The novel by the master of the medical thriller “On Urania Jumbo” tells about a terrible epidemic in a very unusual place.
Epidemics in science fiction, of course, are not devoid of: starting with the classic Death Mask Rosssay Edgard Allan Poe humanity has been exposed to bacteria, viruses, fungi and various pathogens, sometimes natural, sometimes artificial, some from space.
It is not easy to say something new on this topic, Tess Gerritsen tries with the help of Gravitya claustrophobic novel set on the International Space Station.
A harmless organism gets to Earth by mistake and, having fallen into weightlessness, turns out to be a terrible killer, for astronauts a difficult struggle for life begins.
Dr. Emma Watson, biologist at the international station, fights bravely and gradually realizes that the history of the organism she is fighting is much more complex and obscure than she thought.
Book
Can the dream of a lifetime turn into a nightmare?
That’s what happens to Dr. Emma Watson when she finally leaves to work for the International Space Station and finds herself in a race against time to eradicate a serious biological threat.
A microbe previously thought to be harmless turns out to be deadly under weightless conditions.
Having escaped from the control of scientists, the single-celled organism continues to regenerate itself, infecting the crew of the ISS and exterminating any form of life it encounters, be it animal or human.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that victim after victim the single-celled organism becomes stronger.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Emma’s husband tries to overcome misunderstandings between them and desperately fights NASA to find a way to bring her home.
But the risk of infection on the planet is too great, and there is only one alternative: Emma must do it alone, on her own. Or for her and the rest of the Space Station…there’s no going back.
Author
Tess Gerritsen – Born in San Diego in 1953, she received a medical degree but left her career as a therapist to pursue writing. The author of numerous medical thrillers, she is known for her detective series starring Detective Jane Rizzoli and coroner Maura Isles. His books have been translated into more than thirty languages and have sold over twenty-five million copies.
Tess Gerritsen, Gravity (Gravity1999), translated by Andrea Tissoni, Mondadori – collection Urania Jumbo 47, 9.90 euros, e-book 7.99 euros.