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CURE, THE
by Jack D. Hunter
Forge, July 2003
368 pages
$25.95
ISBN: 0765306484


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Sometimes one small anachronism or continuity gaffe inside a novel is enough to screw up the pleasure in reading the entire book. In the case of Jack D. Hunter's latest work, that is not the case. THE CURE is a cleverly plotted thriller and a great read where one could not help, but wonder, who are the good guys in the story? Finding out is just half the fun.

Dr. Anson Lunt was an unconventional oncologist who had some unusual ideas regarding the origin and treatment of cancer. He has spent his entire life working on his personal project looking for a way to eliminate cancer and prevent it from being born. When he dies in a suspicious airplane accident, people are left wondering what the fate will be for Lunt Biotech. Did the doctor actually find the cure for cancer? It is not as simple as that, and the author creates some terrific subplots to supplement the main story thread.

The story takes us to the center of pharmaceutical and laboratory red tape where profits are of more interest that helping humanity. The author puts several unscrupulous characters in the mix making for an interesting read. Everybody will do anything just to get Dr. Lunt's secret formula, even if it includes murder. George Morton, senior vice president for Bradford Chemical Corporation has other ideas and he knows what the score is. He will act as the puppet master in several scenarios in the story where he will have ultimate control. His motivations are his own and agenda is kept secret. Morton is one of the best anti-heroes present inside a medical thriller and it is fun to see him perform. THE CURE is definitely worth the trip and it is highly recommended.

For anyone wondering where the bugs are in the novel, it involves a search the police carry inside the home of a suspected blackmailer.

"Burroughs had found a false panel at the side of the bedroom closet. In the hidden niche there were three fat, neatly taped packets of thousand-dollar bills." (163)

Due to the presence of the Internet in the story, it is safe to assume that the novel does not take place anytime earlier than 1996. The police guesstimated that there was a quarter of a million dollars hidden in the secret compartment. So, what's the problem?

"On July 14, 1969, the department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve System announced that currency notes in denominations of $500, $1000, $5000 and $10000 would be discontinued immediately due to lack of use. Although they were issued until 1969, they were last printed in 1945.” (www.moneyfactory.com/section.cfm/516)

The odds that the blackmailer would have a quarter of a million dollars in thousand dollar bills are slim to none. It does not matter in this case, since it does not spoil the flow of the story. The medical research in the book was thorough but it is the little things that count. Errors should not be disguised as poetic license. Nevertheless, go ahead and enjoy this book. One minor mistake is of little consequence; the story remains the same.

Reviewed by Angel L. Soto, July 2003

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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