World Hunger
May 25, 2010 by biotechbillboard.com
Product Description
Vanguard Corporation, an agricultural company led by a greedy and mercurial CEO, has developed a new line of genetically modified seed products. Designed to significantly increase crop yields and resist drought, pests, and disease in the hopes of reducing hunger in Third World countries, the seeds should also earn huge profits for the firm.
Vanguard’s testing in Belarus, Colombia, and India initially goes well, but midway through the crops’ development, reports begin to emerge of bizarre insect observations linked to incidents of domestic animal slaughter, and eventually, the death of several people. The high-growth genetic enhancements engineered into the seeds have been transferred into the insects through their ingestion of the test crops.
The strains of these “super” insects are much larger, more aggressive, and increasingly resistant to pesticides and disease than their natural counterparts. As the insects become more plentiful and widespread, Vanguard desperately combats them while dealing with
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If the late Michael Crichton were to tackle the subject of Genetically Modified Organisms(GMO) this is the book he would write. Like Crichton’s thrillers, World Hunger is tightly plotted, action packed, and conveys enough scientific information so keep your brains working.
While the book serves as a cautionary tale about what might go wrong as GMO’s (think fire ants x 10), the author Brian Swain took pains to present both sides of the issue. While the agribusiness’ callous disregard for safety caused most of the destruction, the green activists also created their share of the mayhem.
Unlike many technothrillers out there written by writers with weak science backgrounds, the science in World Hunger was impeccable. Here the scientists talk like real scientists and Swain never “dumbs down” expository paragraphs to faciliate the plot. The end of the book even contains a large list of references for interested readers to continue their own research into this subject.
With World Hunger Brian Swain demonstrates that he can weave a scientific position paper seamlessly into a fast thriller. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
Rating: 5 / 5
World Hunger is an excellent read and intelligently written from beginning to end. The amount of research and thought put into this book is quite evident, and proves that this author has a true talent for writing a captivating thriller! I will definitely hope to see more books by Brian K. Swain.
Rating: 5 / 5
World Hunger is an amazing story of “what-if” as it pertains to genetically modified food. The author really takes you on a scary journey from seed development to the crop fields. Trust me, you’ll never look at an ant quite the same again! A terrific read!
Rating: 5 / 5
World Hunger is an excellent thriller that’s hard to put down once you get into it. The novel deals with subject matter that could actually be a reality in today’s world. My fear of insects makes it even more awesome that I could enjoy this book….but I did! Every serious reader should have this book in their library.
Rating: 5 / 5
Like the film “28 Days Later,” this book terrifies with the thought that the opening chapters could be happening right now, somewhere in the world. Fast-paced and grounded in real science, Swain’s book is hard to put down, and you’ll want to give it a second read when you’re finished.
Rating: 5 / 5