
But, all in all, I found this to be a delightful, highly amusing page-turner of a book. I got the feeling the author really enjoyed writing it. I would recommend that you read the book - it's one of the most entertaining books I've read for a long while.
July 27, 2011
I appreciated receiving a copy of A CURE TO DIE FOR - A Medical Thriller as a first reads giveaway and dove in with great anticipation because I love thrillers and am fascinated by the science of medicine.
Webster defines “thriller” as “a work of fiction or drama designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intrigue, adventure or suspense,“ with synonyms: cliff-hanger, hair-raiser, nail-biter.
I’ve read lots of thrillers but this is not one of them. I’ve read great medical thrillers (for example: Robin Cook’s “Coma”) but this is not one of them. I was disappointed in the lack of any real medical science and/or intrigue in this story. The premise was promising - the discovery of a cure for cancer. It turns out this miracle cure – a hybrid herb – cures a host of other serious and minor illnesses, including, what turns out to be psychosomatic back pain?
How could anyone in the world be against a cure for cancer? Enter the evil pharmaceutical companies and medical profession, aided and abetted by the evil government – Republicans, would you believe. This apparent “axis of evil” do their darnedest to suppress and discredit the new discovery because the pharmaceutical and medical profession will go out of business without millions of desperate, sick and dying people. That defies logic, it seems to me, since a billions would be made from the new drug that must be taken indefinitely in order to “stay cured.”
The evil talk radio and TV news shows, in particular, “SUX News” network, get behind them using scare tactics and telling America that thousands will die from use of this illegal drug…even though that is totally contrary to what is happening. Where is all the real investigative reporting that would be immediate if thousands of people take this drug and are suddenly cured of death-sentence illnesses??
Ok, I understand this is a fictional work. But subtle the author is not. Authors should write about things they feel strongly about, but in a work of fiction, show some finesse. When the author’s views are so transparent, it simply detracts from what might have been a pretty good story and becomes a rant.
The non-stop action was engaging and kept my attention. But the characters were shallow and too many of the situations in the story were just not believable. Such as that low life traffickers of illegal drugs, responsible for gross corruption, brutal murders within their profession and destruction of untold thousands because of greed and a hunger for power, really have soft hearts deep down … who knew?
Sorry, this was just not a satisfying read.
Webster defines “thriller” as “a work of fiction or drama designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intrigue, adventure or suspense,“ with synonyms: cliff-hanger, hair-raiser, nail-biter.
I’ve read lots of thrillers but this is not one of them. I’ve read great medical thrillers (for example: Robin Cook’s “Coma”) but this is not one of them. I was disappointed in the lack of any real medical science and/or intrigue in this story. The premise was promising - the discovery of a cure for cancer. It turns out this miracle cure – a hybrid herb – cures a host of other serious and minor illnesses, including, what turns out to be psychosomatic back pain?
How could anyone in the world be against a cure for cancer? Enter the evil pharmaceutical companies and medical profession, aided and abetted by the evil government – Republicans, would you believe. This apparent “axis of evil” do their darnedest to suppress and discredit the new discovery because the pharmaceutical and medical profession will go out of business without millions of desperate, sick and dying people. That defies logic, it seems to me, since a billions would be made from the new drug that must be taken indefinitely in order to “stay cured.”
The evil talk radio and TV news shows, in particular, “SUX News” network, get behind them using scare tactics and telling America that thousands will die from use of this illegal drug…even though that is totally contrary to what is happening. Where is all the real investigative reporting that would be immediate if thousands of people take this drug and are suddenly cured of death-sentence illnesses??
Ok, I understand this is a fictional work. But subtle the author is not. Authors should write about things they feel strongly about, but in a work of fiction, show some finesse. When the author’s views are so transparent, it simply detracts from what might have been a pretty good story and becomes a rant.
The non-stop action was engaging and kept my attention. But the characters were shallow and too many of the situations in the story were just not believable. Such as that low life traffickers of illegal drugs, responsible for gross corruption, brutal murders within their profession and destruction of untold thousands because of greed and a hunger for power, really have soft hearts deep down … who knew?
Sorry, this was just not a satisfying read.
July 26, 2011
Really not a well-written book. I won this book in one of the Goodreads giveaways, and it sounded like a good story, on top of the obligation I felt to read it because of the giveaway. While I was right that the story sounded good (well, moderate), the writing style was just awful. The sentences were short and choppy, and the segments of the story were even shorter and choppier. Mitchell went into detail on some minute parts of the story, but whenever it came time to give details about some of the more interesting/important parts of the story, the details were minimal/nonexistent. One of the reviewers quoted on the cover mentioned the rich characters, but I could not disagree more with this description of the book: Mitchell was consistent in the fact that he hardly spent any time at all with these characters, instead choosing to introduce characters who only existed for a single paragraph and had no real bearing on the story. The most annoying was perhaps the chapter when he talked about the news coverage of Cannastar: he created a few fictitious reporters (all of whom existed no more than two paragraphs), but he also indirectly mentioned several real reporters and media faces: the talk show host with the big chin who loves cars is quite apparent, as well as several of the Comedy Central unmentionables (or at least they seemed unmentionable from Mitchell's writing). All-in-all the pace and characterization in this book were very poor, only serving to get you through the book VERY quickly without actually giving you a good sense of anyone in the book.
