alanbweaver's Full Review: Robin Cook - Intervention
For the most part, Robin Cook’s books are very entertaining medical thrillers. You have to suspend some belief to make the books somewhat credible, but they are realistic and suspenseful. In this book, he again has his favorite doctor Jack Stapleton, his wife, and son. There are 2 stories that intertwine in this book. With a 3 month old baby who is quite sick, the infant is causing havoc in the family which is to be expected. Laurie is a full time mom. Cancer specialists are trying to get the baby whole again. Jack is off on a mission trying to rid the world of medical quacks (i.e. chiropractors who push false concepts and hopes on their patients but who nonetheless feel better.) Enter plot #2 – his 2 former college friends, one who is a bishop in NYC (James) and the other an archaeologist (Shawn) who discovers what could be the bones of the Virgin Mary in Rome. The container is smuggled out of Rome into NYC. DNA analysis is done on the bones as well as some scrolls that attest to the fact this could very well be her. In some ways this book sounds like a poor man’s version of The DaVinci Code with its religious allusions. Except there is not that much suspense in this book. It gets too wordy in some sections with details that I really don’t care to read about. Robin Cook goes into a lot expository in his writing which can help with character development and bring a sense of humanity to the plot. Shawn is not a likable person. James is a slightly confused bishop who is afraid that this revelation could destroy the church as the body of Mary was supposedly absorbed into heaven. I’ve always liked Jack Stapleton. He’s a gruff guy, a hard worker, determined and more than a bit opinionated and stubborn. He also has principles which don’t waver. He gets a bit too zealous with his condemnation of homeopathic remedies, but proves somewhat educational when he discovers why people enjoy these treatments. The person who treats them is pleasant, easy to communicate with, and doesn’t keep them waiting for hours on end! The problem with this book is twofold: Both plots are anemic. They are not very intense. With the Jack plot, there really is no suspense until the end (I won’t give away the plot) but you have a feeling how it will end. Regarding this discovery of the Virgin Mary, I found it somewhat preposterous. Sure, I can suspend my disbelief of this situation (fyi, there are NO anti-Catholic sentiments in this book). Shawn and James are too 1-dimensional and do things that I find out of character. James especially comes across incorrectly in his character. He is trying to convince Shawn to give up this mission and makes some moves which really don’t make sense. Again, you get an idea of what will or will not happen. Predictability – within moments of meeting some characters in this book, you already know the outcome. Not good! Bottom line: predictable, somewhat entertaining, but disappointing for Cook fans.
New York Times -bestselling author Cook returns with another ripped-from-the-headlines medical thriller, where DNA science, biotechnology, and religio...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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