A typically challenging, substantial and yet rapid read, 23 Nov 2008
I've read all of Crichton's novels except for this. The man died a few days ago and that prompted me to pick this off my shelf after a few years in waiting. It is his most controversial novel, casting serious doubts over the validity of scientific claims about global warming and the many claims of environmental groups.

It is one of Crichton's better novels. He uses multiple plot lines that coalesce quickly to resolve themselves into a pacey and driven narrative. There is less of a science lesson up front than Crichton often feeds us - this is broken down into chunks throughout the novel so that the thriller element takes its grip early.

Crichton's characters are usually fairly two-dimensional and this is no exception. Intelligent, educated, white, middle class with little depth and no family or emotional background - they seem to be miniaturised versions of him, there to articulate a position or argument. He shares that trait with English master John Wyndham a man whose novels I feel often have characteristics in common with Crichton's. Having said that, one or two of the minor characters work well: the eco-actor Ted Bradley, for instance. His primary characters are Peter Evans, a rather ill-informed lawyer who is the reader's eyes and ears and asks the stooge questions we are thinking - and John Kenner, who is a know-it-all `Zellaby' character (cf, The Midwich Cuckoos).

The premise is intriguing - eco-terrorism and climate interference. I wondered when somebody would get around to this as a serious subject. Nobody is better suited than Crichton to tackle big complex issues and turn them into racing thrillers.

Crichton is unashamedly critical of the conventional wisdom, and stacks his knowledgeable characters on the side of the anti-environmentalists spouting references while the idiots and hypocrites and terrorists are all environmentalists who spout fluffy junk. It's effective, if unfair. And you have to judge this as a novel, I think, not as a treatise.

Lively settings, constantly evolving plot and information, tight writing, credible threats and well-managed material make this a very effective story. The lack of depth in the characters does not hold it back or truly matter, Crichton wants to challenge you, to stun you with the enormity of the conspiracy and to put his case through a compelling fiction. He does so expertly.

He has been gathered in before his personal harvest realised its vast potential.


interesting in parts but not brilliant, 09 Oct 2008
Crichton makes some interesting points on Global warming, regardless of whether you believe he has cherry picked his data to prove his point. As others have pointed out, the large quantities of data in the book dont mesh too well with the actual story. There is definitely the feeling that you have a normal thriller and a thesis on global warming and they kind of got mixed in the wash. Crichton tries to blend the two, but the result is not perfect.

Spoiler
My real quibble with the book is why are a large international bunch of well funded, armed and dangerous terrorists being taken on by a small group of mostly unarmed lawyers and later an actor? For the first threat, this sort of works, but as each situation gets bigger and more dangerous, the response looks smaller and more amateur in comparison. They are locating threats by satellite, observing from helicopters, then instead of calling in the Marines, SWAT teams, FBI or an air strike, they go in alone and mostly unarmed. This is just stupid.



an inconvenient alternative truth?, 14 Sep 2008
Michael Crichton's use of fear and uncertainty to attack the way governments and the media use fear and uncertainty to manipulate public opinion is deliciously ironic. If you have watched An Inconvenient Truth you might want to read this book. And if you read this book you might want to watch An Inconvenient Truth. Then we can all make up our own minds! Great read whatever your views on global warming. One of those books it is difficult to put down.... though not quite in the class of Prey - now that is one scary book!!

A readable thriller, 19 Aug 2008
State of Fear is an average, easy reading environmental thriller. You know, it's the sort of thing that's just begging to be made into a film with Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts. The plot is the fairly standard good guys vs bad guys stuff, characters are cookie cutter handsome guys and beautiful women and so on and so forth. You'll fly through it on long flight or train journey. For me that was good enough.

The most interesting thing about the book is not so much the plot or the characters, but what it makes you think about after you've finished reading it. Many people believe in global warming etc. but few of us can say that we really understand the issue in any detail and are highly reliant on so-called experts and the media for information.

Whether or not you agree with the author, you'll probably take more of an interest in finding out things for yourself after reading this book. So, all in all, this book is worth reading if you need something light and easy to occupy yourself with.

Great book, highly recommended especially for thinkers!, 25 May 2008
This is by far the best book Crichton has ever written! An absolute page-turner and the amount of knowledge gained from his insights is worth the time spent to read it. It provokes the mind into thinking outside the box and is incredibly relevant to this day in age with its well researched content. I am also most impressed with the last few pages, where Crichton writes a few words about his own thoughts on the novel, and the appendix section, where he elaborates on issues raised by the 'global warming' ideology. I really admire Crichton for having the courage to speak his mind into a novel.

Bearing in mind of Crichton's scientific background (he was a medical graduate from Harvard), it is not surprising to see how he goes about backing up his fiction with the large amount of literature references as some reviewers have already noted. I find this makes the book all the more interesting to read; almost like going through scientific journals set in an easy-to-read action-packed thriller genre. But of course, I can also understand how this may put some people off who may not like the overtly scientific content. And having read some of the poor reviews of this book, this is all the more emphasised. However, if you have an open-mind and would like to be challenged intellectually, then I highly recommend this book to you. You will not regret it!

(N.B. A good carry-on documentary that is relevant to this novel is called 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' aired on Channel 4 in UK recently. It can be downloaded online and I highly recommend it to people who have already read the book and want to learn more about the scientific controversies raised in the novel.)

Unless your species evolved sometime after 1993, when Jurassic Park hit theatres, you're no doubt familiar with this dinosaur-bites-man disaster tale set on an island theme park gone terribly wrong. But if Speilberg's amped-up CGI creation left you longing for more scientific background and ... well, character development, check out the original Michael Crichton novel. Although not his best book (get a hold of sci-fi classic The Andromeda Strain for that), Jurassic Park fills out the film version's kinetic storyline with additional scenes, dialogue and explanations while still maintaining Crichton's trademark thrills-'n'-chills pacing. As ever, the book really is better than the movie. --Paul Hughes, Amazon.com

A typically challenging, substantial and yet rapid read, 23 Nov 2008
I've read all of Crichton's novels except for this. The man died a few days ago and that prompted me to pick this off my shelf after a few years in waiting. It is his most controversial novel, casting serious doubts over the validity of scientific claims about global warming and the many claims of environmental groups.

It is one of Crichton's better novels. He uses multiple plot lines that coalesce quickly to resolve themselves into a pacey and driven narrative. There is less of a science lesson up front than Crichton often feeds us - this is broken down into chunks throughout the novel so that the thriller element takes its grip early.

Crichton's characters are usually fairly two-dimensional and this is no exception. Intelligent, educated, white, middle class with little depth and no family or emotional background - they seem to be miniaturised versions of him, there to articulate a position or argument. He shares that trait with English master John Wyndham a man whose novels I feel often have characteristics in common with Crichton's. Having said that, one or two of the minor characters work well: the eco-actor Ted Bradley, for instance. His primary characters are Peter Evans, a rather ill-informed lawyer who is the reader's eyes and ears and asks the stooge questions we are thinking - and John Kenner, who is a know-it-all `Zellaby' character (cf, The Midwich Cuckoos).

The premise is intriguing - eco-terrorism and climate interference. I wondered when somebody would get around to this as a serious subject. Nobody is better suited than Crichton to tackle big complex issues and turn them into racing thrillers.

Crichton is unashamedly critical of the conventional wisdom, and stacks his knowledgeable characters on the side of the anti-environmentalists spouting references while the idiots and hypocrites and terrorists are all environmentalists who spout fluffy junk. It's effective, if unfair. And you have to judge this as a novel, I think, not as a treatise.

Lively settings, constantly evolving plot and information, tight writing, credible threats and well-managed material make this a very effective story. The lack of depth in the characters does not hold it back or truly matter, Crichton wants to challenge you, to stun you with the enormity of the conspiracy and to put his case through a compelling fiction. He does so expertly.

He has been gathered in before his personal harvest realised its vast potential.


interesting in parts but not brilliant, 09 Oct 2008
Crichton makes some interesting points on Global warming, regardless of whether you believe he has cherry picked his data to prove his point. As others have pointed out, the large quantities of data in the book dont mesh too well with the actual story. There is definitely the feeling that you have a normal thriller and a thesis on global warming and they kind of got mixed in the wash. Crichton tries to blend the two, but the result is not perfect.

Spoiler
My real quibble with the book is why are a large international bunch of well funded, armed and dangerous terrorists being taken on by a small group of mostly unarmed lawyers and later an actor? For the first threat, this sort of works, but as each situation gets bigger and more dangerous, the response looks smaller and more amateur in comparison. They are locating threats by satellite, observing from helicopters, then instead of calling in the Marines, SWAT teams, FBI or an air strike, they go in alone and mostly unarmed. This is just stupid.



an inconvenient alternative truth?, 14 Sep 2008
Michael Crichton's use of fear and uncertainty to attack the way governments and the media use fear and uncertainty to manipulate public opinion is deliciously ironic. If you have watched An Inconvenient Truth you might want to read this book. And if you read this book you might want to watch An Inconvenient Truth. Then we can all make up our own minds! Great read whatever your views on global warming. One of those books it is difficult to put down.... though not quite in the class of Prey - now that is one scary book!!

A readable thriller, 19 Aug 2008
State of Fear is an average, easy reading environmental thriller. You know, it's the sort of thing that's just begging to be made into a film with Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts. The plot is the fairly standard good guys vs bad guys stuff, characters are cookie cutter handsome guys and beautiful women and so on and so forth. You'll fly through it on long flight or train journey. For me that was good enough.

The most interesting thing about the book is not so much the plot or the characters, but what it makes you think about after you've finished reading it. Many people believe in global warming etc. but few of us can say that we really understand the issue in any detail and are highly reliant on so-called experts and the media for information.