On top of the bad writing style, the story itself was rather contrived. I like the idea that there is a cure-all out there; I even like the idea that it's a marijuana hybrid. But the politically-charged messaging in this book were over the top, even for a liberal like me. The reporters, the references to political parties, and the general sense of the book were excessively critical to the Republican party. I give this book two stars because the idea behind the book was good, but the execution was simply terrible.
On top of the bad writing style, the story itself was rather contrived. I like the idea that there is a cure-all out there; I even like the idea that it's a marijuana hybrid. But the politically-charged messaging in this book were over the top, even for a liberal like me. The reporters, the references to political parties, and the general sense of the book were excessively critical to the Republican party. I give this book two stars because the idea behind the book was good, but the execution was simply terrible.
February 2, 2012
Stephen G. Mitchell did an excellent job on this book! I was totally sucked into a world where a "miracle" plant exists, and can cure all diseases and addictions. The characters were very vivid, in my mind, as were the locations and the storyline, itself. I finished the book yesterday and caught myself daydreaming about it today, wishing and wondering how the world would be if a plant like the "Cannistar" actually existed!!!
October 5, 2013
I just finished listening to the Audible.com version of A Cure to Die For and it was fantastic! First and foremost, I'd like to thank the author, Stephen Mitchell, for so graciously sending me a consolation GoodReads first-reads giveaway Audible.com version of the book after I didn't win the initial giveaway of the Audio CD book set.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Audio Theater format of A Cure to Die For. The narrator's voice is excellent, as are all of the characters in the book. Adding to setting the pace and mood of the story as it plays out are the great sound effects and music in this Audio theater version. I would definitely love to listen to more books recorded this way and this well, as it definitely gives the characters a more 3D feel.
The story itself has as many twists and turns, ups and downs as a roller coaster! I found myself saying things out loud as I was listening - such as "oh no that's not a good idea", "yes they got away!", "don't trust him", "that person is still alive?! Didn't see that coming!", etc. Yes, basically I was talking to myself and the characters in the book, as my 17 yr. old daughter brought to my attention :) Centered on several main characters desperately trying to get word and the actual cure for cancer and many other diseases out to the population, it's packed with a heady brew of murder, mystery, foreboding, action, tastefully done romance, unexpected acts of kindness, whacky drug dealers, science and humor; as well as some very interesting and thought provoking political and capitalistic ripple effects that are fascinating. While fictitious, I can see how the pharmaceutical companies and the politicians they support would most likely react ruthlessly in reality as they do in the book. More than once I was surprised by some very interesting and often humorous yet heroic characters that drifted into the story line. Some stayed for good, some drifted out casually, others were removed in a sinister fashion. Criss-crossing states and heading to Mexico for a visit with a drug lord, I find the author's ability to give the reader/listener a real feel for locations and the unique characteristics of the people is very well done. I love the nerves of steel and intelligence beneath the genteel southern belle, how things go down in Iowa and where to hide your miraculous yet illegal hybrid pot seeds. I am not one to write reviews that give away any of a book's secrets, and I'll not do so here. I do highly recommend this book in your favorite format for anyone looking for an awesome story to read! Great ending, by the way, it leaves me hoping for a sequel!
I thoroughly enjoyed the Audio Theater format of A Cure to Die For. The narrator's voice is excellent, as are all of the characters in the book. Adding to setting the pace and mood of the story as it plays out are the great sound effects and music in this Audio theater version. I would definitely love to listen to more books recorded this way and this well, as it definitely gives the characters a more 3D feel.
The story itself has as many twists and turns, ups and downs as a roller coaster! I found myself saying things out loud as I was listening - such as "oh no that's not a good idea", "yes they got away!", "don't trust him", "that person is still alive?! Didn't see that coming!", etc. Yes, basically I was talking to myself and the characters in the book, as my 17 yr. old daughter brought to my attention :) Centered on several main characters desperately trying to get word and the actual cure for cancer and many other diseases out to the population, it's packed with a heady brew of murder, mystery, foreboding, action, tastefully done romance, unexpected acts of kindness, whacky drug dealers, science and humor; as well as some very interesting and thought provoking political and capitalistic ripple effects that are fascinating. While fictitious, I can see how the pharmaceutical companies and the politicians they support would most likely react ruthlessly in reality as they do in the book. More than once I was surprised by some very interesting and often humorous yet heroic characters that drifted into the story line. Some stayed for good, some drifted out casually, others were removed in a sinister fashion. Criss-crossing states and heading to Mexico for a visit with a drug lord, I find the author's ability to give the reader/listener a real feel for locations and the unique characteristics of the people is very well done. I love the nerves of steel and intelligence beneath the genteel southern belle, how things go down in Iowa and where to hide your miraculous yet illegal hybrid pot seeds. I am not one to write reviews that give away any of a book's secrets, and I'll not do so here. I do highly recommend this book in your favorite format for anyone looking for an awesome story to read! Great ending, by the way, it leaves me hoping for a sequel!
