Fertile Ground: A High-Stakes Medical Thriller of Conspiracy, Survival, and Two Doctors Racing Against Time

by Ben Mezrich

At his research clinic in Boston, renowned specialist Jake Foster uncovers the terrifying secret behind the city's rapidly rising infertility rate. Meanwhile in a nearby ER, his wife, Dr. Brett Foster, unsuccessfully tries to save a young man with no visible injuries from bleeding to death -- the fifth such fatality in a week. Working together to find answers, Jake and Brett discover that the two epidemics stem from the same diabolical source. And now they will risk everything to expose a sinister plot that could claim thousands of lives ... starting with their own.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published October 2, 2001

About the author

Ben Mezrich has created his own highly addictive genre of nonfiction, chronicling the amazing stories of young geniuses making tons of money on the edge of impossibility, ethics, and morality.

With his newest non-fiction book, Once Upon a Time in Russia, Mezrich tells his most incredible story yet: A true drama of obscene wealth, crime, rivalry, and betrayal from deep inside the world of billionaire Russian Oligarchs.

Mezrich has authored sixteen books, with a combined printing of over four million copies, including the wildly successful Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, which spent sixty-three weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and sold over 2 million copies in fifteen languages. His book, The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal – debuted at #4 on the New York Times list and spent 18 weeks in hardcover and paperback, as well as hit bestseller lists in over a dozen countries. The book was adapted into the movie The Social Network –written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher – and was #1 at the box office for two weeks, won Golden Globes for best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, best score, and was nominated for 8 Oscars, winning 3 including best Adapted Screenplay for Aaron Sorkin. Mezrich and Aaron Sorkin shared a prestigious Scripter Award for best adapted screenplay as well.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good fast interesting read.

[Kalle Wescott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Ben Mezrich... but he should stick to non-fiction where every book so far has been 5-stars (my opinion).

[Peggy Van wunnik · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The premise was compelling: Jake Foster, a fertility specialist who can't get his wife pregnant accidentally stumbles upon the possible cause of a big jump in infertility cases in Boston, while his ER-doctor wife is also puzzling over a sudden influx of odd deaths. Their search pits them against a greedy rich guy who is trying to increase his fortune by dosing consumer goods with pheromones that cause people to buy his products. But here's the deal: when the story is really good, really fun, I can suspend belief and buy the idea that an 'everyman' ordinary guy can match wits (and physical ability) with a really really bad guy trying to kill him. That wasn't the case here. The book kept my attention, but I kept feeling frustrated that I was being asked to believe one ludicrous situation after another - for example, that the guys orchestrating it all would really think that they could leave a trail of bodies and nobody would connect the dots; and that hey! this guy is a fertility specialist, but fortunately he minored in electrical engineering and his dad was an engineer, so he knew exactly how to connect a video camera to the sound board being used at a shareholders' meeting, in order to show a video that would expose the bad guys -- oh! and it was a video that his wife had the presence of mind to make even while their lives were in extreme jeopardy. In addition, there were several copy-editing errors ("compound G was a odorless...") and another place that described a man hitting another one with "his open fist." Finally, in a climactic scene where the maniacal killer met his doom, a "small vinyl bag" was apparently large enough to contain a screwdriver so big that it entered the bad guy's back, went through his body and exited just below his sternum. A pretty big screwdriver, indeed in that "small vinyl bag." I'm being really picky, right? To be fair, I'll read another novel by Ben Mezrich and see if I like it better than I did this one.

[Sarah Jensen]

With high expectations set by Ben Mezrich's reputation for engaging narratives and thrilling plots, Fertile Ground ultimately left me feeling disappointed. The story centers around Jake Foster, a fertility specialist, and his wife, an ER doctor, as they embark on a quest to investigate infertility issues and a series of unusual deaths in Boston. While the premise is intriguing, the execution falters in several key areas.

The couple’s investigation leads them to confront a wealthy antagonist who has a vested interest in the success of his consumer goods that utilize pheromones for profit. This conflict has the potential for a captivating exploration of ethics and moral dilemmas within the biotechnology field. However, as the story unfolds, I struggled with the believability of various plot points and the abilities exhibited by the characters. The decisions made and actions taken often felt forced or unrealistic, detracting from the overall experience.

Notable issues included consistent copy-editing errors that disrupted the flow of the narrative, making it challenging to remain fully immersed in the story. Additionally, several implausible scenarios arose throughout the book, which further compromised its credibility. These elements contributed to a sense of frustration, as I found myself questioning the logic behind the characters' choices and the unfolding events.

Despite my disappointment with Fertile Ground, I remain open to exploring more of Ben Mezrich's work in the future. His ability to craft intriguing premises is evident, and I believe there is potential for stronger storytelling in his other titles. While this particular book did not meet my expectations, I am hopeful that Mezrich can deliver a more compelling and cohesive narrative in his subsequent works.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

fast paced story but maybe too rush, I thought it should have been a bit longer to have the story develope