Scroll down for the English version.Tecnicamente perfettoSono stata molto combattuta nel dare un voto a questo libro. Se da una parte è sicuramente migliore di molti altri ai quali avevo assegnato 4 stelle, non potevo non rilevare qualche piccola pecca. Ho deciso comunque di dargliene 5, perché indubbiamente è uno dei libri che più mi ha coinvolto nella lettura negli ultimi mesi. Ho dovuto sforzarmi di non finirlo in un paio di giorni e non è stato facile. Si tratta di un techno-thriller con risvolti medici e fantascientifici che accomuna senza dubbio il lavoro della Gerritsen a quello di Crichton. L’argomento è super-interessante, o almeno lo è per me. La storia ambientata nell’era degli Space Shuttle racconta di un emergenza medica a bordo della Stazione Spaziale Internazionale (ISS) che ha dei risvolti molto drammatici e a tratti decisamente horror. Il ritmo è serrato, i personaggi sono molto ben delineati e ti ritrovi a immedesimarti nel loro dramma, in particolare la protagonista Emma Watson e il suo quasi ex-marito Jack McCallum, entrambi astronauti e medici. La preoccupazione e l’ansia di vedere cosa succederà dopo ti obbliga a continuare a leggere. Se ne avessi avuto il tempo, probabilmente lo avrei letto tutto in una volta. Questo è sicuramente segno che mi sono trovata di fronte a un ottimo romanzo.La parte tecnica è ineccepibile. Questo libro, pur essendo fiction, ti permette di conoscere a fondo le procedure della NASA di quel periodo. C’è addirittura un utilissimo glossario a fine volume. Tutto ciò rende “Forza di gravità” per certi aspetti un testo divulgativo che senza dubbio terrò da parte per consultazioni future.A ottimi personaggi e ottima parte tecnica, si aggiunge una trama costruita in maniera perfetta, con i tempi giusti e i corretti incastri delle scene. Paradossalmente è proprio questo il difetto del libro. Ero al 17% della lettura e già sapevo esattamente come sarebbe finito, mi ero anche fatta un’idea di massima, poi confermata, dei meccanismi con i quali la storia sarebbe giunta alla sua risoluzione. Nonostante ciò mi sono veramente goduta la lettura, a dimostrazione che si può soddisfare e divertire il lettore più smaliziato anche con un romanzo così standard.Insomma, si può passare sopra questo difetto di troppa perfezione.La storia si svolge in maniera molto cinematografica, e di certo questo non è un difetto. Lo è, però, il fatto che in alcune occasioni l’autrice, per motivi che ignoro, abbia deciso di inserire delle scene da un punto di vista onnisciente per mostrare fatti che nessun personaggio era in grado di vedere. Gli stessi fatti vengono poi scoperti dopo dai personaggi, ma in questo modo il lettore è stato privato del piacere di meravigliarsi e spaventarsi insieme a essi. Perché ci ha voluto togliere questo piacere? Eliminando completamente quelle scene, il libro sarebbe stato ancora più bello.Ma il motivo per cui sono stata combattuta sull’opportunità di assegnare 5 stelle è un altro: il finale. Non tanto per la sua ovvietà, ma per il modo in cui ci viene mostrato. Considerando che era del tutto prevedibile, sarebbe stato molto importante dedicare al finale una particolare cura dando risalto all’aspetto emotivo piuttosto che ai fatti, che, ripeto, erano ovvi sin dall’inizio. Ma l’autrice non l’ha fatto. La scena risolutiva non ci viene narrata dal punto di vista di uno dei due protagonisti, ma a distanza tramite il controllo missione, privandoci del piacere di vedere la loro reazione, in particolare quella della Watson, all’incredibile situazione in cui si trovano. Questo è davvero un peccato e ammetto di esserne rimasta delusa. Credo si tratti di una vera e propria occasione persa. È come se la Gerritsen nella fretta di portare a compimento la storia si sia dimenticata dei suoi personaggi o, peggio, non abbia saputo come gestirli in quel frangente. In pratica ho avuto l’impressione che con questo romanzo abbia fatto il suo bel compitino preciso, ma senza metterci il cuore.Peccato.Comunque sia consiglio vivamente questo romanzo agli amanti dell’astronautica, ma mi sento di sconsigliarlo agli astronauti, soprattutto se si tratta di persone impressionabili. Potrebbe infatti essere causa di più di qualche sonno agitato per quelli che stanno davvero lassù nella ISS.Mi raccomando, cari astronauti, se vi imbattete in qualche sostanza blu-verde di natura sconosciuta, non state lì a giocarci: inceneritela subito!Technically perfect I was very torn while rating this book. Though it is certainly better than many others which I awarded with 4 stars, I could not avoid to detect some small flaws. I still decided to give it 5, because it is undoubtedly one of the few books that got me really involved in the reading in the latest months. I had to force myself not to finish it in a couple of days and it was not easy. It is a techno-thriller with medical and science fiction implications that undoubtedly associates the work of Gerritsen to that of Crichton. The topic is super interesting, or at least it is for me. The story set in the era of the Space Shuttle narrates of a medical emergency on board the International Space Station (ISS) which has very dramatic and at times even horror implications. The pace is tight, the characters are very well defined and you find yourself living their drama, especially Emma Watson and her almost ex-husband Jack McCallum, both astronauts and doctors. The concern and anxiety to see what will happen next forces you to keep reading. If I'd had the time, I would probably read it in just one session. This is definitely a sign that I found myself in front of a great novel.The technical part is flawless. This book, although fiction, allows you to get to know the procedures of NASA at the time. There's even a useful glossary at the end of it. All this makes "Gravity" in some respects an educational text that I will no doubt keep aside for future reference.To great characters and excellent technical part, it adds a perfectly built storyline, with the right timing and the correct scene combination. Paradoxically, this is precisely a flaw of the book. I was at 17% of reading, and I knew exactly how it would end, I had