Amy Rogers (1)

Even a highly educated scientist can be self-centered and overconfident. Those are the traits that led to Japanese-American scientist Dr. Amika Nakamura’s downfall from grace and made her vulnerable to being manipulated by a group of Japanese right-wing nationalist. The Han Agent is a story about Amika Nakamura’s recognition of, and efforts to right the wrongs created by, her arrogance. It is a scientific thriller that incorporates scientific laboratory methods but is written in language that most of us can understand.

Taking place in an atmosphere of Japanese culture and tradition, the story begins with the sudden end of World War II following the use of atom bombs by the US. Prior to surrendering, the Japanese destroyed weaponized biological agents they had been working on but the lab records were preserved by an elite Japanese family. Despite what you initially assume, America was not the target of these biological agents. Japan’s primary interest in producing them was to wipe out China, their historical enemy. As the story evolves, we learn that the family is set on fulfilling their nation’s historical task in order to take the Manchurian region of China and thus regain greatness for Japan.

This book should be a hit with readers who have any type of scientific or medical training. Despite the fact that I have no such background, I totally enjoyed the book. The mystery and the thrilling events in the story appealed to me and will appeal to any reader who likes ‘on the edge of your seat’ action.

Nothing in the author’s biographical information suggests time spent in Japan. Fortunately, that doesn’t weaken the accuracy of her description of Tokyo’s nightlife and restaurants. But then again, good writers spend a great deal of time researching the background they intend to use for their books. Amy Rogers is a good writer; so much so that I have signed up to be a follower of hers on Amazon. I’m looking forward to reading other books by her.… (meer)

The Han Agent by Amy Rogers is a so-so medical thriller.

In the 1930's Japanese scientists began experimenting with biological weapons, but the program was forced to end due to WWII and all notes and evidence of the experimentation was hidden away. Jumping to the present, Japanese-American scientist Amika Nakamura is an ambitious young virologist working at U.C., Berkeley who defies a ban on genetic manipulation of the 1918 influenza virus. She publishes a paper on her work and is subsequently expelled, fired, and banned from working at any U.C. school. She accepts a position with Koga, a pharmaceutical company in Tokyo. Her younger brother Shuu also works for Koga. She travels to the Senkaku Islands, near the southern tip of the Japanese archipelago and quickly Amika and Shuu are entangled in a high-profile geopolitical struggle between Japan and China.

Those of you who follow my reviews know I enjoy thrillers involving viruses, plagues, dystopian scenarios, etc. The Han Agent was seemingly a perfect fit for my preferred genres. What I never envisioned was being bored and having to force myself to finish a book featuring biological weapons. After an intriguing opening, the action in the first first half of the book slows down and the hook, the biological weaponization of a virus, is set aside for political posturing.

Now, I can suspend disbelief with the best of them and roll with the action, assuming there is some action, but it is difficult to overcome sheer disdain of the main character. Amika is arrogant, self-important, overly confident, and annoying as all heck. I rapidly grew tired of her and her whining. Add to this a predictable plot and the lack of true, thrilling action and suspense and it is hard to rally support and enthusiasm for a novel. The quality of the writing is good, however, and the narrative does reach a satisfying conclusion. I'm sure there are other readers who will enjoy this novel more than I did.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of ScienceThrillers.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2017/09/the-han-agent.html… (meer)

I’m so impressed! Amy Rogers keeps getting better. In the past I’ve likened her books to Michael Crichton’s. Now I compare THE HAN AGENT to Richard Preston’s fiction (THE COBRA EVENT), an even greater compliment .

First, the Han agent is not a person. Think chemistry.

An ambitious Japanese-American scientist, Amika, is hired by a pharmaceutical company in Japan. The members of the family who own the company descend from World War II war criminals who were in the process of devising a chemical agent to obliterate the Han Chinese when the war ended and they had to pack up and leave. But Amika is sure all that is in the past, that the family should not have to pay for “the sins of the father.” So she gets along with them, particularly her boss, even when things begin to look suspicious.

As in Rogers’ other books, the science here is real. But THE HAN AGENT is also, for the most part, historically correct. That’s what makes this book better than her previous books.… (meer)

I received a free copy of the ARC, Reversion, from Goodreads First Reads.

Initial review:
So far so good. A few awkward writing elements (like the onomatopoeia), but, overall, an interesting read. I love the diversity of characters, and the medical/science references and lingo. (Reading this book also reminds of how much I really, really miss lab work. *sigh*)

Final review:
I was well on my way to giving this book a rating of 4 to 4.5 stars. And then, near the end, things took a turn for the worst. Not that anything was wrong with the plot per se, but one line really ruined it for me. This book would definitely be Rated R, with all the blood and gore (from medical procedures and violent carnage) and the profanity (my personal pet peeve). After all, it is a medical/science thriller. So, be warned.

The characters are pretty interesting; some of them really worked on my nerves, which was expected because of the type of people they are. I guess you could say I was most invested in Gunnar, the child with Batten disease that Tessa (one of the main protagonists) is trying to help, and his mother. The others are questionable, ethically.

The storyline is pretty intricate and well developed. It's told in third person but shifts its focus to different characters from Cristo (a lab worker--one of Tessa's colleague) at the beginning, and then primarily alternates between Sameer (a medical doctor--another of Tessa's colleagues), Tessa, and Vargas (the cruel, egotistical director of the Palacio hospital where Tessa and her colleagues treat Gunnar and the main setting of the story). Still, much about certain characters (their thoughts, feelings, ambitions, secrets, etc.) is left unsaid until the end when all is revealed, or, at least, most is.

Even though many of the story's developments seemed predictable (to me, at least), some of the details are not, which kept it interesting. It also kept me an attentive reader, riding waves of curiosity, anger, frustration, agony, and, finally, relief. ...or is there true relief? Should there be a calm after the storm? After so much loss? Are all the problems solved? (For instance, what about the drug lord? The boy?) Not really.

Because of my mixed feelings, I decided not to rate this book. Instead, I leave it to others to decide what they think of it on their own, without too much encouragement. And...who knows...the uncorrected proof I received may have gone through a number of changes before its final copy emerges--one of which may omit the line I feel is unpardonable.… (meer)