Whether or not you agree with the author, you'll probably take more of an interest in finding out things for yourself after reading this book. So, all in all, this book is worth reading if you need something light and easy to occupy yourself with.

Great book, highly recommended especially for thinkers!, 25 May 2008
This is by far the best book Crichton has ever written! An absolute page-turner and the amount of knowledge gained from his insights is worth the time spent to read it. It provokes the mind into thinking outside the box and is incredibly relevant to this day in age with its well researched content. I am also most impressed with the last few pages, where Crichton writes a few words about his own thoughts on the novel, and the appendix section, where he elaborates on issues raised by the 'global warming' ideology. I really admire Crichton for having the courage to speak his mind into a novel.

Bearing in mind of Crichton's scientific background (he was a medical graduate from Harvard), it is not surprising to see how he goes about backing up his fiction with the large amount of literature references as some reviewers have already noted. I find this makes the book all the more interesting to read; almost like going through scientific journals set in an easy-to-read action-packed thriller genre. But of course, I can also understand how this may put some people off who may not like the overtly scientific content. And having read some of the poor reviews of this book, this is all the more emphasised. However, if you have an open-mind and would like to be challenged intellectually, then I highly recommend this book to you. You will not regret it!

(N.B. A good carry-on documentary that is relevant to this novel is called 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' aired on Channel 4 in UK recently. It can be downloaded online and I highly recommend it to people who have already read the book and want to learn more about the scientific controversies raised in the novel.)

Clever and Suspenseful, 30 Oct 2008
This book combines drama and suspense with science and a certain amount of moralizing. The book's major premise-using the DNA of long extinct species-is clever because it is so believable and thus frightening. The book plays upon the idea that if one tampers with Nature's most sacred mechanisms, there will be a price to pay and dangers that one can neither anticipate nor accommodate. The idea of a Caribbean park featuring such resurrected creatures provides a macabre and riveting fascination. The book and movie have been out for a while but nevertheless, if you haven't read this, it is still a good read.

Entertaining and educational, 10 Oct 2008
This is my favourite book of all time. It is thought provoking and hair raising and verging on prescient. I think everybody should read this at least once in their life. Enjoy!

DINO MEYHEM!, 05 Aug 2008
This book was awesome!
Dino's going on rampage through a theme park!
Amazing description, brilliant story.
Michael Crichton is one great author!

(I advise you to try Congo and the lost world!).

Jurassic Park, 07 May 2008

If you haven't seen the films, you will at least already know the story: eccentric old man funds a scientific venture involving the genetic resurrection of dinosaurs, and decides that the best way to showcase his work is a giant safari park on a tropical island just off the coast of Costa Rica. Needless to say, things go a little wrong and later there's running and screaming. A lot of it.

The film is still on the list of top ten highest grossing films of all time, and for good reason. It was a great film. If you've seen it and liked it, and are wondering if it's worth reading the book, then the short answer is "yes". Michael Crichton is an astounding author and every one of his novels is worth reading, regardless of whether or not you know the story.

The novel begins with much more mystery and a much wider scope than the film. Some of the smaller animals have begun appearing along the coastline, and nobody knows what to make of what they are assuming is a new species of lizard. These shorter storylines soon lead to Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, who are soon after invited to join the billionaire John Hammond on his new theme park, which is guaranteed to be "right up their alley".

From then the story is more familiar. Island. Dinosaurs. Industrial theft and sabotage leading to the visitors seeing more of the island, and more of the dinosaurs than they hoped for ... There are more than enough differences to the film to keep readers enthralled, including a few minor character differences, especially with regards to the children Tim and Lex, who have more "on-screen" time, Dr Grant, who is a little more rugged, and the almost villainously short-sighted John Hammond. There's a lot more action and - hooray! - a lot more of the tyrannosaur and the velociraptors!

Crichton's brief sentences and plain narrative lend great authenticity to the text, although he hadn't (and still hasn't) perfected the balance between science and story. There are one or two science-heavy scenes but it's all believable and accessible to any reader. This is definitely worth a read.

9/10


Lovely Stuff, 12 Apr 2008
I'm not usually an avid reader of books but before long 5 hours had past very quickly and I had finished what i thought to be a fantastic piece of science fiction. having seen the film first (many, many times) I still prefer the ensemble of image and sound to my half-baked imagination but don't get me wrong it was a great story and it encouraged great imagery. The book and the film aren't as different as some of the other review make out there isn't anything bad about that. The book was awesome, film was awesome, experience and enjoy them both.

Some biologists speculate that if we ever make contact with extraterrestrials, those life forms are likely to be--like most life on Earth--one-celled creatures or less, more comparable to bacteria than little green men. And even though such organisms would not likely be able to harm humans, the possibility exists that first contact might be our last.

That's the scientific supposition that Michael Crichton formulates and follows out to its conclusion in his excellent debut novel, TheAndromeda Strain. A Nobel-winning bacteriologist, Jeremy Stone, urges the president to approve an extraterrestrial decontamination facility, to sterilise returning astronauts, satellites and spacecraft that might carry such an "unknown biologic agent." The government agrees, almost too quickly, to build the top- secret Wildfire Lab in the desert of Nevada. Shortly thereafter, unbeknownst to Stone, the US Army initiates the "Scoop" satellite program, an attempt to actively collect space pathogens for use in biological warfare. When Scoop VII crashes a couple years later in the isolated Arizona town of Piedmont, they end up getting more than they asked for.

The Andromeda Strain follows Stone and rest of the scientific team mobilised to react to the Scoop crash, as they scramble to understand and contain a strange and deadly outbreak. Crichton's first book may well be his best, with an earnestness missing from his later, more calculated thrillers. --Paul Hughes, Amazon.com

A typically challenging, substantial and yet rapid read, 23 Nov 2008
I've read all of Crichton's novels except for this. The man died a few days ago and that prompted me to pick this off my shelf after a few years in waiting. It is his most controversial novel, casting serious doubts over the validity of scientific claims about global warming and the many claims of environmental groups.

It is one of Crichton's better novels. He uses multiple plot lines that coalesce quickly to resolve themselves into a pacey and driven narrative. There is less of a science lesson up front than Crichton often feeds us - this is broken down into chunks throughout the novel so that the thriller element takes its grip early.

Crichton's characters are usually fairly two-dimensional and this is no exception. Intelligent, educated, white, middle class with little depth and no family or emotional background - they seem to be miniaturised versions of him, there to articulate a position or argument. He shares that trait with English master John Wyndham a man whose novels I feel often have characteristics in common with Crichton's. Having said that, one or two of the minor characters work well: the eco-actor Ted Bradley, for instance. His primary characters are Peter Evans, a rather ill-informed lawyer who is the reader's eyes and ears and asks the stooge questions we are thinking - and John Kenner, who is a know-it-all `Zellaby' character (cf, The Midwich Cuckoos).

The premise is intriguing - eco-terrorism and climate interference. I wondered when somebody would get around to this as a serious subject. Nobody is better suited than Crichton to tackle big complex issues and turn them into racing thrillers.

Crichton is unashamedly critical of the conventional wisdom, and stacks his knowledgeable characters on the side of the anti-environmentalists spouting references while the idiots and hypocrites and terrorists are all environmentalists who spout fluffy junk. It's effective, if unfair. And you have to judge this as a novel, I think, not as a treatise.

Lively settings, constantly evolving plot and information, tight writing, credible threats and well-managed material make this a very effective story. The lack of depth in the characters does not hold it back or truly matter, Crichton wants to challenge you, to stun you with the enormity of the conspiracy and to put his case through a compelling fiction. He does so expertly.

He has been gathered in before his personal harvest realised its vast potential.


interesting in parts but not brilliant, 09 Oct 2008
Crichton makes some interesting points on Global warming, regardless of whether you believe he has cherry picked his data to prove his point. As others have pointed out, the large quantities of data in the book dont mesh too well with the actual story. There is definitely the feeling that you have a normal thriller and a thesis on global warming and they kind of got mixed in the wash. Crichton tries to blend the two, but the result is not perfect.

Spoiler
My real quibble with the book is why are a large international bunch of well funded, armed and dangerous terrorists being taken on by a small group of mostly unarmed lawyers and later an actor? For the first threat, this sort of works, but as each situation gets bigger and more dangerous, the response looks smaller and more amateur in comparison. They are locating threats by satellite, observing from helicopters, then instead of calling in the Marines, SWAT teams, FBI or an air strike, they go in alone and mostly unarmed. This is just stupid.



an inconvenient alternative truth?, 14 Sep 2008
Michael Crichton's use of fear and uncertainty to attack the way governments and the media use fear and uncertainty to manipulate public opinion is deliciously ironic. If you have watched An Inconvenient Truth you might want to read this book. And if you read this book you might want to watch An Inconvenient Truth. Then we can all make up our own minds! Great read whatever your views on global warming. One of those books it is difficult to put down.... though not quite in the class of Prey - now that is one scary book!!

A readable thriller, 19 Aug 2008
State of Fear is an average, easy reading environmental thriller. You know, it's the sort of thing that's just begging to be made into a film with Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts. The plot is the fairly standard good guys vs bad guys stuff, characters are cookie cutter handsome guys and beautiful women and so on and so forth. You'll fly through it on long flight or train journey. For me that was good enough.

The most interesting thing about the book is not so much the plot or the characters, but what it makes you think about after you've finished reading it. Many people believe in global warming etc. but few of us can say that we really understand the issue in any detail and are highly reliant on so-called experts and the media for information.

