Official Review: When Pigs Flu... by Jake McKenzie

[Manang Muyang]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "When Pigs Flu..." by Jake McKenzie.]

---

2 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

“In the over-crowded slums where Ali’s family tried to eke out a living, everything was shared, news, gossip, joy, sorrow, and germs.”

These words from the book ring so true, especially during these troubled times that have befallen the world. When Pigs Flu... was first published a decade ago. It was based on a blunder inadvertently committed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): In 2004, the CDC erroneously sent out samples of the deadly H2N2 virus; luckily, all the samples were retrieved, and a pandemic was avoided. Is the present pandemic a result of a similar blunder, or is this pandemic a planned one? That is a question we all have in our minds. However, let us leave reality for a while.

In the book, Jake McKenzie writes about the CDC’s efforts to retrieve the last box of missent pathogens; only that allotted to the Navy laboratory in Jakarta remains unaccounted for. Marine Sgt. Maria Alvarez is sent to do the job, and she discovers that the samples never reached the Navy laboratory. In fact, she only finds the box, and it is empty. However, her report is misread by the CDC leadership. Believing that the box of samples has been secured, they put the matter to rest. No one knows that the vials are about to fall into the wrong hands.

Amidst the fears and uncertainties of today’s pandemic crisis, this book gave me the chills. McKenzie, having a military background in the area of bioterrorism, described the risks adroitly. I was turning the pages frenetically, wanting to know whether the vials would be used against the enemies of Islam, the American infidels. Though the book featured violence and a rising body count, the gore was limited to a manageable level. There was space to breathe while the author narrated how Americans abroad, especially military people, were carefully tracked. The surveillance happened in Jakarta, Geneva, and Amman, being performed on the streets and even in hotels.

I met many different characters as I journeyed to several countries. Maria is Navajo. Talal, a microbiology expert who trained at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, is a Christian Arab in Jordan. Ali is a poor boy in Jakarta. Col. Bazzi is the director of the Jordanian National Police. The American president, who is not named, is shown in the White House, aboard Air Force One, and in an economic summit in Hong Kong. All the characters were well-drawn, and I had a great time predicting their moves, though I was wrong most of the time. The author inserted some touristy information relative to Amman and Geneva, which gave me needed respite from the tension.

The ending was entirely unexpected, but it gave me a lot to ponder. However, the denouement was slow in coming; the last fifth of the book dragged. The author could have sped up the pace on the final stretch.

The book was mostly a thrill to read, but the author did not get professional help in editing it. The story was peppered with punctuation mishaps, inconsistent capitalizations, misspellings, extra words, and other grammatical errors. The terrorists’ “lair” became a “liar,” and “no-nonsense” morphed into the opposite “non-sense.” Chapter numbers got mixed up after Chapter 26. There were also occasions when the events were presented out of chronological order, causing a bit of confusion. Some scenes also seemed unnecessary or inconsistent.

Considering the flawed editing and the plotholes, I can give only 2 out of 4 stars to this otherwise compelling novel. By the way, the title is a play on the idiom “when pigs fly,” which is used for improbabilities. Pigs do get flu. (Remember the “swine flu” scare of 2009?) Unfortunately, a number of animals, not just pigs, were harmed in the book. That aircraft on the cover is Air Force One.

I recommend this book to fans of thrillers, both the military and the medical kind. Those who have had enough of viruses may opt to wash their hands of this book.

******
When Pigs Flu...
View: on Bookshelves

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

Considering the pandemic we are currently facing, the title of this book itself had my thoughts spiraling. Your review is thought-provoking, thank you!

[NetMassimo]

Pandemic apart, this seems a novel with a potential that needed a professional editor to develop it to its fullest and proofread the book. Thank you for your honest review!

[Manang Muyang]

Considering the pandemic we are currently facing, the title of this book itself had my thoughts spiraling. Your review is thought-provoking, thank you!

Thanks for dropping by. Don't catch the flu!

[Manang Muyang]

Pandemic apart, this seems a novel with a potential that needed a professional editor to develop it to its fullest and proofread the book. Thank you for your honest review!

I hope the author cures the problems soon. More importantly, I pray you are doing a lot better in Italia. Alla salute!

[Sou Hi]

Wow, another trendy book which explores the pandemic topic. Too bad it doesn't seem to turn out well. I guess I will skip the book for now. Thanks for your honest opinion.

[Manang Muyang]

Wow, another trendy book which explores the pandemic topic. Too bad it doesn't seem to turn out well. I guess I will skip the book for now. Thanks for your honest opinion.

This book was written many years ago. I don't think the author anticipated the slaughter that COVID-19 would bring about. I pray it ends soon.

[Saint Bruno]

The topic raised by the author is an interesting one, especially in these trying times. Thanks for your insightful review and recommendation.

[Ellylion]

Sounds like a thrilling book, but really sorry about all the flaws and the lack of editing. Thank you for a great review!

[Manang Muyang]

Sounds like a thrilling book, but really sorry about all the flaws and the lack of editing. Thank you for a great review!

I really appreciate your taking time to read and comment on my reviews.

I do hope the author will be able to straighten out the kinks soon.

[Manang Muyang]

The topic raised by the author is an interesting one, especially in these trying times. Thanks for your insightful review and recommendation.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Keep well!

[SweetSourSalty AndSpicy]

Interesting play on the idiom. I wonder which are the improbabilities in the book. The story sounds promising. I hope the author can do something about the flaws mentioned. Thank you so much for the comprehensive review.

[Manang Muyang]

Interesting play on the idiom. I wonder which are the improbabilities in the book. The story sounds promising. I hope the author can do something about the flaws mentioned. Thank you so much for the comprehensive review.

And thank you so much for your thoughtful comments.