The Satan Bug

by Alistair MacLean and Ian [pseud. For Alistair MacLean] Stuart

Book Overview

Gripping and tense story of secret agents, even more secret government facilities, and a deadly virus, from the acclaimed master of action and suspense.Mordon Chemical Research Centre: an ultra top... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• ISBN: B000P1PIV0
• Release Date: November 1970
• Publisher: Fawcett Gold Medal Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Good Job Overall

Maclean hardly needs my praise, but I must say that only a writer of his caliber could take this tired old theme and actually make it interesting, even a thriller!

The Shattering Rains

The Satan Bug is Alistair MacLean's ninth novel originally published in 1962 under the pseudonym Ian Stuart (Stuart was MacLean's middle name). While he made no effort to change his style of writing, MacLean surprised me greatly as to how different the majority of the narrative was handled. Pierre Cavell is blind in the left eye and has a bad leg. Such a character is dramatically set-up for MacLean's milieu: a flawed (in this case, physically) hero who fights against all odds but consistently treads the tides of tribulation. The Satan Bug is different from the formulas used in the previously published Night Without End, Fear Is the Key, and The Golden Rendezvous. MacLean chooses a route that is extremely reminiscent of an Agatha Christie detective novel. Mr. Cavell is brought in by the Mordon Microbiological Research Establishment to investigate the murder of a scientist and the theft of several ampoules of two deadly viruses, botulinus and the laboratory-conceived, indestructible Satan Bug, a derivative of the poliovirus. A saltspoon's worth of the latter virus will effectively wipe out all of Britain in a week. There is no vaccine for it. With these phials of unstoppable power, a mad "environmentalist" threatens the country's population unless Mordon is razed to the ground. MacLean effectively portrays the asinine but inevitable enterprise of germ warfare, but his description of the laboratories and their safety procedures frightened me more than the threat of stolen viruses. Those who have read Mount Dragon or The Hot Zone, to name a few popular titles, will consider several pages of The Satan Bug to be poorly researched in conception. Another unfortunate approach is the tedious and drawn-out interrogation between Cavell and the employees of Mordon. MacLean intersperses a few brief scenes of conflict between Cavell and his antagonists or superiors, but overall the detective work is unlike any of the novels written during the 1955 - 1971 period. That said, the last three chapters (and the first chapter as well) are classic MacLean. Good, quick plotting, suspense, angry characters versus mildly calm and humorous characters, and plenty of atmosphere: in this case, pouring rain. Despite my overall slight disappointment with the writing, there were two poetic sentences MacLean threw in that really stood out: "Somebody with super-chilled icicles in lieu of fingers started playing Rachmaninoff up and down my spinal column" (190) and "[...] making no more sound than the moonlight shadow of a drifting snowflake (201)." I read the 1962 Fawcett Gold Medal edition.

The Satan Bug

In the book the Satan Bug by Alistar McLean, scientists have developed a virus that can wipe out the entire population by just putting a spoonful into the air. Pierre Cavell, a private dective, was visited by Inspector Martin who informed him that Neil Clandon had been murdered while on his watch. Dr. Baxter was also missing. Cavell went to Mordon, the place where all the labs are. There he meets Colonel Weybridge, Inspector Wylie and General Cliveden. When Cavell goes outside he discovers that the fence surrounding Mordon had been cut. In E block Cavell discovers that Clandon had been poisoned by a butterscotch candy. Before Cavell goes into his lab Dr. Gregori takes him and Inspector Hardanger to the side and explains to them what the Satan Bug is. Cavell puts on protective clothing and goes in anyway. He finds Dr. Baxter laying on the floor, dead. Dr. Gregori walks over to the cabinet where the Satan Bug is kept, only to find it was missing. After analyzing the clues Hardanger believes that Dr. Baxter checked out the night he was murdered and then returned later cutting the hole in the fence. Cavell went to interview Tom Hartnell and found out that Hartnell got a call from a guy in Alfringham to meet him but when Hartenll arrived no one was there. Cavell figures out it was Tuffnell, an attorney that was also a money lender. When Cavell went to leave he went into Hartnell's barn and found dried red mud on his scooter, a hammer and a pair of newly cleaned pliers. The General informs Cavell that Bryson and Chipperfield's two daughters were kidnapped so they would help in the break end. Cavell thinks that someone broke out of Mordon, not in. Eric Chessingham becomes a bit suspect due to all the lies he told. On his way back to the hotel Cavell is knocked out by someone in his car. When Cavell wakes up he's in a cellar tied up. After a few minutes he gets free he gets out. A few hours later an Army car picks him up on the stranded road. The General informs him that someone wrote a letter saying he would give a demonstration proving a) he had the viruses and b) he was willing to use them. And he said that the hammer and pliers that were found in Hartnell's barn was used in the break in. After learning this Cavell decides to become Inspector Gibson of the Metropolitan police so the kidnappers don't know that Cavell got away. Hartnell and his wife are arrested for accessory to a crime. Another call came but it came to Cavell's wife Mary, saying that if the investigation wasn't stopped by 6 pm she would receive Cavell's ears in the mail. And he gave her the true identity of the General. After hearing this Cavell knows time is running out. And he knew who he had to talk to. Cliveden was the only person who knew the Genereal's identity. Cavell learns that Dr. Alexander MacDonald is behind it all. He's been a top flight communist espionage agent for the past 15 years, if not more. A ca

This Tale Has Held Up Well

When first released, the film "The Satan Bug" was quite a thriller, one of the more watchable movies in the developing days of action-adventure films featuring lone-wolf heroes. The book, however, was much much better, far richer with detail, riddles and twists. Today, the film, while still interesting, has not aged well in comparison with contemporary action-adventure works... but the book still stands up, still holds its own, still commands a reader's attention and enjoyment page after page.

Excellent espionage thriller.

Mr. MacLean's characters are as valid today as they were fifteen years ago. Chemical warfare and threats to the general populace make up the theme of this book and the chase for the criminals and the subsequent ending are enthralling.