: Next
Author: Michael Crichton
What is it with Crichton lately? He can be a good writer, but in his last few books he seems to have forgotten that new technology does not make a story, it’s only the vehicle. This is one of his most disappointing books yet: it’s almost incomprehensible. There’s no real overall plot: it’s more like a collection of short stories on vaguely similar topics, with each chapter introducing new people until we’re completely bewildered. Eventually some of these storylines are loosely tied together in what some might consider clever, but it’s way too late by that time — we’ve long since given up even pretending to care for any of the characters. The main technological problem the book explores — the dangers of genetic engineering — is a terrific topic with huge ramifications for society and there are a number of shocking revelations (with a few ridiculous bits of dramatic license), but the story is so light on plot I’d rather just read about these social problems as non-fiction than as a novel.
Topic: [/book] |
