Invasion by Robin Cook

I got this book through the LunchTime Brown Bag initiative at Clementi Public Library. Basically, on weekdays between the hours of 11am - 2pm, you can pop down to the library, pick a 'brown bag' with a mystery book inside and borrow it. I think it's a fantastic initiative that should be copied by other libraries, since it exposes readers to books they might not normally read. Of course, the converse is true, and you could end up getting a book you really hate.

Well, I would say my first attempt at the brown bag worked really well (I even resisted the temptation to peek before borrowing). I got the book "Invasion" by Robin Cook.

The basic premise of the story is that aliens have invaded mankind - through a virus. After a short flu, it turns people into what can be called (and is called) the "alien consciousness", where they work together for the collective good and to save the planet. Sorry to those who have a chronic condition like Diabetes, you'd die from the flu (which essentially implies that I will die, since I have thalassemia). And like any apocalyptic novel, there are a group of survivors who try and save the day.

At first, I couldn't put it down. Then, when I finally did put it down, I couldn't pick it up. I felt that towards the middle, the book started dragging a bit. In fact, when I review the book in my mind, I find that it's much shorter than expected.

But this need to cut down on words is too often needed (like with me and possible everything I write). To cite one example (no, I'm not using this blog), when I was writing my Extended Essay, I once receive a comment that along the lines of how it had the content of 1500 words. At that point of time, I was at the 4000 word limit. Ouch. But thankfully, I learnt how to be more concise in my EE and it was all the better for it (certainly better than if there was no limit and I was allowed to be ramble)

Another point (a bigger one), that I didn't like was that it was so obviously pro-evolution. And not just in the preface. While I understand using theories, but seriously, evolution as fact? Tell me the logic in that we can magically gain genetic information when all known mutations so far involve either losing information or duplicating it. Sorry, but it just doesn't cut it with me.

But since the book is fiction, I suppose that in the end, in order to enjoy the book, I just took everything as fiction, even the premise (yes, evolution to me is a story that isn't true)