When I was a kid Michael Crichton novels were what first got me to love reading. It all started with Jurassic Park, of course (spoiler alert for my number one pick!). The notion of dinosaurs being recreated in modern day, in a theme park, and running amok was an irresistible premise for a ten year old boy. I went onto to find his other books and I was off to races. I’ve been re-reading several of his books over the past few weeks so here’s a ranking:
16. THE TERMINAL MAN. I just read this for the first time and it was definitely subpar. Now obviously it was written in the early 1970s but even so one of the book’s assertions is that epileptics are predisposed to violence. But beyond that it just wasn’t interesting or big story. It was just about one man getting a computer in his brain and going nuts. And his plot is very small and uninteresting.
15. THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN. Considered to be a classic, but not terribly interesting for me. It’s an interesting premise but the actual story is not very thrilling. It’s basically scientists in a lab.
14. NEXT. Just re-read this one. Sad this was final living work. It’s not a bad book but there’s nothing particular notable about it either. It’s a large number of barely connected stories that mostly have nothing to do with each other and only a few of which are actually interesting. There aren’t any particularly memorable sequences. The most entertaining part are the talking parrot and chimp, but even that is a rehash of Congo.
13. DRAGON TEETH. Only read this one but remember it being a fun historical adventure without anything special to recommend.
12. THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY. Another historical adventure but more interesting because it was true and gives a fascinating look at what life (and crime) was really like in Victorian England.
11. STATE OF FEAR. I recall there being some good action sequences in this book, but of course this is an inherently flawed story since his scientific opinion is that global warming is a hoax. A story about left wing terrorists committing terrorist events just to fake global warming is ridiculous and insulting, but if you can merely look at the surface action, I recall it being fun.
10. PREY. Just re-read this. It’s mostly a small and self contained story that does not read as cinematic at all, but there are glimmers of fun to be had with the premise and some interesting science to be had.
9. PIRATE LATITUDES. This was a very entertaining historical adventure that gave a fascinating look at what pirate life was truly like in addition to telling a great thrilling story.
…To Be Continued!
Derek Beebe 