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Invasion (1997 Novel) Robin Cook


Mentalcase

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Read this one a couple months back. In case you don't remember Robin Cook, he wrote 'Outbreak'. Which was made into a movie starring Gene Hackman, etc. There was a 'made-for-TV-movie' based on this novel 'Invasion' (have yet to see this tho). I've read many of his medical thrillers and I have always been engulfed by his medical know-how and depth. Invasion is definitely a page-turner and approaches the ET subject at a different angle!

This book is different then his normal medical, forensic thrillers , from which he usually writes.

Dr. Robin Cook (born Robert Brian Cook on May 4, 1940 in New York City, New York)[1] is an American physician and novelist who writes about medicine and topics affecting public health.

He is best known for combining medical writing with the thriller genre. Many of his books have been bestsellers on the New York Times Bestseller List. Several of his books have also been featured in Reader's Digest. His books have sold nearly 100 million copies.[2]

Plot summary

Robin Cook envisions in this book a strange contact with extraterrestrial aliens.(A deadly threat to life on earth -from the icy vastness of outer space). An alien virus arrives on earth contained in a tiny black disk. Those who pick up the disk are infected by the virus which spreads rapidly with flu like symptoms. The first human to pick up the disk and be infected is Beau Stark, an ambitious 21-year-old young man. The virus starts by giving him flu like symptoms but within a few hours he is not only free of the symptoms but also infused with new energy and power. His girlfriend Cassy notices major personality changes and an obsession with environment. The man who was all for banning big dogs in the city suddenly acquires one and proceeds to infest it. The virus apparently infects all life forms on earth. Meanwhile the first invasion & infestation having succeeded the disk sends a signal, inviting millions more disks to come. Those who handle the disks receive a sting, soon followed by flu-like symptoms and ending in what could be called "zombie assimilation" into an alien collective consciousness with Beau being the leader.

Cassy however shares her fears of Beau’s changing personality with their mutual friend and her ex-boyfriend Pitt, who is a medical student and concerned after witnessing a sudden upsurge in deaths of people suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes. He takes Cassy to meet his senior Dr. Shiela who is also concerned about the preventable and unexplained deaths and surging number of flu cases. Cassy also tells them about personality changes reported in some people by one of her students, Jonathan. Jonathan introduces the group to his parents Nancy & Eugene, a virologist and a physicist. Jesse, a cop, also comes in contact with the group when he accompanies a colleague suffering sudden seizures to the hospital.

The group finally zeros on the disks as being the carriers of the infection and deduces that this may be alien virus and decides to take the matter to CDC. Nancy, Eugene & Shiela travel to CDC HQ, but discover to their horror that the entire board is already infected. While attempting to escape, Eugene is engulfed by one of the disks that is also a powerful weapon which emits radiation and can create a black-hole. The two women make it back to the others and the group flees to a remote cabin owned by Jesse. Meanwhile, The final wave of disks infest the entire earth slowly infecting people all over the world and killing those with any genetic disease. Click Here for full summary (spoiler warning!)

I will be recommending other books from my collection. Would love to hear other's opinions on this novel or Robin Cook in general.

I purposely go to thrift stores to purchase books, they normally cost about 50 cents to a dollar. I scan them looking for my favorite authors. While I usually read nonfiction/reference books, I love to dive into a great sci-fi once in a while to change things up! Enjoy!! :tu:

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  • Mentalcase

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  • tapirmusic

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Sounds good. I'll check it out.

I've got a used book store near me that I love to buy strange looking horror or sci-fi paperbacks from for a buck or two.

:alien:

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