Michael Crichton Novel Readers

[Coolhand]

. Saying that SETI is a religion, that global warming doesn't exist and that dinosaurs were not killed by a meteor impact merely shows that he's a bit of an idiot, not that he's the maverick scientific commentator he pretends to be.

His point about SETI is that there is no EVIDENCE that there is alien life out there, and that the Drake equation for determining the number of alien civilisations in the universe has no set numbers, and therefore could be any value from millions to zero. Therefore, belief In ET is not based upon hard data but upon FAITH, making it a religion. You might not share his point of view, (I disagree about his definition of faith and religion) but it hardly makes him an idiot.

The extinction of the dinosaurs, are you referring to the KT Extinction boundary? Because there are MULTIPLE theories about that one put forward by paleontologists, including asteroid impact, volcanic activity, sea level rise or a combination of the above.

As for Global warming…well, that’s a whole other firestorm. But Crichton constantly quotes real scientists and studies in the book so whilst his science might be wrong, and those scientists and studies mistaken, it hardly makes him an idiot. I’ve heard him interviewed and read articles by Crichton, and he comes across as a very very smart guy who genuinely believes what he says. He might be mistaken in those beliefs, but that hardly makes him an idiot.

Slightly back on track, I loved Jurassic Park (though the ending was weak) and Lost World. Congo was good fun (though the ending was again weak), and I really enjoyed Timeline as a fun romp. Terminal Man was quite a good medical thriller. Haven't read Sphere, Airframe, Prey or Next. State of Fear was not that great as a story but very interesting as a critique of certain aspects of the media, the way science and government interact, and of some climate change theories. Though people tend to focus pretty much on the last aspect (for obivious reasons) and overlook the points he makes about the first two.

 

[Marky Lazer]

I read JP and LW, too. And Sphere as well. At least, I think it was that one, with the weird ball at the bottom of the ocean, yeah? Been a long, long time ago, though.

 

[pipecad]

Loved Andromeda Strain in the early 70s when I read it (I was a teen). I've read most of his subsequent books, and found them for the most part entertaining, but really, his science thrillers only have one plot: something dangerous arises because of the actions of foolhardy scientists (germs, dinosaurs, murderous brainwaves, time thrown off-course, etc.) and a plucky and brilliant iconoclast must rise to the occasion and save the world. Movie. Whatever.

That said, I think Rising Sun is probably my second-favorite Crichton novel; the characters are crap, the racism is near-overwhelming, yet nevertheless the story races along amidst mountains of detail and color. At least that's how I remember it, it's been a while.

 

[Max the Mediocre]

As for Global warming…well, that’s a whole other firestorm. But Crichton constantly quotes real scientists and studies in the book so whilst his science might be wrong, and those scientists and studies mistaken, it hardly makes him an idiot. I’ve heard him interviewed and read articles by Crichton, and he comes across as a very very smart guy who genuinely believes what he says. He might be mistaken in those beliefs, but that hardly makes him an idiot.

He is not an idiot, true. He is deliberately deceptive, also true. Unless Next was an exception, and he went from being honest to a brazen liar over whatever span of time separated State of Fear and Next, his position on climate change is ********--and he knows it.

 

[Locksmith]

I've read quite a few MCs. Of those I've read, I'd rank them in the following order - Rising Sun, Disclosure, Jurassic Park, Timeline, Airframe, State of Fear and Prey.

In a move that will no doubt amuse Scalem, I don't really rate him as an author, despite having read 7 of his books! The first three books on the list I actively went out and looked for and read, the others I've picked up in charity shops or for train/plane journeys where they've passed the time as adequate page turners.

 

[Coolhand]

He is not an idiot, true. He is deliberately deceptive, also true. Unless Next was an exception, and he went from being honest to a brazen liar over whatever span of time separated State of Fear and Next, his position on climate change is ********--and he knows it.

Please explain how you know him to be deliberately deceptive on this issue.

 

[Wendell]

I'd vote for Sphere, J. Park (maybe Lost World) and Congo as the most distracting reads. I find parts of Prey downright exciting, but its slow plodding at first and somehow it falls apart at the end. And lately - and this may be just me - I find myself thinking "gee, this guy just doesn't like women".

In any case, I'm with those who'd rather read (early) Preston & Child.

 

[steve12553]

I've always found his stuff to be comfortable reading. Jurassic Park had a novel concept but most of his stuff kept my attension but didn't change my outlook on life. (Of Course, I'm still waiting for anybody to write that novel). The one nobody mentioned was The Great Train Robbery. It was both a fun book and a fun caper movie with a rather unique setting for that type of story. I've read eight or nine of his books and enjoyed reading them all.

 

[Hiro Protagonist]

I love all of Crichton's work, but my favorite is Jurassic Park!