Book Review: Side Effect

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

[3 stars]

Side Effect Amazon UK HC
Sandra Feder
Class/Genre: Mystery Fiction Medical Thriller
Thornwood Publishing; 2001; $23.95 (American dollars); pp 308
Classification: Adult fiction (medical thriller)

Dr. Grant Fraser had everything until his fiancée died in an unexplained plane crash. Now, his career is back on track and he is researching an amazing new drug. However, the drug research is suddenly cancelled, and he learns that it has been used in a conspiracy with horrific side effects. Can he unravel the mystery?

'Side Effect' has an interesting plot, but sadly, there is not enough done with it to make it work overall. The characters are introduced, but there is no back-story to them. The reader is told that such and such happened, but the author does not explain why, or how, this happened. We are expected to take it on face value and continue to read the story.

In addition, the characters are thin. There is the potential for their development, but it just does not seem to happen. Events take place that just seem unbelievable and some of it is just plain bizarre. I feel that the main problem is that it requires better character work and more fleshing out. She uses an interesting plot, and the actual drug transmission method is novel, but the book as a whole is lacking.

Feder has taken a leaf out of James Patterson's book and gone for the very short chapters idea, which does work, as it makes it easy to stop the book. She explains the scientific information necessary to make the book work and this means that it can be understood by those lacking in scientific knowledge. Overall, the novel has potential to be a lot better, but it requires sharper editing, proof-reading and general development in order for this to be the case. Bearing this in mind, Sandra Feder should go on to write better novels that will do well, as she has talent, if she can work out how to use it.

Luke Croll - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

Luke Croll - Conference interpreter and translator
http://lukecroll.translatorscafe.com