Journals of the Plague Years - Norman Spinrad Book Review

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Review Summaries

"This story is told by the four main characters: Dr. Richard Bruno, a physician trying to find a cure for AIDS (here referred to as the Plague, because it has mutated and become widespread among heterosexuals); Linda Lewin, an infected prostitute; John David, an army deserter and serial rapist; and Thomas Bigelow, a closet homosexual turned virtual U.S. dictator. Bruno finds a cure for AIDS, which can be spread sexually; Bigelow, misled by Bruno's greedy boss, attempts to shut him down. This is a suspenseful novel that you won't be able to put down."
Ken Norlie, Resident Norman Spinrad Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%

Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - overthrowing govt/kingdom
Repressive society story Yes
Repressive because: - controls your sex - strict rationing of freedoms/goods
Tech./$$$/Info hunt Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying - cure/disease/bioweapon
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - doctor
Age: - 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - explicit references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - a significant amount of technical jargon
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - use of artificial tools - actual description of sex - rape/molest (yeech!)
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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