Customer Reviews

Acceptable Risk

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Not one of Cook's best, although the premise of the book is built around a interesting concept. It seems that the Salem witch trials in 1692 were brought about by a fungus commonly found at that time on rye grain. This fungus, when ingested in bread, produced hallucinations and delusions which were interpreted as being possessed.

The main character, Kim Stewart, a 27 year old nurse from an affluent and blue blooded Massachusetts family has a skeleton in her closet. One of her ancestors, Elizabeth was convicted of witchcraft and hanged. Investigating her past leads to the discovery of the fungus. Her boyfriend, a brilliant research scientist metabolizes this fungus into a new, designer mood altering super Prozac type drug. His colleagues, anticipating a financial windfall, work diligently to test the drug to get FDA
approval. They speed up the process by guinea pigging the drug themselves, with somewhat predictable consequences.

The book starts out strongly with a fascinating concept but fizzles into an unfulfilling conclusion. Too bad, it had potential to be much better.

This book is written in the typical engaging and page-turning Cook medical suspense style. The character of Kim, and her search for self-confidence and family history, is particularly well-developed. Likewise the Salem witch trial history bit is well-done.

However, large parts of the book are rather poorly-done and/or over-done. The extensive plot line about the night creatures who, for a start, kill Edward's dog is just incredible. The evidence of these creatures' identity is all around the researchers and they unbelievably ignore it. Cook uses these creatures to turn a workable and enjoyable medical suspense plot into an over-done gothic novel.

Cook also incorrectly casts Prozac and other depression-lifting drugs as personality-changing drugs. The end scene of the medical research facility is unbelievable, and the reader is likewise disappointed with Kim at the end -- she's spent the novel finding her own strength and independence, and she winds up happy mainly because she's with a man.

After having read most of Robin Cook's novels, I thought I was prepared for anything. That assesment was incorrect. A mild mannered, shy doctor (Dr. Edward Armstrong) is literally transformed by ego and greed into an unfathomable character. He brings along a group of fellow practioners, as well as his romantic partner on his horrific journey. Meanwhile, Kimberly Stewart, our heroine, is seeking answers to accusations about an ancestor of hers believed to have been a witch. Their paths run concurrent as both learn secrets of personality altering drugs, their sources and potential uses. Mounting suspense may not prepare you for the final 40 pages. Be prepared! A great ride for my imagination.

I'll be patient with almost anything with a germ of a good idea, and i thought lab analysis of hallucinogenic mold as an explanation for the witch trials was compelling...together with the pharmaceutical industry, new drug development plot deal...but this book is refried reefer madness (remember? smoke pot and you'll murder the neighbors)...utterly ridiculous, offensive, icky...

The book is worth reading, but as usual in Robin Cook books, the conclusion to the story tells you almost nothing you want to know. The story has an excellent Salem Witch Trials back story, but at the end, when "the mystery was solved", the concept was abandoned. I would recommend reading this, but don't expect anything that will give you a want to read it again

Robin Cook explores the dangers of drugs used to change human personalities. Interwoven in this cautionary tale is a young woman's research into her ancestor's role in the Salem witch trials 300 years earlier.

I thoroughly enjoyed the information about the Salem witch trials, and information about the possible cause being contaminated rye. The heroine's search for her ancestor's involvement in this horrible event, and the unimpeachable evidence used to convict her were fascinating reading.

The part of the story dealing with the development of a new psychtropic drug and testing on human subjects was not as engrossing for me. I especially found the final result of the people taking the untested drug to be rather unbelievable.

Robin Cook certainly knows how to craft a medical thriller, and keep his readers turning pages to find out what happens next. This book continues that tradition, but it is made just a little too implausible in this story.

Acceptable Risk by Robin Cook

Kim and Edward lack self-confidence. That all changes as they discover more about Kim's family history involving witchcraft in the town of Salem three-hundred-years ago...

This was my first venture into the world of Robin Cook and I was pleasantly surprised. His research and story planning kept me wondering what way his plot was going to take me. The medical references did get a little laborious mid way into the book but it didn't distract from my enjoyment.

Without giving away the eventual outcome I did feel that some parts towards the end were predictable. He refers to certain things that let you know they will be crucial to the story line towards the end.
I found that his characters were strong enough for me to identify with and to be interested in them enough to wonder how they would develop as the story progressed. Do not expect an action-packed thriller. This story relies on investigation and suspense, definitely worth reading.

Acceptable Risk is pretty much like all of Robin Cook's other novels. The plot is interesting, but the writing is poor. I thought the dialogue in this novel was especially trite. A good, quick read for a trip, but if you're into literature, this is one you can skip.

I chose this book because I have long been interested in the Salem Witch Trials. I really enjoyed the parts of the story which dealt with Kim's search for the truth of her ancestor' role in the tragedy. I'll admit that I mostly skimmed the parts which dealt with Kim & Edward's relationship---as characters, they are totally unbelievable and not very likeable. The part I found most surprising was Kim's attitude towards medications, especially considering that she is a nurse. The drug research storyline was so, eh, I don't even have a word for it. Not worth reading.
The interactions between the characters in the book are stilted and painful. I think we are supposed to feel sympathy for Kim's social awkwardness & anxiety, but really you just want to shake her and tell her to grow a backbone already. As much as I love reading, I can not recommend this book to anyone.

The more Robin Cook books I read, the more disappointed I get. This one is at the bottom of my list. The historical story providing the plot (the Salem witchcraft events were caused by poioning) is intriguing and, as his bibliography idicates, has some merit. However, he doesn't do it justice. Instead, he veers off into the predictable--the bad guys are all punished, and Our Little Heroine (Kim) comes away with Deep Insight into herself. Not to mention being reunited with her ex-boyfriend. It makes me a little nervous to think that Robin Cook is a doctor, considering his lack on insight into how people, particularly women, truly interact. At the beginning, Kim breaks things off with Kinnard (the ex she's reunited with at the end) because he skis and fishes. Yep, those are good reasons to me. On top of the unrealistic characters, there is the problem with the truly awful, wooden dialogue. No one talks like the characters do, not even the most pompous egotist. And things pretty much go down hill from there. It's a shame, because the premise of the book (both the historical aspects that the events in Salem in 1692 were due to ergot poisoning and the questions he raises about all problems being solved by popping a pill) are intriguing. The book just doesn't live up to its promise.