Darwin’s Cipher

De: M.A. Rothman

Narrado por: Tim Campbell

Juan Gutierrez, a cancer researcher, has spent years studying the genome of animals that exhibit immunity to some types of cancer. Over the course of his study, Juan discovers a pattern that allows him to predict the course of a species' evolution across thousands of generations. Using the algorithm he's developed from the pattern, Juan uncovers what he believes to be the key to conquering humanity's susceptibility to cancer. Others are interested in using what Juan has dubbed "Darwin's Cipher"; however, instead of cancer research, they see very different applications for the new genetic algorithm.

Nate Carrington, an FBI forensic analyst, has been struggling with several cold cases when he's alerted to an incident at a nearby ranch. It's a case of a newborn calf who is found in the middle of a herd of dead cattle. It provides a single link to Nate's other cold cases: the DNA analysis of the calf doesn't match anything in the FBI's database.

Somewhere in a rural hospital in West Virginia, four hospital workers are dead and a newborn child has been transported to the NIH's level-four bio-containment unit. It's only when the NIH sends out an alert to all hospitals and law enforcement agencies that the world realizes the danger that faces them.

©2019 Michael A. Rothman (P)2019 Tantor

Fantastic!

This was fascinating! It explored what would happen if we could artificially speed up the evolution process. There is a lot of action too and the narration is excellent! Highly recommended!

if you love techno thrillers...

Like all of Rothman's books, this one is filled with great and memorable characters, intriguing plot and awesome science. The narrator did a terrific job.

Great read! .

By the way, if you like Michael CRICHTON books, you will surely want to read this book.

Pandemic -The Prequel

I finished this book before COVID-19 and didn't get around to reviewing. The book held my interest and it's science felt authentic. In our new pandemic era I'm recommending it to relatives as a primer. Very well researched. The writing and story pacing are accomplished, reminiscent of Michael Crichton. However you are unlikely to discover any literary bon-bons in this box.

Like the science, the ethnic and "racial" diversity of the characters seemed true-to-life, but laid in a bit heavily (in some ways the whole book seemed to be a treatment for a movie-yet-to-be-made. My thought about the heavy DIVERSITY as it went was that it could have been left to the screen adapters to flesh in those bits).

solid technothriller

I read because a lot of people said "similar to Michael Crichton". ie near future scifi, well researched and grounded in reality and modern science. ,
I would say this book does that. it wasn't the best techno thriller I've read. But it was good enough for me to check out more of his books.