The Gemini Virus    by Wil Mara Order:  USA  Can Forge, 2012 (2012) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Wil Mara's The Gemini Virus is a disturbingly plausible account of the outbreak and spread of a horrific new lethal disease in the United States. Those infected die terribly within four days and the disease spreads alarmingly fast through small town America, hitting first responders the hardest. The story is told from several points of view. Mara portrays the victims going about their everyday lives and catching this new plague in so doing. We ride along with CDC epidemiologist, Dr. Michael Beck, and his protegée Cara Porter, as they rush to the epicenter of the initial outbreak. There Michael analyses patterns, in order to track down the source of the disease, while Cara works with a research team in search of an antiviral. Michael is haunted by his past experience of an Ebola outbreak in the Congo, the details of which are eventually revealed to the reader. Another major story thread follows an ordinary family in New Jersey. Dennis and Andi Jensen watch news of the outbreak with alarm, especially as cases show up in their small town and move closer and closer to their own neighborhood. Finally, after an act of violence on their property, they pack up and flee with their two small children and the beloved family dog to an isolated mountain cabin. They are almost turned back by emergency officials, but make it, only to find that their nightmare is not over. Finally the fact that symptoms of the disease present like hemorrhagic smallpox raises government suspicion of a terrorist act. And this appears to be confirmed when an infected terrorist is caught trying to spread the disease even more widely. War looms on the horizon. Of course all is resolved (a little too quickly and easily to be truly believable), though not without further chaos and tragedy. And life goes back to normal. The Gemini Virus is a well developed story, both thought provoking and frightening. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more SF books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews