Michael Crichton

I’ve read a lot growing up. From 4th through 6th grade I read every Stephen King novel I could and learned that movies do not compare to the written word. After 6th grade, I began to explore other venues and developed a fascination with the unexplained and paranormal thanks primarily to the likes of Charles Berlitz and those massive Reader’s Digest collections. High school saw the introduction of Tom Clancy, Weis and Hickman, and HP Lovecraft. After my stint with the military, my shelves began to fill with Brian Lumley.

I’ve noted that, over the years, my tastes really haven’t changed, they’ve just become more refined, with a clear example being how King was okay, but pales to Lovecraft. Berlitz introduced me to several ideas, but he is merely an introductionary (ooo, spellcheck doesn’t recognize that word… is it new?) author; now, I actually hold email correspondences with Rand Flem-Ath. And, regarding the reality of Clancy, I have begun to lean towards a more reality based science fiction, not science fiction.

Pardon?

Science fiction takes leaps away from what we know to be true or can readily accept. Star Trek, Star Wars, and the genre like that fall within this. Science fiction, however, deals more in the aspects of science, is grounded in reality, and is plausible within our current world. There is only one author that takes this science fiction and does wonders with it…

Michael Crichton.

Granted, a few of his books were bastardized by film (the abomination that was Congo is a great example, along with the hideous mini-series remake of Andromeda Strain), but there were also films made that most people have no idea were based on his books such as the movies 13th Warrior and Westworld.

His books are not horror novels, but there is a seed planted within one’s mind about the horrors in which such events could bring. What would happen with the general state-of-mind if the tales told in Jurassic Park or Prey were truth? How many people know of the fact that scientists are currently cloning extinct animals such as the wooly mammoth, or that nano-technology has a doomsday scenario known as the Grey Death?

There are two things which makes Crichton an amazing author: one is that his books are extremely well researched (I have a special place in my heart for authors of fiction who have a bibliography… this shows me that the author knows what he’s talking about, or in the least, took the time to learn and to get his facts straight) and that he has an ability to write books of a scientific or medical nature in such a way that anyone can read and fully understand. And, because of the bibliographies, anyone curious about learning more can do so.

If I can make a recommendation, if I can get you to read just one book by Crichton, I would ask you to read Eaters of the Dead. Read the author’s notes, which details why he wrote this, and what he himself based this book upon. Ahh, hell, spoiler alert at the end of this post. When you learn the truth of this book, and if you know of his source, things will make an interesting twist in your head, and make you go “ahh, I can see that”.

Spoiler: