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The Chimera Sequence
Cole McBride makes a chilling discovery while investigating a mysterious disease causing the deaths of endangered mountain gorillas in war-torn central Africa.
When a humanitarian aid hospital nearby diagnoses a disturbingly similar human case, the former Special Forces veterinarian knows he must figure out how to stop this outbreak from spreading--before it blows up into a global pandemic.
Halfway across the continent, a massive cargo ship moves out of Sudan's largest port. Buried deep within its hold is one container of urgent significance for its buyer in the Persian Gulf.
And back in Washington, D.C., the owner of a Lebanese restaurant a stone's throw from the White House finds a cryptic message in the Drafts folder of his e-mail inbox.
It's one week before Independence Day, and an unpopular president is preparing to host America's biggest celebration in years. There's just one small he's not the only one with plans for the holiday.
With the woman he loves sick and close to death, Cole puts his own life on the line in a race against time to discover the truth behind the outbreak's origin--a truth that will link it to one of humanity's most ancient plagues and threaten the very heart of America.
This is how it happened.
When a humanitarian aid hospital nearby diagnoses a disturbingly similar human case, the former Special Forces veterinarian knows he must figure out how to stop this outbreak from spreading--before it blows up into a global pandemic.
Halfway across the continent, a massive cargo ship moves out of Sudan's largest port. Buried deep within its hold is one container of urgent significance for its buyer in the Persian Gulf.
And back in Washington, D.C., the owner of a Lebanese restaurant a stone's throw from the White House finds a cryptic message in the Drafts folder of his e-mail inbox.
It's one week before Independence Day, and an unpopular president is preparing to host America's biggest celebration in years. There's just one small he's not the only one with plans for the holiday.
With the woman he loves sick and close to death, Cole puts his own life on the line in a race against time to discover the truth behind the outbreak's origin--a truth that will link it to one of humanity's most ancient plagues and threaten the very heart of America.
This is how it happened.
Audible Audio
First published August 25, 2015
30 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Elliott Garber
3 books29 followersElliott Garber is a veterinarian and military officer currently assigned on active duty with a special operations command. He has lived in India, Egypt, Mozambique, and Italy and traveled to over 50 other countries around the world, including a recent deployment to Iraq. You can often find him under the water, up in the air, or out in the woods. Elliott lives with his wife and two young children in Coronado, California.
Find out what adventures come next for veterinarian Cole McBride! Be the first to hear about new releases. Your e-mail will never be shared with anyone else, and you will only be contacted when a new story is published.
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You can also learn more about Elliott's work with military working dogs and his other writing projects by visiting his website at:
http://www.elliottgarber.com/author
Elliott Garber | The Uncommon Veterinarian
Find out what adventures come next for veterinarian Cole McBride! Be the first to hear about new releases. Your e-mail will never be shared with anyone else, and you will only be contacted when a new story is published.
Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/CbRVL
You can also learn more about Elliott's work with military working dogs and his other writing projects by visiting his website at:
http://www.elliottgarber.com/author
Elliott Garber | The Uncommon Veterinarian
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
October 12, 2015
Where to start… Let’s see. This book was awesome. Seriously awesome. I’ve been looking for a new “bio-terror” type book to read since Crichton has passed away and Richard Preston hasn’t written any new terrifying fiction (or even scarier) non-fiction.
The author, Elliott Garber is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and he writes about a military man who is also a vet (Cole McBride) within the book. He also writes about the Silverback Gorillas of the Congo (and surrounding areas) with a knowledge that could only come from someone who has spent the majority of his life studying and being around animals.
The plot of this book was fast-paced and switched from character to character in a very enjoyable way. Just as you felt like you were going to figure something out, Garber switched it up and you went on to another person. The character development was solid because there were a few characters that I really felt for as I was reading this book.
I genuinely wouldn’t be surprised if this were to be optioned to become a movie, it has everything that I think people would love: a kick-ass protagonist, lovable animals, action, terror, and something to be afraid of. This book left me with a craving for more. I’m sad that Elliot Garber hasn’t written anything else, but I will be eagerly awaiting another book (especially if it’s like this one).
