This book describes a fictional epidemic, but most of all it is a story about people facing an impossible situation. The book begins sixty-five million years ago when the dinosaurs are killed by a disease, but one of them is preserved in a freak accident.
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The bones are recovered with the virus still inside, and it soon gets loose. From that point on it does pretty much what it did millions of years before, but this time the victims include humans. The cast of characters include the American President (a woman), a cynical scientist, a Chinese doctor, a gay man in the Air Force, a retarded child, a smart-aleck teenager, and a real butthead of a businessman. None of them are heroes, but none of them are villains except for the businessman. As knowledge of the epidemic spreads they all find out what's in store for them. They react in different and sometimes unexpected ways. The doctors actually find a cure at one point.
The review of this Book prepared by Margaret Heinson
This is a story of a global epidemic, set in the year 2025. The first cases are reported in central China, but the virus spreads very quickly. The pathogen is a rhabdovirus, similar to rabies, but with an even higher mortality rate. Worse still, it binds very tightly to nitrogen atoms, making it airborne with a vengeance. Scientists search for a cure, politicians search for a culprit, and everyone else just prays for survival.
The review of this Book prepared by Sandra Redman
This book is a realistic description of a naturally occuring monstrous pathogen which wipes out over 99.99% of humanity. Scattered survivors struggle to adjust to a new reality. The story is a tapestry of perspectives, and no one character can rightly be called 'main'. The characters include politicians, soldiers, doctors, and everyday people.
The review of this Book prepared by Michael Boyle
