This stout volume is an interesting attempt to combine the technothriller and the horror novel and elevate both in literary significance. Its story begins at a 1960s nostalgia party. Out of the ranks of the aging hippie guests emerges an ecoterrorist who is planning to use biological warfare to eliminate humanity and restore environmental balance. Williamson handles his thriller-horror atmosphere well, is above average at characterization, and affords a reasonable amount of technical detail without slowing down the pace. The handling of ecoterrorism and 1960s nostalgia seems slightly oriented toward what the media has led us to expect of these phenomena and contrasts with the originality of much of the rest of the book--a discrepancy that may have cost it a slot with a major publisher. Exploring new directions in genre fiction, Williamson is likely to win discerning readers and deserves to be encouraged. Roland Green

Genre: Horror