I approached Outbreak with some trepidation, expecting a formulaic, painting by numbers type of plot. Sure enough, I got it... And yet sort of enjoyed it all the same. It's setting, the Democratic Republic of Congo, is unusual enough to make it interesting, almost like an extra character whose ultimate allegiance you're never sure of.
Unfortunately, the main character is nowhere near as interesting as the setting. He left me cold, to be honest. The range of characters around him was fairly interesting, though. I would have liked the big boss of the bad guys to appear more, as the way he was dealt with off stage felt slightly unsatisfactory.
In general, Outbreak is a solid, entertaining read that carries you along at a fair old clip. But Shakespeare it ain't. Or Horrowitz, for that matter.
Anthony Addis
The Tale of the Birds