Book Review: The Drone Virus

Reviewed By: Carol - SLC - RAM

The Drone Virus     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Gerald Clarke
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Medical
iUniverse, Inc., 2004, 309 pages, $19.95

The premise of this book is enough to scare the beejeebers out of just about anyone but especially if you or someone you know is scheduled for a routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan. In The Drone Virus, Gerald Clarke invites us into the scary world of “expert” computer systems as they apply to the delivery of everyday medicine. His own expert knowledge of artificial intelligence brings to life the ScanTech 2000x which resides at Daley Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

When Stephen Rogers’ five-year-old daughter, Jamie, develops intractable seizures during an MRI in the hospital’s fancy new machine, he becomes convinced that the ScanTech 2000x is to blame. With the help of his friends and contacts in the world of commodities trading, Rogers uncovers something unusual about the code in the computer that runs the scanner. Is it actually possible that a virus has invaded the expert system, resulting in the deaths of several children?

The action is quick paced and full of surprises. I think a couple of the characters might have been a bit better developed as I had the occasional feeling that something was missing, but the suspense more than makes up for this. The Drone Virus is definitely a page turner! I’m anxiously awaiting the movie.

Carol - SLC - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carol - SLC - RAM