Sunday, January 13, 2008

Zero Cool -- John Lange

After reading Deceit I felt the need to read some leaner books. I started with this one from 1969, another of Michael Crichton's early pen name novels that I'm sure I've said before I prefer to his current work. This one finds radiologist Peter Ross headed for a conference in Europe, where he's to read a paper. He never gets a chance to to that, however, because before long he's involved with two groups, one threatening to kill him if he performs an autopsy and another threatening to kill him if he doesn't. Naturally there are beautiful women involved, along with eccentric villains, a McGuffin, and the cops.

You can trust me on one thing: nobody other than the doctor is what he or she seems. There are plenty of twists and turns, and while it's not believable, it's fun because it's so fast and about halfway tongue-in-cheek. I'm glad I picked this one up.

6 comments:

Randy Johnson said...

I've read read all the John Langes but three. I think I too prefer them to his current work. Since Jurrasic Park, I've seemed to enjoy them increasingly less each book.

Unknown said...

Ditto, Randy. I haven't even read the last couple.

Graham Powell said...

Isn't Hard Case reprinting another Lange book? Maybe even this one? I loved GRAVE DESCEND.

Unknown said...

Yeah. I don't know which one, though.

Anonymous said...

Hard Case is indeed reprinting it.

http://www.hardcasecrime.com/books_bios.cgi?entry=bk41

Unknown said...

Nice cover, too.