Customer Reviews

Outbreak

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

If you've ever read a Grisham novel, especially The Firm, then you know what you're in for with this Cook thrillride! Lone physician, investigates with a combination of skill, streetsmarts, and luck the deadly series of Ebola outbreaks that "plague" (Read Contagion for more plague stuff) seemingly random Prepaid clinics around the country, zeroes in on what she believes to be the truth. She's right, and ofcourse now everyone is after poor, lonesome, weary, can't-trust-anyone-anymore, misses-her-life-and-her-dog Melissa Blumenthal (Melissa also appears in some other Cook stories, and she's quite a likeable eye-catcher!). Desperate and fearful right there along with her, I fell off the edge of my seat countless times with my fingers crossed and my wits alert on this excellent protagonist's behalf! The book is a joyride through the fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping depths of your deepest paranoia, and it just goes to show, that it's the little things, the really really little things (like viruses) that are truly worth this kind of unprecedented and bone-chilling fear! Great read! Watch out, Grisham!

(Biological thriller) Ebola outbreaks start happening all over the USA, and Marisa Blumenthal of the CDC tries to get to the bottom of it, to her peril! This was very gripping, but the very smart protagonist missed a very obvious point over and over again, which was frustrating. And the last paragraph was really cheesy. But it was a pretty good ride.

Potentially offensive material: some strong language, violence

The book itself was a pretty standard thriller - and predictable.I guess people who enjoy this genre usually like reading it for the "process of discovery" rather than for an unexpected ending.

But the "process" wasn't that satisfying. Even though the Medical details were consistent and thorogh, the plot wasn't. I ekpt losing track of which city Marissa was in and why she was there (and later - what happened in it) because the changes (and number) of cities just happenedso fast... Also, quite a lot of loose story threads were left - suchaswhat happens to Tad, or how the 'mass infection' in Pheonixoccured, since the cafeteria theory was explainedto beavery weak one...

I had to read this book for summer reading and usually the books on the list are boring but not Robin Cook's "Outbreak" I was so into it I couldn't put it down "Outbreak" was my first Robin Cook book that I ever read and because I liked it so much I read two others "Vital Signs" and "Toxin" which were just as good as "Outbreak". I am ther type of kid who doesn't like to read in her spare time but ever since I read "Outbreak" I've continued to read. I recomend this book to everyone who likes a good scary suspensful book It's great and so are all his others!!!!

This is the first Robin Cook's book that I've read. I really like the story, it's fast and suspence. It may be the book that I've ever finshed in less then 5n days. Unfortunetely, I found that the storyline a bit predictable. I just know what will happen next and the ending was also what I have predited. However, it's really a nice read. I do learn something from the story, well maybe the situation inside the story will never happen in the reality.

It's amazing how accurate this book is, expecially since it came before "The Hot Zone" and the whole fad of killer virus books. If you read "The Hot Zone" or Ed Regis' "Virus Ground Zero", both of which tell the story of Ebola's original outbreak in Yambuku, you will see that Mr. Cook has done his homework. The first chapter is especially terrifying. This is by far Mr. Cook's best book, with "Mortal Fear", "Contagion" and "Chromosome 6" not far behind. I'm even willing to forgive him the odd goofy book like that one about the alien bacteria. (What was he thinking?) But I digress. Buy this book.

"Outbreak" grabbed my attention right away with the ebola story set in Africa. Dr. Cook knows his stuff and for a story written circa 1986-1987, I don't think it's too outdated. This is my first stab at one of Cook's books - I'd probably read more.

Robin Cook does it again. This was actually the first of his books I had read, but I am free to say that as I am now familiar with more of his work. Does anyone else think that his stories are somewhat predictable?
Outbreak is an entertaining read, but it is so predictable. I knew who the informant of Marissa's activities was by the first quarter of the novel. The fact that Marissa didn't was a source of infinate agitation for me during this read. This woman is supposed to be intelligent, but she doesn't have a whit of common sense. Also, the bad guys are...dumb. No other description suits them except that they are incredibly stupid.
Another pet peeve of mine is Cook's prose...not exactly Shakespeare is it? Cook is a mediocre writer at BEST, and this is one of his better novels.
If you want a medical thriller that is a quick, easy read and is completely average, then Outbreak is for you.