I also listened to the majority of this on audiobook and I have to say, the narration by Neil Shah was excellent. He did more of a dramatization than a narration and I have really enjoyed that. It makes following the story (and characters) much easier. I would definitely listen to another book that Shah narrates.
Overall this book left me breathless until the last few pages. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen and I was relieved to take a breath once the story finished. A great bio-thriller.
I received a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
The author, Elliott Garber is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and he writes about a military man who is also a vet (Cole McBride) within the book. He also writes about the Silverback Gorillas of the Congo (and surrounding areas) with a knowledge that could only come from someone who has spent the majority of his life studying and being around animals.
The plot of this book was fast-paced and switched from character to character in a very enjoyable way. Just as you felt like you were going to figure something out, Garber switched it up and you went on to another person. The character development was solid because there were a few characters that I really felt for as I was reading this book.
I genuinely wouldn’t be surprised if this were to be optioned to become a movie, it has everything that I think people would love: a kick-ass protagonist, lovable animals, action, terror, and something to be afraid of. This book left me with a craving for more. I’m sad that Elliot Garber hasn’t written anything else, but I will be eagerly awaiting another book (especially if it’s like this one).
I also listened to the majority of this on audiobook and I have to say, the narration by Neil Shah was excellent. He did more of a dramatization than a narration and I have really enjoyed that. It makes following the story (and characters) much easier. I would definitely listen to another book that Shah narrates.
Overall this book left me breathless until the last few pages. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen and I was relieved to take a breath once the story finished. A great bio-thriller.
I received a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
August 25, 2015
Really enjoyed this book! I took it with me on a trip over the weekend and read most of it on the plane, got to my hotel and sat down to keep reading instead of going to get something to eat like I'd planned. The story was compelling and the characters were well written. It reminded me a bit of reading one of my favorite thriller writers, Vince Flynn, in a purely stylistic sense. The author did a good job making the scientific side of things accessible.
February 7, 2016
3.75 stars.
I received a free copy from author/narrator/publisher (Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a sucker for anything that is a typical an edge of the seat action even with the most cliched plot. 60% of the book sort of leaves you surprised between the connection of the characters.
It begins with a disease being diagnosed in mountain gorillas and the research behind it so that it does not turn out into an outbreak of a pandemic like Ebola. Writing anything further than this would give away the plot.
It would have definitely gotten 4 stars but mentioning
The last minute action from was certainly fun, I had to finish the last 30% of the book in one sitting.
I've never read a book set in a Africa and something so closely related to diseases and animals, so it was pretty good exposure for me to know how/what the scientists and doctors go through just to prevent any outbreak of disease. Also how much research and resources are invested upon such issues.
The narrator was quite good with the accents and ample of voices for each characters but as compared to other narrators I've heard, the voice wasn't soothing, I mean after about 20 mins, it felt like someone was yelling and I had to keep adjusting the volume, keep it either too low or too high.
I received a free copy from author/narrator/publisher (Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a sucker for anything that is a typical an edge of the seat action even with the most cliched plot. 60% of the book sort of leaves you surprised between the connection of the characters.
It begins with a disease being diagnosed in mountain gorillas and the research behind it so that it does not turn out into an outbreak of a pandemic like Ebola. Writing anything further than this would give away the plot.
It would have definitely gotten 4 stars but mentioning
The last minute action from was certainly fun, I had to finish the last 30% of the book in one sitting.
I've never read a book set in a Africa and something so closely related to diseases and animals, so it was pretty good exposure for me to know how/what the scientists and doctors go through just to prevent any outbreak of disease. Also how much research and resources are invested upon such issues.
The narrator was quite good with the accents and ample of voices for each characters but as compared to other narrators I've heard, the voice wasn't soothing, I mean after about 20 mins, it felt like someone was yelling and I had to keep adjusting the volume, keep it either too low or too high.
September 29, 2015
The summary pretty much says it all so I'm getting right to my thoughts on this!
I made a mistake in starting this at night because I ended up listening to it for a long time! It immediately grabbed my attention and I couldn't put it down! Everything about it captivated me and kept me glued to my earbuds.
The plot of this is actually quiet believable! Initially I wasn't sure how Gorillas and virus mix but this worked, and worked well. It was detailed and explained in such a way that I had no qualms about it! It's also extremely fast paced and intense. Once you start, you won't want to put it aside!!