Whether or not you agree with the author, you'll probably take more of an interest in finding out things for yourself after reading this book. So, all in all, this book is worth reading if you need something light and easy to occupy yourself with.

Great book, highly recommended especially for thinkers!, 25 May 2008
This is by far the best book Crichton has ever written! An absolute page-turner and the amount of knowledge gained from his insights is worth the time spent to read it. It provokes the mind into thinking outside the box and is incredibly relevant to this day in age with its well researched content. I am also most impressed with the last few pages, where Crichton writes a few words about his own thoughts on the novel, and the appendix section, where he elaborates on issues raised by the 'global warming' ideology. I really admire Crichton for having the courage to speak his mind into a novel.

Bearing in mind of Crichton's scientific background (he was a medical graduate from Harvard), it is not surprising to see how he goes about backing up his fiction with the large amount of literature references as some reviewers have already noted. I find this makes the book all the more interesting to read; almost like going through scientific journals set in an easy-to-read action-packed thriller genre. But of course, I can also understand how this may put some people off who may not like the overtly scientific content. And having read some of the poor reviews of this book, this is all the more emphasised. However, if you have an open-mind and would like to be challenged intellectually, then I highly recommend this book to you. You will not regret it!

(N.B. A good carry-on documentary that is relevant to this novel is called 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' aired on Channel 4 in UK recently. It can be downloaded online and I highly recommend it to people who have already read the book and want to learn more about the scientific controversies raised in the novel.)

Clever and Suspenseful, 30 Oct 2008
This book combines drama and suspense with science and a certain amount of moralizing. The book's major premise-using the DNA of long extinct species-is clever because it is so believable and thus frightening. The book plays upon the idea that if one tampers with Nature's most sacred mechanisms, there will be a price to pay and dangers that one can neither anticipate nor accommodate. The idea of a Caribbean park featuring such resurrected creatures provides a macabre and riveting fascination. The book and movie have been out for a while but nevertheless, if you haven't read this, it is still a good read.

Entertaining and educational, 10 Oct 2008
This is my favourite book of all time. It is thought provoking and hair raising and verging on prescient. I think everybody should read this at least once in their life. Enjoy!

DINO MEYHEM!, 05 Aug 2008
This book was awesome!
Dino's going on rampage through a theme park!
Amazing description, brilliant story.
Michael Crichton is one great author!

(I advise you to try Congo and the lost world!).

Jurassic Park, 07 May 2008

If you haven't seen the films, you will at least already know the story: eccentric old man funds a scientific venture involving the genetic resurrection of dinosaurs, and decides that the best way to showcase his work is a giant safari park on a tropical island just off the coast of Costa Rica. Needless to say, things go a little wrong and later there's running and screaming. A lot of it.

The film is still on the list of top ten highest grossing films of all time, and for good reason. It was a great film. If you've seen it and liked it, and are wondering if it's worth reading the book, then the short answer is "yes". Michael Crichton is an astounding author and every one of his novels is worth reading, regardless of whether or not you know the story.

The novel begins with much more mystery and a much wider scope than the film. Some of the smaller animals have begun appearing along the coastline, and nobody knows what to make of what they are assuming is a new species of lizard. These shorter storylines soon lead to Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, who are soon after invited to join the billionaire John Hammond on his new theme park, which is guaranteed to be "right up their alley".

From then the story is more familiar. Island. Dinosaurs. Industrial theft and sabotage leading to the visitors seeing more of the island, and more of the dinosaurs than they hoped for ... There are more than enough differences to the film to keep readers enthralled, including a few minor character differences, especially with regards to the children Tim and Lex, who have more "on-screen" time, Dr Grant, who is a little more rugged, and the almost villainously short-sighted John Hammond. There's a lot more action and - hooray! - a lot more of the tyrannosaur and the velociraptors!

Crichton's brief sentences and plain narrative lend great authenticity to the text, although he hadn't (and still hasn't) perfected the balance between science and story. There are one or two science-heavy scenes but it's all believable and accessible to any reader. This is definitely worth a read.

9/10


Lovely Stuff, 12 Apr 2008
I'm not usually an avid reader of books but before long 5 hours had past very quickly and I had finished what i thought to be a fantastic piece of science fiction. having seen the film first (many, many times) I still prefer the ensemble of image and sound to my half-baked imagination but don't get me wrong it was a great story and it encouraged great imagery. The book and the film aren't as different as some of the other review make out there isn't anything bad about that. The book was awesome, film was awesome, experience and enjoy them both.

perfectly conceived, 20 Aug 2008
I found this book to be a perfectly conceived techno-thriller/earth bound science fiction story. I have enjoyed some other Crichton, John Wyndham and Arthur C Clarke stuff and often this sort of thing requires large leaps of the imagination to follow the story but I couldn't find any holes in the plot or behaviour of the characters.

Still like it, 10 Jul 2008
I will be brief, as I cannot compare it to most of Crichtons work, just "Timeline", but later on that.
I red "The Andromeda strain" as a teenager and it stands out in my memory as one of the SF books I really liked. Well, it is neither Stanislaw Lem nor Philip K. Dick, but still was very enjoyable and well writeen (and well translated, 'cause back then I could only read it in Latvian).
Recent attempt to read "Timeline" was a disappointment; it was a translation again, and probably not so good one. It just did not register, seemed like Arthur Hailey, only a bit worse, so I never finished it. Sure, it was better that "The Da Vinci Code", but that is hardly a major achievement.

Disappointing, 25 Jul 2007
I have only recenty begun reading Michael Crichton (Next, Prey, Airframe) and have really enjoyed his work. The books are so indepth and backed by vast amounts of research, I never know what is fact or fiction.

Then I read Andromeda Strain and was greatly disappointed. Whilst the idea is fantastic, I found the writing complicated and all the bits of technical data (ie results of blood gases and dna analysis) unnecessarily burdensome and I skipped over numerous pages. The characters were not fully developed and I didn't really identify with any of them. It also seemed as though there was a lot of "background" information that Critchon presumed the reader had knowledge of but didn't. And finally, the ending was wholly anti-climatic.

Considering the decade it was written in, there were a lot of fantastical ideas about human knowledge and techinical capabilites that were really interesting, but overall, I'd say give this book a miss.

Oh My God, 14 Oct 2003
What a let down. Supposedly his best book, but it's ending is such a disappointment. I was actually really getting into the story and then it just finishes. I enjoyed it up until the last couple of chapters but the ending really ruined it. It is not as good as other books such as Jurassic Park or Lost World which at least have a catchy finale. If you do read this book skip the last couple of chapters and just make up your own ending, it will be more enjoyable that way!!!!

Fantastic strain of fiction, 26 Mar 2002
Could not put this excellent book down a pure joy to read, has you engaged from start to finish. Dr. hall the true hero in this book bringing forward the odd man theory. A must for all sci-fi readers and anybody else with an imagination.

A typically challenging, substantial and yet rapid read, 23 Nov 2008
I've read all of Crichton's novels except for this. The man died a few days ago and that prompted me to pick this off my shelf after a few years in waiting. It is his most controversial novel, casting serious doubts over the validity of scientific claims about global warming and the many claims of environmental groups.

It is one of Crichton's better novels. He uses multiple plot lines that coalesce quickly to resolve themselves into a pacey and driven narrative. There is less of a science lesson up front than Crichton often feeds us - this is broken down into chunks throughout the novel so that the thriller element takes its grip early.

Crichton's characters are usually fairly two-dimensional and this is no exception. Intelligent, educated, white, middle class with little depth and no family or emotional background - they seem to be miniaturised versions of him, there to articulate a position or argument. He shares that trait with English master John Wyndham a man whose novels I feel often have characteristics in common with Crichton's. Having said that, one or two of the minor characters work well: the eco-actor Ted Bradley, for instance. His primary characters are Peter Evans, a rather ill-informed lawyer who is the reader's eyes and ears and asks the stooge questions we are thinking - and John Kenner, who is a know-it-all `Zellaby' character (cf, The Midwich Cuckoos).

The premise is intriguing - eco-terrorism and climate interference. I wondered when somebody would get around to this as a serious subject. Nobody is better suited than Crichton to tackle big complex issues and turn them into racing thrillers.

Crichton is unashamedly critical of the conventional wisdom, and stacks his knowledgeable characters on the side of the anti-environmentalists spouting references while the idiots and hypocrites and terrorists are all environmentalists who spout fluffy junk. It's effective, if unfair. And you have to judge this as a novel, I think, not as a treatise.

Lively settings, constantly evolving plot and information, tight writing, credible threats and well-managed material make this a very effective story. The lack of depth in the characters does not hold it back or truly matter, Crichton wants to challenge you, to stun you with the enormity of the conspiracy and to put his case through a compelling fiction. He does so expertly.

He has been gathered in before his personal harvest realised its vast potential.


interesting in parts but not brilliant, 09 Oct 2008
Crichton makes some interesting points on Global warming, regardless of whether you believe he has cherry picked his data to prove his point. As others have pointed out, the large quantities of data in the book dont mesh too well with the actual story. There is definitely the feeling that you have a normal thriller and a thesis on global warming and they kind of got mixed in the wash. Crichton tries to blend the two, but the result is not perfect.

Spoiler
My real quibble with the book is why are a large international bunch of well funded, armed and dangerous terrorists being taken on by a small group of mostly unarmed lawyers and later an actor? For the first threat, this sort of works, but as each situation gets bigger and more dangerous, the response looks smaller and more amateur in comparison. They are locating threats by satellite, observing from helicopters, then instead of calling in the Marines, SWAT teams, FBI or an air strike, they go in alone and mostly unarmed. This is just stupid.



an inconvenient alternative truth?, 14 Sep 2008
Michael Crichton's use of fear and uncertainty to attack the way governments and the media use fear and uncertainty to manipulate public opinion is deliciously ironic. If you have watched An Inconvenient Truth you might want to read this book. And if you read this book you might want to watch An Inconvenient Truth. Then we can all make up our own minds! Great read whatever your views on global warming. One of those books it is difficult to put down.... though not quite in the class of Prey - now that is one scary book!!

