12-21
By Dustin Thomason
(The Dial Press, Hardcover, 9780385341400, August 7, 2012, 336pp.)

The Short of It:

A quick, adventurous read that takes you from the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles to the ruins of an ancient Mayan civilization.

The Rest of It:

After a patient exhibits signs of FFI (fatal familial insomnia), Dr. Michaela Thane enlists the help of prion expert, Gabriel Stanton. With a disease this rare, the question to ask is, “How did it get here?” In his quest to find the answer, Stanton brings in Chel Manu, a Mayan expert,  to translate what the patient has shared with them thus far and when Chel is presented with a Maya codex, she begins to think that the two incidents may be related.

With the title and all, I was eager to read this book as I love anything that has to do with the end of the world but it wasn’t quite what I expected it to be. I pictured a riveting medical thriller with people dying everywhere and doctors and scientists running all over hell to find a cure. There were elements of that but on a much quieter scale. What I found contained between these pages was in fact, a beginning to a screenplay as I could see it in my head played out on the big screen.

The framework was all there and the story interesting, but I felt as if the momentum seemed to stop as soon as I was getting into it. Plus, I didn’t find the Mayan connection to be all that interesting even though it had everything to do with the significance of the title and the end of the Mayan Long Count calendar and in turn, the end of civilization as we know it.

However, the  medical bits were well written and did pull me in. I definitely wanted to know more about Stanton. Maybe a bit more about his personal life? Oh, and I wanted more drama. I am a Southern California gal and the fact that it was set in Los Angeles was a huge turn-on, but Los Angeles in the midst of a pandemic? Hello! That has crazy written all over it and what I got was a bit too tame.

If you are looking for a quick read and like medical thrillers that are on the quiet side (no blood or gore or oozing snot), then you might enjoy this one.

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win your own copy! Details below.

To view Dustin’s other TLC tour stops, click here.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

This giveaway is for one copy of 12-21 and is open to the US & Canada only (no PO boxes). A winner will be chosen randomly by me. The book will come directly from the publisher. Only one entry per person.  Giveaway closes on Sunday, September 2, 2012 (pacific). I will contact the winner.

To enter the giveaway, please click here.

Source: Review and giveaway copy provided by the publisher via TLC Book Tours.
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