5 comments about Prey.

1. This review pertains especially to the unabridged audio book version of Michael Crichton's PREY, read by George Wilson. (Robert Sean Leonard performs the abridged audio book.) I'll address first the reading, and then the story.
   
   I have not really listened to a lot of books. I'd always wondered if listening to a book counts as having "read" it, giving that absurd question far more thought than is worth. One thing I've learned, though, is that despite not seeing the words on a page I retain far more of the story, even the author's language, than I had thought I would. I guess that that's because, as the words are read, one paints the scenes in one's mind, and it's the vivid memory of those scenes, a memory both visual and auditory, that sticks--like old-time radio.
   
   So let me comment on the auditory experience. George Wilson's baritone voice does a nice job with the narrative itself. But is it common for a reader to try to give distinctive "voices" to the characters? In particular, should a male reader attempt to "put on" a female voice? And how about mimicking children: should an adult male reader of a book try to switch to children's voices? This method of book reading might work well with a particularly good actor, but Wilson's attempts fall short of the mark. When Wilson first started reading the words of an Asian-American character, Mae Chang, in a soft, high voice, I started to laugh. It just sounded alternately unintentionally seductive and silly. And forget the arguments between the kids; it's like listening to an adult mock the way children talk. Far better for Wilson just to have read the entire material in his own voice.
   
   As for the novel itself, PREY follows the formula first set out by Michael Crichton in THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN and developed much further in JURASSIC PARK. The formula works quite well; it's like variations on an amusement park ride. What makes Crichton's novels particularly fun to read for someone who likes the "science" in "science fiction" is that Crichton weaves in a lot of factual science material into his narrative. At times, though, the way he weaves that material in can be borderline pedantic; what's worse is that it can destroy the flow of the story and diminish its effectiveness.
   
   PREY is essentially JURASSIC PARK with swarming hybrid nanomachine-microorganisms in place of dinosaurs. (Wouldn't THE SWARMS have been a better title, incidentally?) Both stories involve technology that isn't too far removed from the present, and concern the havoc that results when human beings, full of hubris and highly fallible, attempt to play God. The basic problem with PREY's monsters is that they aren't a feature of popular culture. And swarming dust doesn't immediately strike one as very terrifying. Crichton does a great job, though, at making these swarms frightening. He builds the tension for a satisfying ride through what one would be forgiven for calling Nanoland Park.
   
   There are problems with PREY. Beyond the expected plot holes that suspension of disbelief wants to hide, the occasional hackneyed plot twists and interactions between characters, and the sometimes embarrassingly bad dialogue, PREY takes far too long to get the story going. A good first third of the book takes place in a home in which some strange things happen; developments that seem far less mysterious to the reader than they are to the--supposedly smart--characters. The home scenes basically reveal that Julia Forman, the wife of the main character, Jack Forman, and the mother of two-going-on-three brats, is acting very strangely. Before the action even moves out to the desert--Nanoland Park--the reader already knows that Julia is "possessed" by the evil nanoparticles; we just don't know how or why. We are left to wonder about some of the other strange occurrences, while having to put up with arguments between the brats and, even worse, wimpy Jack's inability to do anything with any kind of conviction at all. Not caring about the characters is not where the reader wants to be when the action begins.
   
   However that may be, once the Nanoland Park ride begins, the story becomes compelling and fun. (I knew I had got caught up in it when I hesitated to kiss my wife one evening! You'll have to read the story to understand.) It would make a good summer read, or, if you can put up with George Wilson's varying "voices," a good beach listen. What gives this pulp fiction a kind of redeeming value beyond entertainment is that Crichton occasionally also succeeds in making you ponder the world through the lens of science; for instance, he makes the point that our bodies in all their sum parts are essentially swarms of nanoparticles and that our mental activity is actually far more decentralized than what we might think.



