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Narrated by Mark Shanahan
Paul LevinsonUnabridged — 8 hours, 23 minutes
Narrated by Mark Shanahan
Paul LevinsonUnabridged — 8 hours, 23 minutes
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From of the author of The Silk Code, winner of the 1999 Locus Award for Best First Novel, comes another intriguing blend of science fiction and hard-boiled police-procedural mystery.
The Consciousness Plague is about memory, more particularly, how the loss of memory, in slivers of time deducted from a growing number of individuals, can subtly undermine and play havoc with everything from the investigation of serial stranglings to candlelight dinners. Dr. D'Amato, NYPD forensic detective, investigates a spate of unusual cases of memory loss and finds evidence of a bacteria-like organism that has lived in our brains since our origin as a species and may be responsible for our very consciousness.
There's evidence for this consciousness bug in the ancient Phoenician and Viking cultures and everywhere Phil looks in our world. A new antibiotic crosses the blood-brain barrier and inadvertently kills this essential bug. Phil himself becomes a victim of the memory drain, and must struggle to get the proper authorities to pay attention before everyone loses so much memory that they forget that they forgot in the first place.
From of the author of The Silk Code -- winner of the 1999 Locus Award for Best First Novel -- comes another intriguing blend of science fiction and hard-boiled police-procedural mystery. In The Consciousness Plague, forensic detective Phil D'Amato returns to investigate a spate of unusual cases of memory loss and discovers evidence of an organism that's lived in our brains since the beginning of humanity -- and may be responsible for our very consciousness in the first place.
In this latest, disappointing case from the files of forensic investigator Phil D'Amato (after 1999's The Silk Code), a flu epidemic is sweeping the nation and young women are turning up naked and strangled in New York City's Riverside Park. Oddly, several witnesses to the murders, all recent flu sufferers, seem to have trouble remembering what they've seen. Then D'Amato's girlfriend comes down with the flu and forgets that he's recently proposed to her. Later, D'Amato himself catches the bug and discovers that a day has disappeared from his memory as well. What ties these bouts of short-term amnesia together turns out to be not simply the flu but a new wonder drug, Omnin. D'Amato soon finds himself investigating both the serial murders and the increasingly serious possibility that Omnin and other advanced antibiotics may in fact be on the verge of destroying human memory. Unfortunately, Levinson's flat prose and almost tension-free narrative prevent this novel from taking off. The murders, which all occur offstage, and the victims, none of whom we really care about, fail to engage. The medical mystery, although not without some intellectual interest, is equally lacking in tension. The author also has the annoying habit of pulling rabbits out of hats. Top-notch bacteriologists and mysterious millionaire benefactors repeatedly turn up to render expert testimony or twist the arms of a hostile FDA committee when needed. Levinson is widely considered to be one of the better new SF writers, but this novel won't enhance his reputation. (Mar. 13) Forecast: The book could be targeted to fans of medical thrillers and police procedurals, though neither audience is likely to be that impressed. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Forensic detective Phil D'Amato finds his investigation into a series of brutal killings interrupted by the onset of a bizarre plague that leaves its victims without portions of their memories, a phenomenon that slowly erodes the underpinnings of society and civilization not to mention crime control. The second outing for the hero of The Silk Code pits D'Amato against criminals and colleagues as he tries to unravel a puzzle with its roots in ancient history and its genesis in the evolution of consciousness itself. Levinson's intelligent blend of police procedural and speculative fiction should appeal to fans of mystery and sf and belongs in most libraries. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
More science fiction-ish sleuthing for New York City forensic detective Phil D'Amato (The Silk Code, 1999). As a serial killer known as the Riverside Strangler notches up another victim, and a flu epidemic ravages the country, narrator Phil notices odd memory lapses in himself and others. His boss, NYPD bigwig Jack Dugan, doesn't remember giving him the green light to set up a new task force; his live-in partner, Jenna, has no memory of his marriage proposal; and Claudia Gonzales, the police officer who found the latest victim, can't remember finding the body or the circumstances of the case. After consulting professor Robert McNair, Phil infers that a new antibiotic, Omnin, may be to blame for the memory loss. It's been formulated specifically to cross the blood/brain barrier, and possibly kills-cells? bacteria?-in the brain that facilitate memory. Meanwhile, since the strangler's naked victims show no sign of rape or sexual assault, the case detectives conjecture a lesbian perpetrator. Phil-realizing that he's forgotten important details-focuses on Claudia Gonzales, even though she has alibis for some of the victims. Then McNair turns up dead-of cancer, according to his young, pushy wife Rhonda; but McNair's physician won't confirm the diagnosis or provide details. What's the connection, Phil wonders, between Claudia and Rhonda? Can he solve the case before everyone forgets the details, and prevent civilization's collapsing down a memory black hole? Some of the angles don't add up, but, still, this is a much-improved outing, with intriguing if far-fetched speculation, solid sleuthing, and agreeably baffling suspects.
A new antibiotic that cures a nasty flu but causes severe memory lapses is a great concept for a novel. Sadly, this title is weakened by the author’s attempt to jam a murder mystery into the mix. On top of that, reader Mark Shanahan is pure vanilla. His delivery is lightweight, lacking passion or authenticity. Cheesy sound effects do not help. Sirens, car engines, and similar noises will seriously annoy commuters trying to negotiate traffic and listen at the same time. M.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
| BN ID: | 2940169785784 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Listen & Live Audio, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 05/28/2024 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
