Review: The Iso-Statis Experiment
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 2, 2012
Ms Druga is one of my favorite authors and she continues to entertain in The Iso-Stasis Experiment novel.The premise of the novel is isolation experiment - one to see how eight different people of varying background and personalities would react if they were completely locked away from the world with no outside contact for seven months in a remote location in Canada.  This is actually the 12th Iso-Experiment that has been run with the first starting back in 1941.  Over the years, it has developed from four men and one month of isolation to the present day of eight people and seven months.And, as a twist, the experiment is actually a game for millionaires.  Each person puts in two million dollars and receives a sealed envelope with "their" players named inside.  Each "player" is actually a random draw so they don't know who they will be betting on until they get to open them at the introduction meeting.  Some of the millionaires have played before and some are new to the game.As far as the players, you have Jake, an Army Ranger; Cal, a woman who has lost everything in the past year; Rickie, an 18 yr old stoner who has the funniest personality - love his comments and his Rickie trivia pursuit game that he develops - too funny!; Jennifer, a retail salesperson who has some unique characteristics; Carlos, a guitar player/composer; John, a recent college graduate/writer; Griff, an older deaf gentleman, and Fr. Dan, a former priest.What the participants also don't realize is that only one person is suppose to survive the game thus they are subjected to a series of mental abuse (based on their backgrounds) and other "surprises" including a "control" that the scientists running the game control.All of their actions are recorded and watched and a series of side bets placed as the game continues by both the watchers and the "investors".Great viewpoints of the action from the actual participants/characters as well as the people who are watching them (the monitors and scientists) and another character that was completely unexpected who I really came to like.Lots of action, suspense, humor, and of course, watching the characters "come to life" make this an outstanding book.I highly recommend it and it seems  like there could be a sequel (although this is a stand alone book with all of the endings neatly tied together so you aren't left hanging) - if so, I can't wait to read it!