Content levels
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
From his triumphant debut with Snow Crash to the stunning success of his latest novel, Quicksilver, Neal Stephenson has quickly become the voice of a generation. In this now-classic political thriller, he and fellow author J. Frederick George tell a savagely witty, chillingly topical tale set in the tense moments of the Gulf War.When a foreign exchange student is found murdered at an Iowa University, Deputy Sheriff Clyde Banks finds that his investigation extends far beyond the small college town--all the way to the Middle East. Shady events at the school reveal that a powerful department is using federal grant money for highly dubious research. And what it's producing is a very nasty bug. Navigating a plot that leads from his own backyard to Washington, D.C., to the Gulf, where his Army Reservist wife has been called to duty, Banks realizes he may be the only person who can stop the wholesale slaughtering of thousands of Americans. It's a lesson in foreign policy he'll never forget.From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Cobweb: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This political thriller contains murder, bioterrorism plots, and strong violence involving the threat of biological weapons. The Gulf War setting and themes of government corruption and wholesale slaughter make this appropriate only for mature adult readers.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, no sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include murder, death, and violence (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Adult readers who enjoy tense political thrillers with far-reaching conspiracies will appreciate this race-against-time investigation.