Review: Story idea good, easy to read
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 21, 2013
The Cancer Code by Andrew Findlay had all the elements to make a great scientific thriller, a scientist with the cure for cancer up against the corporate greed of a mega pharmaceutical company, but ultimately the book ended up feeling a bit flat and drawn out.  The premise of a cure for cancer coming from Resveratrol, a derivative of grapes, is great and very believable.  The Cancer Code is "science lite" and does not delve into complexity for readers who avoid the overly scientific.The main problem with the book for me was the lack of forward momentum in the plotline as well as the oddity of the main character's actions.  Jim MacWaide is a brilliant scientist who holds the key to the only known cure for a myriad of cancers, but he does not come off as empathetic so much as pathetic at times.  He only decides not to sell out to the Pharmaceutical Company when he is urged to by the woman that he has a crush on.  His character feels uncertain, immature and there is no real motivation in the plotline to propel him to fight to get his cancer cure into the public's hands.  He just seems to flounder accidentally from one scene to the next.The author really has a good story idea and the writing is easy to read.  His style reminds me a lot of Robin Cook's medical thrillers.  I just felt the plot needed to be tighter and have more suspense, more drive, and more tension, to make this a really good novel.