Duffbert's Random Musings

1 - Small minds? Wow. The fact that it's fiction doesn't make it any easier to overlook blatant errors, glaring plot holes and unresolved plot points. There is a distiction to be made between poorly written fiction and good, well-written fiction.

Is your only argument in support of this book the fact that it is fiction?

I will read another Robin Cook book, I hope it's better than this one was.

2 - The ending was confusing. Did Craig escape and went to Cuba under another name? And how Jack's sister identifies that "new person" with a patient of Craig who died 1 yr back ?

3 - I agree wholeheartedly with your review!

I've read Robin Cook for a long time and I was looking forward to another story about these particular characters. I read the book through in about 4 days, and when I got to the end, I was one upset dude! What's with that ending? I turned the page to find the answer, only to discover his 5 page diatribe on insurance companies and concierge medicine. Whoopdie -dee -freakin -doo!

As you said, he must have been in a hurry as so many things were left in the air. What happened to Franco? What happened with the sleazy lawyer? Who broke into the house and tied up the kids?

This title was a MAJOR disappointment and I will think long and hard before I read his next novel!

4 - This book sucked!!!!! There were so many unanswered questions in the story and you kept looking for the author to bring them all together, somehow, in the end. It was not to be though!!!

NOT RECOMMENDED!!

5 - I totally agree with your review of Crisis. I'm a nurse and have been a Robin Cook fan for many years. I love the way he takes an up and coming issue in medicine and incorporates it into a story. However, he completely dropped the ball with this one. I was eagerly turning the pages with anticipation of what Jack would discover until the last chapter! What happened? I love a twist and a surprise ending but for it to work it needs to make sense. Throughout the book Craig is described as both despondent and arrogant. He looses it on the witness stand as he is testifying. He is drinking and using sleeping pills to get through the ordeal. We are supposed to believe that this same man one week after disappearing is in Cuba in disguise and with another woman. Add to that the fact that he shows no sign of recognizing Jack. This is just too much for me to take. I also turned the last page expecting to have all the loose ends tied up only to find a soliloquy on concierge medicine. I was very dissappointed in the rather abrupt ending that also didn't make any sense or answer any of the questions I had. :-

6 - I know how you feel.
I also work for an "evil" insurance company.
I suppose it's the same as working for an "evil" law firm, except the jokes aren't as good.
...Deb

7 - I just finished reading "Crisis" and I am very upset at the ending ~~ or should I say "the lack thereof"?
How could Mr. Cook have left everything hanging?
Who tied up the kids? Who was trying to get Jack? What was the reason behind Patience's death? Was that Craig in Cuba?
I will NEVER purchase another Robin Cook book!

8 - Rob, You posted this comment two months ago, so you may never come back to check on it, but I agree with your question about "intent". Did Craig Bowman intentionally taint the Zoloft with the toxin? I think that's a legit question because Cook never explains how Bowman expected to benefit from using Mrs. Stanhope in his "calcium channel research". Cook explains that the toxin is used in that kind of research, that Dr. Bowman was involved in that kind of research, and the Dr. Bowman had an empty vial of the toxin. How does that necessarily mean that Bowman intentionally used the toxin on Mrs. Stanhope? Furthermore, if he gave her the toxin intentionally for his "research", I don't think his intention was to kill her. I mean, obviously, he didn't glean much out of it because he wasn't able to "study" the body (tissues) afterwards. Of course, the other motive could have been "just to get rid of her", but that doesn't seem to jive with the rest of the plot.

Obviously, we can assume that he was guilty of something because he fled, but that's not very good storytelling.

9 - the first time Jack went through Craig's bag, there were two empty vials. The second time there were three.

The first night Jack was alone in the house with Craig, he went upstairs to "take a look at him and listen to his breathing." The next night, he went up to check on him and he retrieved a flashlight because, "He'd never been on the second floor and had no idea where the master bedroom would be." Also, Craig wouldn't have been in the master bedroom--he was staying in the upstairs guest room.