There are quiet a few different characters but all are easily distinguishable and necessary. Cole is the MC as such and I loved him. I know that the author is a Vet himself and it really shows in the book. His detailed descriptions and understanding of things shines through. Cole is tough, brave to a fault when it comes to animals and you can clearly see his love for the mountain gorillas. Each character are well developed and written and the character growth of each was amazing. It's always a pleasure to read a book where you connect to the characters straight away!
In all this is a fantastic and quite chilling read. I think the fact that this echoes what could happen is why it's so scary! It really makes you think, What if???. The fact that the author can do that just goes to prove his amazing writing. It's well researched and thought out and will absolutely fascinate you. I am so glad I listened to this as well because the narration was brilliant.
Neil Shah was amazing. The amount of different accents he did, without making them sound false, was incredible. I was awestruck with it!! He is definitely one narrator I will check out.
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
I made a mistake in starting this at night because I ended up listening to it for a long time! It immediately grabbed my attention and I couldn't put it down! Everything about it captivated me and kept me glued to my earbuds.
The plot of this is actually quiet believable! Initially I wasn't sure how Gorillas and virus mix but this worked, and worked well. It was detailed and explained in such a way that I had no qualms about it! It's also extremely fast paced and intense. Once you start, you won't want to put it aside!!
There are quiet a few different characters but all are easily distinguishable and necessary. Cole is the MC as such and I loved him. I know that the author is a Vet himself and it really shows in the book. His detailed descriptions and understanding of things shines through. Cole is tough, brave to a fault when it comes to animals and you can clearly see his love for the mountain gorillas. Each character are well developed and written and the character growth of each was amazing. It's always a pleasure to read a book where you connect to the characters straight away!
In all this is a fantastic and quite chilling read. I think the fact that this echoes what could happen is why it's so scary! It really makes you think, What if???. The fact that the author can do that just goes to prove his amazing writing. It's well researched and thought out and will absolutely fascinate you. I am so glad I listened to this as well because the narration was brilliant.
Neil Shah was amazing. The amount of different accents he did, without making them sound false, was incredible. I was awestruck with it!! He is definitely one narrator I will check out.
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
September 25, 2015
Finished reading this last night and it was great! A bit scary too, since the scenario could easily happen. Great characters and a wondeful plot. The action kept the story moving right along. This definitely goes in my Read Again Collection on my Kindle. I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
February 7, 2018
Hats off to Mr. Garber, this is a truly entertaining, exciting and intelligent representation of the pandemic thriller. Deserves a read. Hope he has more in him.
September 16, 2015
ABR's original The Chimera Sequence audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Welcome to the next great bio-thriller author, Elliot Garber. The Chimera Sequence is definitely up there with others in this hard hitting genre like those written by Crichton (Andromeda Strain) and Richard Preston (The Hot Zone).
The book follows different characters as it weaves its intricate and incredible story with the main character being Cole McBride. Cole is a U.S. Special Forces veterinarian. It follows him into the jungles of central Africa. While there, he and his team uncover some dead and dying Silverback gorillas, and they’re not sure what they have, but they want to find out more. They have little to no time to do any field-testing on the gorillas because war has been raging within these jungles for years. A close personal and romantic friend of Cole’s comes down with what appears to be the same mysterious illness that is affecting the gorillas. This sends Cole back into the jungles in order to meet up with a group of Special Ops to find the underlying cause of this mysterious illness. There is some other incredibly interesting bits to the story, but to mention them would take away from the mystery and the story arc that Garber has penned so vividly.
The narration, done by Neil Shah was excellent (and I will be looking for other works narrated by him in the future). The audio quality is some of the best work I’ve heard and you can tell that the author, narrator and publisher put a good deal of work into the quality of this audiobook. The narration was done in more of a dramatization instead of a straight narration with Shah using different voices and accents to narrate the different characters. This adds a nice touch to this already great book. Listening to this on audiobook did not in any way take away from the drama and nail-biting mystery that Garber wrote—in fact I believe that it may have added to it.
