Rating: 
Summary: GOOD BUT SOMETHING'S MISSING
Review: I find Robin Cook's books very good reading and he has a way of combining medical knowledge with thrilling plots. In "Contagion," a maverick pathologist, Jack Stapleton, is convinced that a series of three different types of epidemics is being purposely caused by a large HMO, AmeriCare. When attempts are made on his life, and when one young lady who has tried to help him, is brutally murdered, Jack is pretty sure something fishy is going on. Is it the conglomerate health care organization, or could there be someone else?
The book opens with three mini-chapters in which we meet characters who will later "converge" and flesh out the plot. The key character in the first scenario is pretty well camouflaged by Cook's writing; a clue----watch for nicknames or surnames; in the other two, we meet Stapleton and the lovely advertising executive Teresa Hagen. Add to this some nasty gang members, and you have the recipe for an intriguing, if somewhat heavy-handed plot.
The book is long, but it moves well enough; I liked Stapleton's inter-relations with the African-Americans who let him play basketball with them after he buys lights and buys new equipment. Warren is a particularly enjoyable character. Also, Jack's relationship with Laurie is a nice one, and you can almost see how this relationship will determine the outcome of his relationship with the aforementioned Terese.
My main disappointment with this novel is its denouement. The villain is completely unexpected, at least on my part; and the last scenes in a deserted Catskill cabin border on maudlin melodrama.
One big hole is exactly what the role of the HMO really was in the epidemics; why did Dr. Martin Chavereau fire Beth, really? And why had he ordered plagues from the plague catalogue company?? And when the plot ends, we don't know how these important plot pieces fit the whole puzzle.
I would have given it more stars if these puzzling questions hadn't been left unanswered.
But, in spite of that, I recommend the book. It is a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Mediocracy at it's best.
Review: This book would compare to a middle class family that is not rich, but comfortable, as this book is a better meiocre book. The ending is out there and pretty much spoils the previous 400 pages. Robin also seems confused as to whether it's a book about gang wars or contagions. The only reason I read it was because it was a mandatory summer reading book, and I reccomend it to only those who have alot of time on their hands or are fans of Robin Cook.
Rating: 
Summary: Below par
Review: Most of the book is red herrings that go nowhere, preachy leaden exposition, implausible action sequences. And people bump into each other and clues while wandering around New York so often that it seems like the whole city must live on one block.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Thriller...
Review: I love this book. This is one of the first books of Robin's that I read, and it was really well done! I really like his interesting twists. It keeps you in suspense until the very end, and allows the answer to go in many various directions, not specifically in one area, but allows you to keep guessing until the conclusion To find out more about Jack Stapleton, and his daily adventures, read the book Contagion, by Robin Cook!:)
Rating: 
Summary: Another Threatening Illness, Another Hero
Review: On one level, Robin Cook's "Contagion" covers familiar ground: a dedicated doctor, a health care system out of control, and a potential plague that could wipe out mankind. The hero in this case is Jack Stapleton, a medical examiner whose loss of family transforms him into an irreverent, anti-authority figure, a white man who lives in Harlem and rides a bicycle through the city. He also, of course, is the only one to see a pattern in several illnesses that appear at an HMO in New York City; illnesses that are rare and deadly, such as the hantavirus. Cook also delves into the advertising world with one character, Terese, who may not be all that she seems. Cook plays several plotlines concurrently, and for the most part successfully, although how they converge is a little predictable. The main illness, a strain of influenza that wiped out more people than World War I, is the most realistic part of the novel: Cook knows his viruses, and has done his historical research. At times predictable, but still gripping, "Contagion" is on the high end of medical thrillers.
Rating:
Summary: remember back when Cook wrote *good* books?
Review: I'm 3/4 of the way through this one and again rather disappointed. Cook ued to be on my must read list, and although I have fallen behind I don't feel like I'm missing much. Starting with Blindsight and continuing in Contagion his characters spout cliches like they were fresh and talk to each other with dialogue meant merely to propel the scene, or worse, they speak pure exposition. Whenever a line starts with "my problem is..." you know you are in trouble. The plot, as usual with Cook's medical thrillers is compelling and raises some justifyable issues in regards to hospital care, medical advertising and the easy availablity of dangerous bacteria, but the flat out bad dialogue sinks the book like German sub in a WWII movie.
Rating:
Summary: Well written and chillingly real.
Review: Robin Cook just doesn't let up in his medical thrillers. Non-stop suspense is the highlight of this novel as Jack Stapleton tries to unravel a mysterious case of viral infections spreading around at the Manhattan General Hostpital. Topped of with good characters (gotta' love Warren) and a decent ending, Contagion is surely one of Robin Cook's better books.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book
Review: THis is one of my favorite Cook books. It has a lot of action and a whole lot of suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It also taught me about forensic pathology and an idea of a medical examiner's type of work. Jack Stapleton is easy to love and is really great.His inner city life is also interesting. My only problem with this book is that the ending is a little predictable. But besides that it's very good.
Rating:
Summary: One of Cook's Best
Review: Contagion is one of Cook's best novels, and certainly had a surprise that I would have never guessed. True to form, Cook questions the ethics of managed care (HMOs) and may even make you think twice about visiting a hospital. The character development was weak for a few of the characters, but the main character did not suffer from this. This book will also let you see what a medical examiner encounters on a daily basis. Don't miss it!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT!
Review: This book is great! Dr. Cook has a way of spellbinding his readers, and contagion is no exception. Parts of this book may have you slapping yourself on the forehead, while another will have you sweating and your heart racing. The characters in this book are incredibly defined, and Dr. Cook did a great job making this book more than just a high-tech medical book. This book will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat, and try as you may, it is almost impossible to put down. One of Cook's best!
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