An intelligent and surprising nail-biter…
Cole weaves a compulsively readable tale of scientific intrigue, sinister conspiracies, murder, and mayhem in his stand-alone latest. The brilliant scientist Ethan Hendersen is struggling to come to terms with his anger and shock after the funds for his ambitious and promising research project on gene conversion are slashed to make room for a new project. But Ethan soon finds a sympathizer in the lovely Amelia Holt, his colleague at the lab, and the two continue to work in secret on the project. Things change when the pair is hired by the enigmatic Stefano Croce to develop a treatment to eliminate the human ego. With Stefano having his own sinister agenda, the scientists soon become embroiled in an international conspiracy. The pacing remains swift, the prose is assured, and an electric series of startling twists and relentless revelations heighten the suspense. Meticulously researched, the novel’s detailed descriptions of life in the aftermath of ego cluster revolution ring true, and the progress of the breakout is satisfying. Cole is excellent when it comes to characterization. he describes his characters’ life in discrete pieces, each revealing a bit more about their desires, ambitions, individual struggles, and fears. At times, the narrative stretches believability just short of the breaking point, but Cole is skilled when it comes to integrating medical details into a taut and troubling thrilling story. Along the way, Cole brings to his story a passionate concern for climate change, religious wars, and economic inequalities. This scalding examination of science and ethics, in which unanticipated welfare concerns go tragically unnoticed, makes for a page turner. Cole is definitely a writer to watch.
The Ego Cluster
They discovered the genes that define us all…
By Robert Cole
Pub date June 30, 2021
ISBN 979-8529261248
Price $13.99 (USD) Paperback, $2.99 Kindle edition