A readable thriller, 19 Aug 2008
State of Fear is an average, easy reading environmental thriller. You know, it's the sort of thing that's just begging to be made into a film with Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts. The plot is the fairly standard good guys vs bad guys stuff, characters are cookie cutter handsome guys and beautiful women and so on and so forth. You'll fly through it on long flight or train journey. For me that was good enough.

The most interesting thing about the book is not so much the plot or the characters, but what it makes you think about after you've finished reading it. Many people believe in global warming etc. but few of us can say that we really understand the issue in any detail and are highly reliant on so-called experts and the media for information.

Whether or not you agree with the author, you'll probably take more of an interest in finding out things for yourself after reading this book. So, all in all, this book is worth reading if you need something light and easy to occupy yourself with.

Great book, highly recommended especially for thinkers!, 25 May 2008
This is by far the best book Crichton has ever written! An absolute page-turner and the amount of knowledge gained from his insights is worth the time spent to read it. It provokes the mind into thinking outside the box and is incredibly relevant to this day in age with its well researched content. I am also most impressed with the last few pages, where Crichton writes a few words about his own thoughts on the novel, and the appendix section, where he elaborates on issues raised by the 'global warming' ideology. I really admire Crichton for having the courage to speak his mind into a novel.

Bearing in mind of Crichton's scientific background (he was a medical graduate from Harvard), it is not surprising to see how he goes about backing up his fiction with the large amount of literature references as some reviewers have already noted. I find this makes the book all the more interesting to read; almost like going through scientific journals set in an easy-to-read action-packed thriller genre. But of course, I can also understand how this may put some people off who may not like the overtly scientific content. And having read some of the poor reviews of this book, this is all the more emphasised. However, if you have an open-mind and would like to be challenged intellectually, then I highly recommend this book to you. You will not regret it!

(N.B. A good carry-on documentary that is relevant to this novel is called 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' aired on Channel 4 in UK recently. It can be downloaded online and I highly recommend it to people who have already read the book and want to learn more about the scientific controversies raised in the novel.)

Clever and Suspenseful, 30 Oct 2008
This book combines drama and suspense with science and a certain amount of moralizing. The book's major premise-using the DNA of long extinct species-is clever because it is so believable and thus frightening. The book plays upon the idea that if one tampers with Nature's most sacred mechanisms, there will be a price to pay and dangers that one can neither anticipate nor accommodate. The idea of a Caribbean park featuring such resurrected creatures provides a macabre and riveting fascination. The book and movie have been out for a while but nevertheless, if you haven't read this, it is still a good read.

Entertaining and educational, 10 Oct 2008
This is my favourite book of all time. It is thought provoking and hair raising and verging on prescient. I think everybody should read this at least once in their life. Enjoy!

DINO MEYHEM!, 05 Aug 2008
This book was awesome!
Dino's going on rampage through a theme park!
Amazing description, brilliant story.
Michael Crichton is one great author!

(I advise you to try Congo and the lost world!).

Jurassic Park, 07 May 2008

If you haven't seen the films, you will at least already know the story: eccentric old man funds a scientific venture involving the genetic resurrection of dinosaurs, and decides that the best way to showcase his work is a giant safari park on a tropical island just off the coast of Costa Rica. Needless to say, things go a little wrong and later there's running and screaming. A lot of it.

The film is still on the list of top ten highest grossing films of all time, and for good reason. It was a great film. If you've seen it and liked it, and are wondering if it's worth reading the book, then the short answer is "yes". Michael Crichton is an astounding author and every one of his novels is worth reading, regardless of whether or not you know the story.

The novel begins with much more mystery and a much wider scope than the film. Some of the smaller animals have begun appearing along the coastline, and nobody knows what to make of what they are assuming is a new species of lizard. These shorter storylines soon lead to Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, who are soon after invited to join the billionaire John Hammond on his new theme park, which is guaranteed to be "right up their alley".

From then the story is more familiar. Island. Dinosaurs. Industrial theft and sabotage leading to the visitors seeing more of the island, and more of the dinosaurs than they hoped for ... There are more than enough differences to the film to keep readers enthralled, including a few minor character differences, especially with regards to the children Tim and Lex, who have more "on-screen" time, Dr Grant, who is a little more rugged, and the almost villainously short-sighted John Hammond. There's a lot more action and - hooray! - a lot more of the tyrannosaur and the velociraptors!

Crichton's brief sentences and plain narrative lend great authenticity to the text, although he hadn't (and still hasn't) perfected the balance between science and story. There are one or two science-heavy scenes but it's all believable and accessible to any reader. This is definitely worth a read.

9/10


Lovely Stuff, 12 Apr 2008
I'm not usually an avid reader of books but before long 5 hours had past very quickly and I had finished what i thought to be a fantastic piece of science fiction. having seen the film first (many, many times) I still prefer the ensemble of image and sound to my half-baked imagination but don't get me wrong it was a great story and it encouraged great imagery. The book and the film aren't as different as some of the other review make out there isn't anything bad about that. The book was awesome, film was awesome, experience and enjoy them both.

perfectly conceived, 20 Aug 2008
I found this book to be a perfectly conceived techno-thriller/earth bound science fiction story. I have enjoyed some other Crichton, John Wyndham and Arthur C Clarke stuff and often this sort of thing requires large leaps of the imagination to follow the story but I couldn't find any holes in the plot or behaviour of the characters.

Still like it, 10 Jul 2008
I will be brief, as I cannot compare it to most of Crichtons work, just "Timeline", but later on that.
I red "The Andromeda strain" as a teenager and it stands out in my memory as one of the SF books I really liked. Well, it is neither Stanislaw Lem nor Philip K. Dick, but still was very enjoyable and well writeen (and well translated, 'cause back then I could only read it in Latvian).
Recent attempt to read "Timeline" was a disappointment; it was a translation again, and probably not so good one. It just did not register, seemed like Arthur Hailey, only a bit worse, so I never finished it. Sure, it was better that "The Da Vinci Code", but that is hardly a major achievement.

Disappointing, 25 Jul 2007
I have only recenty begun reading Michael Crichton (Next, Prey, Airframe) and have really enjoyed his work. The books are so indepth and backed by vast amounts of research, I never know what is fact or fiction.

Then I read Andromeda Strain and was greatly disappointed. Whilst the idea is fantastic, I found the writing complicated and all the bits of technical data (ie results of blood gases and dna analysis) unnecessarily burdensome and I skipped over numerous pages. The characters were not fully developed and I didn't really identify with any of them. It also seemed as though there was a lot of "background" information that Critchon presumed the reader had knowledge of but didn't. And finally, the ending was wholly anti-climatic.

Considering the decade it was written in, there were a lot of fantastical ideas about human knowledge and techinical capabilites that were really interesting, but overall, I'd say give this book a miss.

Oh My God, 14 Oct 2003
What a let down. Supposedly his best book, but it's ending is such a disappointment. I was actually really getting into the story and then it just finishes. I enjoyed it up until the last couple of chapters but the ending really ruined it. It is not as good as other books such as Jurassic Park or Lost World which at least have a catchy finale. If you do read this book skip the last couple of chapters and just make up your own ending, it will be more enjoyable that way!!!!

Fantastic strain of fiction, 26 Mar 2002
Could not put this excellent book down a pure joy to read, has you engaged from start to finish. Dr. hall the true hero in this book bringing forward the odd man theory. A must for all sci-fi readers and anybody else with an imagination.

Interesting, 15 Oct 2008
I found this book a really interesting insight into the possible future. The idea of owning genes & the whole commercial angle is an excellent idea. A good read.

Self indulgent, moralistic rubbish!!!, 15 Oct 2008
The books 'Timeline' and 'Prey' were wonderfully written with gripping storylines, however 'Next' is woeful. There are too many characters to keep track of and none of them are particularly interesting. There is no big plot here only a preach on how immoral it is to patent genes and a series of disinteresting sub plots which don't even really link up with each other. The whole book is self indulgent rubbish. When I read a book I want characters which I love and hate taking me on an interesting journey, sadly you won't get any of that here. Avoid! Better off reading Jeffrey Deaver.

Dissapointing. Not up to Crichton's Normal Standards, 11 Oct 2008
Having read several of Crichton's previous books and really enjoyed them, 'Next' was dissapointing.

It was too long, had too many characters in (you kept wondering: "who's this again?"), flitted between characters too much, lacked a strong story and didn't have the 'page turning' quality that all his other books seem to possess.

Overall, just not up to his normally very high standards, and not a book I would highly recommend. If you're looking for an introduction to Crichton, avoid 'Next' and try 'Prey' instead, which is excellent.



A little snack of thought food, 20 May 2008
Interesting, thought-provoking, outrageous, funny ... and confusing. As a literary product, it is clearly a quick shot from the hip about an immediate issue the author cares for: Gene patents. To allow corporations to "own" genes - or diseases - and charge licensing fees on research runs contrary to humane and scientific interests. In the book, a cancer patient whose body produces a valuable antibody almost literally becomes the "product" of a GeneTech firm - surely a preposterous idea, but nevertheless a statement on corporate ownership of the natural world.