also made a rough idea, later confirmed, about the mechanisms by which the story would come to its resolution. Despite this, I really enjoyed reading, proof that you can satisfy and entertain even the most sly reader with such standard a novel.In short, you can almost neglect this flaw of too much perfection.The story takes place in a very cinematic way, and certainly this is not a defect. It is so, however, the fact that in some occasions the author, for reasons unknown to me, has decided to include scenes from an omniscient point of view to show events that no character was able to see. The same facts are then discovered by the characters, but in this way the reader has been deprived of the pleasure to get astonished and scared with them. Why has she wanted to deny this pleasure to us? By completely eliminating those scenes, the book would have been even nicer.But the reason why I was torn on whether to give it 5 stars is another: the ending. Not so much because of its obviousness, but for the way in which it has been shown. Considering it was entirely predictable, it would be very important to devote special care to the ending emphasizing the emotional part rather than the facts, which, I repeat, were obvious from the beginning. But the author has not done so. The resolutive scene is not narrated from the point of view of one of the two protagonists, but at a distance through mission control, depriving us of the pleasure of seeing their reaction, in particular that of Watson, to the incredible situation in which they find themselves. This is really a shame and I admit I have felt disappointed. I think this is really a missed opportunity. It is as if Gerritsen in the rush to complete the story has forgotten about the characters or, worse, has not known how to manage them at that moment. In a nutshell, I had the impression that with this novel she has made her quite accurate homework, but without putting her heart in it.What a pity.Anyway I highly recommend this novel to lovers of astronautics, but I would advise against it for real astronauts, especially when it comes to impressionable people. It could be the cause to more than a few restless sleep for those who are really up there in the ISS.I beg you, dear astronauts, if you come across some blue-green substance of unknown nature, do not play with it: incinerate it now!
Wow! A friend of mine, both an avid reader and fellow NASA contractor, put this one in my hands. Gravity was published in 1999 so I was late to this party, but it was an amazing read--and I feel safe now in adding that it's timeless. I appreciated Gerritsen's care with technical facts at NASA, as well as her accurate depiction of Johnson Space Center and the Houston area in general. Just a real fun read all-around, close to home for me, and nicely done!Gerritsen did a remarkable job blurring the line between modern-day science and science fiction. Gravity asks readers to consider the limits of secrecy that are justified in the name of "public safety." It also explores the limits of love and professional duty during times of crisis.I was delighted to recognize some professional acquaintances in the Acknowledgments, and I was saddened at the mention of Columbia (the novel pre-dated the tragedy). This was a touching read for me as our nation's Space Shuttle program, which is close to my heart, draws to its close. Heartily recommended for fans of medical thrillers or space aficionados. Required reading for JSC contractors and civil servants. :)
Do You like book Gravity (2004)?
Yeah, I just looked, and my ratings for the Rizzoli & Isles used to be mostly 4s, but then #s 6 - 10 were all 3 stars. I still haven't read #11.And no problem! If you like grittier, darker thriller/suspense, you might try Karin Slaughter, too.
—Wendy Darling
Strange virus killing astronauts in Gerritsen medical thriller...After seeing Tess Gerritsen's name continue to pop up on the "best medical thriller" lists of just about everybody, including traditional Robin Cook and Michael Palmer fans, we decided to give her a spin. In turn, we got taken on quite a spin ourselves, from Houston Mission Control, alternately solving problems on the shuttle and the Int'l Space Station, to a little firm trying to make good on an untried launch device. When the astronauts start getting sick, with strange blood-red eyes and convulsions, then dying, some difficult decisions on the ground do little to help save the remaining crew. Detecting the source of the disease, watching its progress, and agonizing through attempts {or not} to rescue the survivors, created suspense from the early going straight to the end.We can see why Gerritsen is building quite a little reputation. Her medical-thriller book list now stands at six, with all enjoying fine reader reviews. But Tess is no "Jill-come-lately" - not as well known is that she previously authored some nine romance novels as well as a screenplay for a CBS movie. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford, then later med school, she started writing while doctoring in Honolulu. Her ability to create a compelling story, make the science (including a premise or two that stretches belief) interesting and digestible, and giving us characters we care about, is what first class novels are all about. Were it not for the special setting of this fun read, earth orbit aboard spacecraft, not the most appealing to us, we would probably go the full five stars on "Gravity", providing ample incentive to try her other five thrillers soon!
—Jerry
Hah. She's suing the movie now.UPDATE:Liked the kindle sample. Will probably get it soon.FINISH:Pretty good. Lots of researched space scenes. The author was a former doctor, and there's also plenty of grisly operations, autopsies, and other grisliness. Stephen King blurbed it. I wouldn't read this right before bed. There's also an undeniable science fiction element later in the book. Not too long. You could say there's a romance element as well. Maybe Vaginal Fantasy could read it in their book club. Nah. Guess where it's stocked in my bookstore...Mystery.Remember: in space, people can see you bleed.
—Tamahome
