Helpful Score: 9
Gabe Singleton is a troubled doctor struggling to atone for the sins of his past. When his college friend and now president of the US Andrew Stoddard requests that Gabe become his personal physician, Gabe feels obliged to comply. What President Stoddard did not tell Gabe before making his request was that he has been having health problems which threaten his ability to lead. Gabe tries to discover what ails the president but also struggles with the moral implications of hiding his illness from the public. He ultimately unravels a conspiracy that threatens the life of the president and his own.
This was the first Michael Palmer book I read, and I almost did not make it through it - the first 100 pages were so slow and boring that I considered giving up on The First Patient. However, based on the blurb from Bill Clinton on the book's cover I decided to muddle through. I am glad I did - the pace picks up considerably throughout the duration of the book, and it was difficult to put down after the first half or so. Although the medical technology described in the book ultimately seems far-fetched, the pacing of the story makes it forgivable... assuming you make it past the first 100 pages.
This was the first Michael Palmer book I read, and I almost did not make it through it - the first 100 pages were so slow and boring that I considered giving up on The First Patient. However, based on the blurb from Bill Clinton on the book's cover I decided to muddle through. I am glad I did - the pace picks up considerably throughout the duration of the book, and it was difficult to put down after the first half or so. Although the medical technology described in the book ultimately seems far-fetched, the pacing of the story makes it forgivable... assuming you make it past the first 100 pages.
Helpful Score: 5
From the very 1st page when the president lands on his navla academy roommate's ranch to the very last page this book will hook you and keep you reading far into the night. The storyline and the way Michael Palmer pulls all the plot twists together is the best example of his writing to date. This book is definitely one that can be read over and over again and still your heart will pound at the action, and the scenes of the attempts on the doctor's life are heartstopping. You want this doctor to succeed in saving the presidents life and you really get into his life as well.
All in all an excellent book.
All in all an excellent book.
Helpful Score: 2
There isn't much to add to the book description, taken from the books dust jacket, without telling too much.
The whole story has a very slowly start and it takes a while until the reader is sucked into the suspicion of who are the bad and who are the good guys. Ultimately it comes to a point where the story becomes quite racy but unfortunately too much things come together at the same time and the book gets boring.
One has to admit that the idea of nanotechnology used to control certain reactions in one's brain is a bit far fetched but then, who knows ?!
I expected a bit more than slapdashing fiction. The story could have been more suspenseful to me. Could have had more strain on the significance of the president being the victim of secretly drugged etc. .
Overall, the book has it's grabbing parts but they are far too short.
The whole story has a very slowly start and it takes a while until the reader is sucked into the suspicion of who are the bad and who are the good guys. Ultimately it comes to a point where the story becomes quite racy but unfortunately too much things come together at the same time and the book gets boring.
One has to admit that the idea of nanotechnology used to control certain reactions in one's brain is a bit far fetched but then, who knows ?!
I expected a bit more than slapdashing fiction. The story could have been more suspenseful to me. Could have had more strain on the significance of the president being the victim of secretly drugged etc. .
Overall, the book has it's grabbing parts but they are far too short.
Helpful Score: 2
This book was excellent. It made keep guessing until the end. This is up there with some of the other Michael Palmer books I have read.
Helpful Score: 1
This book follows along the usual flow by this author. Good cop/bad cop, good dr/bad dr. It has a lot of twist and turns but sometimes I feel that I've read everything by this author that I can predict were its going. That being said I still thouroghly enjoyed this book and will continue to read everything by Michael Palmer. There is a good mix of politics and medical research that get your mind thinking, "Could this really happen?" Not enough medicine in it to make it as good as another of his books "The Fifth Vial" but still a worthy read.
