Genre: Thriller
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After several seasons of watching The Big Bang Theory, I realize that the Science world is definitely a competitive one. The show’s humor serves to lighten the intensity, but striving to be tops in your field just goes with the territory.
There is little humor in Geoffrey Cooper’s first novel, The Prize, but there is definitely competition. The book begins at a celebratory event honoring Eric Prescott’s Lasker Award for his research of Alzheimer’s Disease. The Lasker Award has been presented annually since 1945, and it is sometimes referred to as “America’s Nobel.” Prescott is proud of his award, but it is the true Nobel Prize that he is after, and he intends to let nothing (or no one) stand in his way.
We are soon introduced to Pam Weller, whose work in the field certainly puts her in contention for the prestigious award. Pam is interested in making a difference in the world of medicine, while Eric is interested in the fame that goes with discovery. When one of Pam’s postdocs, Holly Singer, joins up with Eric to claim Pam’s breakthrough as their own, the thriller aspect of this book begins.
The book is interesting, for the most part, and it is easy enough to understand, even though it is the first novel written by Cooper, who is a scientific researcher himself and has had several scientific books published already. I found his characterization fine for the most part, but I would have liked to feel a bit more connection with the main characters.
I don’t want to include any spoilers, but I will say that there or moments of suspense in this well presented tale that drops little scientific facts to the reader as the story progresses. It will be a good beginning to your 2018 reading collection.
- Beverly
Publisher - BookBaby
Date of Publication - January 15, 2018
There is little humor in Geoffrey Cooper’s first novel, The Prize, but there is definitely competition. The book begins at a celebratory event honoring Eric Prescott’s Lasker Award for his research of Alzheimer’s Disease. The Lasker Award has been presented annually since 1945, and it is sometimes referred to as “America’s Nobel.” Prescott is proud of his award, but it is the true Nobel Prize that he is after, and he intends to let nothing (or no one) stand in his way.
We are soon introduced to Pam Weller, whose work in the field certainly puts her in contention for the prestigious award. Pam is interested in making a difference in the world of medicine, while Eric is interested in the fame that goes with discovery. When one of Pam’s postdocs, Holly Singer, joins up with Eric to claim Pam’s breakthrough as their own, the thriller aspect of this book begins.
The book is interesting, for the most part, and it is easy enough to understand, even though it is the first novel written by Cooper, who is a scientific researcher himself and has had several scientific books published already. I found his characterization fine for the most part, but I would have liked to feel a bit more connection with the main characters.
I don’t want to include any spoilers, but I will say that there or moments of suspense in this well presented tale that drops little scientific facts to the reader as the story progresses. It will be a good beginning to your 2018 reading collection.
- Beverly
Publisher - BookBaby
Date of Publication - January 15, 2018