"Next" is a fast and fascinating read - if you stick to the title: Don't bother with the characters, just get on with it. The shortness and shallowness may be a stylistic reflection of our fast-living media world, of us, or merely serve in creating a breathless athmosphere to emphasize the issues. If you enjoy that style, try John Brunner's classic "Stand on Zanzibar". Traditional elements of epic storytelling are deliberately missing - "Timeline" fans will be disappointed.

Apart from bashing bio patent holders, Crichton presents an intelligent, if a bit too fantastic caleidoscope of the frightening/wonderous prospects of biotechnology that will undoubtedly revolutionize our understanding of the "natural" world as much as computers did - in maybe 20 years to come. He treads some well-worn horror paths and does little to dispel myths about the current possibilities, but with a humorous twinkle. Rather than a serious "science" thriller, it's a cereal snack of brain fodder with emphasis on social commentary.

Barely readable pap., 14 Apr 2008
I hadn't heard a word about "Next" before I bought it, so I never heard the negative reaction it had received. Even unencumbered by public opinion, "Next" sucks supremely. By page 146 I'd had enough and had to ditch it. It just doesn't work, and the constant switching between characters makes you think you're reading a series of completely unrelated stories (in fact, I suspect you are - having not stuck around for the end, I wouldn't know). I love Crichton's work, but it seriously IS that bad. If you haven't read it yet, try "Prey" and leave this well alone. You have been warned.

When you step into a time machine, fax yourself through a "quantum foam wormhole" and step out in feudal France circa 1357, be very, very afraid. If you aren't strapped back in precisely 37 hours after your visit begins, you'll miss the quantum bus back to 1999 and be stranded in a civil war, caught between crafty abbots, mad lords and peasant bandits all eager to cut your throat. You'll also have to dodge catapults that hurl sizzling pitch over castle battlements. On the social front, you should avoid provoking "the butcher of Crecy" or Sir Oliver may lop your head off with a swoosh of his broadsword or cage and immerse you in "Milady's Bath", a brackish dungeon pit into which live rats are tossed now and then for prisoners to eat.

This is the plight of the heroes of Timeline, Michael Crichton's thriller. They're historians in 1999 employed by a tech billionaire-genius with more than a few of Bill Gates' most unlovable quirks. Like the entrepreneur in Crichton's Jurassic Park, Doniger plans a theme park featuring artefacts from a lost world revived via cutting-edge science. When the project's chief historian sends a distress call to 1999 from 1357, the boss man doesn't tell the younger historians the risks they'll face trying to save him. At first, the interplay between eras is clever but Timeline swiftly becomes a swashbuckling old-fashioned adventure, with just a dash of science and time paradox in the mix. Most of the cool facts are about the Middle Ages and Crichton marvellously brings the past to life without ever letting the pulse-pounding action slow down. At one point, a time-tripper tries to enter the Chapel of Green Death. Unfortunately, its custodian, a crazed giant with terrible teeth and a bad case of lice, soon has her head on a block. "She saw a shadow move across the grass as he raised his axe into the air." Try not to turn the page!

Through the narrative can be glimpsed the glowing bones of the movie that may be made from Timeline and the high tech computer game that should hit the market in 2000. Expect many clashing swords and chase scenes through secret castle passages. But the book stands alone, tall and scary as a knight in armour shining with blood. --Tim Appelo

A typically challenging, substantial and yet rapid read, 23 Nov 2008
I've read all of Crichton's novels except for this. The man died a few days ago and that prompted me to pick this off my shelf after a few years in waiting. It is his most controversial novel, casting serious doubts over the validity of scientific claims about global warming and the many claims of environmental groups.

It is one of Crichton's better novels. He uses multiple plot lines that coalesce quickly to resolve themselves into a pacey and driven narrative. There is less of a science lesson up front than Crichton often feeds us - this is broken down into chunks throughout the novel so that the thriller element takes its grip early.

Crichton's characters are usually fairly two-dimensional and this is no exception. Intelligent, educated, white, middle class with little depth and no family or emotional background - they seem to be miniaturised versions of him, there to articulate a position or argument. He shares that trait with English master John Wyndham a man whose novels I feel often have characteristics in common with Crichton's. Having said that, one or two of the minor characters work well: the eco-actor Ted Bradley, for instance. His primary characters are Peter Evans, a rather ill-informed lawyer who is the reader's eyes and ears and asks the stooge questions we are thinking - and John Kenner, who is a know-it-all `Zellaby' character (cf, The Midwich Cuckoos).

The premise is intriguing - eco-terrorism and climate interference. I wondered when somebody would get around to this as a serious subject. Nobody is better suited than Crichton to tackle big complex issues and turn them into racing thrillers.

Crichton is unashamedly critical of the conventional wisdom, and stacks his knowledgeable characters on the side of the anti-environmentalists spouting references while the idiots and hypocrites and terrorists are all environmentalists who spout fluffy junk. It's effective, if unfair. And you have to judge this as a novel, I think, not as a treatise.

Lively settings, constantly evolving plot and information, tight writing, credible threats and well-managed material make this a very effective story. The lack of depth in the characters does not hold it back or truly matter, Crichton wants to challenge you, to stun you with the enormity of the conspiracy and to put his case through a compelling fiction. He does so expertly.

He has been gathered in before his personal harvest realised its vast potential.


interesting in parts but not brilliant, 09 Oct 2008
Crichton makes some interesting points on Global warming, regardless of whether you believe he has cherry picked his data to prove his point. As others have pointed out, the large quantities of data in the book dont mesh too well with the actual story. There is definitely the feeling that you have a normal thriller and a thesis on global warming and they kind of got mixed in the wash. Crichton tries to blend the two, but the result is not perfect.

Spoiler
My real quibble with the book is why are a large international bunch of well funded, armed and dangerous terrorists being taken on by a small group of mostly unarmed lawyers and later an actor? For the first threat, this sort of works, but as each situation gets bigger and more dangerous, the response looks smaller and more amateur in comparison. They are locating threats by satellite, observing from helicopters, then instead of calling in the Marines, SWAT teams, FBI or an air strike, they go in alone and mostly unarmed. This is just stupid.



an inconvenient alternative truth?, 14 Sep 2008
Michael Crichton's use of fear and uncertainty to attack the way governments and the media use fear and uncertainty to manipulate public opinion is deliciously ironic. If you have watched An Inconvenient Truth you might want to read this book. And if you read this book you might want to watch An Inconvenient Truth. Then we can all make up our own minds! Great read whatever your views on global warming. One of those books it is difficult to put down.... though not quite in the class of Prey - now that is one scary book!!

A readable thriller, 19 Aug 2008
State of Fear is an average, easy reading environmental thriller. You know, it's the sort of thing that's just begging to be made into a film with Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts. The plot is the fairly standard good guys vs bad guys stuff, characters are cookie cutter handsome guys and beautiful women and so on and so forth. You'll fly through it on long flight or train journey. For me that was good enough.

The most interesting thing about the book is not so much the plot or the characters, but what it makes you think about after you've finished reading it. Many people believe in global warming etc. but few of us can say that we really understand the issue in any detail and are highly reliant on so-called experts and the media for information.

Whether or not you agree with the author, you'll probably take more of an interest in finding out things for yourself after reading this book. So, all in all, this book is worth reading if you need something light and easy to occupy yourself with.

Great book, highly recommended especially for thinkers!, 25 May 2008
This is by far the best book Crichton has ever written! An absolute page-turner and the amount of knowledge gained from his insights is worth the time spent to read it. It provokes the mind into thinking outside the box and is incredibly relevant to this day in age with its well researched content. I am also most impressed with the last few pages, where Crichton writes a few words about his own thoughts on the novel, and the appendix section, where he elaborates on issues raised by the 'global warming' ideology. I really admire Crichton for having the courage to speak his mind into a novel.

Bearing in mind of Crichton's scientific background (he was a medical graduate from Harvard), it is not surprising to see how he goes about backing up his fiction with the large amount of literature references as some reviewers have already noted. I find this makes the book all the more interesting to read; almost like going through scientific journals set in an easy-to-read action-packed thriller genre. But of course, I can also understand how this may put some people off who may not like the overtly scientific content. And having read some of the poor reviews of this book, this is all the more emphasised. However, if you have an open-mind and would like to be challenged intellectually, then I highly recommend this book to you. You will not regret it!

(N.B. A good carry-on documentary that is relevant to this novel is called 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' aired on Channel 4 in UK recently. It can be downloaded online and I highly recommend it to people who have already read the book and want to learn more about the scientific controversies raised in the novel.)

Clever and Suspenseful, 30 Oct 2008
This book combines drama and suspense with science and a certain amount of moralizing. The book's major premise-using the DNA of long extinct species-is clever because it is so believable and thus frightening. The book plays upon the idea that if one tampers with Nature's most sacred mechanisms, there will be a price to pay and dangers that one can neither anticipate nor accommodate. The idea of a Caribbean park featuring such resurrected creatures provides a macabre and riveting fascination. The book and movie have been out for a while but nevertheless, if you haven't read this, it is still a good read.

Entertaining and educational, 10 Oct 2008
This is my favourite book of all time. It is thought provoking and hair raising and verging on prescient. I think everybody should read this at least once in their life. Enjoy!

DINO MEYHEM!, 05 Aug 2008
This book was awesome!
Dino's going on rampage through a theme park!
Amazing description, brilliant story.
Michael Crichton is one great author!

(I advise you to try Congo and the lost world!).

Jurassic Park, 07 May 2008

If you haven't seen the films, you will at least already know the story: eccentric old man funds a scientific venture involving the genetic resurrection of dinosaurs, and decides that the best way to showcase his work is a giant safari park on a tropical island just off the coast of Costa Rica. Needless to say, things go a little wrong and later there's running and screaming. A lot of it.

