Book Review: State of Fear by Michael Crichton

Hello again, readers!

I should begin by telling you that I don't like science. Not one bit. I'm bad at it, it doesn't make sense to me, and I've never had a teacher who really made it a subject I could understand. If given the choice, I avoid anything that may have to do with science. When I was in college, we had to take a few science classes (damn these Liberal Arts schools...who wants to be "well-rounded" anyways?). I took a geology class and was shocked to find that I loved it. Much of our studies revolved around dinosaurs, which are definitely a favorite subject of mine. So, it was fitting that our instructor would assign us reading Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. I loved it as much, if not more than the movie. I devoured it in one day, and fell in love with Crichton's talent.

That's how you know an author is good: when their writing makes a subject you hate into a novel you love.

So, for my second Michael Crichton novel (and certainly not my last), I read State of Fear. Here's the summary from Goodreads:


In Paris, a physicist dies after performing a laboratory experiment for a beautiful visitor.

In the jungles of Malaysia, a mysterious buyer purchases deadly cavitation technology, built to his specifications.

In Vancouver, a small research submarine is leased for use in the waters off New Guinea.

And in Tokyo, an intelligence agent tries to understand what it all means.

The description is pretty light on details, for being a rather thick book. Essentially, the novel is about global warming. Whether you believe in global warming or not (I'm not going to go all Al Gore here), this is a novel that should be high up on your reading list. It's got adventure, excitement, deceit, and, with any good novel, a hint of sexual tension among a few characters. I found it so hard to put down. If you like "technological thrillers", this is definitely a novel for you. Even if you liked Dan Brown--pick up some Crichton. You won't regret it, I promise.


Now that I've finished this novel (it took under one week), I have a small emptiness inside of me. Hopefully I can find another good novel to fill it with soon!


Here are my stats for this book:
State of Fear by Michael Crichton
Rating: 5/5
Pages: 640 (that I read--this does not include the Bibliography)
2012 Reading Goal: 1,347/15,000


I hope you all have a wonderful book waiting for you today. Have a wonderful Saturday, readers! :)