Cook in Crisis! :)

LOL...That is easily one of the lamest titles I have ever seen! :)

So here's the deal. When I got my hands on a Robin Cook book after a gap of 4 years, I would be lying if I said I was happy..Because, I was ecstatic..Robin Cook was probably never the best author on earth, and most definitely, not a winner of awards, but it worked for me back then. And so running into his latest book sent my adrenaline into a tizzy, taking me back to those days of confused young minds, debating how to sneak in a book in between hectic coaching classes and teachers driving poor minds crazy! I would be understating if I said I liked Robin Cook..I loved Robin Cook, and I had in fact set the indelible record of reading each and every one of his books, till of course, he decided to write one more. And so I had to read Crisis.

Crisis is a fast paced story set in the suburbs of Boston. The lead protagonist, Dr. Craig Bowman is a hard working dedicated medical practitioner, caught in an increasingly deepening web of expectations and performance, that all medical professionals face. When he is slapped with malpractice lawsuit, a question is raised on his very style of practice - the Concierge Medical Practice. It is up to his brother-in-law, Jack Stapleton to come up with innovative ways of defending him. Jack is a medical examiner from New York, who through his "out-of-the-box" thinking, tries to save the day.

Here's what I liked about the book, apart from the fact that I was reading a Robin Cook after a long time. The book is fast paced, engrossing, with an interesting mix of characters. Craig with his narcissistic attitude, presents the picture of a true medical professional, many of whom deal with these type of troubles. Alexis, plays the role of a perfect wife and a good psychologist at the same time. Jack Stapleton as always is lovable, intelligent and inventive. I also loved the fact that Cook managed deal many complex issue in a relatively simple manner. The issues of Concierge Medicine Vs Traditional fee for practice medicine, insurance companies interfering in the traditional patient-doctor relation, personal gain Vs patient rights, etc are issues that exist in a real human society, and need addressing. Through the arguments of the Defence lawyer and the insurance company attorney, Cook cleverly shows both sides of many issues.

But, I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. After having read some 20 odd Robin Cook books, I was expecting something fresh, something that would not always end in the same way (I won't tell you which way, but if you have read as many Cooks as me, you can easily guess!). It goes without saying that Robin Cook is the undisputed winner in his genre of medical thrillers. After writing so many novels, it is imperative for him to become slightly repetitive. It would have been much more worth praise, if he could have actually managed to break out of his usual style and come up with an ending that would have left readers gasping for more. The other aspect that bothered me was Jack Stapleton. Lovable though he is, Cook has to invent more characters to take his stories forward. Jack cannot always be leaned on to make a story interesting. Unlike his peers like Arthur Hailey and Sheldon, Robin Cook has the privilege of actually living in the time when people are reading his works. He should take more advantage of that and include more elements of everyday life of the 21st Century. He seems to be trying hard to break away from the traditional, but barely manages to do so.

All in all, a great Airport buy! Also a good read for someone who has not read too many of Robin Cook books..I am definitely keeping away from this genre for a while now..!;)