Overall, the book was excellent, if you are a fan of bio-terror and bio-thrillers – I would pick this book up. Many books will market themselves as a bio-thriller or include the biohazard symbol to draw you in, but once you are into the book, you find that, there isn’t much biological aspects. This book is not like that, Garber, being a veterinarian himself has put a lot of hard science into the book to make it both incredibly well researched and terrifyingly believable. The virus that is contained within the pages of this book (or the cables of the audiobook) is terrifying and I hope that we won’t live in a world like the world that Garber painted so well in his first novel.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
Welcome to the next great bio-thriller author, Elliot Garber. The Chimera Sequence is definitely up there with others in this hard hitting genre like those written by Crichton (Andromeda Strain) and Richard Preston (The Hot Zone).
The book follows different characters as it weaves its intricate and incredible story with the main character being Cole McBride. Cole is a U.S. Special Forces veterinarian. It follows him into the jungles of central Africa. While there, he and his team uncover some dead and dying Silverback gorillas, and they’re not sure what they have, but they want to find out more. They have little to no time to do any field-testing on the gorillas because war has been raging within these jungles for years. A close personal and romantic friend of Cole’s comes down with what appears to be the same mysterious illness that is affecting the gorillas. This sends Cole back into the jungles in order to meet up with a group of Special Ops to find the underlying cause of this mysterious illness. There is some other incredibly interesting bits to the story, but to mention them would take away from the mystery and the story arc that Garber has penned so vividly.
The narration, done by Neil Shah was excellent (and I will be looking for other works narrated by him in the future). The audio quality is some of the best work I’ve heard and you can tell that the author, narrator and publisher put a good deal of work into the quality of this audiobook. The narration was done in more of a dramatization instead of a straight narration with Shah using different voices and accents to narrate the different characters. This adds a nice touch to this already great book. Listening to this on audiobook did not in any way take away from the drama and nail-biting mystery that Garber wrote—in fact I believe that it may have added to it.
Overall, the book was excellent, if you are a fan of bio-terror and bio-thrillers – I would pick this book up. Many books will market themselves as a bio-thriller or include the biohazard symbol to draw you in, but once you are into the book, you find that, there isn’t much biological aspects. This book is not like that, Garber, being a veterinarian himself has put a lot of hard science into the book to make it both incredibly well researched and terrifyingly believable. The virus that is contained within the pages of this book (or the cables of the audiobook) is terrifying and I hope that we won’t live in a world like the world that Garber painted so well in his first novel.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
September 2, 2015
I loved this gripping story that resonated with my personal experience as a veterinarian. Elliot Garber navigated the science with a deft skill that I put along side Michael Crichton and Robin Cook. Actually, this tale is better than Congo or Eve 6 in the scientific believability. There are many characters in this story and each were relevant. This is the reality of the multidisciplinary world today. The true function and success humankind is based upon those human and animal relationships that are the underpinnings of our motivations and actions. Garber explores these in each character and each perspective from field ops to the lab scientist running the PCR. Each had a functional role to play and a set of personal drivers and skills and perspectives that moved to possible outcome from a win for the terrorist to a win for the anti-terrorists. And, by the way, Garber made setting up a lab assay thrilling.
Neal Shah's narration was superb.
It is exciting to see a veterinarian doing something other than pet medicine. Working in the field is brave, but working in a high level Biosafety 3 or 4 containment is just as brave.
Finally, I can feel through his writing that Elliot Garber has lived the mantra, "expect success, but prepare for the worst." Genuine experience shows throughout the chimera sequence and it goes beyond the science but into the politics of getting a learned opinion to be heard and acted upon.
I'm looking forward to the next book...
Neal Shah's narration was superb.
It is exciting to see a veterinarian doing something other than pet medicine. Working in the field is brave, but working in a high level Biosafety 3 or 4 containment is just as brave.
Finally, I can feel through his writing that Elliot Garber has lived the mantra, "expect success, but prepare for the worst." Genuine experience shows throughout the chimera sequence and it goes beyond the science but into the politics of getting a learned opinion to be heard and acted upon.
I'm looking forward to the next book...
December 3, 2017
A thriller from beginning to end this book had me on the edge of my seat for what was about to happen next. I couldn't put it down read it all in one setting.