The film is still on the list of top ten highest grossing films of all time, and for good reason. It was a great film. If you've seen it and liked it, and are wondering if it's worth reading the book, then the short answer is "yes". Michael Crichton is an astounding author and every one of his novels is worth reading, regardless of whether or not you know the story.

The novel begins with much more mystery and a much wider scope than the film. Some of the smaller animals have begun appearing along the coastline, and nobody knows what to make of what they are assuming is a new species of lizard. These shorter storylines soon lead to Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, who are soon after invited to join the billionaire John Hammond on his new theme park, which is guaranteed to be "right up their alley".

From then the story is more familiar. Island. Dinosaurs. Industrial theft and sabotage leading to the visitors seeing more of the island, and more of the dinosaurs than they hoped for ... There are more than enough differences to the film to keep readers enthralled, including a few minor character differences, especially with regards to the children Tim and Lex, who have more "on-screen" time, Dr Grant, who is a little more rugged, and the almost villainously short-sighted John Hammond. There's a lot more action and - hooray! - a lot more of the tyrannosaur and the velociraptors!

Crichton's brief sentences and plain narrative lend great authenticity to the text, although he hadn't (and still hasn't) perfected the balance between science and story. There are one or two science-heavy scenes but it's all believable and accessible to any reader. This is definitely worth a read.

9/10


Lovely Stuff, 12 Apr 2008
I'm not usually an avid reader of books but before long 5 hours had past very quickly and I had finished what i thought to be a fantastic piece of science fiction. having seen the film first (many, many times) I still prefer the ensemble of image and sound to my half-baked imagination but don't get me wrong it was a great story and it encouraged great imagery. The book and the film aren't as different as some of the other review make out there isn't anything bad about that. The book was awesome, film was awesome, experience and enjoy them both.

perfectly conceived, 20 Aug 2008
I found this book to be a perfectly conceived techno-thriller/earth bound science fiction story. I have enjoyed some other Crichton, John Wyndham and Arthur C Clarke stuff and often this sort of thing requires large leaps of the imagination to follow the story but I couldn't find any holes in the plot or behaviour of the characters.

Still like it, 10 Jul 2008
I will be brief, as I cannot compare it to most of Crichtons work, just "Timeline", but later on that.
I red "The Andromeda strain" as a teenager and it stands out in my memory as one of the SF books I really liked. Well, it is neither Stanislaw Lem nor Philip K. Dick, but still was very enjoyable and well writeen (and well translated, 'cause back then I could only read it in Latvian).
Recent attempt to read "Timeline" was a disappointment; it was a translation again, and probably not so good one. It just did not register, seemed like Arthur Hailey, only a bit worse, so I never finished it. Sure, it was better that "The Da Vinci Code", but that is hardly a major achievement.

Disappointing, 25 Jul 2007
I have only recenty begun reading Michael Crichton (Next, Prey, Airframe) and have really enjoyed his work. The books are so indepth and backed by vast amounts of research, I never know what is fact or fiction.

Then I read Andromeda Strain and was greatly disappointed. Whilst the idea is fantastic, I found the writing complicated and all the bits of technical data (ie results of blood gases and dna analysis) unnecessarily burdensome and I skipped over numerous pages. The characters were not fully developed and I didn't really identify with any of them. It also seemed as though there was a lot of "background" information that Critchon presumed the reader had knowledge of but didn't. And finally, the ending was wholly anti-climatic.

Considering the decade it was written in, there were a lot of fantastical ideas about human knowledge and techinical capabilites that were really interesting, but overall, I'd say give this book a miss.

Oh My God, 14 Oct 2003
What a let down. Supposedly his best book, but it's ending is such a disappointment. I was actually really getting into the story and then it just finishes. I enjoyed it up until the last couple of chapters but the ending really ruined it. It is not as good as other books such as Jurassic Park or Lost World which at least have a catchy finale. If you do read this book skip the last couple of chapters and just make up your own ending, it will be more enjoyable that way!!!!

Fantastic strain of fiction, 26 Mar 2002
Could not put this excellent book down a pure joy to read, has you engaged from start to finish. Dr. hall the true hero in this book bringing forward the odd man theory. A must for all sci-fi readers and anybody else with an imagination.

Interesting, 15 Oct 2008
I found this book a really interesting insight into the possible future. The idea of owning genes & the whole commercial angle is an excellent idea. A good read.

Self indulgent, moralistic rubbish!!!, 15 Oct 2008
The books 'Timeline' and 'Prey' were wonderfully written with gripping storylines, however 'Next' is woeful. There are too many characters to keep track of and none of them are particularly interesting. There is no big plot here only a preach on how immoral it is to patent genes and a series of disinteresting sub plots which don't even really link up with each other. The whole book is self indulgent rubbish. When I read a book I want characters which I love and hate taking me on an interesting journey, sadly you won't get any of that here. Avoid! Better off reading Jeffrey Deaver.

Dissapointing. Not up to Crichton's Normal Standards, 11 Oct 2008
Having read several of Crichton's previous books and really enjoyed them, 'Next' was dissapointing.

It was too long, had too many characters in (you kept wondering: "who's this again?"), flitted between characters too much, lacked a strong story and didn't have the 'page turning' quality that all his other books seem to possess.

Overall, just not up to his normally very high standards, and not a book I would highly recommend. If you're looking for an introduction to Crichton, avoid 'Next' and try 'Prey' instead, which is excellent.



A little snack of thought food, 20 May 2008
Interesting, thought-provoking, outrageous, funny ... and confusing. As a literary product, it is clearly a quick shot from the hip about an immediate issue the author cares for: Gene patents. To allow corporations to "own" genes - or diseases - and charge licensing fees on research runs contrary to humane and scientific interests. In the book, a cancer patient whose body produces a valuable antibody almost literally becomes the "product" of a GeneTech firm - surely a preposterous idea, but nevertheless a statement on corporate ownership of the natural world.

"Next" is a fast and fascinating read - if you stick to the title: Don't bother with the characters, just get on with it. The shortness and shallowness may be a stylistic reflection of our fast-living media world, of us, or merely serve in creating a breathless athmosphere to emphasize the issues. If you enjoy that style, try John Brunner's classic "Stand on Zanzibar". Traditional elements of epic storytelling are deliberately missing - "Timeline" fans will be disappointed.

Apart from bashing bio patent holders, Crichton presents an intelligent, if a bit too fantastic caleidoscope of the frightening/wonderous prospects of biotechnology that will undoubtedly revolutionize our understanding of the "natural" world as much as computers did - in maybe 20 years to come. He treads some well-worn horror paths and does little to dispel myths about the current possibilities, but with a humorous twinkle. Rather than a serious "science" thriller, it's a cereal snack of brain fodder with emphasis on social commentary.

Barely readable pap., 14 Apr 2008
I hadn't heard a word about "Next" before I bought it, so I never heard the negative reaction it had received. Even unencumbered by public opinion, "Next" sucks supremely. By page 146 I'd had enough and had to ditch it. It just doesn't work, and the constant switching between characters makes you think you're reading a series of completely unrelated stories (in fact, I suspect you are - having not stuck around for the end, I wouldn't know). I love Crichton's work, but it seriously IS that bad. If you haven't read it yet, try "Prey" and leave this well alone. You have been warned.

the future is the past, 01 Aug 2008
Read this and saw the movie. I would have to say some part of the story were not the same as to most of the movie-book titles. The team of Chris, Kate and Marek came to rescue the professor; going to the past a period 14 century when Englandd and France were at war.

Chris, Kate and Marek were the main characters fighting their way in between Kate moving from the battlement of France and England. They have to find a secret passage into the castle occupied then by England who kept the Professor prison. They have to return back togather with time not on their side while the in between this war.

One advice, read the book first then watch the movie. I do think the book is as great as some of MC's book but far more better then NEXT. The characters created in this book has weak roles and keep shifting in turns for play in their parts. I would rate this 3.5 Star.

Excellent, entertaining read, 07 Jul 2008
This is first Michael Crichton book I've read. I got it as a present, and took a while to get round to reading it.

I'm sorry I did, because it's an excellent read. Crichton does an excellent job of setting the scene, and really drawing you into the middle ages with the characters.

He also does a good job of trying to explain/justify the science throughout. I thought some of it was a bit ropey, but of course it's difficult to be very accurate about such a theoretical area of physics.

It's undoubtedly a great page turned, and an easy read. Thoroughly recommended.



Well....., 29 Apr 2008
Its a new approach for Crichton.
Medieval/Sci-fi was a combination ha actually pulled off.
Read on!

A tense, engaging read, 10 Apr 2008
I found this to be a highly entertaining read. In TIMELINE Michael Crichton takes us to the Middle Ages. The novel begins with the strange death of a man found wandering in the desert. Gradually we learn that he was the unintentional victim of a top-secret scientific experiment in time travel. A Bill Gates-like uber-nerd named Robert Doniger is responsible; his ITC corporation has been experimenting with methods of sending people through time via quantum mechanics.

Crichton does an excellent job of setting up the possibility of how time travel might come about. He explains it in terms of space/time, and also points out the potential dangers.

The story really kicks into high gear when three historians are sent back in time to rescue their professor. Our time travelers are a Belgian named Andre who is in love with all things Middle Ages; Kate, a woman who finds her athletic skills to be lifesaving when escaping from medieval castles; and a rather dorky scholar who happens to be in love with in love with Kate.

The trio are sent back to the year 1357 to a town called La Roque in search of their professor. There's a distinct danger of being stuck there, as well as many threats from locals who find their sudden appearance suspicious.

