Customer Reviews

Rupture

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Medicine has a decidedly dark side. That's what Eli Branch, who in line to become an outstanding surgeon-scientist, learns when he investigates the suspicious death of one of his patients. Eli unexpectedly finds that his late father (a long-time professor of anatomy at Mid-South Medical College) has spun a web of lies and that untangling them is resulting in more people meeting sudden violent deaths. That's why Eli enlists the aid of forensic pathologist Meg Daily and the two of them find themselves in a life-or-death race against time, a race in which a single false step would prove fatal to them both. The debut novel of author A. Scott Pearson, "Rupture" is a superbly crafted non-stop thriller from beginning to end and highly recommended for community library fiction collections and personal reading lists.

A typical Robin Cook medical potboiler with a very Catholic (large C) morality. Like Cook, Pearson over-estimates medical device executives' involvement, understanding of, and commitment to their company's products and survival, so the action portion of the story is overwrought and unbelievable. However, for the first 2/3 of the story his main character is interesting and credible. The ending is just . . . weak. Like a lot of authors in this genre, Pearson has too much of his eye on a movie version of his story and that damages the plot.

The Catholic morality that is abruptly injected into the background and foreground of the storyline is forced and often seems barely in context with what's happening at the moment. The author's jerky attempts to convert his character into a True Believer yank the reader from the story into current politics. It's not a pleasant transition.

Likewise, the slow to moderate pace kicks into a barely believable high gear in the last 100 pages and Dr. Eli Branch gets converted from an academic physician to a geeky action hero along with his medical examiner side-kick/girlfriend. Pearson is no worse at this comic strip hero tactic than is Cook, but there were a lot of less action-oriented, more believable routes the book could have taken to get the same end result.

This style of plot cranks me into speed-reader mode as I burn my way through the book hoping for a return to sanity before the final pages. It didn't happen with "Rupture" and I probably won't experiment with another A. Scott Pearson book.

In Memphis, surgeon Dr. Eli Branch is excited to join the staff of Gates Memorial Hospital where he has been promised he can continue his research. However, when surgery is bungled, the chief of vascular surgery leads the finger pointing at Eli.

Stunned he begins his own inquiry, which leads him to one revelation after another with no end in sight. Instead Eli uncovers an incredible deception by his late father, who was a highly regard anatomy professor at nearby Mid-South Medical College. As others die when he contacts them, the cops believe Eli is a deranged serial killer while several medical professionals need him silenced before he destroy their world with revealing facts. His only ally is forensic pathologist Meg Daily who doubts his innocence but wants to find the link to the killings; her only tie is Eli.

This is an exciting medical thriller due to the harassed hero and an incredible easy understanding of current health issues without dumbing them down. Although the medical conspiracy plot has been done before and is a bit slim fans will enjoy A. Scott Pearson's profound look of medicine in America through the eyes of a likable careworn champion whose world has collapsed.

Harriet Klausner

I appreciate the sacrifices, heroic efforts and brutal life experiences of surgeons, but this author does not make a good showing for writers in the profession.

The main character is nakedly Pearson's own burnished alter ego, to such an extent that it lends confirmation of what many nurses and non-OR doctors say behind surgeon's backs - "thinks he sits at the left hand of God", etc. This is a bombastic hack effort with overtones of the worst of Tom Clancy (the President??? really???) and Robin Cook.

Fair warning - the principal basis of the plot depends on the EEEEVILLLL of scientists, physicians and pharmaceutical companies doing medical device and embryonic stem cell research, and a villain who goes bonkers from an abortion. While there may be some factual basis in the uneasy history of medical device research, the story fails to include any of it.

I have a deep personal dislike for authors who can't make a writerly effort of explicating their moral and political biases. Even Ayn Rand made a better showing than Pearson does in this book. The suspense is non-existent; the characters largely live, die and suffer to showcase Dr. Fantastic; and the only credible sexual or romantic tension takes place inside a corpse.

Nonetheless, there are a few scenes of reasonable narrative power, and it's entirely possible that a competent editor could have salvaged this. I have hopes that he got one for his next book.

Rupture is a medical mystery and thriller. An implant, that is supposed to save the lives of patients by preventing the rupture of aneurysms (enlarged blood vessels) starts becoming a killer. The best efforts of the surgeons fail. And the mystery becomes deeper when a blame game starts. The main players Dr. Eli Branch and the pathologist Dr. Meg Daily get sucked into the malevolent plot of a company that tries to protect its interests at any cost including murder, bribery and arm twisting tactics. In the process, a lot of information is presented about surgical procedures, stem cell therapy etc. A few other topics, not so good are also touched upon (necrophilia for example). If you are rather squeamish, better keep away. The story ends well with Dr. Eli Branch becoming a national hero and a rather controversial but permanent cure for juvenile diabetes by stem cell therapy.

The book is written in an excellent style. The details of the surgical procedures and the details about the cells, stem cell therapy etc. are interesting to those with the right background. Even if one does not understand the terms, one can probably appreciate the story for its suspense and human drama.

Since I received an uncorrected copy (ARC), I cannot comment about the final print quality. I did not notice any major editorial mistakes but some editing might have been done to improve the text.

My impression of the book is that it is a very good read. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to more offerings from the author.

RUPTURE by Scott Pearson is medical fiction at its heart-pounding best.
Only a surgeon-author could offer such rare insight into demanding life of a surgeon-scientist. Dr. Eli Branch is caught in an elaborate web of lies and deception -- both past and present -- both professional and personal. As he faces the steep odds against him, we come to admire his courage, loyalty and intelligence. The plot is expertly crafted and the action moves at a pace that will not let you put the book down. Bravo!

This book was wonderful. Right up there with James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell and Michael Crichton. I loved it. I couldn't believe it was his first medical suspense novel. It was really well written. I hopes he continues to write. I can't wait for the next one.

A great first book by an author who knows the material. Excellent character development, page turning action - a fun read. Highly recommended. Looking forward to his next book. Suzanne Clark RN

This book was good for the most part. A little too unbelieveable in spots but most heroes are supposed to be tough. Most of the free ebooks that I have read have typos. But they are mostly easy to get around.

I am a mystery, suspense fan so this book was a very good read. It is more technical than most, but easy to follow.