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5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 An immensely enjoyable medical thriller Jun 11, 2010
By Elizabeth A. White
"During my career I've found leaders a scarce commodity. The world is full of managers and directors, but they're not leaders." - Colonel Nathan Zinsky, M.D.
A young man is brought into the ER at University Community Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky suffering from what appears to be a particularly nasty case of the flu. Upon learning that the man is employed at a poultry farm, Infectious Disease specialist Dr. Mercato Marcus is the first to recognize there is something much more serious going on. Suspecting a case of H5N1 avian influenza ("bird flu"), Dr. Marcus sounds the alarm to the Centers for Disease Control. Her bosses, however, are more concerned with the hospital's image should a panic ensue and it turns out that Dr. Marcus was wrong... she is not.
Unfortunately, the virus's point of origin being a poultry farm allows for its lightening fast spread: migrant workers, infected but not yet symptomatic, disperse home for the holidays; long haul truckers who truck out the season's last shipments unwittingly spread the virus at every stop along their routes; a group of global investors looking to acquire the farm are exposed during a tour of the facilities and take the virus back to their home countries with them.
The President tries to control the situation on the domestic front by quarantining several counties surrounding the hospital, but he is met with resistance from the Governor of Kentucky who sees the crisis as a chance to make a show of power for his constituents. So much time is lost to the posturing and playing of politics that by the time Colonel Nathan Zinsky, M.D. from the Centers for Disease Control finally arrives in Louisville University Community Hospital has become ground zero for a global pandemic, the worst since the "Spanish Flu" pandemic of 1918.
Author D.W. Hardin's unique background in both emergency medicine and law enforcement lends Hidden and Imminent Dangers an unmistakable aura of legitimacy. Every action taken by the medical personnel and police officers rings true, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the character of Mac MacIntosh, a former medic in the Special Forces currently working as an RN in the ER of University Community Hospital.
Given today's highly mobile society the scenario presented in Hidden and Imminent Dangers is not only entirely possible, it's just a matter of time some experts argue. An immensely enjoyable medical thriller, Hidden and Imminent Dangers will leave even the most levelheaded reader with flashbacks to the recent H1N1 influenza ("Swine Flu") scare and questions as to just how ready we are for the next super-virus that comes along.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Hidden and Imminent Dangers Feb 13, 2010
By Rick Beck
"Retired Educator"
This is a really, really good book.
The author has given the reader a carefully crafted story enriched with his research and personal experiences, understanding and unique insights into both the health community and the legal community. Not to say the least, the main topic of the story - health crisis - is very timely and compelling. It is so real that each one of us needs to pause and give it serious thougth.
The characters are strategically introduced and carefully developed as a means of moving the plot forward. The use of human foibles gives each character depth and continues the action toward the climax of the plot. I would guess that each one of us has run into some of the human foibles that "Mac" and his associates are forced to deal with, the reality of the descriptions are scarily familiar.
The author gives the reader at least 3 options of interaction with the story:
1. The author has presented the reader with a well-crafted suspense/mystery to enjoy.
2. The author has become a teacher - educating the reader about the health and the legal communities.
3. The author has even presented an underlying description of the conflict between good and evil. The 2 interpretations of "the blood of the Lamb" give the reader much to think about.
All in all, the author has been a master at creating a large, complex jig saw puzzle of detail, characters, actions, insights and some mystery into a quickly paced environment that grabs the reader and keeps him engaged until the last sentence.
I loved it! I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us as he continues the adventures of Dr. Nathan Zinsky, Dr. Mercato Marcus, Rev. Samuel Benjamin Garretter and most importantly - "THE GHOST"!
A job well done!
8 of 11 found the following review helpful:
 Disappointed Dec 26, 2010
By Kindle reader
I was disappointed in this book. First the good news -- I thought the premise (an influenza pandemic starting in Louisville, KY) was interesting. I thought the scenarios were plausible for the most part. Some of the lead characters were interesting, although none were really compelling.
However, the writing was not very good and the dialogue was clunky. The author is obviously knowledgable about medicine and military matters, but inserts the knowledge into the book in a clumsy manner. The author overuses acronyms and offers explanations of each, often in the midst of a character's dialogue. I found this incredibly distracting. It was like having an annoying know-it-all seated next to you in a theater, who felt compelled to explain everything on the screen. The reader doesn't need to know the gauge of an IV -- it's enough to know an IV was inserted.
Here's an excerpt from an EMT's dialogue,"No pulse. Eighteen gauge (intravenous device commonly called an IV or angiocath) to the right AC (antecubital or the front side of the elbow). Twelve minutes since we arrived on scene."
People don't typically speak with parenthetical explanations stuck in the midst of their conversations. The dialogue would have been much smoother if characters spoke in lay terms or if the explanations were incorporated into the narrative in a less intrustive manner.
The author won't win any awards for being politically correct. Several times, he refers to Asians as "Orientals." He also reinforces stereotypes about Jews and writes of a character "forcefully taking" a woman, but doesn't seem to think that constitutes rape.
There were several grammar errors and mis-used words, as well as big holes in the plot.
He also has an irritating habit of linking sentences unneccesarily by "with." For example: "The doctors' workstation had eight computer monitors and keyboards on counters with various medical texts scattered on the counters." The sentence would have worked better as two sentences: "The doctors' workstation had eight computer monitors and keyboards. Several medical texts were scattered on the counters." He uses this odd construction repeatedly, often in two or three consecutive sentences. Some readers may not be bothered by this, but it really annoyed me.
Bottom line: interesting premise, but needed a thorough editing before publishing.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A Skillful Weave Feb 21, 2012
By Candace Barron
Once I began reading "Hidden and Imminent Dangers", I couldn't put it down. He is able to take a believable premise of a pandemic and mix it with politics, law enforcement and a little theology thrown in for good measure. The medical part of the story was absolutely believable even to some of the mistakes that led to the death of certain characters, acting like normal humans and forgetting to follow safety procedures.
As an ex-military person, who is also a clergy person. The military portion of the story also rings true. The theological aspect of the story could actually have morphed into a completely new book about the possible evils of religion when used to satisfy one's own sick and twisted desires. I could truly see the crazy cult leader "ordering" the death of Samuel "The Reverend" but not actually trying to do it personally.
The growth of this author as a writer is very evident in this body of work. I cannot wait to read the next book he writes, it is sure to be even better.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Doug Hardin's writing is contagious!! Jul 24, 2011
By CK Webb
"CK Webb"
Mac Macintosh is an ER nurse in a large Louisville, Kentucky hospital when he is tossed into the center of an Avian flu pandemic of biblical proportions. Together with infectious disease specialist Dr. Mercato Marcus, the two fight not only to contain the mutant strain of Avian flu, but to save the people being affected by it. Meanwhile government entities clash over jurisdiction, allowing the disease to spread like wildfire while the U.S. becomes a vulnerable target for its enemies.
Hidden And Imminent Dangers is a horrifying glimpse into the possible. It is your worst nightmare come true. D.W. Hardin has written a consuming and realistic novel that allows the reader to see frightening possibilities in the world we live in. Along the way he gives you a shocking glance into the sometimes villainous inner workings of those in positions of authority. Hidden And Imminent Dangers also offers up a protagonist who gives the reader hope in the strength of mankind.
I enjoyed this book tremendously. Hardin has touched on a subject that we have all thought about and he has done so in an informative and descriptive manner which places the reader head-long into the center of the catastrophe. It is for this very reason I am giving Hidden And Imminent Dangers a 4-star rating.
Pick up this apocalyptic novel but BEWARE...D.W. Hardin's writing is CONTAGIOUS!
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