The people we meet in the past are a little wooden at times, but overall you come to care for some. The adventure, however, is top-notch, with jousting matches and technical glitches galore. As the characters race to rescue the professor and try not to get killed in the process, another plot twist is introduced: someone previously sent into the past is still there, and working against them. Who he is and why he is doing what he's doing eventually come to light and add a unique threat.

All in all a tense, engaging read.

fantastic, 11 Jan 2008
Whatever anyone tells you about this book, my recommendation-read it, you won't be dissapointed. Michael Crichton brings to life the middle ages with tales of combat and a colourful tapestry of chivalry among the peoples. Only one thing, read this before you see the film, as that is truly awful, especially Billy Connollys' acting!
Ron

A typically challenging, substantial and yet rapid read, 23 Nov 2008
I've read all of Crichton's novels except for this. The man died a few days ago and that prompted me to pick this off my shelf after a few years in waiting. It is his most controversial novel, casting serious doubts over the validity of scientific claims about global warming and the many claims of environmental groups.

It is one of Crichton's better novels. He uses multiple plot lines that coalesce quickly to resolve themselves into a pacey and driven narrative. There is less of a science lesson up front than Crichton often feeds us - this is broken down into chunks throughout the novel so that the thriller element takes its grip early.

Crichton's characters are usually fairly two-dimensional and this is no exception. Intelligent, educated, white, middle class with little depth and no family or emotional background - they seem to be miniaturised versions of him, there to articulate a position or argument. He shares that trait with English master John Wyndham a man whose novels I feel often have characteristics in common with Crichton's. Having said that, one or two of the minor characters work well: the eco-actor Ted Bradley, for instance. His primary characters are Peter Evans, a rather ill-informed lawyer who is the reader's eyes and ears and asks the stooge questions we are thinking - and John Kenner, who is a know-it-all `Zellaby' character (cf, The Midwich Cuckoos).

The premise is intriguing - eco-terrorism and climate interference. I wondered when somebody would get around to this as a serious subject. Nobody is better suited than Crichton to tackle big complex issues and turn them into racing thrillers.

Crichton is unashamedly critical of the conventional wisdom, and stacks his knowledgeable characters on the side of the anti-environmentalists spouting references while the idiots and hypocrites and terrorists are all environmentalists who spout fluffy junk. It's effective, if unfair. And you have to judge this as a novel, I think, not as a treatise.

Lively settings, constantly evolving plot and information, tight writing, credible threats and well-managed material make this a very effective story. The lack of depth in the characters does not hold it back or truly matter, Crichton wants to challenge you, to stun you with the enormity of the conspiracy and to put his case through a compelling fiction. He does so expertly.

He has been gathered in before his personal harvest realised its vast potential.


interesting in parts but not brilliant, 09 Oct 2008
Crichton makes some interesting points on Global warming, regardless of whether you believe he has cherry picked his data to prove his point. As others have pointed out, the large quantities of data in the book dont mesh too well with the actual story. There is definitely the feeling that you have a normal thriller and a thesis on global warming and they kind of got mixed in the wash. Crichton tries to blend the two, but the result is not perfect.

Spoiler
My real quibble with the book is why are a large international bunch of well funded, armed and dangerous terrorists being taken on by a small group of mostly unarmed lawyers and later an actor? For the first threat, this sort of works, but as each situation gets bigger and more dangerous, the response looks smaller and more amateur in comparison. They are locating threats by satellite, observing from helicopters, then instead of calling in the Marines, SWAT teams, FBI or an air strike, they go in alone and mostly unarmed. This is just stupid.



an inconvenient alternative truth?, 14 Sep 2008
Michael Crichton's use of fear and uncertainty to attack the way governments and the media use fear and uncertainty to manipulate public opinion is deliciously ironic. If you have watched An Inconvenient Truth you might want to read this book. And if you read this book you might want to watch An Inconvenient Truth. Then we can all make up our own minds! Great read whatever your views on global warming. One of those books it is difficult to put down.... though not quite in the class of Prey - now that is one scary book!!

A readable thriller, 19 Aug 2008
State of Fear is an average, easy reading environmental thriller. You know, it's the sort of thing that's just begging to be made into a film with Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts. The plot is the fairly standard good guys vs bad guys stuff, characters are cookie cutter handsome guys and beautiful women and so on and so forth. You'll fly through it on long flight or train journey. For me that was good enough.

The most interesting thing about the book is not so much the plot or the characters, but what it makes you think about after you've finished reading it. Many people believe in global warming etc. but few of us can say that we really understand the issue in any detail and are highly reliant on so-called experts and the media for information.

Whether or not you agree with the author, you'll probably take more of an interest in finding out things for yourself after reading this book. So, all in all, this book is worth reading if you need something light and easy to occupy yourself with.

Great book, highly recommended especially for thinkers!, 25 May 2008
This is by far the best book Crichton has ever written! An absolute page-turner and the amount of knowledge gained from his insights is worth the time spent to read it. It provokes the mind into thinking outside the box and is incredibly relevant to this day in age with its well researched content. I am also most impressed with the last few pages, where Crichton writes a few words about his own thoughts on the novel, and the appendix section, where he elaborates on issues raised by the 'global warming' ideology. I really admire Crichton for having the courage to speak his mind into a novel.

Bearing in mind of Crichton's scientific background (he was a medical graduate from Harvard), it is not surprising to see how he goes about backing up his fiction with the large amount of literature references as some reviewers have already noted. I find this makes the book all the more interesting to read; almost like going through scientific journals set in an easy-to-read action-packed thriller genre. But of course, I can also understand how this may put some people off who may not like the overtly scientific content. And having read some of the poor reviews of this book, this is all the more emphasised. However, if you have an open-mind and would like to be challenged intellectually, then I highly recommend this book to you. You will not regret it!

(N.B. A good carry-on documentary that is relevant to this novel is called 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' aired on Channel 4 in UK recently. It can be downloaded online and I highly recommend it to people who have already read the book and want to learn more about the scientific controversies raised in the novel.)

Clever and Suspenseful, 30 Oct 2008
This book combines drama and suspense with science and a certain amount of moralizing. The book's major premise-using the DNA of long extinct species-is clever because it is so believable and thus frightening. The book plays upon the idea that if one tampers with Nature's most sacred mechanisms, there will be a price to pay and dangers that one can neither anticipate nor accommodate. The idea of a Caribbean park featuring such resurrected creatures provides a macabre and riveting fascination. The book and movie have been out for a while but nevertheless, if you haven't read this, it is still a good read.

Entertaining and educational, 10 Oct 2008
This is my favourite book of all time. It is thought provoking and hair raising and verging on prescient. I think everybody should read this at least once in their life. Enjoy!

DINO MEYHEM!, 05 Aug 2008
This book was awesome!
Dino's going on rampage through a theme park!
Amazing description, brilliant story.
Michael Crichton is one great author!

(I advise you to try Congo and the lost world!).

Jurassic Park, 07 May 2008

If you haven't seen the films, you will at least already know the story: eccentric old man funds a scientific venture involving the genetic resurrection of dinosaurs, and decides that the best way to showcase his work is a giant safari park on a tropical island just off the coast of Costa Rica. Needless to say, things go a little wrong and later there's running and screaming. A lot of it.

The film is still on the list of top ten highest grossing films of all time, and for good reason. It was a great film. If you've seen it and liked it, and are wondering if it's worth reading the book, then the short answer is "yes". Michael Crichton is an astounding author and every one of his novels is worth reading, regardless of whether or not you know the story.

The novel begins with much more mystery and a much wider scope than the film. Some of the smaller animals have begun appearing along the coastline, and nobody knows what to make of what they are assuming is a new species of lizard. These shorter storylines soon lead to Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, who are soon after invited to join the billionaire John Hammond on his new theme park, which is guaranteed to be "right up their alley".

From then the story is more familiar. Island. Dinosaurs. Industrial theft and sabotage leading to the visitors seeing more of the island, and more of the dinosaurs than they hoped for ... There are more than enough differences to the film to keep readers enthralled, including a few minor character differences, especially with regards to the children Tim and Lex, who have more "on-screen" time, Dr Grant, who is a little more rugged, and the almost villainously short-sighted John Hammond. There's a lot more action and - hooray! - a lot more of the tyrannosaur and the velociraptors!

Crichton's brief sentences and plain narrative lend great authenticity to the text, although he hadn't (and still hasn't) perfected the balance between science and story. There are one or two science-heavy scenes but it's all believable and accessible to any reader. This is definitely worth a read.

9/10


Lovely Stuff, 12 Apr 2008
I'm not usually an avid reader of books but before long 5 hours had past very quickly and I had finished what i thought to be a fantastic piece of science fiction. having seen the film first (many, many times) I still prefer the ensemble of image and sound to my half-baked imagination but don't get me wrong it was a great story and it encouraged great imagery. The book and the film aren't as different as some of the other review make out there isn't anything bad about that. The book was awesome, film was awesome, experience and enjoy them both.

perfectly conceived, 20 Aug 2008
I found this book to be a perfectly conceived techno-thriller/earth bound science fiction story. I have enjoyed some other Crichton, John Wyndham and Arthur C Clarke stuff and often this sort of thing requires large leaps of the imagination to follow the story but I couldn't find any holes in the plot or behaviour of the characters.

