Customer Reviews

Fatal

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I always enjoy reading a Michael Palmer novel because it always seems to combine controversial medical topics, along with thrills that will please all suspense fans.

Matt Rutledge is a small town doctor in Belinda, WV. He believes the local mining company is causing illness and death (such as his wife's and father's), and is looking real hard for the reason to get the mine shut down. Not a real popular idea amongst the folks in town.
Ellen Kroft is a retired school teacher who believes that a new vaccine that's being introduced nationwide (endorsed by the First Lady) is deadly.
Nikki Solari, a coroner from Massachusetts, is in the town of Belinda to attend her best friend's funeral, when an attempt is made on her life. It seems she might have received some suspicious information about her best friend's death, and somebody wants that information real bad.

As these individuals come together in the story, you get a very exciting and suspenseful novel that should put Palmer on the top of his genre (I think he's already on the top). Lassa fever, Prion diseases and possible problems with vaccinations are just a few of the interesting topics covered. You'll enjoy many of the characters as well. I got a kick out of the dialogue with the mountain men.

Highly recommended.

BOOK REVIEW: "Fatal" by Michael Palmer

This is a well-written, fast-paced, action-packed thriller. (I kept seeing a screen play with Harrison Ford or Michael Douglas as "Dr. Rutlidge" in my mind's-eye!) But the most important issue that is tackled in his book --the potentially harmful effects that vaccines have on our health --is the real message behind the plot.

His concern is accurate and those who have researched and studied the vaccination issue know that his statements are exactly on target. This may be the first time that problems associated with vaccines, including the incestuous relationship between the pharmaceutical industry, government and big money, has been tackled in a fictional arena. Who better to do this than
a NY Times Best Selling author who happens to be a physician?

With the potential of mandatory mass vaccination for smallpox looming on the horizon and the growing vaccine controversies related to autism and other childhood diseases, the story of Ominvax, a 30-in-one vaccine that is to be forcefully injected in all babies and children, is not solely fiction. Neither
are the fears of unknown, long term complications.

Here's a quote from the book by the character (Ellen) that was the consumer advocate on the vaccine approval committee (p.160):
"...My research has shown that not once has a vaccine--any vaccine--been evaluated by a prolonged double blind study. The pharmaceutical houses are powerful, and fund much of the drug research done at our universities and medical centers. They also have polished, highly effective public relations offices that have, on a number of occasions, set out to convince the general public that we cannot afford to deprive the placebo group of the lifesaving benefits of a vaccine while waiting until statistically meaningful double blind study can be
completed.

"Has this shortcut in the scientific process hurt us in any concrete, medical way? That I cannot answer with any certainty. What I can say is that as vaccination rates have climbed, there as been an alarming increase in the incidence of a number of so-called immune-mediated diseases and conditions such as asthma, allergies, and juvenile diabetes, as well as others --autism,
ADD and other learning disablities --whose classification as immune-mediated remains to be established. Is there a connection? Do vaccinations in some instances disrupt the normal development of the body's immune system? Until long-term, double blind studies are performed on vaccines, we may never know."

The deeper message, beyond the "who-dun-it", the complex web of
characters and the love story, is a plot to make us think. He has chosen to use his incredible fiction-writing talents to open the door of this controversial issue to the masses.

This is an entertaining, quick-read that is really enjoyable and does what a thriller is "supposed" to do. But beyond that, the book makes a profound statement about the potential for vaccine-injury when safety is abandoned due to the self-interests of a few.

One of the great things about Michael Palmer is that he does not feel he has to pump out a book every year, if it is good or not. So when I learn he is putting out a new book I really look forward to it. This book around I just did not feel the need to read every free second I had, like I did with The Patient. Fatal has likeable characters and brings up some things that will make me think next time I take my kids to the doctor, but it just didn't grab me like his earlier novels. It is worth
reading and I believe most people will find this book enjoyable.

The medical thriller probably begins as far back as Upton Sinclair taking on the greedy, amoral manufacturers, but it certainly was refined by Crichton and then the offshoot, one could argue, might be Kellerman, Robin Cook and even Jeffrey Deaver to some extent. But clearly, no one does it better than Michael Palmer.

Matt Rutledge returns to West Virginia to practice medicine, recollecting the love of his coal miner father, killed in a mine collapse, terribly missing his lovely wife who died suddenly by an anomalous carcinogen, and befriended by the evil (no, nice twist, not really) Slocum Brothers.

Far north, Nikki Solari, concert-style classical violinist turned blue grass musician and full time pathologist buries her closest friend who became psychotic and stepped in front of a fast moving Peterbilt.

