I love that cover of Hot Zone too..I was in the Air Force and the sent me to Haiti to support the Army after they deposed the dictator there. Haiti had been hit with an AIDS epidemic so it was surreal to read The Hot Zone there.
Years, later I read Demon in the Freezer. There was no way to duplicate the terror of the first book but man, that book is still worth reading. Preston really knows how to get under your skin when he writes about how viruses can turn your organs into mush. In Demon, he describes how god awful the Smallpox was and how it was an agonizing death for so many millions over the centuries..and there was nothing you could do once you contracted it..there's also a heroic section where he describes how WHO decided to eradicate smallpox from the planet earth, they have done humanity a great service. The rest of the book is still good but there was so much going on with terrorism and the anthrax attacks around that time that the book kinda gets lost. He probably could have written 2 small books; one on smallpox, the other on anthrax, which would have been a lot more successful. I didn't really know what smallpox was, it was your worst nightmare that's for sure.
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PrimeMinisterX (8859)
6 years ago
You know, that's what I've heard, that the book is less focused than The Hot Zone, and that Preston seems less sure of exactly where he wants to go with the story.
But it sounds like it's still worth the read, so I'm sure I will pick it up at some point. I really can't say I know much about smallpox.
Are you watching the mini-series on Nat Geo?
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ebhaynz (3761)
6 years ago
It's definitely worth the read..from what I remember the author, Richard Preston, had released a fictional virus book called Cobra Event in 98 but I'm not a fiction reader at all, except for Stephen King in the early 80's. I will say I give the guy credit he took his time writing books and wrote about disparate subjects before and after he found his virus thriller niche. Funny, I never even tried watching Outbreak, I think I would have if they had made a super scary gross out thriller but it turned into more of a humdrum typical Hollywood affair. They're smart to go back to the source material and make this min-series. I've got to finish Catch-22 and then Chernobyl and then I'll watch Hot Zone. Honestly, this is the first time in years I'm watching any TV besides Dateline and 48 Hours, the entertainment well has been dry for so long!
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PrimeMinisterX (8859)
6 years ago
I actually watched Outbreak while I was in the middle of reading The Hot Zone, just because I knew the film was (very loosely) based on the book. The movie is actually pretty good, so long as you go into it ready for a Hollywood action-thriller. The cast is stellar!
Catch-22 doesn't interest me much, but I am also watching Chernobyl. It's pretty good!
The Hot Zone mini-series has also been pretty good so far. It's certainly well-made and well-acted. My only complaint really has nothing to do with the show, and that's that if you have read the book then the show doesn't have much in the way of narrative surprises.
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ebhaynz (3761)
6 years ago
Yes, that's the problem with how great the book version of The Hot Zone is..the author is so vivid, you feel like you're actually there in Kitum cave, with the billion old virus seeping up at your feet or leaking from the cave ceiling above. The movie or TV version can't really compete if you've read the book; it's like you've already been on the scariest roller coaster ever and can't be bothered riding a merry go round.
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