July 18, 2011
‘With the good came the bad and with the bad came the beautiful.’
In this novel, a genetically modified plant not only cures the common cold, it provides a cure for at least some forms of cancer. The new plant was named Cannastar by its developer Maury Bernstein, a botanist working for a pharmaceutical company called Rxon. Alas, the pharmaceutical company sees nothing but trouble – a negative impact on the bottom line - as a consequence of this miracle drug, and they set out to destroy it before it destroys them. Maury Bernstein is the first victim, but he won’t be the last.
‘Are people really that vicious and destructive and vile?’
Enter our heroes: Alex Farmer, a childhood friend of Maury Bernstein, and Cydney (Cyd) Seeley who work together against great odds to try to grow, purify and distribute the drug to those who need it. They find some help in (at times) some fairly surprising places, but the bad guys (including Cyd’s cousin Senator Sam Seeley) are relentless.
Will the good guys prevail, and at what cost?
There’s an abundance of action here, but some of the twists and turns remind me of a long running soap opera. The bad guys personify corporate greed aided by political corruption and the good guys occasionally make poor judgement calls (for good reasons, naturally). Ironically, the good guys include some ruthless drug dealers – which somehow seems appropriate in a novel which combines elements of cynicism, satire and soap opera.
In my reading, this novel is less a medical thriller than a vehicle for a cynical and satirical look at the politics of the pharmaceutical industry. I found that the impact of this was undermined by what I felt were unnecessary and sometimes clumsy twists and turns in the story – such as the Alicia diversion. There’s a good story hidden in here, but I think it still needs some polishing.
Note: I was offered, and accepted, a copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In this novel, a genetically modified plant not only cures the common cold, it provides a cure for at least some forms of cancer. The new plant was named Cannastar by its developer Maury Bernstein, a botanist working for a pharmaceutical company called Rxon. Alas, the pharmaceutical company sees nothing but trouble – a negative impact on the bottom line - as a consequence of this miracle drug, and they set out to destroy it before it destroys them. Maury Bernstein is the first victim, but he won’t be the last.
‘Are people really that vicious and destructive and vile?’
Enter our heroes: Alex Farmer, a childhood friend of Maury Bernstein, and Cydney (Cyd) Seeley who work together against great odds to try to grow, purify and distribute the drug to those who need it. They find some help in (at times) some fairly surprising places, but the bad guys (including Cyd’s cousin Senator Sam Seeley) are relentless.
Will the good guys prevail, and at what cost?
There’s an abundance of action here, but some of the twists and turns remind me of a long running soap opera. The bad guys personify corporate greed aided by political corruption and the good guys occasionally make poor judgement calls (for good reasons, naturally). Ironically, the good guys include some ruthless drug dealers – which somehow seems appropriate in a novel which combines elements of cynicism, satire and soap opera.
In my reading, this novel is less a medical thriller than a vehicle for a cynical and satirical look at the politics of the pharmaceutical industry. I found that the impact of this was undermined by what I felt were unnecessary and sometimes clumsy twists and turns in the story – such as the Alicia diversion. There’s a good story hidden in here, but I think it still needs some polishing.
Note: I was offered, and accepted, a copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
December 4, 2013
I won this book on Good Reads and I loved it! As soon as I saw the cover of the book, I figured it would be "cheesey" but I was wrong. A love story, medical thriller that I wish was non-fiction. I did not want this book to end and hope there is a sequel because I want to know what happened to Cyd and Alex and all of the other characters that I came to love. Pages 334 and 335 sum it up completely but don't want to get a spoiler review. Guess you will need to read it for yourselves. And I know I will be reading more of Stephen G. Mitchell books. Thank you Good Read!!
March 7, 2014
When a pharmaceutical company hires a scientist to works on a new drug, the scientist accidently discover a cure for almost everything, including cancer. The company then has the scientist killed and the plants responsible for the cures distroyed. But all is not lost, and what begins is a big cover-up by the company and the government. A great story evolves, and I could hardly put this medical thriller down. I highly recomment this book!
