Thread: Chemical/biological fiction novels.

My latest novel is going to be about chemical and biological warfare. Anyone know of any good reads on this subject? Preferably fiction.

Here are some real life examples of such attacks...sarin gas killed 12 in Tokyo (1995) and anthrax attacks against the US in 2001.

Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2001 anthrax attacks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These attacks show method and response, as well as some technical details about the chemical or biological weapons.

Like massive warfare similar to what they feared from Saddam in the Gulf War; small, targeted attacks of terrorism; or like a doomsday incident that wipes out the majority of humans? I'm guessing accidental release, like Outbreak or The Andromeda Strain isn't what you're interested in?

All Quiet briefly portrays those guys under chemical attack. You could always re-read those sections just to get some ideas. I don't think there are many instances of chemical weapons actually being deployed in battle since then.

Oh, I can think of one. Saddam gassed thousands of Kurdish civilians (if not Kurdish, whatever the group that's the opposite of Saddam's, I get them mixed up) right before (I think it was before) the Iraq/Iran War. It was relatively small in scale, but it was hugely effective at killing the targets. He ordered his bombers to drop the chemicals over the area, so that's how he deployed it. I saw a docu on it awhile ago that had lots of good info for what you (probably) need. I'm sure if you do some research on the net you could find it.

I think there were other incidents like that where a government/dictator used chemical weapons against his own population for genocidal reasons, but I can't think of any others off the top of my head. If I remember, I'll post it. And I'll wait until you specify what circumstance you need before I recommend any fiction books.

I read The Andromeda Strain a few years back. I'll have to take another glance at it. But I'm looking for targeted terrorist attacks using chem and bio agents as the weapons of choice.

Andromeda Strain isn't really applicable. It's too old, for one thing, and has to do with a biological contamination of another kind. Likewise the Stand and The Sheep Look Up, though I'd recommend the latter for reference of the results of such.
Robin Cook has a couple, Vector and Contagion.
James Herbert's 48, Clancy's Rainbow Six, Richard Preston's Cobra Event, those are readable and more or less along the lines of what you're proposing. Those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Here's a multi-episode History Channel show called Virus Empire that shows how the international health community works to fight viruses and biological attacks. They document how SARS was dealt with and contained very quickly (it's actually incredibly heroic, the doctor who really kept it from becoming a pandemic became infected and died, leaving behind a family), and they simulate how a released virus would move, infect, evolve, and all that. I'm pretty sure they even discuss the procedures for dealing with a terrorists' bio attack and go into the simulations and drills practiced by the CDC and other international organizations for such a scenario. I found the whole show fascinating and informative, and I think it will provide you some good info to work from.

Episode One: Ninjavideo.net - The History Channel - The Virus Empire: Invisible Enemy

Episode Two: Ninjavideo.net - The History Channel - The Virus Empire: Silent Killer

Flash mirror of Episode Two: Ninjavideo.net - The History Channel - The Virus Empire: Silent Killer (Flash)


Just checked all three links and they're working.

There are two agencies in the US that identify bio-chem attacks. The first is the CDC in Atlanta, GA. They provide the primary scientific role for the United States in identifying and coordinating responses of the American government to terrorist biological or chemical attacks against the public. All their contingency plans and methods of dealing with such attacks are outlined on their website. It is an amazing source of info.

CDC | Bioterrorism

The second agency is focused on bio-chem risks for soldiers both at home and abroad. USAMRIID works closely with the CDC, often sharing research information and engaging in collaborative studies.

USAMRIID

If civilian outbreaks occur, the FBI is the lead police agency for establishing control in effected areas. They would command such police matters as quarantines and tracking sources of intentionally introduced risks.

Mod -- Thanks for the books. I downloaded the lot. Never heard of the Robin Cook guy, and I'm pleasantly surprised with Vector right now. Clancy's Rainbow Six was the first book of his I read.

Doc -- Thanks for the links, but that website does not agree with my computer. You know of any other places where I can find it? Is it on youtube?

Dean - Thanks for all the information and links. It's really helpful. It's a big undertaking, but I'm up for the challenge.

de nada-Robin Cook's a former M.D., been around for many years. "Coma" is probably his best-known, was a good film with Michael Douglas and Genevieve Bujold. Medical-based thrillers are his beat.
Herbert was the author of The Fog (also a bioterror novel), Richard Preston's a good model for your work along those lines. He's a Ph.D. in English (Princeton) and does science-based (usually) articles for the New Yorker.

Hmm. The only Cook I've read is Abduction, about a group of marine researchers who somehow fall into the center of the earth or some nonsense like that and find a race of aliens/humanish species living down there. I thought it sucked monkey balls. Almost laughably so.

Never read that one, but it looks really stupid.