State of Fear by Michael Crichton
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Book Reviews of State of Fear
Book Review: A REVIEW OF THE BOOK, NOT GLOBAL WARMING
Summary: 4 Stars
A long-time reader of the works of Michael Crichton, I can honestly say that STATE OF FEAR ranks among his better (but not best) works.
The "prologue" that takes place in Paris Nord is enough to get one started, but is then followed by roughly 200 pages of tedium. In my opinion, part of this is due to the fact that the main character, Peter Evans, doesn't even show up until page 52. Everything before that is more prologue-like chapters setting up events that will have their effects later on.
On the positive side, all these prologue-like chapters eventually pay off as the characters travel to several remote areas of the globe in an attempt to stop the bad guys. The travels were a great way to break up the novel and make the pages fly.
Ever educational, Michael Crichton has quite a few footnotes and the characters get into all sorts of mind-expanding debates. The chapter where Peter Evans talks to Professor Hoffman was especially of interest. These intellectual exchanges also gave some variety to this lengthy tome.
The character development gets off to a slow start, but eventually one gets to know the cast pretty well. Peter Evans, George Morton, Sarah Jones, Kenner, Sanjong, Drake and Jennifer are a few that immediately come to mind.
There is a good mix of science, technology, traveling, romance, plot twists and testosterone.
If there is one thing that could have been improved on I would say that the locations, while mostly exotic and interesting, could have been more immersive. While reading about alot of these places I just didn't get the feeling that I was there like I did in some of Crichton's other works.
At the end of the book Crichton bullets a few beliefs of his, followed by two appendices, 19 pages (with commentary) of references, and a sneak peak at his book NEXT.
Either way you look at it, you're going to get a good workout from this book--either physically from holding this thick tome for extended periods of time or by allowing yourself to be open-minded and stretching your beliefs and perceptions in all sorts of interesting directions.
Book Review: Interesting thriller that makes you think!
Summary: 4 Stars
Believe it or not but this is my first Crichton. I never cared for ER the tv show, and saw Jurassic Park - it was ok but not my kind of entertainment. I decided to read "State of Fear" because of its subject matter: Global Warming. Let me say that the author has crafted a well thought out thriller, though the Characters are a little thin (typical of this kind of book. Early in the book it was hard for me to keep the characters straight as each was introduced in a rapid fire fashion. It took me a few chapters before I had a good vision of each of the characters in my mind.
the most interesting thing about this book is that it introduces the reader to some of the issues of global warming, and challenges some of the accepted theories. It has definitely shaken up some people and started some controversy, just check out some of the reviews! I enjoyed the page turning story wrapped up in a discussion of Global warming. If you believe in global warming with a religious fever this is probably not the book for you (though you really should read it and open your eyes!). I personally do not think global warming is as big a threat as it has been made out to be, but I am open to hearing from both sides of the issue, and I also feel research is important. But should we be making serious changes that will have grave effects on our economy because of unproven theories? They can't predict next week's weather, but I am supposed to believe that they can predict the climate over the next 100 years. The global climate will warm or cool over the next few millennium, probably both. The earth will abide, though we may not!
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read that will also make you think a little, great for the beach or plane ride. I will definitely check out some of Crichton's other books!
Book Review: Vivid, thought-provoking novel
Summary: 4 Stars
This novel, from the creator of Jurassic Park and ER, tells the story of a struggle against terrorism. It has a swift succession of dramatic scenes across the world and lots of action. It would make a great film - let's hope that it gets made.
The villains are eco-terrorists, who try to create disasters - floods, tsunamis - to publicise their cause. His characters talk a great deal about global warming and its effects. Crichton cites many authorities to back their arguments. These include the International Panel on Climate Change, which admitted in its 2001 report, "In climate research and modelling, we should recognize that we are dealing with a coupled non-linear chaotic system, and therefore that the long-term prediction of future climate states is not possible."
His characters also point out that there is no obvious common global trend of increasing glacier melt in recent years, that El Ninos cause longer growing seasons and reduce the use of winter heating oil, that the Kyoto agreement would cut world temperature by just 0.02 degrees Celsius by 2050, and that energy sources that can support the present levels of world power consumption, without greenhouse emissions, do not exist.
They note that between 1940 and 1970 the overall global temperature fell, although CO2 levels had risen. Similarly, it has not risen since 2000, although CO2 levels have kept rising. Over the long run, the best data, from the USA, show a rise of just a third of a degree Celsius from 1880 to 2000.
Crichton observes out that in late 1989, at the end of the Cold War, the media hyped up climate change stories - all became `crises' and `catastrophe'. This was part of a ruling class strategy to control us through fear.
Book Review: Entertaining but not his best
Summary: 4 Stars
I am A HUGE Mike Crichton fan having read all of his books, but this is not one of his best efforts. I liked it better then "Sphere" but it is nowhere as good as "The Great train Robbery." My complaint with this book is not the political spin that has so many people trashing it. Mr. Crichton's dressing down of the fear mongers in the environmental movement is the most enjoyable part of the book. These so called scientists who claim to be able to predict global warming when they can't even predict tomorrow's weather? I am not anti science but I just think it is abused and twisted in this case. The earth may well be warming but there is just a good a case that it is cooling; that was the big fear back in the 70's. From my limited understanding we are currently in an interglacial period that is we are still in the ice age just a warmer interglacial period. My problem with the book is the premise of eco-terrorist being able to cause certain weather catastrophes; to me it is just as farfetched as being able to predict global warming!
I also found the character development a little thin, even for Crichton (not his strong suite). Usually you have one character the reader can relate to or at least root for, in this book I did not find myself particularly drawn to any one character. Also early on I had a hard time telling the characters apart.
This being said the book is still an entertaining read and if you are a Crichton fan you will want to read it, just don't expect his best, and you may want to wait for paperback.
Book Review: Thrills, Chills, and Critical Thinking
Summary: 4 Stars
I have always enjoyed Michael Crichton's books - they never fail to take you on a wild ride filled with thrills, chills, and adventure. Sure sometimes they read like he's trying hard to write a movie with some exciting escape sequences and gruesomely creative ways of killing people off, and this would certainly make a good one. I'd be shocked if this ever got made into a movie though - how many people in the entertainment industry, which has for the most part uncritically accepted the now debunked theories on global warming and continues to try to indoctrinate us with them, would dare to make a movie where the characters say things like this: "It's not logical to say that freezing weather is caused by global warming." "What's logic got to do with it?" Normally I don't approve the mixing of entertainment and politics, but I have to admit when it goes against the grain as in this case I find it refreshing. If you believe in global warming as the mass media currently presents it, you won't like the book and probably won't finish it. References for data that the characters in the book present as factual are provided so you can look up the information for yourself and see if it's true. Do you dare to do that and possibly think outside the box a little bit? It's a shame if you don't finish it, because the essay at the end, "Why Politicized Science is Dangerous" should be read by everyone. It draws parallels between the history of the eugenics movement and global warming movement. "Once again, critics are few and harshly dealt with".