May 20, 2011
You'll ask yourself, "is this fiction or is it real?" A Cure to Die For spins an incredible tale of credible reality. Heroes you could imagine as friends and villains you'll love to hate wrapped up in conspiracies you suspect are true...Stephen G. Mitchell sucks you out of your comfort zone and spews you into a world that may very well be running out of time....
July 12, 2011
Look out Robin Cook- Stephen Mitchell is here to stay! A gripping, unique and brilliant medical thriller- not to be missed.
RICK FRIEDMAN
FOUNDER
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
RICK FRIEDMAN
FOUNDER
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
February 20, 2023
This book was definitely out of my normal genre read, but I enjoyed it. The beginning starts off with the murder of Alex's friend and scientist, Maury. Maury created a plant that can grow anywhere and can cure any disease. Big pharma is unwilling to have this released to the public because they would lose money from medicine sales.
The storyline was pretty good and there was even a little romance in there. I felt like some scenes were unnecessary, but I still enjoyed it. There were high stakes throughout the book both life-threatening and legal standing. Some parts had me laughing out loud. A pretty humorous and entertaining read.
“Tomorrow never comes, Otis. At least not the way we imagine it. We make stuff up and spend the rest of our time being upset about it. And you want to know the irony? Having something to lose and being willing to lose it is what makes life worth living. We all die too soon. It’s about being grateful for what we have right now that counts. And right now, what I have is you. And you have me. Happiness like this isn’t some kind of accident. It’s a choice. Me, I choose happiness. What about you?" I really enjoy this quote and I want live by it. I choose happiness.
I wish there was a real thing like Cannistar. It would really help a lot of people. Not to mention the risks of taking some medication wouldn't be a problem anymore.
The storyline was pretty good and there was even a little romance in there. I felt like some scenes were unnecessary, but I still enjoyed it. There were high stakes throughout the book both life-threatening and legal standing. Some parts had me laughing out loud. A pretty humorous and entertaining read.
“Tomorrow never comes, Otis. At least not the way we imagine it. We make stuff up and spend the rest of our time being upset about it. And you want to know the irony? Having something to lose and being willing to lose it is what makes life worth living. We all die too soon. It’s about being grateful for what we have right now that counts. And right now, what I have is you. And you have me. Happiness like this isn’t some kind of accident. It’s a choice. Me, I choose happiness. What about you?" I really enjoy this quote and I want live by it. I choose happiness.
I wish there was a real thing like Cannistar. It would really help a lot of people. Not to mention the risks of taking some medication wouldn't be a problem anymore.
July 20, 2011
I won this book for free by way of goodreads' first reads giveaway.
This is a pretty good adventure story. A cure for cancer is found. The medical and drug companies, and the government don’t want it to surface because it would devastate the flow of income into the medical field. The corporate big boys don’t want to see their money go bye-bye. So the big corporations try to bring this new miracle drug and anyone trying to grow and sell it down. This causes a lot of crazy stuff to happen. The synopsis on the back of the book it a whole lot better! :)
I would prefer to give this book 2.5 stars if I could because of certain attributes that really bugged me. I didn’t enjoy the first 80 or so pages of this book. I wasn’t feeling a connection with the characters. I initially thought that the two main characters were sort of irritating. Though, around 100 pages in, the book really started to improve. The new characters that were added were very agreeable and realistic. I especially liked the relationship between Otis and Eloise. Actually, come to think of it, I liked most of the side characters more than the two protagonists.
Pros – this book has a pretty cool cover. :) The synopsis hooks you immediately. The author has put a lot of imagination into this book. It is well drawn out, and the plot isn’t entirely obvious. It was action-packed – definitely what you could call a page turner! I can honestly say that after the initial 80 pages, I wasn’t bored once. The writing style is definitely not artwork like John Steinbeck, but Mr. Mitchell does do quite a nice job of describing his state of Montana with quite a bit of heart.
Cons – there are a lot of typos, which was extremely distracting – this is coming from someone who usually doesn’t notice these sorts of things unless they’re glaringly obvious. Flashbacks, flashbacks, flashbacks! There are so many misplaced and unnecessary flashbacks in this book! It is absolutely ridiculous! At one point, I was starting to get a headache because there were so many pointless flashbacks all at once. Another minor annoyance was that the author would quite often tell the reader what was about to happen before it even happened. These definitely weren’t subtle, foreshadowing hints. If you read the book, you’ll no doubt realize what I mean by this. It totally took out the element of surprise in what would have been awesome plot twists had they actually popped up out of nowhere. Lastly, the characters were pretty much all black and white. There was either good or bad. The good characters were wholly good with the exclusion of minor flaws that get tossed to the wayside. The bad characters are pure eviiiiil to the core – with perhaps the exclusion of Don Juan. I don’t know how to categorize him. I think that he was an evil guy trying to do some good to make up of for his evil. Anyway, there was practically no gray area. There was one moment in the book that I really had to force myself to keep reading. This is why: it was painfully obvious that Mr. Mitchell is trying to demonize republicans. This is coming from someone who isn’t in to politics and who hasn’t even chosen her political preference yet. The republicans are the bad guys. He doesn’t show this until about ¾ into the book. Here’s an excerpt (don’t worry it won’t give anything away):
“Across the land growing hordes of hicks, fattened on the madness of the negative propaganda, crowded the parade route as America’s right wing radio and television hosts paraded their sound bites up and down Main Street on floats of fear, pitching their shit over the side to a sea of hungry hands that reached out for the lies and gobbled them down like poison candy.” (page 274)
If that isn’t a rant, I don’t know what is.
