Book Review: Gravity

Tess Gerritsen, the Chinese-American novelist who shot to fame after The Surgeon, has been often compared to Robin Cook and Michael Crichton for the intricate detailing she weaves into her novels, but in Gravity she may have outdone both of them with a thrilling astrobiological adventure that reads like The Andromeda Strain on steroids.

Dr. Emma Watson is sent up to the International Space Station ahead of schedule to relieve an astronaut whose wife had been critically injured in a car accident. But very soon her dream trip to study life in space turns into a nightmarish experience when a deadly unknown virus begins to regenerate out of control, infecting the space station and killing them one after the other. As Emma frantically races against time to contain the outbreak, NASA is forced to quarantine the astronauts aboard the station, leaving her estranged husband Dr. Jack McCullum in a desperate position to safely bring her back home.

This is one book you got to finish in one sitting! As The Pilot rightly says, Gravity offers 'cover-to-cover excitement' right from start to finish, and the cogency of the plot combined with medical gore makes it a terrifying read. Extremely well researched and relentlessly exciting, Gerritsen's knack for creating strong characters ramps up the thrills as they go through crisis after crisis, leading to a hugely satisfying conclusion that will leave you asking for more. Highly recommended!