In less than 12 months, this is a second book I've read dealing with the risks of a pandemic by design. Apparently, this is a specific genre developed, covering the risks and challenges of misusing genetic medicine.
The author has a minor in microbiology and the book has a serious scientific yet readable background, nothing to do with various speculations and pseudo-scientific scribbling. A genetically engineered virus designed to kill by race was created by a team of scientists working for a mad individual imbued by the Third Reich ideology. He sees himself as the future master of the world, after his extermination plans of 'inferior' races are accomplished. The experimental field of his plans is the Western African country of Benin, where the population is affected by a mysterious pandemic. A special team is sent from Washington DC in order to find a possible explanation and to work out a vaccination.
It is the kind of story when you know the suspects and who is in the good, respectively in the bad boys team, and what matters is how the investigation will unfold. The author succeeds to save some surprising moves and events, and the end remains mysterious - maybe a continuation of the book will be necessary. The story is round up, interesting and entertaining read. After all, it is not an easy task to cope with so many scientific and narrative details: when writing such books, one needs to keep in mind to maintain both the scientific and fiction credibility and such tasks are not always easy to juggle.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in a thriller dealing with some sad realities of our present times, with a taste of adventure and the hope that the good guys might at the end of the story, always win.
Rating: 3 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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