Book Reviews of Acceptable Risk

Prozac-like drugs are being prescribed not only for their original purposes but increasingly to alter individual personalities to currently valued norms. With dead-on accuracy and the prescience of tomorrow's headlines, Robin Cook explores the perilous intersection where fame and unfathomable lucre waylay and seduce the very best and brightest of those sworn to do no harm. When neuroscientist Edward Armstrong begins dating Kimberly Stewart, a descendant of a woman who was hanged as a witch at the time of the Salem witch trials, he takes advantage of the opportunity to delve into a pet theory: that the "devil" in Salem in 1692 had been a hallucinogenic drug inadvertently consumed with mold-tainted grain. In an attempt to prove his theory, Edward grows the mold he believes responsible from samples taken from the Stewart estate. In a brilliant designer-drug transformation, the poison becomes Ultra, the next generation of antidepressants with truly startling therapeutic capabilities. Acceptable Risk is a story of quest: a researcher's quest for the ultimate drug and a woman's quest for self-understanding. Unbeknownst to either person, the two seemingly separate quests collide with devastating consequences.

Great book!! I really enjoy Robin Cook's writing. If you like medical thrillers this is it. I was amazed by what people (or at least fictional characters) will do in the name of science!

A bit disturbing in parts, to be perfectly honest. Could be a cautionary tale against letting ambition blind a person to the very real potential risks. It was fast paced and exciting and I really didn't want to put it down

Personality-altering drugs and the complex moral questions they raise are the topic of this novel. Who can be sure the drug is safe for consumers? Who defines the boundaries of "normal" human beharior? This drug has truly startling therapeutic capabilities, so how far will the medical community to alter their standards of....ACCEPTABLE RISK?

Another book by Cook providing "food for thought". The plot is not as fast-paced or as easy to believe as some of Cook's other works it was still a lot fun to read. I believe the book became unbelievable mixing the historical side and medical side but the book was still worth reading.

This book by Robin Cook is absolutely wonderful! It gives you a different look into a theory behind the Salem Witch Trials... and it is very entertaining!

Excellent read. Very interesting. Great job relating to the Salem Witch Trials!

This is perhaps my favorite book by Robin Cook. Neuroscientist Edward Armstrong discovers a chemical that may have been responsible for the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials. Genetically engineered, this drug becomes a seemingly miraculous anti-depressant. Reluctant to waste time with FDA trials, a group of scientists test it on themselves. And that's when the troubles begin. This is a really good book and raises many questions about drug safety and what defines 'normal' behavior.

Hey - it's Robin Cook! Makes you visualize what's happening, hard to put down. Creative, though feasible and that's what scares you!

Thumbs up

Neuroscientist Edward Armstrong has managed to isolate a psychotropic drug whith a strange and dark history-one that may account for the public hysteria during the Salem witch trials. In a brilliant designer-drug transformation, it is developed into an antidepressant with truly startling therapeutic capabiliteies.

This book follows the typical Robin Cook formula. I do like how this ties modern day medical issues with the Salem witch trials.

A great Cook read. Lots of adventure and a little romance.

Predictable Cook novel.

Story begins with Salem "witch" then moves on to modern times and a new chemical isolated from her old Salem home. Chemical developed into new psych drug... Strong characters and science background.

Robin Cook has always been on the cutting edge of the latest medical controversies. In Acceptable Risk, he confronts one of the most provocative issues of our time, personlity altering drugs and the complex moral questions they raise.....

A scientist isolates a psychotropic drug that may have accounted for the Salen witch hysteria. It develops into a wonderful antidepressant. But it may have some side effects. Very, very good medical thriller.

Neuroscientist Edward Armstrong has managed to isolate a psychotropic drug with a strange and dark history-one that may account for the public hysteria during the Salem witch trials. But who can be sure it is safe for human consumers? How far will the medical community go to alter their standards of acceptable rish?

Great suspense. Real surprises.

Tipical Robin Cook. If you're a fan you'll enjoy this one.

Robin Cook has always been on the cutting edge of the latest medical controversies. In this book he confronts one of the most provacative issues of our times; personality-altering drugs and the complex moral questions they raise. Neuroscientist Edward Armstrong has managed to isolate a psychotropic drug with a strange and dark history--one that may account for the public hysteria during the Salem witch trial. In a brilliant designer-drug transformation, it is developed into as antidepressant with truly startling therapeutic capabilities. But who can be sure the drug is safe for consumers? Who defines the boundaries of "normal" human behavior? And if the drug's side effects are proven to be dangerous--even terrifying--how far will the medical community goto alter their standards of Acceptable Risk.

Gothic classic plot via a medical research suspense. RC worked
hard on the historical aspect.

Personality altering drugs..are they safe? Find the answer in Robin Cooks novel "ACCEPTABLE RISK"

Another superb book

a race to capture the patent on a new antidepressant drug, how far will the medical community go to alter their acceptable risk?

The Salem stuff was interesting, but some of the characters weren't believable.

Good read; thoroughly enjoyed it. Kind of cool theory.

Neuroscientist Edward Armstrong has managed to isolate a psychotropic drug with a starnge and dark history...one that might account for the public hysteria that occurred the Salem Witch Trials...in a brilliant designer-drug transformation, Armstrong develops it into an antidepressant with startlingly efective therapeutic capabilities...but who can be sure if the drug is safe for consumers? And if the side effects prove dangerous, even terrifying..how far will the medical community go to stop it?

Robin Cook confronts one of the most provocative issues of our time --- Personality-altering drugs and the complex moral questions they raise.