This is not your pulp thriller with flat characters who all react in the same, simplistic ways. There is an impressively huge group of interesting faces that make an appearance in this novel who all intrigued me, were well developed, and dealt with the world around them in intriguing ways. As a long-time Washington DC resident it also approached interesting questions about nationality and patriotism and what it means to be "from" the place where you live and what that has to do with race vs. national identity. Dr. Garber wasn't afraid to get at deeper questions.
I also constantly felt like I was learning while I was reading both about international politics, science, and medicine.
As soon as it was officially published, I had to read it all over again. It's even better the second time around. Loved it, loved it, loved it. You've got to check it out!
So excited that this book is finally out! I was lucky enough to read this before it's publication and I've been barely able to contain myself waiting for it to come out so I could start recommending it to everyone I know.
This is not your pulp thriller with flat characters who all react in the same, simplistic ways. There is an impressively huge group of interesting faces that make an appearance in this novel who all intrigued me, were well developed, and dealt with the world around them in intriguing ways. As a long-time Washington DC resident it also approached interesting questions about nationality and patriotism and what it means to be "from" the place where you live and what that has to do with race vs. national identity. Dr. Garber wasn't afraid to get at deeper questions.
I also constantly felt like I was learning while I was reading both about international politics, science, and medicine.
As soon as it was officially published, I had to read it all over again. It's even better the second time around. Loved it, loved it, loved it. You've got to check it out!
So excited that this book is finally out! I was lucky enough to read this before it's publication and I've been barely able to contain myself waiting for it to come out so I could start recommending it to everyone I know.
August 24, 2015
If you need a techno thriller fix,this is the book! Neil Shah narrates this 'Chrichtonesque' novel brilliantly!There are Monkey Pox,terrorists,a natural disaster and a all to familiar Presidential figure.A fun read all around.
"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHouse dot com"
"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast or MalarHouse dot com"
September 18, 2015
Mystery, thrills, death, epidemics
Cole McBride, a military veterinarian, is on hiatus while getting his PhD in Infectious Diseases by working with gorillas in Africa. All of his skills come into play when he finds that something is killing them. His girlfriend dies from the virus in two days after handling a baby gorilla whose parents were dead and although the baby did get the virus, he also survived it, but she didn’t. Cole castigates himself because he never pursued her romantically more aggressively when he knew she really liked him. Cole has two experienced African veterinarians with him, but then they are captured by a bunch of African thugs led by Kony who kills at the drop of the hat. In fact he and his friends escape from Kony and he tries to get more help to identify this virus. It definitely is a new strain, which make it doubly hard to find out how to kill the virus and save lives before it kills too many people like Ebola did in the beginning.
Cole needs help and time is not on his side. This mysterious disease has all the aspects of smallpox because some humans who have had the smallpox vaccine as children seem to have an immunity, but this virus hits and kills in two days, while small pox, even for the unvacinated, takes about two weeks. He knows there is a pox named “monkeypox” but it does not strike and kill this quickly either. After three humans are diagnosed with this virus and die, the former Special Forces veterinarian knows he must figure out how to stop this outbreak from spreading before it blows up into a global pandemic.
They also have working dogs with them who sometimes saves their lives. Cole figures out that the basis of the virus has to be a form of small pox, but something added to it that makes it more viral and deadly. This story is as interesting and a page turner like the Crichton (Andromeda Strain). It is not a long story and one can read it quickly, if you can lay it down, which I couldn’t.
Part action thriller, part medical/science the author plots a quick paced, well researched novel, in the same vein as Michael Crichton. Not dissimilar in some ways to Crichton's Andromeda Strain (unknown virus/disease is killing animals and people), with a wider world hopping scope and a dash of Congo thrown in. He becomes aware that the virus has been brought to Washington D.C. and will be released on a night when special entertainment is on the White House lawn and there are about four hundred thousand people celebrating. Although he knows how the virus is spread, he and his other medical and military personnel are determined to find the virus before everyone is exposed.
The story is well plotted and quick paced, with a few twists and turns. It keeps the tension fairly high while still allowing for character development and introspection. There were several men and women involved in the plot and I had a little difficult keeping up with who was who and what their role was since it seemed to change at times.
