"The Judas Strain"

After plowing through Wolf Hall for two weeks, I knew it was time for a fun read. I read a Lisa Gardner thriller in a day, but it just didn't do much for me. Then I picked up The Judas Strain by James Rollins. Wow.
My disclaimer for this book is that it is probably a lot of silly nonsense--especially if you have a medical or scientific background. Having said that, I really enjoyed and had fun reading this thriller.
"The Judas Strain" refers to a strain of bacteria that turns friendly, everyday bacteria into something that can devour and kill you. This bacteria, first noted in the time of Marco Polo, has arisen again and threatens the world. The Sigma Team, a group of trained "good" scientists, is racing against The Guild--the bad guys--to control the disease and find a cure.
This novel speeds from Sumatra, to Washington D.C., to Italy, to Turkey, and to Cambodia. It's exciting and entertaining, and I had trouble putting it down. It seems to be a combination of the medical intrigue of a Michael Crichton book and the race for information of a Dan Brown book. Whether the science is accurate or not, I enjoyed the drama of it all.