2. Whoa! What a wild tale! Thank goodness it's only fiction. Still, I think the cautionary part of this narrative is that stuff like this happens all the time, with very few people knowing about it, and dire consequences affecting everyone can result. This is a very thought-provoking book. Crichton is at his finest as a storyteller.



3. First I want to apologize with the readers of this review because of my English knowledge. My native language is Spanish, so you may find some mistakes here. (It will be great if someone wants to send me a comment with the mistakes for me to know)
   
   About the book: Is not to short, however all the action take place in a few days. Maybe that's why I felt like I was seeing a slow motion movie.
   
   The book is written as if the author were the protagonist of the action and, more often than not, he gives you a few paragraph about some technical details, what is great to let you know that all that happens may be possible in the real world, but sometimes feels like out of place. For example the protagonist is in a dangerous situation, and in that moment he takes time to gives us a long thought about how the wild animals behave and the reasons for that behavior.
   
   At the end all the credible theories finish with a revelation worth of a bad science fiction story.
   
   I had to make a pause in the reading about the middle of the book (because I was boring) and then after a while, start reading again to know how everything ends.



4. Crichton does a fabulous job of portraying how our human ignorance can lead us down a path of no turning back. How much do we really know about how computer technology works? What explains the strange anomolies that appear in computer code? "Prey" shows us just one hypothetical example of what could happen. It also makes you wonder how long before science fiction turns into science.



5. Prey is set mainly in the Nevada desert. At a research lab, an experiment with limited intelligence, nano technology, has gone wrong. Some of the nano particles have escaped into the atmosphere, and are starting to learn, adapt and multiply outside of the laboratory environment. As they become more intelligent, they start to become a threat to the scientists
   inside their facility.
   
   I found this book slow moving at first. We are introduced to the main character, Jack Forman, an unemployed IT expert, and his family. His wife works at the research lab, in the desert, but the first part of the book deals mainly with Jack, and the increasingly strange behaviour of his wife. I suppose this is good from the character building point of view.
   
   Once, he visits the research lab, however, the book starts to get going, and the suspense starts to build, as they realise the enormity of the problem that they have on their hands, and the novel becomes a race against time, to destroy the nano particles. Overall, a fairly good read, with a few twists, reasonably good characterisation, but, also, very 'technical' in places.

No comments about The Lost World Unabridged Audio Book on Tape.

5 comments about The Andromeda Strain.

1. I actually saw the movie before I read the book. I thought the movie was really good until I read the book... Wow! Crichton's writing style is amazing and addictive! Now, when I see the movie, I still think it's good, but it pales in comparison to the book.



2. I read both this and Bill Clem's novel, Microbe, which has been compared to it, and I enjoyed Clem's book more. Not to say this wasn't good, but parts just fell flat for me, where in Clem's book, it's non-stop action and furious pace. Still I have to give it four stars for a great effort. if you haven't read Clem's novel Microbe, do yourself a favor and read it. then you can compare for yourself and see if the national reviewers were right.



3. It was about 15 years ago in my science class that I watched the movie Andromeda Strain, and I just finished reading the book last night in about 6 hours. Yes, it was difficult to put it down.
   
   The story line is simple yet compelling. Satellite falls down into a very small town, and all the people were dead in very strange ways. The most striking point is that their all of their blood has been clotted, dried like solid, inside their body. When more thorough investigation was done, there are two survivors. These survivals and the satellite are brought to top secret laboratory designed to contain and study extraterrestrial life form.
   
   Because the "disease" causes immediate death, group of scientists are at work to find solution or cure, as quickly as possible. As the scientists examine & learn more about the satellite & survivors, the plot thickens.
   
   Keep in mind this book was published almost 40 years ago. Author has done incredible research and the whole idea of laboratory designed for alien life form seemed "radical", and truly science fiction 40 years ago in my opinion.
   
   It's a great book to read, and I also recommend to watch the movie if you can find one.
   
   I also know & realize that the ending is not quite good as it could've been and I agree. However, the ending shouldn't be the judging point of a book.
   
