Sledgehammer
Paulo J. Reyes
iUniverse, Inc
ISBN: 0-595-66984-0
Fiction, Medical Thriller
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

Over the centuries, smallpox epidemics have devastated world populations killing an estimated 40% of those that come in contact with the disease. In 1796, Edward Jenner developed a vaccine that reduced the loss of life from this catastrophic disease eventually leading to the complete eradication of the disease. In 1980, the World Health Organization declared that no natural forms of smallpox existed and most vaccination programs ceased to exist.

Due to recent world events and increase in the rise of terrorism, however, concerns have been raised about the potential of bioterrorism in the form of manmade forms of deadly diseases such as smallpox. As much of the population has not been vaccinated against smallpox, this disease could easily restart its horrible killing spree. Moreover, new bioengineered versions of this deadly disease could be created to be faster, more efficient killing mechanisms.

Sledgehammer tells the chilling story of what if. The story details five days in the life of a doctor working in the emergency ward when a man dies of what everyone thinks is the flu. Confused by the death of the previously perfectly healthy man, this doctor must not only fight through his own doubts about the true cause of the death but also through mountains of bureaucracy and his own imminent mortality. The result is such a true to live account that it is actually quite alarming.