The Green Trap

by Ben Bova

Book Overview

Microbiologist Michael Cochrane has been murdered. His brother Paul wants to find out who did it and why. Accompanied by a beautiful industrial spy, Elena Sandoval, Paul follows the trail from... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765309246
• ISBN13: 9780765309242
• Release Date: November 2006
• Publisher: Forge
• Length: 331 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.6" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A Timely "What-If..."

Michael Cochrane is a microbiologist who makes a remarkable discovery...and then is murdered by unknown forces. His brother Paul, a professor at the University of Arizona, is determined to find and bring his brother's killer to justice. Along the way, he clashes with hired thugs of redoubtable indefatigability, a billionaire who will do anything to control Michael Cochrane's breakthrough, and a sultry industrial spy with a determination that leaves the other players on the stage far behind. I've got to admit, despite being a big fan of much of Bova's work, some of his more recent yarns have been less than engaging. The Green Trap pales in comparison to earlier work such as Mars, Moonrise, Moonwar, The Exiles Trilogy and even his Orion tales. That being said, this is the first work of his in long time that has held my interest relatively easily. The characters' motivations are clear, the villain is no cardboard construct, barely there until he is needed to move the plot along and the overall theme of the world's energy woes was woven well throughout the tale, was exceedingly apropos, and, most of all, believable. This account of Paul Cochrane seeking his brother's murderer is recommended to anyone interested in a very plausible "what-if." And there is no suspension of belief necessary.....

The Quest for Independence

The Green Trap (2006) is an SF novel set in the near future. The search for new sources of oil has not produced any new wells and the demand is increasing. The cost of oil in now over $110 a barrel and gasoline is over $7 per gallon and still going up. Other energy technologies are either too polluting, too wasteful or too immature to replace oil. In this novel, Paul Cochrane is a professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He has fled from the death of his wife Jennifer in an automobile accident, getting as far as possible from the events surrounding her death in Massachusetts. His mother-in-law still considers him responsible for the accident. His brother Michael calls Paul with hints of a very profitable find in his research, but refuses to tell him over the phone. Paul finally agrees to come to Palo Alto to meet with him. But Mike is murdered in his office within the Calvin Research Center as Paul is waiting at the reception desk. When Michael doesn't answer his phone, Paul leaves and looks elsewhere for his older brother. The next morning, two policeman come to his hotel to question him about the murder. Learning of his brother's death is shocking and Paul isn't really tracking the conversation as the policemen imply that he has killed his brother. Yet he remembers an odd occurrence that should prove his innocence and the police leave to check his story. Irene is Mike's widow. Paul tries to contact her, but only gets the answering machine. Eventually she calls him and he agrees to help with the funeral arrangements. Elena Sandoval finds Paul in his office and introduces herself as an agent for the Department of Justice. She questions him about his brother's research, but Paul knows nothing except that it involves cyanobacteria. Later, she flies to California with him to attend his brother's funeral. Mitsuo Arashi is a "facilitator", arranging deals for big corporations. He is waiting in the hotel room when Paul gets back from helping Irene with the arrangements. Arashi offers Paul fifty thousand dollars for information on Mike's research. He also tells Paul that Elena is not a federal agent. Lionel Gould is the principal stockholder and chairman of the board of Gould Energy Corporation. He had made an offer to buy the Calvin Research Center, but then dropped the offer and went straight to Mike to make a deal. Now that Mike is dead, Gould is looking for other ways to get information on the research. Kensington is a thug who is works for Lionel Gould. He scares both Arashi and Sandoval. Later Kensington "accidentally" kills Arashi during his interrogation of the man. In this story, Irene tells Paul that her husband had been unfaithful to her. Naturally, Mike carefully concealed his affairs because Irene has two big and brawny brothers who are likely to react violently to such news. Paul wonders whether they killed his brother. Paul also wonders if Kensington has killed Mike. The thug is also

A Great Read

I haven't read a book by Bova that I haven't enjoyed and this book didn't disappointing me. It's more of a thriller/mystery than a SF book, but I found it very interesting and entertaining.

The Green Trap

Ben Bova writes an entertaining story about the not to distant future where a scientist has come up with a cheap and efficient method of producing and distributing hydrogen fuel. A few points are touched on in this exciting thriller as to who benefits and who loses when it comes to replacing oil and not relying on it from the Middle East. A good thriller, with a few twists and turns, should satisfy most readers.