In this latest version of Robin Cook's medical mystery world, a young female doctor, Marissa Blumenthal, uncovers a conspiracy to unleash the deadly ebola virus on US cities. Marissa's work with the CDC takes her first to LA, then several other cities across the country, where the virus seemingly appears out of nowhere. In tracking down the "index cases" for each outbreak, she discovers an attempt to drive certain hospitals out of business. I really enjoyed this book the more I got into it, although I wish that Robin Cook would do one story with a male or female lead who is not a widow/er...a little redundant. I did like the fact that the female lead was smart and resourceful, and outwitted -- and outran -- the bad guys.

So, this was my first Robin Cook book and I wasn't exactly thrilled by the last page, but I think I'd be willing to give the guy another try. Here's the thing, the book itself isn't so bad. Yeah, it's pretty predictable, but it genuinely captured my interest enough that I finished it in one day. Unfortunately, there are a few things about it that I feel I just can't let the author off the hook about.
1. Marissa was kind-of smart, but not as smart as I think she really needed to be for her role in this book. When she asked Tad to "speak English," because she didn't understand what he meant by "structural homology," I got frustrated. I realize that an author must let his/her audience in on what certain technical and scientific terms mean when it is crucial to the story, but there had to have been a better way to do this than to have Marissa ask so blatantly. I'm no doctor or scientist, but even I knew enough to guess that "structural homology" might mean something like "similarly structured," and for someone who works at the CDC to not even guess the simple meaning I took from the phrase, doesn't instill a whole lot of confidence in me for the character, or a whole lot of respect for them either. Also, I don't like that it takes this woman so damn long to become suspicious of the Ebola/doctor/recent mugging connection. First doctor is mugged days before being hospitalized with Ebola, okay, sad. Second doctor is also mugged before dying, huh, very weird. Now the third doctor to die is learned to have also been mugged...WTF? But it takes our darling heroine nearly five doctors' deaths/muggings before she becomes convinced that something's up. Wow.
2. Maybe this is just me, but there are times when I think a male author should really sit down and talk to a woman before writing an entire novel with a female as a central character, and vice-versa (a lot of women authors should do the same with men). I realize this book is circa 1987, but even then I don't think a woman on the run, possibly fearing for her life, would be so darn concerned with her appearance (unless she were trying to alter it) and yet I recall at least several pages when Marissa has found the time to do her make-up, dress herself into nice skirts, and pack-up said cosmetics, before slipping out the back door to avoid being captured by the most incapable henchmen I've ever read about. Now, yes Mr. Cook, women typically do try to look nice when they go out, but would a man on the run take the time to don a nice three-piece suit? Comb his hair just so? Splash on a little cologne? Not likely, and neither would a woman be so concerned at a time like this that her eyes were properly lined.
3. Finally, we come to what probably bothered me most--Marissa's relationships (or lack thereof, through no one's fault but her own) with several of the men in her life. Ralph, an extremely sweet and doting older man has his eyes set on all-too-cute little Marissa, but darn it, if he just wasn't so physically unattractive too her (how completely non-shallow of her). Sure, she might lead him on a bit, never actually intending to give in to his affections, but that's okay, he won't mind if she just uses him for what she needs at any given moment. And, okay, maybe he does end up trying to kill her in the end, but thankfully Marissa is too slow to realize just what a bad man he is until her neck is nearly between his two hands. Then there's Tad. He's younger than Ralph, but thank God, he's so much better looking. He's also willing to give Marissa anything she needs, even if it means risking his career, and she's even okay to let him believe that they might be dating, but heaven forbid he try to even kiss her. I couldn't believe how quick she was to slip from his grip. Any why can't she give in to sweet, compassionate Tad? We don't know, it's really never explained very well, because I'm guessing Marissa has no clue what she wants either. What she does know, however, what becomes ultimately clear in the last paragraph of the book, is that a man who treats her like garbage throughout ninety percent of the book (her boss) is quite the catch. Oh well, maybe they deserve each other.
So okay, it's not great, but it is readable. I just wish the lead hadn't lacked as much self-esteem and/or intelligence as she did.