   One other things people mentioned was that the book was too "scientific" & "technical". Author tried to explain basic biology & chemistry terms & ideas that was discussed in the book. I realize this may be confusing to some non-science people. Since I studied both chemistry & biology, I understood most of the techno-lingo. So be aware for non science people.



4. I saw a good portion of the Andromeda Strain on TV and it looked pretty interesting. I recalled that I had picked up the book at a book sale a few months ago so I got the book out and began reading.
   
   Normally, the book is much, much better than the movie, so if you liked the movie, you will love the book. Not so with this one. The book was very difficult to read - you get to a point where you don't care if you finish or not. The book started off pretty slow, but I thought it would improve. It did not, not even a little. The ending was horrible and really didn't seem to finish the story. There were a lot of loose ends (such as what happened with the infant and the old man?).
   
   The story is basically about a US satellite that brings back an extremely volatile virus from space. The virus kills just about everyone in a small town. It is studied in a top secret laboratory. I think they found a cure (it really was that boring).
   
   The book was filled with interesting computer-generated graphics that really didn't add anything to the reading experience and looked just weird. Of course, this book was also written in 1969, so maybe they considered that to be top-notch back then.
   
   I really don't recommend this book. This is the first time I would actually tell you to watch the movie as opposed to reading the book.
   
   I'm glad this was not the first Michael Crichton book I read, because it would have turned me off to his other books (I've read several of his other books and I love them).



5. Interesting flashback to an earlier version of medical science fiction. I read it after viewing the recent remake for TV of the film version, and in anticipation of viewing the original film version on DVD.
   The recent TV remake is better than the book, which today seems a little hackneyed. This long-ago first novel by Crichton included enough errors in the author's writing craft that, today, I must wonder how it ever got published.

5 comments about Sphere: Priceless.

1. I've read this one 3 times and it's one of my favorite books of all time. Crichton's writing is as smooth as anyone I've read. Great story. Sped through this in about 2.5 days.



2. The writing in this book was really good. The underwater scenes described and the dicovery of an unusual spaceship at the bottom of the ocean are rivetting. I love books that explore and discover something unknown! The ending however is really, really ...lame! Like he intellectually just ran out of gas and wanted to end the story right away. (It is very similar to the movie.)



3. Michael Crichton weaves an awesome tale in Sphere. It's a unique and mind-bending tale that spins from one catastrophe to another with nice fluidity. Your'e constantly reading to find out not only what the Sphere is but the history of the characters. Crichton explains some difficult concepts using simple grammar which will help any reader who didn't pass chemistry. The Sphere is a character in it's self and that help propels the story forward. It's very creepy and makes you realize how powerful free will is. I highly recommend it because of the action, characters and story.



4. This was the first Crichton book I read a really long time ago. The book is great. Way better than the movie that came out. The mood and characters were developed so well and just kept me reading.



5. Sunday, July 09, 2006
   "Sphere" by Michael Crichton, ©1987
   This is an interesting book. I started reading it because it seemed better than that J. A. Jance story I had brought with me.
   It has the distinction of having a psychologist as its hero. There are not too many science fiction books that even have psychologists in them, much less, as the hero. The best part of the story is the end: it makes so much sense and it was so obvious to start with. Then there is the inevitable what happens now that we all feel after a good story.

3 comments about Michael Crichton Value Collection (The Michael Crichton Collection).

1. All three of these books are absolute winners, and being able to read them without lifting a finger is a plus on its own! Full of action and adventure, all thee titles are sure to keep you o the edge of your seat. You'll never want to stop listening!



2. Jurassic Park is an outstanding book. This is the second time I have read it and it got better. It is interesting becuase companies will probably be able to clone dinosuars like that soon. The book really kept me interested, it really didn't have a low spot. The book kinda tests your ability to understand fiction. At times you have to use a lot of imagination, but even with that it is a real good book.



