Fatal Memories

by Vladimir Lange

This riveting techno-medical thriller asks: Do we carry the memory of our past lives in our genes? Working at the Pavlov Institute in Moscow, neuro-psychiatrist Dr. Anne Powell experiences a laboratory accident that unleashes a 600-year-old chain of events that may return a bloodthirsty psychopathic dictator to power.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0976039818
• ISBN13: 9780976039815
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Red Square Press
• Length: 420 Pages
• Weight: 1.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

A Must-Read from a New Novelist

Fatal Memories is a fascinating science-fiction suspense thriller that is sure to be made into a movie coming to a theater near you. The visual imagery, particularly of exotic places in Russia, is breath-taking, and the narrative descriptions make you feel like you're right there watching it all happen. The scene-shifts are well-paced and constructed in a way that you just can't put the book down at the end of the chapter. In fact, this little devil had me up until 2:00 in the morning because I had to find out what happened next. The protagonist in the book, Anne Powell, seems to have it all. She's intelligent, athletic, gorgeous (honey-blond hair and melting green eyes), and poised to become a very wealthy woman. Yet, Lange makes her human and flawed by a violent past which makes her an emotional cripple, unable to give or receive love. The other main characters are "beautiful people" yet also multidimensional. Even the antagonist in the story is more than a mere villain; she's somewhat sympathetic because she is a victim as well. The detail and subtle nuances in this book, along with the realistic dialogue (except that nobody ever curses - what's up with that?) suggest that this first-time novelist spent a lot of time researching his story and finely crafting the work. And it paid off big-time. Don't be the last on your block to read this book!

Excellent High Tech Medical Thriller

"Do we carry the memory of past lives in our genes?" "What if there were a device that could access these memories?" "Why do people have deja vu and love-at-first-sight experiences?" What I personally like about the book is that it combines very credible science-based medical technology, (without that sci-fi stuff!) with a powerful love story between interesting characters (without the gooshy romance stuff!) Without giving away too much of the plot: Dr. Anne Powell, a brilliant neuro-psychiatrist, invented the MEG -- a brain scanner designed to access remote memories. In trained hands, the MEG can accomplish in seconds what conventional psychotherapy can only hope to achieve in years. A clash with the FDA forces Powell to leave Boston and continue her research at the world-renowned Pavlov Institute in Moscow. There, an accidental exposure to the MEG triggers a series of dreams that make Anne realize that centuries ago she had a different life -- and a tragic relationship with a man who bears a striking resemblance to one of her current Russian colleagues. As Powell learns that the MEG is capable of far more than brain-scanning, she is forced to confront past and present, reality and memory, love and hate, in the battle to save the life of her lover, and her own sanity. I enjoyed the book and if you are into high-tech medical thrillers you will too. I highly recommend it. A good read.

Believeable Fiction

I just finished Fatal Memories. It was a very good read. I have been dragging through another book for about a month, but finished Fatal Memories in just a few days. The characters were believeable, it was well paced, the science was very clearly and plausibly explained, and most of all the story was good. Books in foreign settings, with foreign languages and names are sometimes a problem for readers. But the setting and language in Fatal Memories definitely did not detract, in fact, the dialogues of broken English mixed with Russian words worked very well, and the details about life in Russia were very interesting.

Good thriller with just the right mix of science and action

Not really knowing what to expect when I started Fatal Memories, I must say that I was impressed. It was a very good read. I have been dragging through Tom Wolf's new book for a month but finished Lange's novel in just a few days. The characters were believable, it was well paced, the science was clearly and plausibly explained, and -most of all- the story was good. Though the protagonist is American, much of the book takes place in Russia. Novels in foreign settings, with foreign languages and names, are sometimes a problem for readers. But the setting and language in Fatal Memories definitely did not detract. In fact, the Russian character's dialogue of broken English mixed with Russian words worked very well, and the details about life in Russia were very interesting. I'm looking forward to Lange's next novel.

Crichton and Cook fans take note

Technology is evolving at an unbelievably fast rate. The gene has been mapped and within the medical community the possibilities are endless, but what happens when New Age thought clashes with modern medicine to unlock the keys to understanding evolution? The terrifying possibilities are endless. Fatal Memories is an exciting, one-sitting read. Vladimir Lange grabs readers with his intriguing introduction, and doesn't let them go. The characters are rich, well written, and likable. Even the "villain" of the story is multi-dimensional and the reader will sympathize with the plight of all of the characters. Woven carefully throughout the pulse- pounding thriller, a romance blossoms. Although, I must admit, I found the "past" romance a bit more believable and heartbreaking than the present-life romantic encounters; Lange's skillful ability to write a compelling emotional story within the bounds of his thriller certainly warrants honorable mention. Crichton and Cook fans take note: Fatal Memories is well researched, and even the medical references that are fictional seem plausible; Lange manages to add medical details expertly, without losing readers. His world is ordered, well thought out, and well explained, in fact, Lange leads the reader to believe that the impossible is not only possible, but it is happening in a basement lab near you! Fatal Memories has an appeal that will thrill, enchant, move, and rivet: Medical Thriller fans, Sci-fi lovers, Romance readers, and Mystery buffs. I strongly recommend Fatal Memories to anyone looking for a riveting thriller and willing to give an unknown author a chance. Review by Kate St.Amour of BookReview.com.