I could easily put up with everything else that I didn’t like about in the story, but that last bit just left me reeling as I finished the sentence. It wasn’t the first instance of it, but I just couldn’t understand why he would even want to put garbage like that in his book. I read this book because it was supposed to be an intense medical thriller. Yes, I knew that the government and media would be involved which would bring in some politics, but this just… I don’t know… it dumbfounded me. I can understand partiality, but this was over the top. There should be a warning in bold letters on the first page… ha-ha!
Other than that, the story itself was quite good. The prices of drugs nowadays are way too high. The idea for this story was unique and awesome. He did a good job of capturing it! I tried to be fair in my review, but I’m afraid my list of cons outweigh the pros. I would still like to point out that I did enjoy it to an extent, which is why I gave it 3 stars instead of 2.
P.S. (Only to those who have read the story *minor spoilers*) Can anyone explain how both Annie and Sam Seeley managed to get away with the fact that tons of Cannastar was found growing in two greenhouses in their backyard? Yes, I understand that the blame was placed on “others”, but there is still no possible way the both of them could have gotten away scot-free – especially since there wasn’t any evidence pointing the blame on the “others”. In fact, I don’t think Mr. Mitchell ever explains how this went over. Surely the press would have questioned these findings. Maybe this is a plot hole? I don’t know…
This is a pretty good adventure story. A cure for cancer is found. The medical and drug companies, and the government don’t want it to surface because it would devastate the flow of income into the medical field. The corporate big boys don’t want to see their money go bye-bye. So the big corporations try to bring this new miracle drug and anyone trying to grow and sell it down. This causes a lot of crazy stuff to happen. The synopsis on the back of the book it a whole lot better! :)
I would prefer to give this book 2.5 stars if I could because of certain attributes that really bugged me. I didn’t enjoy the first 80 or so pages of this book. I wasn’t feeling a connection with the characters. I initially thought that the two main characters were sort of irritating. Though, around 100 pages in, the book really started to improve. The new characters that were added were very agreeable and realistic. I especially liked the relationship between Otis and Eloise. Actually, come to think of it, I liked most of the side characters more than the two protagonists.
Pros – this book has a pretty cool cover. :) The synopsis hooks you immediately. The author has put a lot of imagination into this book. It is well drawn out, and the plot isn’t entirely obvious. It was action-packed – definitely what you could call a page turner! I can honestly say that after the initial 80 pages, I wasn’t bored once. The writing style is definitely not artwork like John Steinbeck, but Mr. Mitchell does do quite a nice job of describing his state of Montana with quite a bit of heart.
Cons – there are a lot of typos, which was extremely distracting – this is coming from someone who usually doesn’t notice these sorts of things unless they’re glaringly obvious. Flashbacks, flashbacks, flashbacks! There are so many misplaced and unnecessary flashbacks in this book! It is absolutely ridiculous! At one point, I was starting to get a headache because there were so many pointless flashbacks all at once. Another minor annoyance was that the author would quite often tell the reader what was about to happen before it even happened. These definitely weren’t subtle, foreshadowing hints. If you read the book, you’ll no doubt realize what I mean by this. It totally took out the element of surprise in what would have been awesome plot twists had they actually popped up out of nowhere. Lastly, the characters were pretty much all black and white. There was either good or bad. The good characters were wholly good with the exclusion of minor flaws that get tossed to the wayside. The bad characters are pure eviiiiil to the core – with perhaps the exclusion of Don Juan. I don’t know how to categorize him. I think that he was an evil guy trying to do some good to make up of for his evil. Anyway, there was practically no gray area. There was one moment in the book that I really had to force myself to keep reading. This is why: it was painfully obvious that Mr. Mitchell is trying to demonize republicans. This is coming from someone who isn’t in to politics and who hasn’t even chosen her political preference yet. The republicans are the bad guys. He doesn’t show this until about ¾ into the book. Here’s an excerpt (don’t worry it won’t give anything away):
“Across the land growing hordes of hicks, fattened on the madness of the negative propaganda, crowded the parade route as America’s right wing radio and television hosts paraded their sound bites up and down Main Street on floats of fear, pitching their shit over the side to a sea of hungry hands that reached out for the lies and gobbled them down like poison candy.” (page 274)
If that isn’t a rant, I don’t know what is.
