THE REGRESSION STRAIN
By Kevin Hwang
Medical Thriller
Publisher: Normal Range Press
Publication Date: May 26, 2025
SYNOPSIS
Dr. Peter Palma joins the medical team of the Paradise to treat passengers for minor ailments as the cruise ship sails across the Atlantic. But he soon discovers that something foul is festering under the veneer of leisure. Deep in the bowels of the ship, a vile affliction pits loved ones against each other and shatters the bonds of civil society. The brig fills with felons, the morgue with bodies, and the vacation becomes a nightmare.
One by one, the chaos claims Peter’s allies. His mentor spirals into madness and the security chief fights a losing battle against anarchy. No help comes from the captain, who has an ego bigger than the ocean.
With the ship racing toward an unprepared New York, the fate of humanity hinges on Peter’s deteriorating judgment. But he’s hallucinating and delirious…and sometimes primal urges are impossible to resist.
The Regression Strain is a fast-paced medical thriller laced with psychological suspense, perfect for fans of Michael Crichton and Blake Crouch.
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My Review
“This virus touched all ranks and quarters. None were beyond its reach. Nobody could escape.”
The Regression Strain by Kevin Hwang is an explosive deterioration into total chaos aboard a cruise ship, spurred by an unknown virus that affects the frontal lobe of the human brain. This means that infected people can no longer control their reasoning and impulses. Is this virus naturally occurring or something more sinister?
Dr. Peter Palma joins the small medical staff that delivers healthcare to all on board, which normally consists of treating sea sickness and various injuries and illnesses. Nothing two doctors and a couple of nurses cannot handle. Unfortunately, the turmoil begins on the first day, setting in motion a complete nightmare and essentially creating an isolated, floating death trap. Can Peter, as the newest crew member on the medical staff, figure it out sooner rather than later, or will he become just another victim?
This story is not as far-fetched as we would like. In this fiction, the new virus that negatively affects human behavior goes beyond a Lord-of-the-Flies scenario because the people are regressing into primitive beings based on an unseen, external enemy rather than succumbing to their own psyche based on environment and circumstances.
This thrilling, fast-paced fiction is an excellent study on the human condition and the unstoppable will to help others against all odds. Dr. Palma and the nurses are in a race against the clock to figure out the origin of the virus and to help as many people as they can, but how can anyone stop a runaway train ripping through the human brain, turning people into uncontrollable animals?
What makes this story a complete page turner is the overall mystery of this new virus. Dr. Palma is an excellent protagonist because he takes on this job already plagued by his past, making him a completely flawed character from the very first chapter. Keven Hwang gives Peter an amazing character arc, allowing readers to put themselves in the doctor’s position and wonder if they could show such strength while battling personal demons and weaknesses. Peter allows us, as readers, to see an ordinary person trapped in a life-and-death situation. How far would you go to save an entire ship of strangers and possibly the entire world?
“Moving forward was the only way out, even if that meant crawling through the darkness.”
The overall mystery is fantastic because it contains elements of surprise, horror, red herrings, and a totally unreliable cast of characters. Moreover, the reader works through this deadly dilemma alongside Peter, not knowing what will happen next in this increasingly insurmountable crisis. The level of suspense skyrockets with each chapter.
If you love a good story that is both thrilling and frightening, then The Regression Strain is for you; however, do not expect the usual protective ways of keeping a virus at bay to work. All bets are off with this one. You are in for one wild ride that will grab the imagination, scare the face mask off of you, and hit way too close to home in these modern times.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kevin O. Hwang, MD, is a professor of internal medicine in Houston where he sees patients and teaches residents. His academic work has appeared in leading medical journals. Nothing excites him more than chicken enchiladas, index cards, and appropriately sized packaging. The Regression Strain is his debut novel.
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