Michal Crichton is the author of many books that have made either average or bad movies, but his books are far superior regardless of how well done the movies were. Some of my favorites are:
The Andremeda Strain The Jurassic Park series Timeline (which was recently made into a horrible movie) Airframe The Terminal Man Disclosure Congo
His books seem to blend science and fiction perfectly and I can't seem to get enough of him. He recently wrote another book called "State of Fear" and I am looking forward to it. Anybody familiar with his work?
NOTE: This sounds like a commerical, I'm sorry, but I really love Crichton's novels.
Posts: 3360 | Location: Strange Days | Registered: 18 October 2004
Yeah, I "did the reviews" for that book for metacritic (for the new site - which was supposed to be up today, but now will likely be up on Monday...don't ask!), and the metascore is in the upper 50s, low 60s. It's obviously a very controversial premise: that all the global warming theories are bogus, and the proponents of the science are all money-grubbing conspirators who go to the extent of trying to manipulate the environment to prove their theories. The reviews will be up soon!
Death to Videodrome... long live the new flesh!
Posts: 391 | Location: Santa Monica | Registered: 12 May 2004
quote:(for the new site - which was supposed to be up today, but now will likely be up on Monday...don't ask!),
I'm trembling with anticipation!!!
quote:It's obviously a very controversial premise: that all the global warming theories are bogus, and the proponents of the science are all money-grubbing conspirators who go to the extent of trying to manipulate the environment to prove their theories.
yeah I checked it out and found a couple bad reviews because of what he says in the book. From what I hear it is sprinkled with charts and graphs and has over five pages of bibliography.
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Posts: 3360 | Location: Strange Days | Registered: 18 October 2004
Yeah, he adds plenty of evidence to support his perspective on the topic, as usual. I don't have any particular leanings on the topic. What I find more interesting about book reviews is that the particular bias of the publication reviewing each book seems to come out a bit more than it does with movies. But will see if that bears itself out with a larger sample size.
Death to Videodrome... long live the new flesh!
Posts: 391 | Location: Santa Monica | Registered: 12 May 2004
quote:What I find more interesting about book reviews is that the particular bias of the publication reviewing each book seems to come out a bit more than it does with movies
I've noticed that as well, I assumed that this was due to the fact that because book reviews are not read as widely as movie reviews publications are free to do as they please.
Posts: 3360 | Location: Strange Days | Registered: 18 October 2004
True. I think part of it's due to the fact that a rather large proportion of the total book reviews written by a given paper are not done by "staff" writers, but by guest writers/scholars who are either authors of similar books, or experts in the topic area. I think they feel a little more comfortable stating a bias.
Death to Videodrome... long live the new flesh!
Posts: 391 | Location: Santa Monica | Registered: 12 May 2004
I just finished SOF and am anxious to know how the reading public reacts to it. It's pretty obvious to predict how the media is going to come down on him, but I'm interested to see if it will play in Peoria.
Well, I finished it in about three days. A page turner it was. The story is lacking a little bit in terms of actually having history on the characters but other than that really good. I am not sure if I believe in what he was saying, but his bibliography gave me a good place to start my research and develop my own opinion. I always just assumed that global warming was occuring, now I actually have to become informed and aware of the situation, any book that can do that gets my recommendation. My score 80/100
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Posts: 3360 | Location: Strange Days | Registered: 18 October 2004
State of Fear is seeming increasingly ridiculous in the face of overwhelming worldwide consensus on global warming, and Crichton's writing has been increasingly suffering since getting so direct with his views.
Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain equally deal with scientific problems as does SOF and his last couple, but the difference in good storytelling between former and latter is obvious.
'for my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.'
Posts: 2002 | Location: The ever silent spaces of the East | Registered: 12 February 2007
So, as the once good, but now pretty much rubbish Michael Crichton fades, why not try Matthew Reilly, the new, excellent (at least for the first 4 novels) M. Crichton..
'for my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.'
Posts: 2002 | Location: The ever silent spaces of the East | Registered: 12 February 2007
Has anyone read Next? I read it on vacation, and thought it was complete shite. I did like the talking monkey, however. Everyone likes talking monkeys!
--------------- I wonder if you're mythologizing me, like I do you
Posts: 1426 | Location: State of Disarray | Registered: 10 January 2007
No talking monkeys...but Reilly's "Ice Station" is the one to go for I think.
He write screenplays in the form of novels, but the early books are great.
The last couple have have been shoddy; too much action, not enough development. But Contest, Area 7 and Temple are the other excellent ones, and very Crichton like with maps and numbers and data on the page.
'for my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.'
Posts: 2002 | Location: The ever silent spaces of the East | Registered: 12 February 2007
