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Petroplague
- Narrated by: Jeff Bower
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
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Summary
What if bacteria turned all the gasoline in Los Angeles into vinegar? Carmageddon doesn't begin to describe it; Petroplague does.
UCLA graduate student Christina Gonzalez wanted to use biotechnology to free America from its dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Instead, an act of eco-terrorism unleashes her genetically-modified bacteria into the fuel supply of Los Angeles, making petroleum useless. With the city paralyzed and slipping toward anarchy, Christina must find a way to rein in the microscopic monster she created. But not everyone wants to cure the petroplague - and some will do whatever it takes to spread it.
From the La Brea Tar Pits to university laboratories to the wilds of the Angeles National Forest, Christina and her cousin River struggle against enemies seen and unseen to stop the infection before it's too late.
Set in the mountain-ringed Los Angeles basin, this terrifyingly plausible science thriller about good intentions, unexpected consequences, Peak Oil, climate change, experimental biofuels, and the astonishing power of microorganisms will give you pause every time you fill up your car.
What listeners say about Petroplague
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- Tatiana
- 09-02-13
Original with few rough edges, more please!
I found this book looking for something to read after Suarez' Kill Decision, and as such, I found it suitable and enjoyable.
The premise seems original and interesting, and the characters become more likable and less prone to making the reader despair as the story moves along and they accept the situation and its gravity. Petroplague makes good use of my beloved LA and gives you the feeling it couldn't easily have been set "wherever." There are a few occasions where between natural flow of narration / dialog and cramming in as much info as possible, the author seems to choose the latter, but since it's interesting information, I can live with that. My only criticism would be that the helicopter pilot should possibly have been a separate character (phrased this way to avoid spoilers); the way it stands feels a bit forced.
Interestingly, one thing that occurred to me was that the body count seemed so low for the genre that the story could almost pass for YA/children's. (An observation, not necessarily a criticism.)
From a feminist viewpoint, we get a competent heroine, and none of the important characters bore us with sexist dialog. SPOILERS: There is no sexual assault, but the threat thereof is implied at various points as order in the LA basin deteriorates. Your call whether you find that to be triggering, or interfering with your enjoyment / relaxation.
The reader is OKish, but I prefer other male readers' renditions of female voices.
I expect to buy more books from this author if and when they become available as audiobooks.
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