Reaper

Rating:
Summary: TOTALLY UNBELIEVEABLE
Review: The book is unable to generate any fear in the reader that "this could actually happen" so it fails to excite and thrill on that kind of level. That's not necessarily a big weakness, but when you couple that to the very inconsistent writing style and the absolutely horrible characters, you end up with a pretty ordinary and unremarkable book. The last chase scene at the end seemed like it lasted for days and days--I don't know exactly why, but I can see from other comments from other readers that we all felt that it was way overdrawn and became almost comic in nature. I'm sure that wasn't what the author had in mind. The overall premise could have been real but the author was unable to convince me. I think the idea of combining a "medical thriller" with a electronic high tech type of story was somewhat interesting, but this author failed to bring it about to a successful conclusion.

Rating:
Summary: NOT VERY ENTERTAINING
Review: The book was quite unoriginal and very predictable. Very few twists or surprises to keep the reader's attention. The main characters were like cardboard with very little interest. The plot read like something from Clive Cussler except that it lacked the style and originality. The technical aspects were pure trash and the medical mumble-jumble was thrown in for no good reason. I think the author needs to do some serious research next time before taking a stab at writing.

Rating:
Summary: PREDICTABLE AND WEAK IMMITATION
Review: The book was totally predictable and had very little original ideas. The plot seemed to be based on a TV movie or worse, a TV show. The science/technical aspects were a bit hollow and the characters were poorly developed. You could easily see how the plot was going to end. Chase scene at the end was absolutely so long and terrible, you ended up laughing and hoping for the villians to win. I don't think this book was very entertaining at all.

Rating:
Summary: ILLOGICAL AND DULL STORY
Review: The novel is full of so many inconsistencies and illogical actions that its very hard to appreciate any other aspect. The characters are shallow. Period. The plot's premise has some interest but the author can't seen to focus on the main theme and loses interest (thereby losing the reader). And the motivations of the characters are utterly ridiculous and unbelieveable. I don't mind books in the genre and there are quite a few good ones that can thrill you and lead to some pleasant diversion--this, however, is one of the worse of the genre and doesn't impact you at all.

Rating:
Summary: WORSE THAN AVERAGE
Review: The plot, assuming some connection between electronic computer communications with the human body was wound up with a "living" program with a backdoor. What a convoluted, overly-complicated plot. The characters were pretty much run of the mill cardboard stereotypes the way the author wanted them and this added to the general poorness in the book.

Rating:
Summary: One of the first books of 1997 I couldn't put down!
Review: This author is one of the best in my estimation and I hope we'll hear more from him in the future. His characters were well-rounded and intelligent, his medical descriptions were formed in an understandable way to lay-persons and the suspense was incredible. As a heavy reader of many genres, I was mightily impressed that he could "suspend my disbelief" in this unusual tale of an electron virus. The only part I could say was a bit off-putting, was Samantha Craig's problem with anorexia. I do not find this a sympathetic disease, (it's too close to suicide) and did not see it move the story forward-backward-or sideways.The best part of the story is that there is actually a male hero in it. No superwoman heroine. Publishers take note (from a female reader). I LIKE MALE HEROES. I don't HAVE to identify with the women in fiction. And that's all you see lately. Let's get some more male heroes like Nicholas Barnes. To the author: Keep writing! I'll look for your next one. You did some great writing and I liked your plot and how you resolved the story.

Rating:
Summary: NOT A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GENRE
Review: This book is seemingly one of so many medical thrillers. Unfortunately, to me, this book seemed like a rip-off of other books so that the plot, the characters, and the literary tricks were old and boring. I thought that the overall pace of the book was very uneven and that the characters were so matter-of-factly presented, that this seemed less like a novel and more like some sort of high school report. The medical aspects were never properly developed and, after spending a lot of time at the start of the book about it, the ending seemed horribly short and unjustified--did the author simply get tired of writing?

Rating:
Summary: UNORIGINAL IMITATION OF OTHERS IN THIS GENRE
Review: This book really doesn't manage to excite or thrill the reader. The overall plot isn't new--another psycho with technical ways to carry out a grudge against the world. The people out to stop fhe bad guys are quite unrealistic and a bit too far fetched--a good looking ex-doctor with his own personal ghosts and a sharp looking babe with medical degree and seeming endless government budget. Ugh!! Why couldn't the author have come up with something more original than this? The action is fast but totally predictable. The so-called surprises and twists and turns are nothing more than the expected changes in the novel. What is disappointing is that the medical virus, which was so carefully developed at the start of the thriller, becomes totallys secondary by the end so that its almost as if the author forgot about the virus at the end--not a good thing! I'd recommend that if you're after an entertaining read you try other books that are from better know authors...you're more likely to be thrilled and left with a satisfying end.

Rating:
Summary: JUVENILE PLOT AND JUVENILE WRITING
Review: This book really lacks the substance of a good thriller. The plot, however unbelieveable, is brought about using such an old, worn, predictable formula that it really doesn't offer much suspense. The characters are brought in like stereotypes and offer little to interest the reader. Villians are surprisingly weak and predictable so that it doesn't offer any suspense when they plot out something nefarious or when they get thwarted by the good guys. The hero and heroine are also from the same mold. A good-looking, bitter and tragic doctor and a young, smart, cold on the outside but hot on the inside type of babe government investigator--hmmm. how unique. Of course the two should fall into bed as soon as they can and the author really doesnt' try to develop anything believeable on this.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't Put It Down! This Author Rocks!
Review: This book was great. So great, I practically read it in only two days. It was absolutely suspensful, and absolutely terrifying; definately satisfying. Some people said it was full of cliches. Bull! I guess I wasn't looking for mistakes, and just enjoying the book too darn much.