I could easily put up with everything else that I didn’t like about in the story, but that last bit just left me reeling as I finished the sentence. It wasn’t the first instance of it, but I just couldn’t understand why he would even want to put garbage like that in his book. I read this book because it was supposed to be an intense medical thriller. Yes, I knew that the government and media would be involved which would bring in some politics, but this just… I don’t know… it dumbfounded me. I can understand partiality, but this was over the top. There should be a warning in bold letters on the first page… ha-ha!
Other than that, the story itself was quite good. The prices of drugs nowadays are way too high. The idea for this story was unique and awesome. He did a good job of capturing it! I tried to be fair in my review, but I’m afraid my list of cons outweigh the pros. I would still like to point out that I did enjoy it to an extent, which is why I gave it 3 stars instead of 2.
P.S. (Only to those who have read the story *minor spoilers*) Can anyone explain how both Annie and Sam Seeley managed to get away with the fact that tons of Cannastar was found growing in two greenhouses in their backyard? Yes, I understand that the blame was placed on “others”, but there is still no possible way the both of them could have gotten away scot-free – especially since there wasn’t any evidence pointing the blame on the “others”. In fact, I don’t think Mr. Mitchell ever explains how this went over. Surely the press would have questioned these findings. Maybe this is a plot hole? I don’t know…
August 6, 2011
I won this from a first reads giveaway. I'll start with what I did like about the book. There was some intrigue in the plot that kept the book moving at a fast pace. Some of the characters were very lovable (Bigfoot, energetic Annie Seeley, Otis) unfortunately they weren't the two main characters whom I didn't really like very much. The premise had great promise...a drug that can cure cancer.
What I didn't like about the book: first of all, too many 'f' words. Sorry, but it just ruins a book for me and I find it an unnecessary addition. There were things that didn't make sense logically. It seems to me a drug company would be jumping at the bit to have this drug under their control, especially since it has to be taken FOREVER in order to be effective. The money and power made by the drug company with patent rights to it would be incredible. Cannaster cured too many things and became unrealistic, he should have stuck with just cancer. Also, while the medical community would suffer somewhat from the loss of the terminally ill people, there would still be a field out there: broken bones and other physical accidents, genetic disorders, depression, pregnancy, well check visits for children, optometry, etc. It would not utterly demolish the insurance/medical/drug community. Also, the political charge was a little too strong for me, especially being a republican. It was overplayed to push a point that I don't necessarily agree with or that I am not even sure is a correct assumption of the Republican party and their beliefs. Finally, there were no champions of the drug which I think is completely inaccurate. You'd have people in high places who couldn't be "bought" by the drug company who would be heralding this magic cure. You'd have people coming out and telling their stories. The "Cannaster is killing everyone" would never fly or find a way to the media because there would be too many people as living proof of the opposite, with no real proof at all of that falsehood!
What I didn't like about the book: first of all, too many 'f' words. Sorry, but it just ruins a book for me and I find it an unnecessary addition. There were things that didn't make sense logically. It seems to me a drug company would be jumping at the bit to have this drug under their control, especially since it has to be taken FOREVER in order to be effective. The money and power made by the drug company with patent rights to it would be incredible. Cannaster cured too many things and became unrealistic, he should have stuck with just cancer. Also, while the medical community would suffer somewhat from the loss of the terminally ill people, there would still be a field out there: broken bones and other physical accidents, genetic disorders, depression, pregnancy, well check visits for children, optometry, etc. It would not utterly demolish the insurance/medical/drug community. Also, the political charge was a little too strong for me, especially being a republican. It was overplayed to push a point that I don't necessarily agree with or that I am not even sure is a correct assumption of the Republican party and their beliefs. Finally, there were no champions of the drug which I think is completely inaccurate. You'd have people in high places who couldn't be "bought" by the drug company who would be heralding this magic cure. You'd have people coming out and telling their stories. The "Cannaster is killing everyone" would never fly or find a way to the media because there would be too many people as living proof of the opposite, with no real proof at all of that falsehood!
August 19, 2011
Note: I received a copy of this book free for review from GoodReads.
Overall, I thought this book was a mildly entertaining piece of brain candy. The overall premise was interesting, but the execution left a little to be desired.
The characters felt very cartoony - all of them had very over-the-top responses to every situation and it never felt like they developed at all over the course of the story. Even what I thought was supposed to be the defining emotional-development moment for the main character fell very flat and I just didn't feel the emotion that was supposed to be there.
The plot was very jerky - it almost felt like a strung-together collection of short vignettes. The author is also very fond of doing a "And they lived happily ever after - OR SO THEY THOUGHT!!!!" paragraph many times throughout the book.