3. It has been said that 'Jurassic Park' is one of Crichton's best books (if not THE best) and I agree. An absolutely amazing work of original fiction which is written to near perfection. The movie was ripped to shreds by many fans of the novel for having 1-dimensional characters, but you cannot say that about the novel. Crichton breathes life into these people, especially Ian Malcom, easily his greatest creation (and Jeff Goldblum was perfectly cast in the movies I might add).

   The idea of resurrecting extinct animals wasn't originated by Crichton, but he is the guy who took the idea and ran with it to the publisher first. I just cannot think of a more compelling idea for a fictional story which bases its original theory on literal facts. The idea of visiting living dinosaurs is facinating beyond words, but Ian Malcom said it best about the process of bringing to life animals that have been dead for millions of years when he said, "You were so interested in discovering whether or not you COULD clone dinosaurs that you never stopped to think if you SHOULD." Quite possibly one of the most entertaining adventure/thrillers ever published.

   'The Lost World' in many ways was set up to fail by many even before they read it. How do you top 'Jurassic Park'? Since the total originality of the first book is gone, that takes away a little of the enjoyment, but I believe that Crichton sacrificed nothing with this sequel. Staying true to his original story he wrote a sequel to his book rather than the movie version, making this that much more compelling and entertaining. Never for a minute think that 'The Lost World' isn't as fun in almost every way as the original, because it IS. It is also SO different than the very poor movie that shared the same name. Actually they only shared about 5-10% of the same storyline, enough of a difference to wonder why they didn't come out with a novelized version of the movie. While not his best novel, I found it as exciting as the original and chock full of everything that makes a thriller worthwhile to read in the first place.

   I had heard for years that 'The Andromeda Strain' was Crichtons best novel...and this is one area where I disagree. Although being a fun and very good book, it is easy to see how far he has come as an author when you read it. It is very possible that this book inspired a rash of movies which imitated the main plotline of a disease or alien being brought back to earth unknowingly, but one of Crichtons best novels? I don't think so. Still it IS a must read for every fan.

No comments about Airframe.

5 comments about Congo.

1. This truly was one of Michael Crichtons best novels. Alhtough superbly written, it did lack some of the technical intricacies of the usual Michael Crichton novel. As far as the book being family friendly, it didn't do too bad either, getting a T-rating from www.evalbooks.com I think the movie got a similar rating.



2. Backup Lost City expedition, with gorilla.
   
   
   An archaeological and exploitative expedition gets wiped out, and the company this happened to wants to find out why. A young primate expert and her star pupil: a rather intelligent gorilla included, they take what they hope are enough high tech toys for them to survive their monster encounter.
   
   An ordinary sort of scary adventure story, really.
   
   
   2.5 out of 5



3. The plot line was written well, along with the charater discriptions and overall flow to the story. UNFORTUNATELY there seems to be a misunderstanding within the cover about if the author is part of the story or not. One paragraph he will be talking in the 1st person then the next paragraph its in the 3rd person. I was confused but definately a good book to read.



4. I remember reading this and thinking "when is the action going to start." Still it is well written and I would recommend any Crichton book.



5. As an Anthroplogy student I have a particular fondness to this book. I love the story and the action is intense. The book is lengthy but you will finish it in a few sittings, it's that good!

5 comments about State of Fear.

1. Interesting, thought-provoking and easily readable. Recommended for any Crichton fans or environmentally conscious fiction readers. Not for the die-hard Al Gore/global-warming-hysteria supporters.



2. Crighton is one of those rare people who can describe highly technical things clearly enough for those who don't speak the language. I just read this book again, and had forgotten some of the global warming babble that is followed like a religion. This novel clearly presents the story, the evidence and the research. If you have an open mind, you may be surprised.



3. My sister recommended this book. I wish I'd saved it for vacation! It is very timely and sheds a different light on global warming. I liked that he backed up his information with actual studies. I'm looking forward to reading more books by Michael Crichton.



