This was the first Robin Cook I had read - sometime in X grade when I was a wee 15 year old. I as supposed to be studying for my finals and I would stay up till my parents were asleep so I could switch on the light and continue with this book. Fond memories!This book is creepy and chilling and all that so because it so real. You read the book and you think yes, this can happen.As scientists, you have to test your unique formulas on test subjects and there comes a time when animals just don't cut it. You need human subjects. After working for the better part of your life on your idea.. it becomes your baby and you want to do everything to make it work. You see only what you want to see and ignore the warning beeps. You even volunteer to be a test for an untested new serum. That's the story of Acceptable Risk. And as the name speaks for itself... it is a bloody big risk to inject yourself with an unknown chemical compound. But you are willing to take that risk, no matter what the outcome. That brings me to the subject of outcome... there is one scene in this book that I remember 10 years after I had 1st read it... This serum when injected brings a human being to a more primal and baser level. The brain is a complicated organ with division of labour. This serum though meant to be medically useful, shuts down the parts of the brain that makes us human and results in one being able to operate only on a very very primal level. And this primal brain is reptilian You attack dogs and eat them raw..blood and all...in the middle of the night. And this is all like sleepwalking for you. How scary is that!! Or how scary that was for a 15 year old interested in studying science later on. (She did study it, but never injected herself with an unknown serum) I would recommend this book to all fans of Robin Cook and medical thrillers. I must re-read it again since it's been a decade now. (Wow, Im old!)Thank you for reading this review which read more like a diary entry than a professional well edited serious sounding review. You rock! :)
I don't know how an author can take such an interesting subject and turn it into an unreadable book, but Mr. Cook certainly does that with his novel "Acceptable Risk."Kim is just getting out of what is described as a controlling and unhealthy relationship with Kinnard when her cousin introduces her to Edward, an attentive scientist. At the same time Kim cultivates an interest in her ancestor Elizabeth Stewart, who was tried and convicted of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. Of course the Steward family, rich merchants that they were, were able to wipe this from the record books. Kim has inherited the Steward compound and starts her own investigation into the past. Meanwhile Edward has his own interest in the compound - he's discovered a rare fungus lives there that could explain the rash of witch phenomenon in the 1600s. He believes he can manufacture this into something more.The two plots do not mesh well together, nor is the transition between the stories smooth. Instead the reader is jerked between the two subjects - the history of the Salem Witch Trials vying for attention against the biochemistry of creating a new drug.What was even more destructive to the overall feel of this "thriller" was the author's use of dialog, or rather lack of. Character interaction was described rather than shared, such as "Kim saw Kinnard and told him that she liked his blue tie, and Kinnard responded that he knew her favorite color was blue."Calling this a thriller is a real stretch, the only thrilling moment may have been the violent scene near the end. Unfortunately that was so heavily foreshadowed that it was not a surprise. The only person caught by surprise was Kim, as she was portrayed as surprisingly unintuitive. It's a shame, because the story had a lot of promise and could have shaped into an interesting medical thriller.
Kim Stewart, a 27-year old nurse, can trace her family all the way to 1692 Salem witch trial, where one of her ancestors, Elizabeth, was convicted of witchcraft and executed. Kim’s new boyfriend, Dr. Edward Armstrong, a brilliant scientist, collected samples from Elizabeth’s house and was able to discover a new fungus, that he thinks was the reason for strange hallucinogenic behavior in Salem during witch trials and also can be foundation for new billion dollar miracle Prozac like drug to cure personality flaws. With the group of scientists Edward tests drugs on themselves with Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde consequences.It’s an interesting read, especially the historical part of the book. I gave it 3 stars because parts of it were a bit predictable.
—Irinak
I am always Impressed by Robin Cooks Medical Thrillers .This was also one of the kind .It clearly gives a message that drugs should not be consumed without proper knowledge about its side effect .But the most Embarrassing thing is that it brings a side story of witch and witchcraft.It was slightly disappointing in a way that both are totally unrelated and at the end the Witchcraft story ends abruptly .The story starts with Kim and her inclinations to find the truth about her ancestor Elizabeth who was executed due to her involvement in witchcraft .then the story migrates to Edward and his finding of a new drug and the consequences his team is facing due to the consumption of the drug without testing its side effects properly .Though there were some hints here and there that Elizabeth's Husband could be involved in her execution,The story ended abruptly without any explanations as to what happened to Elizabeth .The Author was trying to establish that the chemical component present in Rye is the reason for Elizabeth's death as well as Edwards sufferings .but am sure the book will keep us awake for long hours making us wonder what will happen next .
—Aparna
The little mini-mart at my parent's favourite camping site has a little white bookshelf filled with unwanted, unloved books that have been left there by their previous owners. If you want to, you can borrow them. This is where I found this book (along with books like Trägudars land and Jurtjyrkogården).At first sight, I was not impressed. The design on the cover left a lot to be wished for, and it was not made better by the fact that there was a huge coffe mug ring on the cover. Appearantly, this book was not something you read while you drank your coffee - you used it as a coaster instead.But I still took the book with me and I have not once regretted it.It is a good book. The build-up is well written and not hurried along at all, nor is it long-winded or boring. The central plot is also well grounded. This is not one of those flat, one-storyline, man meets woman and live happily ever after kind of book. You have several subplots here; the falling in love, the creating new medicine, the geneaology project, and the scary stuff happening at night, all coming together perfectly into one big super plot. Somewhere around the middle of the book, I thought I knew exactly how it would end. I was very wrong, and I loved that. I love books that can surprise you. I was very pleasantly surprised with this book. I will definitely read more from this author!
—Matilda
