Brain (A Medical Thriller)

Typical, and very predictable Robin Cook novel. As usual- same themes, overdone medical terminology, and an ending little better than Stephen King (notorious for not having proper wrap ups in his books). Easy read, but feels like if you've read one, you've read the whole series of his books.

Way too long, and needs a strong editor to condense some of this. Some Amazon reviews of Brain use words like "stomach-churning"...Indeed it is, and seamy also.The plot concerns giant tech companies financing secret research to improve "thinking" computer systems.To advance their projects, the companies pay secret researchers to kidnap young women patients and subject them to horrible vivisection. (We readers are spared nothing in descriptions of these surgeries or the results produced.)The book has an underlying idea, buried way down there, which would seem to be that we may all lose our freedom and dignity just like the young female patients who were kidnapped and surgically altered. Thus we are all in danger from a few who wish to use and control in this way. However, Dr. Cook buries any warning of our fate under his extensive descriptions of ponderous filth. Dr.Cook offers no cures for the danger, no "to do" list for avoiding this fate.Except in the Epilogue and author's notes...perhaps.I like Robin Cook's books, generally.Robin Cook has written other books notable for taking some aspects of medicine off the pedestal. The near-infantile tantrum in medicine is sometimes called what it is. But with Brain, he means well but buries his warning about dangers lurking.So, please save time, and just look at the epilogue and author's notes in last few pages. And Good Luck to you

If you pay attention (I did not) it clearly states that the publisher is Pan Macmillan India - not a US publisher. It is an abridged version of the novel the story being 231 pages in length. The original novel printed in the US runs 320 pages (about 89 pages of the story line chopped) The pictures I’ve taken and used for reference are of another Robin Cook novel with 337 pages printed in the US.The quality of the paper is poor. It has a yellowish color instead of white and has a feel akin to newsprint. The actual print (picture 3) is dark and thick almost running together in certain words) as opposed to sharp and defined (picture 2) sorry I know it’s hard to see in such small pictures…. Part of the problem I think is the paper (totally speculation on my part) absorbing the ink too much. It makes it a little more difficult to read.I personally do not think it was worth the price and I would not buy from this publisher again.

Dr. Martin Phillips thought he'd discovered the next best thing in radiology. When a young woman dies in the OR he and his new lover Dr. Denise Sanger put their lives in danger to uncover the truth.With his typical style, Robin Cook keeps us turning pages in this eerily plausible thriller.

The more Technology has evolved, the closer this work of fiction is close to reality. Artificial intelligence is gaining momentum, so are we prepared for the effects it will have on humanity and our moral view?

When I downloaded this book to my Kindle, I had not realized that it was written in 1979. I am a great Robin Cook fan and thought I had read all his books. This is one I had missed, so was glad to get a chance to read it because, to me, it was one of his best. The twist in the last 10 percent of the book caught me completely by surprise, and reminded me that at that time in Cook's life he used that technique more than he does now. As a retired computer-using chemical engineer, it was very interesting to have the state of computer technology in 1979 accurately described, and to be reminded of the astounding progress we have made since then - except in the field of artificial intelligence, in which they were ahead, due to some illegal and stomach-turning research that comes to light near the end of the book - involving four young women with strange symptoms being analysed by the central character, a noted young radiologist. If you too missed reading this one, I am pretty sure you will like it. By the way, as typical with Cook, the book is filled with medical terms, and made me glad for my Kindle with built-in dictionary.

Mr. Cook is amazing! With the research he has done and his knowledge of the medical community his books are so interesting as well as entertaining.

Pretty far fetched story, especially for a reader in the medical field (like me). If the intent of the author was to make folks more apprehensive of going to the hospital, he succeeded !

Having so much difficulty reading this book although I am a Robin cook fan. Many pages come printed with a shadow, like a double image, and it really strains my eyes to read it. The plot becomes a little draggy in the middle, trying real hard to finish it.

Good story, but a little dated now, unsurprisingly

Not as good as some of his othebooks.

Presents important ideas without becoming preachy. Good story so an entertaining read. These novels are a bit different. Will buy another in the series

Brilliant book as usual. Do not read if you are about to go into hospital!