Intervention

disclaimer – i received an e-galley of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

i started reading intervention hoping to get through a few chapters because i felt guilty that my ‘to review’ list was so long. i didn’t make it through a few chapters, i finished the entire book in one sitting. i’ve seen it variously described as science fiction, techno-fiction, a medical thriller, and (strangely) as a fantasy. it doesn’t really fit into one category because w.r.r. munro manages to bring a variety of different topics together smoothly into one coherent and captivating storyline.

munro takes bees, genetically modified organisms, nefarious multinational corporations, the united states government, philanthropists, evil scientists, and more and dances them through the pages of intervention weaving a captivating story about our responsibilities to ourselves, our children, and our planet. it is tempting to look at that and think, “oh man, not another of those end of the world if we don’t change our ways stories,” but it’s not that at all. it’s an interesting, well written, and taut thriller.

four out of five stars

This is pretty much a rave review for a new thriller, with one caveat (but don’t let that deter you!).

In 2033, field researcher Ayden Walker is trying to determine the reason some bees (world wide) are not pollinating the orchards in which they live. Enter a young woman who believes she has found a correlation between these bees and a new pattern of sterility in human males. With the help of several other scientists, including Ayden’s parents, Ayden expands his search, largely through the online network of the day, which is a joy for the reader to anticipate. Unknown to Ayden, his own conception was part of an experiment, and the impact this has on his work, and his ability to do his work, is a central part of the story.

I dare not say too much more about the plot, but it unfolds very nicely. This isn’t just a “young man finds and conquers a conspiracy”. It’s quite complex, and it isn’t necessarily who you think who’s set things in motion. My main complaint is that the young woman mentioned above, who becomes somewhat of a love interest for Ayden, is constantly whining and questioning why “the people” can’t be told what’s going on, several times causing serious problems. Luckily, she’s out of the way for much of the plot, but why Ayden would be drawn to her is completely unbelievable. Otherwise, this is a fascinating read, especially for the author’s view of science 20 years in the future.