I've read Robin Cook books since I was a teenager and this really reminds me of those great vintage Cooks I used to gobble up back then. Once I discovered him I was completely immersed in the world of medical thrillers, surprisingly they make for great reads, if you like books, have a bit of interest in science that is easy to understand, no worries about fancy jargon, then look no further, once you start this genre it's hard to stop.The main character is a good guy with a bit of bad luck that turns against him in the worst way possible. Anesthesia isn't fast or easy, but when a healthy, young pregnant patient suffers from a grand mal seizure and dies, all eyes are on you. Jeffrey was having one of those days, the worst thing possible happens on a day that sends shock waves through all the layers of his life, in a moment everything seemed to collapse and not only is there a death, but punishment that will follow, both leave Jeffrey a man on the run. He decides to do the opposite of what is supposed to happen, he goes out to prove his innocence and earn back his freedom. Taking a huge risk, he dodges the law and in turn is followed by a nasty bounty hunter who gives him the worst chases of his life but only to find an enemy so weird, evil and cold hearted that his freedom suddenly seems a higher price to pay than he could have imagined. The book starts and doesn't stop, the thrills, chases, close calls, some funny moments and plenty of suspense kept me glued to the story, it was hard not to read it, once started it begged to be completed.Reading this book was a lot of fun, just when I thought that Jeffrey had it hard, something else would come barging in, shaking up everything making me say things out loud. Fast and fun, it really is what good reading is all about, taking a trip somewhere, being taken prisoner and left breathless until the ending finally releases you exhausted but ready for more.- Kasia S.
Only fairly decent, I think I need to give up on Robin Cook. This audiobook had a fair enough idea: someone is killing patients at various hospitals by adding a toxin to epidural painkillers. Why this is happening is interesting enough, and a good conspiracy, but once again, Cook's main character really bugged me. He's selfish, kind of short-sighted, and pretty stupid at times. But, on the other hand, in this book (for the first time in my Cook reading days), the heroine of the story is actually brighter, more mentally stable, and emotionally stronger than the hero. I was stunned as her character came up with better ideas than the male character - this hadn't ever happened in a Cook novel I've read to date. So huzzah! The voice wasn't bad, and the pacing was okay. So overall, I gave this seven stars, but my frustration with Cook's main character kept making me hit "stop" and taking a break from this tape.
What do You think about Harmful Intent (1991)?
Vi è mai capitato durante le calde serate d'estate di sorbirvi un'ora e mezzo scarsa di quei film per il ciclo "Alta tensione" o "Nel segno del giallo"? Se si, e vi siete divertiti guardandoli, il libro di Cook è un perfetto surrogato di queste ridicole gemme. Cook crea un ottimo Potboiler senza tregua, con annessa cospirazione finale. I personaggi sono divertenti, ma verso la metà ho abbandonato l'interesse verso quelli principali per concentrarmi totalmente sul cacciatore di taglie, veramente ben caratterizzato. Alla fine avrete imparato anche a che serve la Marcaina (vocabolo ripetuto centinaia di volte), ma il picco migliore si raggiunge quando Cook cita se stesso (con il libro Coma).
—Francesco
Harmful Intent was an incredible read. It was a bit long and some parts could have cut down a lot on words, the book was fantastic overall.Characters were perfectly developed. Robin Cook has taken care of not skipping over any detail of any person the novel. For example, he even mentioned The fact that Devlin had to wait at the airport for his gun, even though it was a useless fact. Small things like this went a lodng way.The plot is serious and intense, especially after the first couple of chapters, while also being appropriately peppered with bits and pieces of light humor.Overall, I will recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, longwinded thriller and is going on long flights sometime soon.
—Antriksh
Spoilers here, but only if you haven't read the dustjacket. Robin Cook wrote Coma, which was made into a great movie. I've liked his other books too. They're a bit silly - the romance always feels a little forced, and the way he describes the food and the settings and even the people is always a little too detailed, like his characters shouldn't be quite so observant. But they're a little adorable too - medical sci fi thrillers with main characters who are geeky scientists and lanky doctors, afraid of guns and bad at fighting, becoming overwhelmed by the intrigues that entangle them. His books often have a feminist bent and the antagonists are generally corporate or political in nature. This book was no different; it stars an affable anesthesiologist driven to depression by a malpractice lawsuit - which is of course not his fault but part of an elaborate plot. It also features an object lesson in how homophobia can be a true danger to society, which I didn't expect. The medical scenes are extremely detailed and I learned a lot about anesthesia. And I got grossed out. But overall, a very entertaining read.
—Shira and Ari Evergreen
