Herbert weaves a wonderfully chilling tale of loss and revenge in this biotech centered sci-fi offering. In the book, the main character (a molecular biologist) loses his wife to a random terrorist bombing in Ireland. .. Fed up with the endless violence and loss of innocent life due to chronic IRA-British conflicts in Ireland, the scientist uses methods of genetic engineering to develop a virus that he plans to release in Ireland. He sends notice to the world of his intentions, and releases the virus.

The virus kills only women . Ireland is devastated, but, of course, the virus escapes and the white plague becomes a pandemic. The technology certainly exists to develop genetically engineered viral vectors (i.e., viruses that carry genetically engineered DNA or RNA). Is such a plague possible? Technically, yes. That's what makes the tale so chilling. ..The spread of the disease in the book and efforts to protect uninfected w omen are described as effort after effort to stop the virus fail.