The Plague Tales

Rating:
Summary: Nice Change from cut and dried Medical Thrillers
Review: I read the sequel to this book first so at times I felt like fast forwarding as I knew some of the outcomes, but I still found myself drawn in by the characters. Her descriptions of the 14th century are good -- I can't comment on the validity of them but they sounded plausible to me. As for the germs in the 21st century, I cannot comment on the validity of that either, but they do sound a little far fetched. </p> If you are looking for a captivating read -- not a suspense, edge of your seat thriller -- try this out for a change of pace. If you take your time you will feel yourself drawn in by the characters and hope and pray they pull through the plague.

Rating:
Summary: A VERY interesting read!
Review: This book was a little slow to start (but then again, most novels are), but once the two timeframes became familiar to me, I enjoyed every minute of it! Ann Benson really gives a good description of what 1348 must've been like (and a Gestapo-like description of what 2005 hopefully won't be like!). If you like medieval history and Bubonic plague, this book will be enjoyable. If not, try it anyway -- you never know :)

Rating:
Summary: brilliant first book
Review: I truly enjoyed this novel. I seem to be into books dealing with virus and the end of the world as we know it lately, and this is an engaging read. As a history professor, I can tell you that the historical fiction aspect is mostly accurate and very entertaining. The modern microbiology sequences were also intriguing, although I can't speak as to their validity (although other reviewers have criticized this.) I can tell you that the structure of the book is very appealing and that the parallels between the two stories really left me thinking about the nature of time and the relationship between the past and the present. A good read, worth the effort. Also try: The Hot Zone, the Last Day, and Gospel.

Rating:
Summary: A Disappointing Book
Review: After reading reviews and the hype, I was disappointed in this book. The two stories never really connect, and in the modern story, though it has an intriguing premise in the health police idea, the characters never come to life, nor is the resurrection of the ancient germ really plausible. The medieval story also has flaws. The author clearly knows very little about either the Middle Ages or Jews and Jewish customs. For a start, the idea that the hero could walk into a bishopric and murder the bishop (who, by the way, would almost never be alone, even sleeping) is absurd. This is just the beginning of many historical gaffs. The one redeeming aspect of the book is the attractive hero, who somehow comes through as sympathetic through all the unbelievable situations.

Rating:
Summary: Something better awaits you. . .
Review: If you enjoyed this novel, which certainly has its moments, I highly recommend you read THE LAST DAY, by Glenn Kleier. I just read it for the second time and have to say, it is one of the most suspenseful, thrilling stories I've ever come across. The plot is very different, very original and unpredictable. Outrageous, fast-paced and fascinating to the last page.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating but Fatally Flawed
Review: I've just read the amazon.com readers reviews of The Plague Tales and feel like I'm adding my voice to the chorus rather than adding any new thoughts, but perhaps it's worthwhile anyway. Ann Benson had a wonderful "gimmick" of blending two parallel tales in different eras, and a fascinating topic in the spread of plague -- one that allows her to enter a deeply scientific world without losing the reader's attention even slightly. In the final analysis, then, it's disappointing that to make the plot work she has to have supposedly smart people act stupidly. Particularly in her future time line, the plot depends on several supposedly responsible medical people acting like total morons, not just once, but repeatedly. I know there is a sequel out, and I haven't decided if I'll read it. While I enjoyed the alternate worlds that Benson presented in The Plague Tales, I felt ultimately disappointed by her unbeleivable characters. I hope she's met some real scientists since.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a fantastic read...
Review: I was fortunate enough to buy this book for a dollar at a library sale. What a buy! I can't put the book down. A well written and interesting story. I hope to find more books written by her. She is as good a writer as Ann Rice, actually better.She would be a natural to write a trilogy of some sort. I look forward to more books by Benson, this time I will pay full price.

Rating:
Summary: Good historical perspective, poor microbiology knowledge.
Review: A good story, with good historical background. However, Ms. Benson should have reviewed some basic microbiology before writing her book. It would have been much more credible and satisfying to knowledgable readers if her desciptions of the plague organism, Yersinia pestis, were something close to accurate.

Rating:
Summary: Very engaging storyline; characters needed more "depth"....
Review: I love medieval history, so this book instantly grabbed me. Well, truth is it never let me go! I could not put this book down and the technique of going back and forth between the 14th and the 21th centuries was very well done. I do agree however, that the characters needed to be better developed in terms of common sense. There were parts of the futuristic account that seemed to detract from the storyline for no apparent good reason (i.e. the train ride burglar chase...what was that about?). All in all, I'll recommend this book as fun to read, great storyline, great presentation of historic material and VERY engaging suspense.

Rating:
Summary: It is kind of fun, but ultimately annoying
Review: This book was fun to read. It is fun. Therefore, it should get an awesome review. However, the book suffered from what one might call protaganosis stupidos.. the main characters are unable to take reasonable actions even though they (and others) will surely die do to their inanity. If it weren't for this terrible flaw, it would be worth reading. Imagine a book in which there is a vaccine on the shelf, that you are told about, and the characters know about, but they for some reason never do, even though they are dying. Is that exciting? If it is for you, then buy the book.