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A Heartbeat Away (2011)

by Michael Palmer(Favorite Author)

3.78 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

031258752X (ISBN13: 9780312587529)

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

St. Martin's Press

review 1: If you could cross a maze with a scary funhouse, you would have an idea of what reading this book was like. Lots of plot twists and turns. Dead ends where you least expect them. Imminent danger at any time. The novel definitely lacks details when it comes to some of the character development. In like manner, the plot also at times is contrived and clearly manipulated. And yet, the book is a compelling read – and once you become involved in the story, these shortcomings seem less important. The setup is fascinating – wait until the majority of the political leaders of a nation are in one space and then unleash a deadly virus. The ending is brilliant. It is the middle where things tend to bog down. Still, even with the clichéd behavior that people in this nove... morel exhibit - bickering, lust for power, conspiracy, evidence tampering, and withholding information on a need-to-know basis - it makes a powerful statement and raises many ethical questions. It’s a good book that could have been better, but still is well worth reading.
review 2: Like Michael Crichton, Michael Palmer always delivers some scientific thriller that keeps you reading. With A Heartbeat Away, Palmer takes us to the Capitol as the President attempts to deliver a State of the Union address only to be interrupted by a biological terrorist attack. With this superflu poised to kill Congress, the President, and the line of succession, the president is desperate to contain the illness, keep a lid on the panic, and entail the help of virologists to find the cure. As common with action films/books, the characters are one dimensional-you have the heroic president and the evil foes (who are out for power and money). But you also have interesting questions raised. How much should a president reveal to the public? That one is particularly interesting given the continuing ire over the Benghazi information given to the public. What kind of experiments should the government be working on? Should animals be used for animal testing? What kind of power should the government have in order to keep people safe from terrorism? Where is the line between protection and intrusion-between 1984 and democracy? You won't find the answers here but you'll ask yourself some interesting questions while you go along on a fun action read. less

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