I loved the story. I highly recommend it to all those who enjoy this type of genre. I was given a complimentary e-book copy for an honest review.
October 2, 2015
I just finished reading The Chimera Sequence by Elliot Garber. This book does not disappoint! Elliott Garber is a veterinarian and military officer. This was a chilling thriller about bio terrorism, endangered gorillas, infectious diseases, terrorists and the dedicated veterinarians and doctors fighting to eradicate a terrible wrath unleashed - by human hand - on an unsuspecting world. Reading this brought back memories of the recent 2015 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. It is such a devastating, non-discriminating virus.
This story packs a wallop and it will knock you on your butt! I feel like I've run a marathon, 5 days in a row.
The gist of the story is a research team comes across a family of dead gorillas in war torn Rwanda. While investigating what they think is an isolated incident, they hear about a human with the same symptoms that killed the gorillas.
From there, all hell breaks loose! This story reads so fast. One aspect in that, was the short chapters. Then, each chapter was broken down to even shorter segments. I have a habit of doing most so my reading at night. Winds up being late at night. Sometimes what I'm reading is too good to put down. Most of the time it's because chapters are so long, there's just no where to easily stop reading. This writing was an answer to my prayers. Kudos to you, Mr. Garber.
This book contained two of my favorite things - animals and a tight-knit, thrilling adventure story. It will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire read!
I grew up an Air Force brat and love reading military themed books. I'm also an animal lover. Especially dogs. I will most definitely be getting Elliot Garber's book about military working dogs and their handlers, No Dog Left Behind.
This story packs a wallop and it will knock you on your butt! I feel like I've run a marathon, 5 days in a row.
The gist of the story is a research team comes across a family of dead gorillas in war torn Rwanda. While investigating what they think is an isolated incident, they hear about a human with the same symptoms that killed the gorillas.
From there, all hell breaks loose! This story reads so fast. One aspect in that, was the short chapters. Then, each chapter was broken down to even shorter segments. I have a habit of doing most so my reading at night. Winds up being late at night. Sometimes what I'm reading is too good to put down. Most of the time it's because chapters are so long, there's just no where to easily stop reading. This writing was an answer to my prayers. Kudos to you, Mr. Garber.
This book contained two of my favorite things - animals and a tight-knit, thrilling adventure story. It will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire read!
I grew up an Air Force brat and love reading military themed books. I'm also an animal lover. Especially dogs. I will most definitely be getting Elliot Garber's book about military working dogs and their handlers, No Dog Left Behind.
September 9, 2015
I came across this book in Reading Deals Review Club. I was given the opportunity to get the book for free in exchange for an honest opinion.
This is a mixture of medical mystery, military, political intrigue, and terrorism.
Cole McBride is on an educational hiatus from the military. He is a veterinarian who is working on getting his PhD in Infectious Diseases. He is in the research phase and working out of an African Gorilla Hospital when he discovers that some famous gorillas are dead. In his search for the cause, he finds that humans are also dying from it. Now the race is on - not only to stop the dying but find out how it all began. Will he succeed or will he be thwarted in his efforts?
I just love how the author weaves in the various characters and how in the end they are all related either by blood, deeds, or ideology. The characters felt real to me and I cheered on the good guys against the not so good. I truly believe this story would make a great made for television movie.
Warning: This book is for Mature Audiences due to somewhat graphic violence, adult language, and just a hint of sexual situations.
This is a mixture of medical mystery, military, political intrigue, and terrorism.
Cole McBride is on an educational hiatus from the military. He is a veterinarian who is working on getting his PhD in Infectious Diseases. He is in the research phase and working out of an African Gorilla Hospital when he discovers that some famous gorillas are dead. In his search for the cause, he finds that humans are also dying from it. Now the race is on - not only to stop the dying but find out how it all began. Will he succeed or will he be thwarted in his efforts?
I just love how the author weaves in the various characters and how in the end they are all related either by blood, deeds, or ideology. The characters felt real to me and I cheered on the good guys against the not so good. I truly believe this story would make a great made for television movie.
Warning: This book is for Mature Audiences due to somewhat graphic violence, adult language, and just a hint of sexual situations.