I don't feel like I wasted my time reading it because I was entertained, but it definitely isn't a book I'd buy for myself or recommend to others.
Overall, I thought this book was a mildly entertaining piece of brain candy. The overall premise was interesting, but the execution left a little to be desired.
The characters felt very cartoony - all of them had very over-the-top responses to every situation and it never felt like they developed at all over the course of the story. Even what I thought was supposed to be the defining emotional-development moment for the main character fell very flat and I just didn't feel the emotion that was supposed to be there.
The plot was very jerky - it almost felt like a strung-together collection of short vignettes. The author is also very fond of doing a "And they lived happily ever after - OR SO THEY THOUGHT!!!!" paragraph many times throughout the book.
I don't feel like I wasted my time reading it because I was entertained, but it definitely isn't a book I'd buy for myself or recommend to others.
June 22, 2014
A captivating, fast paced story with such great characters that it kept me wanting more.
Alex Farmer, a physician who lost his job, is on his way to visit his friend Maury Bernstein. He was picked up by a gal in a beat up pickup from the airport. Before getting into the truck he noticed something in the back and asked what it was. It was his friend, Maury. He inquired as to what happened. She replied "hunting accident". But hunting was not Maury's forte. Now Alex was bound and determined to find out what happened to his friend.
Apparently, Maury had been working on something that could help cure cancer or put it into remission at least and it also helped a number of other ailments, serious ailments.
Alex and Cyd Seeley are determined to find out what happened to Maury's experiment and files on the same.
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaway for sending me this book. Read for yourself and enjoy the excitement of the find. Thank you too to Mr. Mitchell for writing a great mystery.
Alex Farmer, a physician who lost his job, is on his way to visit his friend Maury Bernstein. He was picked up by a gal in a beat up pickup from the airport. Before getting into the truck he noticed something in the back and asked what it was. It was his friend, Maury. He inquired as to what happened. She replied "hunting accident". But hunting was not Maury's forte. Now Alex was bound and determined to find out what happened to his friend.
Apparently, Maury had been working on something that could help cure cancer or put it into remission at least and it also helped a number of other ailments, serious ailments.
Alex and Cyd Seeley are determined to find out what happened to Maury's experiment and files on the same.
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaway for sending me this book. Read for yourself and enjoy the excitement of the find. Thank you too to Mr. Mitchell for writing a great mystery.
May 21, 2011
Where’s the sequel? I want to know how all the characters I met through Stephen G. Mitchell’s captivating book are doing now—the folks I got to know intimately and found myself rooting for. The writing made it fun and easy to get to know them. They became my friends. They grew dear to my heart because they were strong and bold enough to prioritize human decency over corporate ruthlessness and greed. In rooting for them I was rooting for all of human kind who suffer at the hands of integrity-challenged corporations that operate without conscience or soul. I read until I was past tired every night, continually rewarded with an ever-moving tale that captured my attention and emotions page after page. I am grateful to have known these people, grateful that it’s over only because now I can get some sleep.
-Carol Nichols
-Carol Nichols
May 26, 2011
A Cure to Die For by Stephen G. Mitchell is a book that you will be hard-pressed to put down. Prepare yourself for a wild ride via planes, trains and automobiles; join riveting adventures trekking the expanse of forests, jungles, and mountainsides; and experience the glorious vistas of tropical islands, bays, and continental divides. The author packs so many sensory treats into one book that your eyes will water, your mouth will salivate and your spirits will soar.
Be prepared to be joyful, demolished, and excruciatingly angry many times over. You will definitely get involved. So, let yourself go. Lose yourself. Have a great time. Change the world for the better. You will absolutely get your money's worth. A Cure to Die For has all the makings of a great movie!
Be prepared to be joyful, demolished, and excruciatingly angry many times over. You will definitely get involved. So, let yourself go. Lose yourself. Have a great time. Change the world for the better. You will absolutely get your money's worth. A Cure to Die For has all the makings of a great movie!
May 26, 2011
Reading A Cure to Die: A Medical Thriller won’t disappoint you. Mitchell addresses several key issues of our time:
Drug company conspiracies, corrupt politicians, and the media all working hand in hand, manipulating the world to their own ends, and perhaps most importantly how powerful groups like these, can stifle incredible breakthroughs that serve mankind.
What he accomplishes is to show what the individual can do to triumph over, when faced with this reality.
It was one of those books I simply couldn’t put down. Fast moving would be an understatement. I flew through the pages, drawn in and carried away by the nefarious medical conspiracy that dominates the story.
This will be a MUST read for lovers of action-packed thrillers.
Howard Green
Drug company conspiracies, corrupt politicians, and the media all working hand in hand, manipulating the world to their own ends, and perhaps most importantly how powerful groups like these, can stifle incredible breakthroughs that serve mankind.
