Title: The Terminal Man
Author: Michael Crichton
Released: 1972
Rating: 3.5/5
Basic Plot: Harry Benson goes to get an experimental procedure to stop him having seizures.
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Too Predictable
One of my main problems I had with this book wasn't that it was published back in 1972. It was the fact that this book was way too predictable. I'm not talking about one person knowing that the operation will be a failure and the operation being performed anyway. It might be cliche but that's really a way for the book to get going. I don't want to read a novel about a successful operation. Bad shit has to go down or else there is no point in reading. Conflict is a must in fiction. However, you can easily tell where Benson will run to after the operation and then where he is hiding near the end of the book. The level of knowing what is going to happen is just disappointing. Especially since Crichton can do so much better than that.
So Many Missed Opportunities
During the course of the novel there seemed to be clues that something bigger is going on. That Benson having the operation isn't just something that happened but had actually been planned for awhile. So I kept waiting for the bigger picture to finally be revealed and to be amazed. Sadly this didn't happen. I could forgive some of the predictability if there was something deeper going on. But, nope, it is only what it appeared to be on the surface and nothing else.
Mind Control: What Is It
Despite all its faults, this novel has a pretty good discussion about mind control. Now I think, from what other people have said, is that this book advocates not going forward in the mind control department. I, however, took one points of the book to be about our upbringing being a form of mind control. Society and our parents try to mold us into what is the status quo of the time. Our schooling is furthering that end goal as we have to interact with other people (never mind the curriculum). The juxtaposition of that kind of mind control with the operation performed on Benson are the best parts of the novel.
Final Thoughts
I think the reason I don't like this book that much is because I know Michael Crichton can write so much better. I am aware that this was written in a different time but I've read both The Andromeda Strain (1969) and A Case of Need (1968) and enjoyed both immensely. Never mind Westworld (1973) is a movie I have loved both times I have watched it (possibly even three times). So it isn't just that the times were different. If you are looking for your first Crichton book to read, don't read this one (or Pirate Latitudes).
Showing posts with label Michael Crichton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Crichton. Show all posts
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Andromeda Strain: Oh, God, Why?
I will hopefully cover The Andromeda Strain (2008) in an actual review. Watching it will be a pain, however.
I am a big Michael Crichton fan and have loved every book of his I have read (not counting Pirate Latitudes) and have read the original novel The Andromeda Strain. The fact that Crichton was a doctor really helps sell this novel.
The 1971 movie adaption stayed very true to the source material.
However, I have heard of a 2008 re-imaging/remake that came out as a mini-series on A&E. The thing with remakes is that you walk a very fine line. Especially when the original source material is so well loved. The tone of the original movie and source material was very slow and scientific.
Here is the trailer for the mini-series:
As you can see, the tone is DRASTICALLY different. They seem to go more action heavy. Reading the plot synopsis I had to pause every few seconds to not lash out in rage. They added: government conspiracy, Andromeda is a virus from the future, a wormhole, and some other things.
They make a simple story so convoluted. The focus of the original movie and novel was the Andromeda Strain itself. I think changes on updating the equipment and such would be okay. But I don't feel that the story should've become so convoluted.
I plan to see this mini-series in the future and review it.
I am a big Michael Crichton fan and have loved every book of his I have read (not counting Pirate Latitudes) and have read the original novel The Andromeda Strain. The fact that Crichton was a doctor really helps sell this novel.
The 1971 movie adaption stayed very true to the source material.
However, I have heard of a 2008 re-imaging/remake that came out as a mini-series on A&E. The thing with remakes is that you walk a very fine line. Especially when the original source material is so well loved. The tone of the original movie and source material was very slow and scientific.
Here is the trailer for the mini-series:
As you can see, the tone is DRASTICALLY different. They seem to go more action heavy. Reading the plot synopsis I had to pause every few seconds to not lash out in rage. They added: government conspiracy, Andromeda is a virus from the future, a wormhole, and some other things.
