Customer Reviews

The Jihad Germ: A Novel of Bioterrorism and National Security

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the riveting techno-thriller "The Jihad Germ", author T. N. Rivers draws upon his years of his experience as a military flight surgeon and a civilian emergency physician to add realism and plausibility to background details in a fictional story exploring the horrific possibilities of an advanced bioterror weapon developing in the hands of Islamic terrorists and its use against an American city. Bacterial gene replacement in a laboratory hidden by a Middle-Eastern government, combined with the porous nature of American port security result in a devastating attack on American soil. It's up to Dr. Ron Raines and nurse Christie Fellows to save the lives of citizens while FEMA, the CDC, and the U.S. Marine Chemical and Biological Incident Response Force struggle to contain the threat, while national intelligence agencies and the White House try to restore the balance of world power. A chilling, all-too-real account that could well be taken from tomorrow's newspaper headlines, "The Jihad Germ" is a superbly crafted novel and highly recommended reading from beginning to end.

This book was a fantastic read. I am in the medical profession and usually read things totally removed from the field. I was given this book and was immediately hooked. I could not put this down. From start to finish the book is written at a pace the compels the reader onward to the climatic end. The science is shockingly true and a reality check into our nation's security! I work in the ER currently and can tell that a true time tested doctor has written this book. A must read!!!

Rivers' book is a page turner. The fast paced action keeps the story moving but is also that which makes it the least realistic. The reader is very aware that what he is reading bears as much resemblance to how a full scale bio-terrorism attack would be handled as an Indiana Jones movie bears to actual archeology. Which is not to say that Rivers' primary thesis and the events/responses which are depicted are out of the question. They are not. It is just that the attack, if it was actually mounted, would have been far more devastating because the government response could never rise to the efficiency River's recounts.

The best aspect of the book is the detailed account of how the attack was formulated and executed. The degree of detail given was indeed scary and, since I am not qualified to speak to the technical details of the biological/genetic possibilities, I assume it is feasible. Rivers' descriptions and identification of the various organizations which would be involved in combating such an attempt was also helpful

Where Rivers' needs to grow as an author is in making his characters less stiff and robotic. When Dr. Ron Raines loses his live in girl friend, for whom he presumably had great affection, he accepts it with what seems to be no more than a passing thought - "I should have been with her when she died." That's about it. All of the other characters are sketched at about the same level. All it takes for the bad guy terrorist scientist to suddenly change his mind about the Great Satan Americans is for Dr. Raines to show him a little love. That's a bit of a stretch.

So... five stars for technical background and plot outline, three stars for character development averages out to four.

Good summer beach read. It'll take you 3-4 hours straight through.

Obviously the result of a combination of detailed medical knowledge, personal experience, comprehensive research, & a vivid imagination.

I an not starting this with a synopsis as this has been done by others brighter

and more articulate than I. This novel will keep you up at night thinking

about just how all of this is possible, how port security is spotty at its very

best not to mention our porous borders. This book is a wakeup call for what

can easily happen. You will not sleep well after reading this one.

Very intriguing and a "can't put it down" read. Enjoyed the suspense and the possibility of this really happening. Toward the end of the book, my husband and I attended a medical meeting which included a Muslim, and had me wondering "Is he thinking of us as 'infidels'?" Yes, I do believe this could happen. And, even though some of the characters could have been expanded on, this was a great book. Knowing the author made it even more special.