When I first read Jurassic park, it blew my mind. Since then I have been a fan of the author Michael Crichton. I liked how he takes a sci-fi premise and makes it about something more profound and human. I liked how Jurassic park dealt with themes like man playing God, power, nature and life finding a way. So after that, I was looking for something similar from him to both excite and intellectually stimulate me. I then picked Timeline which though is a great book doesn’t have a lot of commentary about the human condition and such. And this is where Sphere by Michael Crichton comes in.
Sphere by Michael Crichton Review
Genre : Sci-Fi Fiction
Sphere is the book that I wanted to read, that I wanted to exist, that I wished someone had written.This is sort of my dream book.
A mysterious object is found deep below the oceans and team of diverse individuals are sent in to investigate and explore. What transpires next is something you would not expect from a story typical to this genre. Crichton immediately takes the story into a brave new original direction that keeps weaving in and out of the expected and unexpected.
I loved how it starts as a sic-fi mystery but slowly turns into a psychological drama and even psychological horror at times. This is what I expect from Crichton and with Sphere he delivers perfectly.
The pacing is perfect and gripping. The book doesn’t let up even for a moment and I couldn’t guess what would happen right till the last page. It stays true to its quirky and wonderfully weird roots right till the end.
The Book was adapted into a movie in 1988 by Barry Levinson which will make for an interesting watch for those who are fans of Crichton. Regardless of what you think about the movie, don’t let it stop you from picking up this book.
Crichton’s writing style may put off certain readers at times but there is no denying the genius of his ideas and his ability to seamlessly fuse different genres. Numerous adaptations of his books into other media will remain as testament to the potency of his ideas.
Recommended For :
Sphere by Michael Crichton is recommended for fans of good sci-fi and original storytelling. Also to those who enjoy a good thriller.
About the Author :
If there is one word that would describe Michael Crichton, that would be Visionary. He was an American best-selling author, film director, producer and screenwriter. He is known best for his work in the science fiction and thriller genres.
His ideation of the future concepts and theories were 30 years ahead of its time. You would get a good idea of this point if you will watch the movie Runaway. Not a very good direction I would say but the conception of technological gadgets in the movie was remarkable. For example there were driverless cars, smartphones, camera drone, smart bullet etc, which came into existence in the 21st century.
He was a very popular author and has sold more than 200 million books. His novels have been translated into thirty-eight languages, and thirteen have been made into films.
Michael Crichton passed away from lymphoma in 2008. He was 66 years old.
Sphere by Michael Crichton
Pros
- > Very original
- > Gripping narative
- > Unpredictable plot
Cons
- > Doesn't adhere to conventional sci-fi tropes
- > Can get a little frustrating for readers who expect answers and closure
- > Has a lot more potential that is unexplored