Still like it, 10 Jul 2008
I will be brief, as I cannot compare it to most of Crichtons work, just "Timeline", but later on that.
I red "The Andromeda strain" as a teenager and it stands out in my memory as one of the SF books I really liked. Well, it is neither Stanislaw Lem nor Philip K. Dick, but still was very enjoyable and well writeen (and well translated, 'cause back then I could only read it in Latvian).
Recent attempt to read "Timeline" was a disappointment; it was a translation again, and probably not so good one. It just did not register, seemed like Arthur Hailey, only a bit worse, so I never finished it. Sure, it was better that "The Da Vinci Code", but that is hardly a major achievement.

Disappointing, 25 Jul 2007
I have only recenty begun reading Michael Crichton (Next, Prey, Airframe) and have really enjoyed his work. The books are so indepth and backed by vast amounts of research, I never know what is fact or fiction.

Then I read Andromeda Strain and was greatly disappointed. Whilst the idea is fantastic, I found the writing complicated and all the bits of technical data (ie results of blood gases and dna analysis) unnecessarily burdensome and I skipped over numerous pages. The characters were not fully developed and I didn't really identify with any of them. It also seemed as though there was a lot of "background" information that Critchon presumed the reader had knowledge of but didn't. And finally, the ending was wholly anti-climatic.

Considering the decade it was written in, there were a lot of fantastical ideas about human knowledge and techinical capabilites that were really interesting, but overall, I'd say give this book a miss.

Oh My God, 14 Oct 2003
What a let down. Supposedly his best book, but it's ending is such a disappointment. I was actually really getting into the story and then it just finishes. I enjoyed it up until the last couple of chapters but the ending really ruined it. It is not as good as other books such as Jurassic Park or Lost World which at least have a catchy finale. If you do read this book skip the last couple of chapters and just make up your own ending, it will be more enjoyable that way!!!!

Fantastic strain of fiction, 26 Mar 2002
Could not put this excellent book down a pure joy to read, has you engaged from start to finish. Dr. hall the true hero in this book bringing forward the odd man theory. A must for all sci-fi readers and anybody else with an imagination.

Interesting, 15 Oct 2008
I found this book a really interesting insight into the possible future. The idea of owning genes & the whole commercial angle is an excellent idea. A good read.

Self indulgent, moralistic rubbish!!!, 15 Oct 2008
The books 'Timeline' and 'Prey' were wonderfully written with gripping storylines, however 'Next' is woeful. There are too many characters to keep track of and none of them are particularly interesting. There is no big plot here only a preach on how immoral it is to patent genes and a series of disinteresting sub plots which don't even really link up with each other. The whole book is self indulgent rubbish. When I read a book I want characters which I love and hate taking me on an interesting journey, sadly you won't get any of that here. Avoid! Better off reading Jeffrey Deaver.

Dissapointing. Not up to Crichton's Normal Standards, 11 Oct 2008
Having read several of Crichton's previous books and really enjoyed them, 'Next' was dissapointing.

It was too long, had too many characters in (you kept wondering: "who's this again?"), flitted between characters too much, lacked a strong story and didn't have the 'page turning' quality that all his other books seem to possess.

Overall, just not up to his normally very high standards, and not a book I would highly recommend. If you're looking for an introduction to Crichton, avoid 'Next' and try 'Prey' instead, which is excellent.



A little snack of thought food, 20 May 2008
Interesting, thought-provoking, outrageous, funny ... and confusing. As a literary product, it is clearly a quick shot from the hip about an immediate issue the author cares for: Gene patents. To allow corporations to "own" genes - or diseases - and charge licensing fees on research runs contrary to humane and scientific interests. In the book, a cancer patient whose body produces a valuable antibody almost literally becomes the "product" of a GeneTech firm - surely a preposterous idea, but nevertheless a statement on corporate ownership of the natural world.

"Next" is a fast and fascinating read - if you stick to the title: Don't bother with the characters, just get on with it. The shortness and shallowness may be a stylistic reflection of our fast-living media world, of us, or merely serve in creating a breathless athmosphere to emphasize the issues. If you enjoy that style, try John Brunner's classic "Stand on Zanzibar". Traditional elements of epic storytelling are deliberately missing - "Timeline" fans will be disappointed.

Apart from bashing bio patent holders, Crichton presents an intelligent, if a bit too fantastic caleidoscope of the frightening/wonderous prospects of biotechnology that will undoubtedly revolutionize our understanding of the "natural" world as much as computers did - in maybe 20 years to come. He treads some well-worn horror paths and does little to dispel myths about the current possibilities, but with a humorous twinkle. Rather than a serious "science" thriller, it's a cereal snack of brain fodder with emphasis on social commentary.

Barely readable pap., 14 Apr 2008
I hadn't heard a word about "Next" before I bought it, so I never heard the negative reaction it had received. Even unencumbered by public opinion, "Next" sucks supremely. By page 146 I'd had enough and had to ditch it. It just doesn't work, and the constant switching between characters makes you think you're reading a series of completely unrelated stories (in fact, I suspect you are - having not stuck around for the end, I wouldn't know). I love Crichton's work, but it seriously IS that bad. If you haven't read it yet, try "Prey" and leave this well alone. You have been warned.

the future is the past, 01 Aug 2008
Read this and saw the movie. I would have to say some part of the story were not the same as to most of the movie-book titles. The team of Chris, Kate and Marek came to rescue the professor; going to the past a period 14 century when Englandd and France were at war.

Chris, Kate and Marek were the main characters fighting their way in between Kate moving from the battlement of France and England. They have to find a secret passage into the castle occupied then by England who kept the Professor prison. They have to return back togather with time not on their side while the in between this war.

One advice, read the book first then watch the movie. I do think the book is as great as some of MC's book but far more better then NEXT. The characters created in this book has weak roles and keep shifting in turns for play in their parts. I would rate this 3.5 Star.

Excellent, entertaining read, 07 Jul 2008
This is first Michael Crichton book I've read. I got it as a present, and took a while to get round to reading it.

I'm sorry I did, because it's an excellent read. Crichton does an excellent job of setting the scene, and really drawing you into the middle ages with the characters.

He also does a good job of trying to explain/justify the science throughout. I thought some of it was a bit ropey, but of course it's difficult to be very accurate about such a theoretical area of physics.

It's undoubtedly a great page turned, and an easy read. Thoroughly recommended.



Well....., 29 Apr 2008
Its a new approach for Crichton.
Medieval/Sci-fi was a combination ha actually pulled off.
Read on!

A tense, engaging read, 10 Apr 2008
I found this to be a highly entertaining read. In TIMELINE Michael Crichton takes us to the Middle Ages. The novel begins with the strange death of a man found wandering in the desert. Gradually we learn that he was the unintentional victim of a top-secret scientific experiment in time travel. A Bill Gates-like uber-nerd named Robert Doniger is responsible; his ITC corporation has been experimenting with methods of sending people through time via quantum mechanics.

Crichton does an excellent job of setting up the possibility of how time travel might come about. He explains it in terms of space/time, and also points out the potential dangers.

The story really kicks into high gear when three historians are sent back in time to rescue their professor. Our time travelers are a Belgian named Andre who is in love with all things Middle Ages; Kate, a woman who finds her athletic skills to be lifesaving when escaping from medieval castles; and a rather dorky scholar who happens to be in love with in love with Kate.

The trio are sent back to the year 1357 to a town called La Roque in search of their professor. There's a distinct danger of being stuck there, as well as many threats from locals who find their sudden appearance suspicious.

The people we meet in the past are a little wooden at times, but overall you come to care for some. The adventure, however, is top-notch, with jousting matches and technical glitches galore. As the characters race to rescue the professor and try not to get killed in the process, another plot twist is introduced: someone previously sent into the past is still there, and working against them. Who he is and why he is doing what he's doing eventually come to light and add a unique threat.

All in all a tense, engaging read.

fantastic, 11 Jan 2008
Whatever anyone tells you about this book, my recommendation-read it, you won't be dissapointed. Michael Crichton brings to life the middle ages with tales of combat and a colourful tapestry of chivalry among the peoples. Only one thing, read this before you see the film, as that is truly awful, especially Billy Connollys' acting!
Ron

Nothing Like 13th Warrior, 23 Oct 2008
Yes, 13th Warrior was based on this book, but don't expect them to be the same. In fact, if you saw the movie before you read this book, you may be shocked by the differences. The vikings are not portrayed in such a nice light as in the movie.

Faldan's manuscript, well-known to scholars, provides one of the earliest eyewitness accounts of Viking life and culture, in C.E. 922 - a lot of people like to believe this is where the story of Beowulf came from, but they need to do some fact-checking.

However, Michael Crichton's book provides an exciting combination of the two sources, even if he does exaggerate those facts quite a bit, but we could expect nothing less from the author. Anyone would enjoy this story about a Viking chieftain defending his country from the monsters in the mist.


Fiction Presented as Fact, 03 Jul 2007
This book presents itself as a historical account from translations of the adventures of one Ibn Fadlan a Muslim living in Bagdad in AD 921. Ibn we are told was a real historical figure, sent on a mission by the Caliph, he was then effectively kidnapped by a group of "northmen" (vikings) and forced to go with them back to their native land to assist them in defeating a grisly sub-human group of cannibals that are attacking farmsteads in the area. One is of course then amazed by the story believing it to be to some extent true. It is only at the end that Michael Crighton suddenly lets on he was pulling our leg and that although Ibn was a real character the story is largely fiction. I personally don't approve of presenting fiction as fact and was annoyed by this as it seems rather silly. But all the same even as a fictional work it is still undoubtedly a good read, well written with interesting insight on how life may have been at that time (just like the Clan of the Cave Bear). It is every bit as good as the film (although it is probably best to see the film first so you can visualise the wonderful Antonio Balestairos writing it!!)

Short, sharp and savage, 29 Aug 2006
I decided to read this book after watching the flawed but fun film The 13th Wa