Parasite Eve

Can be hard to understand the pharmaceutical terms but a very emotional and horrifying story. Lots of terms that I was not expecting but along with being entertained by the horror elements I found I was learning a lot about mitochondrial Eve. I also learned a lot about kidney disorders and organ transplantation. I’m so happy that I got the chance to read this book. I really enjoyed the movie and the video game but this book did not disappoint.

I grew up playing the game without realizing it was a sequel to this novel. I struggled through the middle of the book but it really picked up in the last half. Some truly creepy moments.

I admit it. I read this because I knew the 1997 Playstation video game was based off this book. Though, from what I understand, the video game is something of a continuation of the events of the book and not directly taken from the book itself.The writing is very scientific. If you don't like getting down to the raw science of a sci-fi novel, then you might not like this too much. I love science and scientific explanations of how things work, so this was a learning experience for me as well as being entertaining. It's like you're being taught biological science, but in such a way that you don't feel like you're "at school", if you get what I'm saying.The plot of the story is great. I love the ideas behind the plot, and the way it makes you question whether or not your own body could rebel against you like that, and you'd have no way to do a thing in the world about it. That said, the writing can get sort of tedious in some places, especially if the author goes into more specific technical detail about things. That can cause the narrative to bog down a little at times. The characters, too, can suffer from this, since the focus shifts off them and their emotional investment in the story and onto the dry science of it all. I think there wasn't enough time set aside to character development in general, though I don't know if this is a cultural thing. This is, after all, a book by a Japanese author, and one of only 2 novels by Japanese writers I have ever read before. The writing style is definitely different than Western literature, so that could account for some of the issues I had with story focus and character development.If you're into science fiction and horror, especially when the two genres are combined, you'll probably enjoy this book.

Having played the two "Parasite Eve" videogames, I was very happy to finally read the original novel upon which the games were based (the games are actually sequels to the book, taking place in the US and involving new characters). Hideaki Sena's debut novel is a strong science-fiction horror story, but it might not be for everyone.This is one horror novel that really gets under your skin, and the final third of the novel is filled with many graphic, scary moments. To put it one way, imagine if Dean Koontz and Michael Crichton decided to team up and write a book together.Sena's background in Pharmacology is evident here--the scientific jargon is at times overwhelming (even to me, and I have a biology degree!). This fact will turn off some readers. As to the complaint that the book is too gruesome--come on! Are we forgetting about Clive Barker's early stories/novels and the splatterpunk craze?If anything, PARASITE EVE's release in English is a welcome step into bringing over more Japanese literature to America, whether it is horror, science-fiction, or contemporary. It just seems appropriate since many American writers are translated into Japanese, but not vice-versa.I enjoyed PARASITE EVE. It's a different kind of horror story, and kudos to Vertical for bringing it to these shores.

There's nothing-to-very-little to dislike about this terrific novel. A bit heavy on science terms (as one might expect), but a glossary is included to aid in understanding. I cannot praise this novel enough.

A Japanese classic, well translated and easy to read. Well, relatively - the one caveat being that the book has a near Moby Dick-esque level of technical detail involving its subject matter. I think that ultimately the book benefits from that level of realism but probably that's a matter of personal preference. After a bit of a slow burn the book develops into a page-turner I had to rip through in just a couple sittings.The protagonist, I believe, is the titular character, but most would probably argue it's her lover - in any case the story is about the two of them coming together and ultimately changing the world. The author was actually working on his PHD in pharmacology when he wrote the book and he makes the idea of a sentience lurking undiscovered in each of our cells hideously believable. If I have any complaint it's that the sequels are only available as Playstation games, but they are not impossible to find...

I originally got this book because i played the video game when i was younger, and im glad is not what i was expecting. Yes it takes its time on building the characters and making you see how everything works, the science of it, which in my opinion is great. But once you get to the climax of the story it just throws you for a spin than just makes everything so worthwhile.

The story, while incredibly intriguing and gripping, does fall short at moments due to both pacing and some things being lost in translation. It also gets very technical in many of its descriptions of different experiments, medical fields, and procedures which might turn off the average reader. If you like science and a splash of horror, you can't go wrong with this book. Incredibly gripping even with the flaws. Highly recommend (Especially if your a fan of the games, though knowledge of them isn't necessary.)

Me interessei no universo de Parasite Eve após finalizar o primeiro jogo da série. Ao descobrir que a história deste tinha tomado inspiração de um livro — ao qual, durante o jogo, são feitas algumas referências — corri pra ler.A história, como um todo, é muito envolvente. Macabra e cheia de suspense, tal como na série eletrônica — sem, porém, o mesmo dinamismo desta. Fãs de aventuras com bastante ação podem acabar entendiados durante a leitura da obra. De maneira resumida, a maior parte da trama se constrói através de eventos lentos, que remetem, durante extensos capítulos, à termos e atividades científicas de âmbito biológico.A principal antagonista se revela de maneira clara somente na sessão final de capítulos. Até aí, o terror se continha apenas no mistério por trás de tudo, a partir de então, porém, o livro parece tomar outro rumo, ficando mais agitado. A série de eventos que se constrói através dessa última parte é maravilhosa, pois oferece um terror bizarro e satisfatório ao mesmo tempo que uma ação frenética, deixando o leitor apreensivo.

Good price. Quick delivery. And in great state. Awesome book!!!

Solid grounded on the scientific possibility of the "fiction" related in this book. Highly recommended, especially for people familiar with science's topics.

It's really good to get some "prequel" story content before playing the PS1 game! Great story! The translation is a bit stiff, but nothing that's going to compromise the reading. Strongly recommend to anyone who wants a nice thriller with a lot of medical/biological vocab and horror behind it!

Gift for my Guardian Force