September 20, 2015
This was a fast moving, action packed thriller, full of believable incident and dialogue that, to me, was worthy of authors like Dan Brown or Tom Clancy. The reader follows many different characters through an intriguing and incredible story with the main character, Cole McBride, a Special Forces veterinarian, battling against time and terrorists. The realistic settings, such as the jungles of Central Africa, and numerous well drawn characters all serve to illustrate a talented new writer. I found the scientific details acceptable with the central theme of dead and dying mountain gorillas, from a new strain of monkey pox that may be infecting humans, very interesting and scary as a possibility.
From the exciting beginning it was obvious that Elliott Garber was writing from a background of real experience – both as a vet and as one who possesses military training. He has to be congratulated for his commendable first novel and I will look forward to seeing more similar literary gems from Mr Garber. I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest, non-reciprocal review.
From the exciting beginning it was obvious that Elliott Garber was writing from a background of real experience – both as a vet and as one who possesses military training. He has to be congratulated for his commendable first novel and I will look forward to seeing more similar literary gems from Mr Garber. I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest, non-reciprocal review.
December 12, 2015
There are always those with us who purpose to do nothing but cause harm, fear, and terror. And, then there are those who are trained to find them and thwart their efforts before they come to fruition.
This biological-thriller has great characters!!!! Those to cheer for, cry over and, yes, the ones to hate, as well.
Based on this book, I will definitely be interested in other books by this author. It was one of those books that was so compelling I made time to read (listen to) it when maybe I should have been doing something else. :)
The audio version--one word--SUPERB!!!!
This biological-thriller has great characters!!!! Those to cheer for, cry over and, yes, the ones to hate, as well.
Based on this book, I will definitely be interested in other books by this author. It was one of those books that was so compelling I made time to read (listen to) it when maybe I should have been doing something else. :)
The audio version--one word--SUPERB!!!!
April 30, 2021
The first thing I noticed about this book is how organised and well planned it is. It is extremely well thought out and plotted. There are enough details to make you understand while managing not to water down the story. There sure is suspense. Once you actually start reading, you can't really stop. In the beginning I thought that a character was a dog so that part was kind of confusing. This book is so good it almost inspired me to study molecular biology which is saying a lot about how interesting it is.
December 16, 2015
This is a very believable story. I can see terrorists doing this. College educated foreign students assist their country's terrorist organizations to develop a means to wipe out a country's population for their own selfish ends. It could also happen with groups and persons who oppose our government in this country. The book leaves a lot to think about. People are creative, persuasive and manipulative. They influence others to follow them and their ideas either voluntarily or with coercion. This can result in disastrous coincidences. Excellent read.
August 30, 2015
I loved this biomedical thriller by fellow veterinarian Elliott Garber. I couldn't put it down! Very well-researched and chillingly plausible. Definitely recommend!
October 1, 2015
Gripping story that I just had to read. Written by a vet about a vet - couldn't pass it up! Love science and medical thrillers and this one didn't let me down
August 22, 2015
"Good narration, average story."
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes. If you like thrilling books, this would probably be up your alley. The story is engaging, but not enough so where I feel it's a must read.
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
The story was plenty enjoyable, but where it fell short is bringing nothing new to a literary genre which is competitive and over-saturated. The story could have stood out to me more. That being said, the story is enjoyable and fun, and the pacing (which some authors tend to struggle with) was excellent.
Which character – as performed by Neil Shah – was your favorite?
Probably Dr. Lars, as I'm a cynic myself.
Did The Chimera Sequence inspire you to do anything?
No.
Any additional comments?
I was given this title free of charge, by the author, for review. It's a well done book, and the narrator was good and easy to listen to. Although The Chimera Sequence doesn't innovate, it possesses a good plot, balanced and interesting characters, and was enjoyable to listen to overall. If you like thrillers, you may want to think about giving the Chimera Sequence a listen.
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes. If you like thrilling books, this would probably be up your alley. The story is engaging, but not enough so where I feel it's a must read.
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
The story was plenty enjoyable, but where it fell short is bringing nothing new to a literary genre which is competitive and over-saturated. The story could have stood out to me more. That being said, the story is enjoyable and fun, and the pacing (which some authors tend to struggle with) was excellent.