What he accomplishes is to show what the individual can do to triumph over, when faced with this reality.
It was one of those books I simply couldn’t put down. Fast moving would be an understatement. I flew through the pages, drawn in and carried away by the nefarious medical conspiracy that dominates the story.
This will be a MUST read for lovers of action-packed thrillers.
Howard Green
July 17, 2011
Unfortunately I could not 'get into' this book. The flow of the writing, the character set-ups and the overall voice of the book was unorganized, unbelievable and, in my opinion, lacking in experience. It felt like the author was excited, rushed almost, to write the book. The characters were hastily pushed into emotions and situations that they were not 'lead' into. Trust is earned, even in books, not just given inexplicably to a stranger you just met, for example. Even with that said, I did love the premise of the book. The 'cure' is so wonderful that you just wish it were a work of non-fiction. I am grateful that I was able to read this book, even if it is not one of my favorites, it is thought provoking and inspiring.
December 4, 2013
Since I was one of the lucky people to get a first hand look at the book before it came out I was very exited to read it. The story is a wonderful plot, but starts off a little slow in my opinion. **CAUTON MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!!!(not really, but some mini spoilers)** Recommended for ages 13 and up.
It's about a man and a woman who's friend died while out. They go through some pretty rough times, but manage to find out about some research that their friend was doing. Some say it was for the common cold, but they find out otherwise. So then they figure out that their friends death was not accidental, but a murder. Then they go on a adventure to see who was the murderer and why they did it. It seems obvious, but there is a little more that what they expected.
It's about a man and a woman who's friend died while out. They go through some pretty rough times, but manage to find out about some research that their friend was doing. Some say it was for the common cold, but they find out otherwise. So then they figure out that their friends death was not accidental, but a murder. Then they go on a adventure to see who was the murderer and why they did it. It seems obvious, but there is a little more that what they expected.
January 22, 2014
I received this book in a giveaway contest. I put off reading it because the cover didn't look like my kind of book. Then, when I started reading it I was annoyed by juvenile comments. But, I kept reading since I needed to write a review of the book.
From the beginning, I liked the storyline and I ended up enjoying the book. It's a bit of a fantasy, as a plant has been created, through science, that can be used to cure many of the world's illnesses. Wouldn't that be wonderful?! The story is what happens to those who create the plant and those who try to grow it to help mankind.
I will probably read another book by this author in hopes that his writing will get better with feedback and experience. Thanks for sending me a free book.
From the beginning, I liked the storyline and I ended up enjoying the book. It's a bit of a fantasy, as a plant has been created, through science, that can be used to cure many of the world's illnesses. Wouldn't that be wonderful?! The story is what happens to those who create the plant and those who try to grow it to help mankind.
I will probably read another book by this author in hopes that his writing will get better with feedback and experience. Thanks for sending me a free book.
June 30, 2011
What an exhilerating read - I loved the straightforward simple storytelling approach which kept me turning pages wondering what was going to happen next. It was hard to put down! I felt like the author could have been telling me this story over a campfire coffee down by the lake. Very picturesque in detail and love to hear about an adventure unfolding in so many places I've been in Montana. Some of the characters reminded me of strangers I've seen or a few eccentric but interesting relatives I had when I was a kid ;) It was a sweet read because I felt it was a breath of fresh air in storyline and a wonderful re-introduction to the reason why I love recreational reading.
March 8, 2014
I won this book from Goodreads.
Loved it!
CANNASTAR!
A drug that cures cancer was discovered while trying to cure the common cold. The big drug companies want to kill Cannastar, its seeds, its plants, its discoverer, and everyone else. Cannastar would destroy their sales, their profits, EVERYTHING!
What a wild ride!
This is the kind of book you will want to read. This is not a skeleton outline with a few paragraphs hung on each bone by some hack. There's no graphic, gross scene included just to give the reader something to talk about.
Sink all of your teeth into this one. I had no idea where this ambitious, incredible book was taking me.
Loved it, Loved It!
Loved it!
CANNASTAR!
A drug that cures cancer was discovered while trying to cure the common cold. The big drug companies want to kill Cannastar, its seeds, its plants, its discoverer, and everyone else. Cannastar would destroy their sales, their profits, EVERYTHING!
What a wild ride!
This is the kind of book you will want to read. This is not a skeleton outline with a few paragraphs hung on each bone by some hack. There's no graphic, gross scene included just to give the reader something to talk about.
Sink all of your teeth into this one. I had no idea where this ambitious, incredible book was taking me.
Loved it, Loved It!
March 21, 2012
"A Cure to Die For" is an exciting medical thriller delving into what would happen in our country if someone were to discover a medicine that would cure just about any disease, and the lengths the drug companies and government would go to prevent the people from becoming aware of its existence. Well written, a real page turner. I couldn't put it down! Thanks, Goodreads for another amazing book!
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