They make a simple story so convoluted. The focus of the original movie and novel was the Andromeda Strain itself. I think changes on updating the equipment and such would be okay. But I don't feel that the story should've become so convoluted.
I plan to see this mini-series in the future and review it.
Labels:
1971,
2008,
Michael Crichton,
The Andromeda Strain
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Micro (Michael Crichton)
Title: Micro
Authors: Michael Crichton & Richard Preston
Released: 2011
Rating: 4.5/5
Basic Plot: Peter goes to Hawaii to get Nanigen to admit that they were responsible for his brother's death. In the process he (and his colleagues) are shrunk and encounter their world in a whole new and dangerous light.
No One is Safe
Through a majority of the book you think you know who can and can't be killed. But then someone dies (this spoiler is too good to ruin) and you realize that anyone can die. I love it in a book when you fear for everyone. While I love the Terminator series, you know John Connor is safe so you don't really fear for him when he gets in trouble (or at least not as much as you could). But when this person dies you get on the edge of your seat and worry for everyone (except Danny who is a whinny bitch).
A Little Like Jurassic Park in Theme
Both Jurassic Park and Micro have the same basic theme. It's the fact that nature can't be controlled because we can't even begin to understand it. In Jurassic Park that was shown when Jurassic Park shut down and the dinosaurs were released to do what they would. In Micro this is shown in a more "classic" way by shrinking the main characters and showing our world in a whole new light. It makes things that weren't dangerous to people normally, be more than a little dangerous when those people were shrunk.
Microbots and Shrunken People
Reading the start of this book I was reminded of Prey (another of Crichton's books that focuses on nanobots). Spoiler (that you'll easily figure out) the man was attacked by microbots. Luckily the book doesn't focus on the microbots a lot and instead focuses on the natural world as viewed by shrunken humans.
Final Thoughts
This was a breath of fresh air after Pirate Latitudes (Micheal Crichton's other book that was published post-posthumously). I was excited to see a complete story in this one, plus the end leaves it open to sequels (though Crichton usually didn't do sequels). There are some very adult moments in this book that are sexual (like the giant booby moment) or very violent (especially the final death scene).
Authors: Michael Crichton & Richard Preston
Released: 2011
Rating: 4.5/5
Basic Plot: Peter goes to Hawaii to get Nanigen to admit that they were responsible for his brother's death. In the process he (and his colleagues) are shrunk and encounter their world in a whole new and dangerous light.
No One is Safe
Through a majority of the book you think you know who can and can't be killed. But then someone dies (this spoiler is too good to ruin) and you realize that anyone can die. I love it in a book when you fear for everyone. While I love the Terminator series, you know John Connor is safe so you don't really fear for him when he gets in trouble (or at least not as much as you could). But when this person dies you get on the edge of your seat and worry for everyone (except Danny who is a whinny bitch).
A Little Like Jurassic Park in Theme
Both Jurassic Park and Micro have the same basic theme. It's the fact that nature can't be controlled because we can't even begin to understand it. In Jurassic Park that was shown when Jurassic Park shut down and the dinosaurs were released to do what they would. In Micro this is shown in a more "classic" way by shrinking the main characters and showing our world in a whole new light. It makes things that weren't dangerous to people normally, be more than a little dangerous when those people were shrunk.
Microbots and Shrunken People
Reading the start of this book I was reminded of Prey (another of Crichton's books that focuses on nanobots). Spoiler (that you'll easily figure out) the man was attacked by microbots. Luckily the book doesn't focus on the microbots a lot and instead focuses on the natural world as viewed by shrunken humans.
Final Thoughts
This was a breath of fresh air after Pirate Latitudes (Micheal Crichton's other book that was published post-posthumously). I was excited to see a complete story in this one, plus the end leaves it open to sequels (though Crichton usually didn't do sequels). There are some very adult moments in this book that are sexual (like the giant booby moment) or very violent (especially the final death scene).
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