4. In this book, Michael Crichton gives a view of the idea of "global warming", that we NEVER hear in the media. The documented data he presents is VERY eye opening to how much we really do live in a state of fear unnecessarily and how the media, political scene and others spend billions to keep us misinformed, afraid and duped.
   
   Read this book no matter which side of the fence you are on. It is NOT delusional or libertarian.
   
   Thanks,Mr.Crichton for writing this book.



5. State of fear is not Crichton's best work. I found the "thriller" to be some what boring and lacking in suspence, and I struggled to finish the book. Crichton's message that global warming is a farce seems outdated and foolish.

5 comments about Rising Sun.

1. An ok cop tale, partly based around some American Japanophobia. Throw in the beginnings of the technology for faking video evidence, and some corporate stuff. Then there is the auto-erotic asphyxiation gone just a bit too far problem for one of the visiting business types. Naturally one of the main characters is a Japanese liasion expert, throw him together with a garden variety cop type and there you go.



2. This was a book I thoroughly enjoyed when I read it. Although a detective story, Michael Crichton used this as the background to inform Americans about our competitive relationship with Japan. I have met others who have read this book stating that Crichton was way out of his league when he wrote it. They criticized how he stereotyped the Japanese, but much of what he wrote although somewhat exaggerated were true. As a business student in the 80s, I often read about the tension between American industries and their Japanese counter-parts. Japanese business approaches, practices and attitudes were studied and well documented. Such practices as product dumping were common for Japanese businesses, which drove many American electronics companies to bankruptcy and at a market disadvantage.
   
   I believe that Crichton by writing this novel was trying to alert Americans to the growing threat that concerned many in corporate America. The novel was to serve as a warning not only about Japan's growing economic power, but its aggressive acquisitions of market positions, industries and real estate which were once dominated by Americans.
   
   
   Accusations of racism are often attributed with this novel, but such thinking is unavoidable as the Japan Inc. is being scrutinized. As one reads one cannot feel some animosity towards the Japanese, which again is Crichton's purpose to awaken the reader to American interests. One case in point was how when American made cars were purchased in Japan that the consumer was marked for tax audit by the government. What Crichton failed to include was the reason for this was that American cars were the trademark for the Japanese Yakuza, who primarily purchased such cars: thus triggering the tax audits. Such a presentation of "racist" policies by the Japanese are emotionally charged and effective, but are only a partial truth of what was occurring between Japanese and American business relations.
   
   At the time that it was written, none foresaw the economic recession that hit Japan in the mid-1990s, and how it would deflate not only their economies but their national ego as well. One can only speculate where would the two countries be if the recession had not halted Japan's economic advance.



3. I found this to be one of Crichton's most disappointing books. When it was published, it may have found an audience that could relate, but with a currently different economical situation, most of the story is too outdated for a reader to appreciate. The mystery is thrilling, but Crichton ruins it with characters like Graham, who fits the racist anti-Japanese stereotype, and Connor, the enigmatic, all-knowing Sherlock Holmes. Even Connor treats the Japanese like a bit cruelly, referring to them the way a scientist would describe the characteristics of a strain of bacteria. I can see how certain qualities of Asian culture can be annoying, especially in business, but had Crichton written with a bit more diplomacy, his book would be a lot more popular today.



