Rating: 
Summary: Great for readers of all ages
Review: I believe John Marr's book The Eleventh Plague is a masterpiece of fiction. Its unique shape and story line make it a thrilling book while retaining an air of sophistication and technical excellence. By this I mean that the book is not sloppy in the sense that everything seems just impossible enough to make it fun. I do not mean to say that it is all out of reach or even a stretch for those of us who are level headed, but that this book is fun while retaining its facts in order. As a student, this book made me much more interested in science and I recommend it to all.
Rating:
Summary: Bioterrorism: fiction vs. reality
Review: I have been a practioner and teacher of medical and veterinary epidemiology for more than 30 years and I am thoroughly familiar with the diseases described in "The Eleventh Plague." This book incorporates the unique epidemiologic features of both old and new disease into scenarios that are entirely plausible. The complex balance between man, animals, and their infectious diseases is expertly described in this work of fiction. Pundits often comment on how art imitates life and life imitates art. Marr and Baldwin stretch our imaginations and challenge us to distinguish contemporary facts from fiction. They also point out the serious threat of bioterrorism while greatly entertaining us.
Rating:
Summary: A medical novel for thinking persons.
Review: The Eleventh Plague is a thinking person's medical novel. As a physician involved directly in international and U.S. infectious disease control work for 16 years, I appreciated that the tongue-in-cheek storyline in this fast paced book only underscores the brilliant underlying scientific reasoning behind it. For those who want the complete medical and scientific details, there is a top rated companion Web site with innumerable references, quotes and historical trivia. For me the lighter touch, great for night reading and travel(which I do too much of), did not shortchange on substance. Far from a laundry list of past plagues or a textbook, this tightly reasoned novel actually posits a plausible yet fascinating re-interpretation of the bible and religious traditions based on cutting edge clinical epidemiology. Only a world class disease detective, who himself had manuevered around in the bureaucratic trenches of 20th century government agencies to fight epidemics and prepare us for bio-terrorism , could piece this puzzle together for us.The Eleventh Plague allows us to reflect about disease, biothreats, our fragile civilization and, most importantly, ourselves.
Rating:
Summary: Quite an exciting read!
Review: The only reason that I did not give the this book a ten is that I believe no book deserves a ten. Otherwise I see no flaws in this book which attracts the intrests of all who are fascinated or merely interested in viruses, bacteria, fungi. A good read
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed it and felt good about supporting ProMED-mail
Review: The ELEVENTH PLAGUE may not be the best thriller of all times in terms of the quality of the written word, but I enjoyed it immensely. An added benefit is that I learned things about infectious diseases that I found interesting and, frankly, some things that were quite disturbing. I also felt good in that by buying the novel I was also learning about and supporting a nonprofit effort to monitor disease outbreaks around the globe called ProMED-mail. As the stated in the front of the novel: ProMED-mail may be our best hope should fact follow fiction. Among the original purposes of this network of doctors and other health scientists is the early detection of outbreaks that might turn out to be deliberate events of bioterrorism. ProMEd-Mail was created by a real-life scientist by the name of Jack Woodall, who is the basis for Jack Bryne, the maverick virologist who is the hero of the story. The movie should be good, but you1ll miss a lot by skipping the novel.
Rating:
Summary: Scared the &%$$ out of me as it entertained and informed
Review: In THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE, Marr and Baldwin have written a terrific page-turner that entertains and informs. As a former epidemiologist with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I appreciated the attention to detail. As someone stuck in a jury duty waitng room, it made my stint very easy to take....I just got lost in the story, triying to figure out how. what and how the next plague would be presented. Could this really happen? Sure. This is no more far fetched than what we have already witnessed...for example, gassing of a subway or cooking up do-it-yourself anthrax cultures in little batches or industrial strength tankfuls. If anything, THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE reminds us how vulnerable we all are, and the state of denial in which live here in the US. You certainly don't have to be a medical scientist to enjoy THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE, and you shouldn't be put off by the technical material in this fiction rooted in fact. There's something for everyone in THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE. I have my favorite plague...but I won't spill the beans. I even sent a copy to my retired-schoolteacher Mom. I'm sure she'll be suitably horrified, too. THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE will make for great Passover dinner conversation. Edward I. Galaid, MD, MPH
Rating: 
Summary: Great read with lots of fascinating medical info packed in.
Review: The Eleventh Plague is part horror, part intrigue, and part medical textbook, blended together in a page-turing tale that teaches as much as it thrills. If science, biology and medical topics had been presented this way in school, I would have been riveted, and acually learned and retained something. Buy this book. It'll take your mind off whatever's bugging you at the moment, and remind you that some people (albeit fictional) have it a helluva lot worse.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant delivery of scientific fact
Review: Marr and Baldwin have come up with a spectacular way to deliver what would otherwise be considered 'Dry Science'. A great intro to biohazards for the general public. This book should be read between meals, and you might want to wear gloves.
Rating:
Summary: A Riveting Novel That Will Open Eyes to a Real Threat !
Review: I couldn't put this book down! Right from the start The Eleventh Plague grabbed me, slammed me into a seat on a Wild Mouse ride and scared the Bee-Jeezus out of me. I found that Dr. Marr has very effectively mastered that same sort of sophisticated terror in a scientifically-themed novel that Blatty's "The Exorcist" did in a psychological work. As the Director of a major bio-med research lab, I think that this book does a great favor to society by alerting it, in an entertaining way, to a very real threat which our public authorities in the U.S. are simply not prepared to handle. Armand de l'Isle, Ph.D, M.D., MPH, OBGyn, O.B.E.
Rating:
Summary: A exciting page-turner that could make your next flight fun
Review: A mad scientist sets out to re-create the ten biblical plagues, and in the process brings about some of the most creative and diabolical crimes in recent memory. The science is great, and much too plausible for comfort. There is enough detail here for the most demanding reader, and anyone caring to check out the diseases described will be in for some very uncomfortable reading. The recent decision to vaccinate all US troops against anthrax illustrates just how real the threats described in this novel really are. This book should be read for what it is: a very exciting, frightening, fast-paced novel that could make your next long-distance airline trip actually fun and enjoyable.
|