Dr. Matt ER's two miners, one of whom went beserk several hundred yards beneath a mountain, and Ellen Kroft, a consumer advocate on a Federal Committee to investigate a cure-all vaccine for children, is gravely disturbed by the White House's push to release the "fountain of youth-kill all the bad bugs vaccine," Omnivax, and is being presured by the self-interested members of the committee.

Naturally all forces, good, evil, confused, heartbroken, come together in Belinda, West Virginia ('Country Roads, Take me Home.')

A little wild from time to time and the reader needs occasional doses of the suspension of disbelief pill, nevertheless engaging, articulate, well written and relentless in its excitement.

Worth the trip. A pill not hard to swallow. 5 stars. Larry Scantlebury

This better-than-most medical thriller by the creative Michael Palmer is elevated to the heights of a "can't-afford-to-miss" WOW of a book by the very enjoyable writing style of Palmer.

Interesting plot, likeable characters, believeable dialogue if you know anyone from the mountains of West Virginia - all these elements make for a great story.

Add in the gut-wrenching situations the characters find themselves involved in and the realistic narrative created by Palmer and it becomes a GREAT story. The wiggle-producing ending is the stuff all thrillers should be made of. "Fatal" provides it all in the nail-biting, adrenoline-rush genre. You simply cannot wait until the end arrives, then it is too soon for you because the pleasure is over.

If you listen to this book on audio, which is read wonderfully, One word of warning; if you are the LEAST BIT claustrophobic, DO NOT attempt to listen to tape #8 while in rush-hour traffic. It could prove extremely hazardous to your insurance rates. Palmer's detailed, realistic description of Matt's wild ride could cause the listener to embark on one of his own.

Highly recommend this awesome book!

Not one of the best I have read, but I was compelled to read it based on a "hot topic" it discusses. The book can very well be reality in today's society. It is sad and scary, but it is very very well written and hopefully, will open up some "closed eyes" to this dangerous situation. It is a good book.

Matt Rutledge, an internist and emergency specialist at a small West Virginia hospital, notices a recurrence of people being admitted with horrifying symptoms--an Elephant-Man -like condition which produces large lumps all over the head and body, accompanied by a gradual descent into paranoia. As Matts wife had died of a rare form of cancer,he becomes convinced that the local mining company, Belinda Coke and Coal, is somehow connected throuh its output of toxic waste from the mine.
A Boston pathologist, Dr.Nikki Solari, attends the funeral of her musician friend Kathy who was born in Belinda, and showed all the symptons of chemical poisoning. She is kidnapped after the funeral by the Sheriff of Belinda,and is rescued by Matt Rutledge. Many other very interesting characters are introduced in this gripping tale of greed, murder and medical mystery and will revive the for and against arguments about vaccination.A terrifically fast paced book and a wonderful read.

This is definitely the most suspenseful book I've read in a long time, if not the most suspenseful. I listened to the unabridged audio edition, and it was a good thing. Had I read instead of listening, I would have been going so fast I would have missed some of the small details, and probably would have peeked at the ending. This book kept me guessing. Palmer held my interest until the very end, and I am hard to please when it comes to fiction. Nelson Demille is the only other fiction writer I've read who was able to keep me so enthralled.

Dr. Matt Rutledge is convinced that the coal mining company in his hometown of Belinda, West Virginia is responsible for the deaths of his father and his wife. He sets out to prove that there are unsafe conditions and toxic waste at the mine. His efforts do not endear him to the people in the community where many are dependent on the mining company for their livelihood. Okay, this is not an original premise, but Palmer soon takes this story in a different direction. A believable and frightening direction. Omnivax, a vaccine with 30 different components, is about to be approved for use worldwide. One of the components was tested in Belinda 10 years ago and the adverse reactions are just beginning to show up. This is an ambitious plot line that tends to bog down about midway through the book, but Palmer manages to bring it all together in the end. There are likable heroic characters (the Slocumb brothers were my favorite), evildoers that were a little over the top, several good action scenes (involving motorcycle chases) and two very good field surgery scenes. The dialog was, at times, at little hard to take. Too sappy for my taste (does anyone say "pshaw" anymore?). Vaccinations have certainly been a topic of controversy lately and I applaud Palmer for his efforts to stimulate the dialog on this subject.

It's not a masterpiece but it makes you reading this to the end. What prevented me from giving this four stars is the singlemindness of the author in regards to the very complicated problem of vaccines and his obvious antipathy towards corporations. It's too black an white. Other than that it's well done medical thriller.