20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not The Best Cookbook I've Read, May 27, 2002
Robin Cook, doctor turned writer, has produced a bundle of popular books in the "medical thriller" genre. I've read most of them, so it is fair to say that I generally enjoy Dr. Cook's work. His medical knowledge and use of topical ideas from the health care field make his tales intriguing, and they are always fast-paced. Unfortunately, character development is not a priority, and Cook's plots have tended to become increasingly predictable and far-fetched.
CHROMOSOME 6 is an improvement over some of Dr. Cook's other recent books. He divides the action between the U.S. and an African research facility, and he raises some genuine concerns with regard to cloning and bio-engineering. Also, he brings back a likeable protagonist (Dr. Laurie Montgomery) from a previous book. The action is non-stop, so boredom isn't a problem.
On the downside, though, Cook's plots have become very predictable. There is plenty of action but few surprises. Characterization also remains a problem. Besides the general lack of depth, Cook's mafiosi are so stereotypical that they're more laughable than sinister, and the behavior of the two main female characters at the African site in the face of mercenary troops and flying bullets is totally unbelievable. Finally, as several other reviewers here have mentioned, the story ends quite abruptly, as though the author suddenly ran out of space.
CHROMOSOME 6 isn't, IMO, Robin Cook's weakest book (I'll leave that honor to INVASION), but it's a long way from being one of his best. Unless you're a diehard fan, I'd advise that you skip this one. There are lots of better books out there, including several of Cook's earlier efforts.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Science Thriller, August 27, 2002
This is a thrilling novel about some scientists in Africa that are using cloning to create subhuman monkeys using bonobos so that their body parts can harvested for the specific human who is matched with the animal, and about a medical examiner named Jack Stapleton who discovers at the morgue in New York City while working that something strange is going on. He notices during an autopsy that a man had had a liver transplant but for some reason he has trouble finding out where and when and also the man didn't need anti - immunity drugs, in other words the body did not try to reject the liver. Jack digs deep to find the answer and the two plots finally connect. I really liked Jack Stapleton's character, and his co - worker, Laurie Montgomery, and enjoyed them in Contagion and Vector also. I felt I was educated as I read the book, it was very well detailed with scientific and medical information, but not boring, book keeps a good pace. An exciting read.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good story, but ending was a letdown, December 22, 1999
By A Customer
I don't know whether it was a case of a bad abridging job or if the actual novel had the same problem, but after spending several hours listening to this compelling story of genetic manipulation and corporate greed, I was severely let down by the lackluster ending. As I listened, I kept thinking, "The last tape's almost over...they can't possibly wrap it up this fast." But they did, and I was left wanting more. What happened to GenSys? What happened to Jack and Laurie and Kevin and all the rest? What was the fate of the creatures? Was Cook leaving the door open for a sequel? I sincerely hope so, because otherwise this was just bad storytelling.
My other complaint about the audio version is the reader, Boyd Gaines. I found his attempts to do different voices annoying--the women all sounded vaguely ditsy, and his "Noo Yawk" accents for the Italian organized crime figures bordered on offensive. I would have preferred a less "dramatic" reading.
Chromosome 6 is a good story that raises a lot of interesting issues, but the ending disappoints.
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