4. As with every review here, it is merely an opinion. So first let met try to find and build a little rapport with a few of potential readers. The Micheal Crichton books which I immensely enjoyed and considered enjoyable reading were Airframe, Disclosure, and Timeline. Airframe, being an immensely captivating read. Disclosure, being one of the few books that led to two sleepless nights of reading. And Timeline, an excellent departure from your typical "Thriller" novel, with a unique and somewhat timeless storyline.
   With that said, Rising Sun was a bit of a disappointment. The story is not nearly as suspenseful or intriguing as the above titles. The pace is not nearly as fast, nor are the plot twists as captivating or unexpected as his better novels. The plot is, for the most part, quite linear. There are very few moments when you will wonder (or care) what will happen next. Most times it is quite clear where it is going, and there are VERY few times when a plot twist occurs that you didn't see coming. In other words, no "Cliffhanger" chapter endings, or parts of the story you a waiting in suspense to be resolved.
   There are two elements in this book that lead to those disappointments. The first is the redundant use of the word "Japan" and the "Japanese". It is possible that at the time of this writing it was a groundbreaking topic, and an exposing of the corporate Japanese influence and involvement that was a hot topic and a newsworthy concern in the early 90s but seems rather outdated today. In almost every chapter, if not every page, some reference to the Japanese and how their culture/business practices are incorporated, and how they differ from the United States'. It may not sound like much of a big deal, or perhaps a slightly awakening topic to those who have no clue about these differences, but it is too say the least, redundant.
   The second aspect, is the emergence of the Thriller genre competitor, Dan Brown. While some may disregard this as an issue to this actual story or book itself, it is hard to read books like the Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, and Deception Point, and then transition to a story such the Rising Sun, where the writing, subjects, and incredible plot just does not compare.
   But despite the cliches, and exhausting explanations of trivial (i.e. corny) and somewhat outdated Japanese business practices, the book is worth a read. But no highly recommended.
   
   If you were looking for a Micheal Crichton that while still dated but is in easy competition with today's modern thrillers, Airframe and Disclosure are sure fire bets.



5. Many of the predictions in this book about the Japanese "taking over America" by buying it up have not come true. Indeed, with Japan's current economic decline the alarmist tone of this book is quite laughable. I remember reading it at the time and being somewhat skeptical, but in 2008, this book has almost no relevance except as an example of fear-mongering from a prior decade. The mystery story itself is only so-so. Stick to Jurassic Park or the Andromedia Strain.

5 comments about Jurassic Park.

1. I read this book about ten years ago. Not too long after I watched the movie for the first time. This is one of those stereotypical books that are so much more enjoyable than the movie. Don't get me wrong the movie was good but this book is a bit more real in the sense that the dinosaurs are portrayed more brutally and in a book you just have time for more character development and situations.
   
   All in all this is one of my favorite books and was the first Michael Crichton book I ever read!



2. What an amazing book, so exciting. I literally couldn't put it down.
   
   Filled with so much details about the many different dinosaurs and the scientific experiments taken to create the ultimate 'zoo' called Jurassic Park and of course what happens when it all goes so horribly wrong.
   
   The movie was good but the book was terrific, 10/10 to Michael Crichton, a genius storyteller.
   
   One of the best books I have EVER read, a true thriller of a story.



3. 
   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



4. In 1989 Isla Nubar (an island off the coast of Costa Rica) was purchased to house dinosaurs in an attraction park which sounds like a good idea to me. This conclusion is determined with some over sight though. What if there was catastrophic system failure? What if some of the dinosaurs were extremely dangerous and much smarter than expected? These problems are adressed in Jurassic Park a technical in depth look at what an incredibly wealthy man who loves dinosaurs would do in order to bring them back to life. Of course bringing extinct creatures back to life would never work which is proven in Jurassic Park. The systems fail causing the dinosaurs to get free and attack the trial visitors. Eventually a helicopter from the Costa Rican National Guard rescues the survivors. This story is written with great detail and is one of the best books I have every read.



5. I saw the film JURASSIC PARK and loved it (who didn't?). Steven Spielberg had once again proved his genious. Later, I decided to read the book by Michael Crichton. I loved it just as much, if not more, than the film.
   It was my first Crichton book, and I was very impressed by his talent of weaving science and probability in his mile-a-minute plot lines. The movie plot closely followed that of the book, and in the few places where it differed, I found I preferred the book.
   The plot follows a businessman who creates a theme park out of cloned dinosaurs. He invites various paleontologists and scientists to test it out before it opens, but the dinos break loose and wreak havoc. That sounds groan-inducing, but Crichton uses at least 1/4th of the book it establishing the back-up science to make it almost believable.
   Highly recommended.