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Michael Crichton, My Favorite Author

By VJ
The first novel by Michael Crichton I read was Prey. A wonderful tale of nanoparticles and nanotechnology. The story revolves around some intelligent dust particles (a swarm of nanorobots), which can learn from their experience. Released from a laboratory, they soon prove to be extremely dangerous to life. It was a wonderful experience to go through Jack’s (the protagonist) struggles with the swarm.

Crichton (pronounce as Craighton), born in 1942, is a writer, director, film producer, and medical doctor. His well-crafted science fiction thrillers are marvelous reads. If you only watched films like Jurassic Park and The Lost World, based on his novels, you would know his caliber in crafting fine characters in the backdrop of a gripping plot. He has a penname, ‘John Lange.’

Crichton’s narrative style is particularly noticeable in novels like Timeline, State of Fear, etc. His works enjoy tremendously vivid characters. He is described as such a great characterizer that his dialogs can well depict his characters. It is a wonderful academic experience to go through one Crichton novel, since his novels are results of in-depth research and planning.

In his novel, State of Fear, Crichton describes various aspects of Global Warming and eventually concludes that it may well be a general whim of people. State of Fear has so many instances in which Crichton’s characters migrate to heated discussions on various views held on Global Warming and its scientific credibility. Most of the evidences, according to him, are against ‘the theory’ of Global Warming.

It is a general opinion that his works are meant for a scientifically knowledgeable lot. His novels always have and will continue to provide food for thought whenever they are released. They usually become highly popular best sellers. Another aspect of Crichton novels is the action sequence invariably found in almost all of his creations. The attack of T-Rex on children in Jurassic Park and Sarah Harding in The Lost World, trying to escape, from the trailer hanging off a cliff, with the glass on which she lies, streaking spider web, may come to your mind now. All those scenes are extremely breathtaking and masterfully crafted.

Crichton continues to direct and produce films as well, and he is a generally well-known personality in the tinsel town. Here below, you will find some books and DVDs of Crichton.

Next
State of Fear
Jurassic Park – DVD Version (with The Lost World and Jurassic Park III)
The Andromeda Strain
Eaters of the Dead
Prey
Airframe
The Lost World
The Great Train Robbery – DVD Version
Sphere
Timeline - DVD Version
A Case of Need
Congo – DVD Version
The Terminal Man
Rising Sun
Disclosure

History Today

In 1942, William Faulkner’s Go Down, Moses was published.

Douglas Adams, English author and creator of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy passed away in 2001, aged only 49. My heartfelt tributes to him.

Douglas Adams


The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is one of the most hilarious works of fiction in the last century.

Copyright © Lenin Nair 2008
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Comments

  1. http://www.photographicpointofview.comMay 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM

    Hi. Enjoyed your review of "Prey". I read that as well and enjoyed it a lot. Have recently read James Patterson's "1st To Die", "Along Came a Spider", and am now reading "2nd Chance". I think you would enjoy this author if you haven't already discovered him.

    I linked to your site.
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 13, 2008 at 1:06 AM

    Yes, Patterson books are highly successful, I know. They are interesting as well. I have read one or two of them, but don't you think they are trashable after a read.

    ReplyDelete

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