Which character – as performed by Neil Shah – was your favorite?
Probably Dr. Lars, as I'm a cynic myself.
Did The Chimera Sequence inspire you to do anything?
No.
Any additional comments?
I was given this title free of charge, by the author, for review. It's a well done book, and the narrator was good and easy to listen to. Although The Chimera Sequence doesn't innovate, it possesses a good plot, balanced and interesting characters, and was enjoyable to listen to overall. If you like thrillers, you may want to think about giving the Chimera Sequence a listen.
October 1, 2015
Such a great first novel by Elliot Garber. This bio-terror thriller left me in suspense with twists and turns I did not expect. There was great character development and the story develop at a fast, but enjoyable pace that make me keep wanting to keep turning the page.
This novel also touched on various real-life aspects of how a real-life bioterrorism event could occur with the science and research to back it up. But it still makes it relatable to readers that do not have a strong science background. I listened to half of this novel in audiobook and the dramatization by Neil Shah was amazing. I could see this novel being a great summer flick!
This novel also touched on various real-life aspects of how a real-life bioterrorism event could occur with the science and research to back it up. But it still makes it relatable to readers that do not have a strong science background. I listened to half of this novel in audiobook and the dramatization by Neil Shah was amazing. I could see this novel being a great summer flick!
September 2, 2015
Most fun I’ve had in a long time. The story was so well crafted. The author leaves characters alone long enough that I had to jog my brain just enough to make the pieces connect when I came back to them.
Also, Cole McBride makes a good science hero --- definitely should be marketed to STEM. This is exactly the kind of book STEM is always saying we need more of. Teenagers read and want to grow up to do something meaningful and academically difficult.
Also, Cole McBride makes a good science hero --- definitely should be marketed to STEM. This is exactly the kind of book STEM is always saying we need more of. Teenagers read and want to grow up to do something meaningful and academically difficult.
August 30, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed following the author’s deftly crafted plot from the Virunga jungle to Capitol Hill. He’s clearly done much research on the political and disease situation in the DRC/Rwanda, adding depth and honesty to the story and educating the reader along the way. A great read for anyone who enjoys the scientific thriller genre.
December 25, 2015
A first novel winner
Writers of their first novel seldom have the capability of developing the intensity, intrigue throughout the entire story. This one did, however felt the character development could have been better.
Writers of their first novel seldom have the capability of developing the intensity, intrigue throughout the entire story. This one did, however felt the character development could have been better.
December 28, 2015
Hope this stays fiction
Good characters and movement. Science follows current knowledge. It makes one concerned about political players of today. The scary part is that we know that somewhere someone is trying to do this.
Good characters and movement. Science follows current knowledge. It makes one concerned about political players of today. The scary part is that we know that somewhere someone is trying to do this.
January 8, 2016
I love this book. A veterinarian, gorillas, runaway virus, and realistic glimpses into government and the CDC. This is an epic work, most reminiscent of "The Andromeda Strain", well researched and written. Hard to put down, I would have finished the book much sooner if I only didn't have to work.
September 2, 2015
I have this as an audio book and just loved it. The narrator added so much to the story. I think the main character,Cole was wonderful ,caring and very unrelenting in solving the virus problem.
couldnt-get-into
September 11, 2015Story kept being interrupted with useless background, ripping me out of the story.
April 16, 2020
Fast paced thriller featuring biological warfare with a fresh twist. The manly protagonist, Cole McBride, is a U.S. military veterinarian whose unique background and current research place him at the perfect intersection to prevent a terrorist group from wreaking havoc upon the world! Told from the viewpoints of both central and peripheral characters (but don't get too attached to any of them), this is a quick and fun read. Highly recommend!
June 22, 2019
This guy knows his Microbiology.
This guy really knows his Microbiology. I do not know though whether this book was fiction or non-fiction. I sure wish I could have gotten the Ebola and Beyond book to be as good as this book really is.
This guy really knows his Microbiology. I do not know though whether this book was fiction or non-fiction. I sure wish I could have gotten the Ebola and Beyond book to be as good as this book really is.
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