Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM
![[3.5 stars]](../images/spots/2_paw_35.gif)
The Ides of March
Amazon US PB Amazon UK PB Amazon Canada PB
Ron Cutler
Class/Genre: Mystery Fiction Thriller
Writer's Showcase; 2001; $21.95 (American dollars); 467pp
Classification: Adult fiction (Thriller)
McCord is an NSA intelligence officer who is sent to investigate a disturbance on the Ugandan border. He finds a bio weapon being used there, only to have it stolen by terrorists. A sole terrorist survives the attack, which means he is the only man who could provide a vaccine.
With the help of Dr. Kate Atwood, the two are propelled around the world in a search for this one man and to find out his ultimate plan - a holocaust that will destroy millions.
The first thing to say about 'The Ides Of March' is that it really deserves better proofreading. It has an interesting and exciting plot, told with skill, but the book is let down by the shocking grammar. Commas are put in all over the place, totally unnecessarily and there are glaring spelling mistakes that could easily have been rectified had the book been better proofread before publication. In a day and age where so many authors are trying to make their mark, they should at least be able to turn out copies with proper grammar.
However, if we look at the rest of the book, it is a much better story. The characters are interesting and Cutler works at them all the time, developing and changing them. He keeps us guessing regarding the terrorist and his motives, before eventually giving us a complex and driven man.
Overall, 'The Ides Of March' is an enjoyable thriller that deserves mainstream success. The thriller world is becoming full of medical/biological terrorism thrillers, but this one deserves to be at the top of the list. Plausible and interesting, if you like Douglas Preston, you ought to try this.
Luke Croll - RAM
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM
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