- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (May 1 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0446605212
- ISBN-13: 978-0446605212
- Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 2.5 x 17.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 249 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
A science thriller, Threshold features a face-off between Dr. Jason Waters, the founder of the DNA-researching Tucsome Project, and Jeremy Ross, a young and brilliant Ph.D. Their scientific and investigative paths cross when Secretary of Defense Warren T. Walker is found dead with gouge wounds to his face, apparently by his own hand. When Ross, working with the CIA, discovers that Waters has pilfered $60 billion to unlock the source of DNA coding, a showdown ensues that leads to an explosive climax.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
"Do you know what we call a man with a perfect genome?" asks the villain of Mezrich's first novel. "We call that man God." Yes, yet another mad scientist is on the loose, but that cliche and the sketchiness of other characters here don't obscure the author's clever handling of the issues raised by his topical theme of genetic engineering, or his impressively intricate plotting. Jeremy Ross, a brilliant fourth-year medical student, finds himself investigating the mysterious death of the U.S. secretary of defense at the behest of the deceased's daughter, Robin Kelly, Jeremy's former lover. Jeremy's search leads him to Tucsome, a classified research center in South Carolina. There, scientists have found a way to accelerate the genetic mapping of human DNA, with deadly implications. Jeremy soon learns of massive cover-ups, several murders and billions of dollars funneled into a project that threatens human life as we know it. This potboiling stew of thriller throwaways tastes of Crichton and Cook, though without the former's cool control or the latter's antic energy. Mezrich writes fast-moving prose that will hook readers, and he knows how to make science suspenseful. But an absurdly melodramatic climax featuring the hero and heroine, that mad scientist, ravenous wolves and assault by gun, test tube, baseball bat and liquid nitrogen finally marks Mezrich, who's in his mid-20s, as a writer of some talent but, as yet, of only limited craft. 100,000 first printing; $100,000 ad/promo; author tour; foreign rights sold to Japan, Spain, Holland, Germany and Bulgaria; U.K., translation, first serial, dramatic rights: Garon-Brooke.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Too Many Flaws,
By Michael A. Newman (New York) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Threshold (Paperback)
This book is flawed from the get-go. The main character, Jeremy illegally breaks into computers using social engineering techniques to impersonate others(therefore I did not like him from the start). He gets into top secret files are being guarded by unscrupulous powerful government people. You wonder how they can't find out that someone got into their computer files.His girlfriend's father dies under somewhat mysterious circumstances and his girlfriend becomes an expert in knowing that it was a government plot. Out of nowhere Jeremy is walking with his girlfriend and some of the government operatives try to kill him. He kills one and the others flee. Then Jeremy goes to visit the project that the bad guys run. How come they can't figure out that Jeremy is the same guy they tried to kill. Jeremy calls the sheriff from a bugged phone and goes to the police station. He also pokes around in an off-limits computer and sneaks into an off-limits lab. How does this guy stay alive? The bad guys' hit man is supposed to be a "gold star" government operative adept at disposing of "targets" but he doesn't suspect Jeremy and when he does, he is reluctant to harm Jeremy. Michael Crichton has never had so many flaws in his writing so I do not know why the reviewers compare this book to Crichton. A much better novel on genetic engineering was "Mount Dragon" which was much more believeable. I gave the book 3 stars because it does have some tense action and some touching scenes in the hospital with terminally ill children.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost a Brilliant Debut,
By
This review is from: Threshold (Paperback)
This 1996 novel was Mezrich's first, and is an astonishingly good first effort. "Threshold" opens with the bizarre death of the Secretary of Defense. From there, we meet the hero, Jeremy Ross, a brilliant young medical student working in the ER in New York City. An old flame, Robin, arrives and asks Ross' help in finding out the true cause of her father's death---her father being the aforementioned Defense secretary. What entails is a cat and mouse game of espionage, genetic evils, hardcore villains, and the always present evil government agencies and agents. Mezrich moves the story at a good pace, and has some fine moments of sizzling action and spooky suspense. Ross' major flaw is the "superhumanity" of his heroes, Jeremy and Robin. It's hard to believe that these two young people can single-handedly defeat some of the world's most seasoned killers, and save the day in such Marvel Comics fashion. I liked the characters, and the story definitely held my interest. The final showdown between the mad scientist and our heroes, however, seems forced and slightly anti-climactic. I also had problems with the three stages of the viral menace. The first two are obviously very deadly, but the final stage seems less threatening, although its magnitude is certainly frightening. All in all, a tense thriller, and shows that Mezrich has a talent to be reckoned with.
4.0 out of 5 stars
ENTERTAINING BUT TOO UNREAL,
By
This review is from: Threshold (Paperback)
I enjoyed reading the book. It was fast-paced & full of action -- too full in fact, it is more apt for a movie. I am not saying the story is unreal. The genetic engineering side is plausible -- what with all the developments & advancements around us. What is quite impossible is the survival of our lead characters. It was something like "you & me against the world" concept & despite the deadly combination of killers, CIA, well reknowned scientists, etc. the protagonists conquered them all with merely "scratch on the shoulder". The writer built suspense as the story progressed but I somehow got lost in connecting the 3rd phase with the previous 2 test stages. The first 2 seemed deadly while the 3rd deemed to be otherwise. On a general note, it was okay. If you're looking for a real reading stuff, you may be a little disappointed as this material proved to be more like Chricton's movie books. If you're on a more sober reading, try Hot Zone & Cobra.
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