The issue Jason points out above about the link between the two phone calls in the beginning also struck me. I kept waiting for the link. It never came.

the twist at the end was ridiculous but not as ridiculous as the Cuba thing.

I think this story could possibly have worked if the reader had been in on the truth from the beginning. It would have been a different story--sort of like the movie Fracture. But it would have been a hell of a lot better than the poorly written story with a cheap, tacked on ending that came out.

10 - Another major unresolved issue regards the link between the death of the girl in New York and the death of Mrs. Stanhope. In the beginning, Cook says (paraphrased) that two doctors will receive separate calls that will evolve into the story of the book and that "the second call will ultimately put an unexpected spin on the first". In other words, when the truth comes out about Mrs. Stanhope's death, it will somehow change the perception of what happened to the girl who was shot. As I read the book, I kept looking for that, but I saw no further connection between the two events whatsoever (other than Jack Stapleton was involoved in both).

11 - The ending was confusing to say the least, although I think some of your comments here are highly critical. I must admit I am a late comer to Robin Cook novels. I read my first work from him, Toxin, a few years ago and was quite impressed. Since then I have only read Marker and now Crisis. Marker was much better mainly because I think he didn't have to develop too many characters. Crisis was just all over the place! Still a good read though. Did he intend to murder Patience though is my dumb question! Tetrodotoxin was found in the bottle containing the Zoloft but was it intentional? Somebody please explain this to me....

12 - I have read several of Cook's books (no pun intended) and what never fails to amaze is, after publishing some 20 novels, he STILL has no ear for credible, realistic dialogue. People just don't talk the way his characters talk -- using $10 words and psychobabble in the course of casual conversation, for instance, is just plain unbelievable, and to be honest, quite grating. (I actually laughed out loud when Craig and Jack had a perfectly sober conversation about legal issues immediately after Craig nearly brained Jack in the bedroom. Please!) Conversely, other dialogue can be so simplistic that it's trite.

Which brings me to my second beef with Cook. Character development is another weakness that I find inexcusable in an established author: The deaths of his family in the plane crash is said to be a driving force behind Jack Stapleton, but there is really no depth to him to justify that claim. Lou Soldano is a caricature of the hard-boiled New York cop; Warren is almost an offensive stereotype of an urban African-American. Cook also spends far too much time developing inconsequential side characters (like the Boston medical examiner) that ultimately clutter what needs to be a tightly written, fast-paced story.

These are just some of the things that have bothered me as I have read Cook's recent works. I would stop reading "Crisis," but I'm within 50 pages of the end so I've already made an investment. I just can't get beyond the mechanical faults to really appreciate his books anymore. The book is just not well-written, and I can spend my time with much better authors. The doctor is OUT for me from now on.

13 - Balderdash to all ye with small minds. just read and enjoy the fiction.
fiction...get it?? fiction.
and if you never read another r.cook, good.
go sit in the street.

14 - Wow, I am glad I am not the only one who didn't get this book. This is the first time I have ever read Robin Cook and I think it will be the last. I enjoyed most of it and was looking forward to a great ending...and then whammo...nothing.Maybe he will write a 'sequel' and explain it all then!

15 - I have several points and don't think I'm dumb 'cos I'm not. But if anyone can answer them, I can actually decide if I liked the book or not!
1. If Craig was guilty of murder, why did he wait right till the end and go thru so much torture of a malpractice suit instead of escaping sooner?

2. What could Craig possibly gain by murdering a 'high'paying' patient?

3.His wife hardly seemed concerned that he was gone and actually seemed to sympathise with him.Is she for real?

4.Was the man in Cuba actually craig or not?

5.Assume he was, after his supposed genius and sheer intelligence, I don't think he wud've assumed a dead patient's name for himself?

6. Had he killed that patient too?

People, if any of these make any sense to you, pls do reply.

Regards and other intangibles,
MAC

16 - I'd be interested in knowing the answers, too... :)

17 - : חיוך:

18 - Not the worst book but it can be added to the list..complete watse of time.