State of Fear by Michael Crichton Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of State of Fear
Book Review: An interesting read
Summary: 5 Stars
I found myself completely engrossed in reading this book. As amny reviewers have stated, the subject matter is controversial, but since my views on the subject are similar to the author's, it made the book more enjoyable. In my opinion, the story flows smoothly from location to location, with plenty of action to keep the reader entertained.Overall, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a good mystery.Book Review: An irreponsible and dangerous book
Summary: 1 Stars
Michael Crichton writes well, his research into the science behind his novels is impressive and his novels are exciting and popular. Facts and figures can be manipulated and selected to support any opinion whatsoever. This is what Crichton is doing throughout "State of Fear", and the skill with which he has done it makes this a dangerously misleading book. The evidence that our planet is in a state of catastrophic degeneration should now be self-evident to anyone who is at all aware. Global warming is an established scientific fact. Those who are propagating lies out of blind and perverse self-interest are NOT the environmentalists, they are the ANTI-environmentalists - the most virulent among whom are members of the George Bush administration. I once admired Crichton. He has blundered badly by supporting their dangerous propaganda in this book.
I recommend anyone who thinks the data presented by Crichton to support his argument is unbiased to look, for example, at Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth"
Book Review: An... interesting thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm somewhat accustomed to the classic Michael Crichton- the one that takes a somewhat farfetched thing and makes it somehow both plausible and exciting. You know, say... killer apes guarding diamonds in the Congo, or an American spacecraft from the future that flies through a blackhole and crashes in the Pacific. State of Fear, however, is something entirely different. This is something that, for all intents and purposes, could happen tomorrow.
The basic premise of the novel is that the modern environmentalist movement is based on faith rather than a science. In a sense, it is a religion with many adherents that will go to any length to push their (largely unfounded) opinions. This is true, and after reading this story, it IS rather frightening. Global warming is the point in question in State of Fear, but if you think about it, it could have been any number of things. Generally, the story follows the usual driving Crichton-style plot, and it definitely keeps your attention. The big difference in this one is that it's chock full of cited documentation and graphs, most of which go to illustrate that there is no hard scientific basis proving that humans are causing global warming.
It's hard to touch a topic like global warming and not come away scalded, but I believe Crichton has done a good job. Some people believe he's trying to make a point about global warming. Having read through his (or rather, his characters') arguments very carefully, I'm convinced he isn't- rather, he's driving home the point that you cannot just believe what politicians, environmentalists, and the average Joe say. These people are not scientists, and 99% of them have absolutely NO idea what they're talking about. If you don't believe this, go watch Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' which, coincidentally, is also on global warming. So many people think that movie is accurate (he even won an Oscar for it!) but if you do even a tiny bit of research and watch it with anything approaching a critical eye you'll see that the 'facts' presented in it are unsubstantiated, and it has no basis in real science.
What's really scary about State of Fear, to me at least, is how Crichton portrays the scientific community as being bullied into taking a particular (political) stance on issues. I don't know the extent to which this is true, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least. After all, researchers do need funding, and if they come up with results that their benefactors don't like... This would indicate that science is being tainted by, essentially, a religion. That would a disaster far worse than anything global warming might produce.
Book Review: Average story and great message
Summary: 5 Stars
State of Fear has the usual fast-paced narrative involving good-hearted heroes in pursuit of justice and evil or cowardly foks who stand in the way.
What makes this book special and worthy of a spot on your bookshelf is Crichton's effort to unmask the manmade global warming bugaboo. The story line is simple: A bunch of evil hacks hijack the enivornmental movement to advance alternative agendas and secure a lifetime sinecure. Those seeking truth, such as honest environmentalist who genuinely care about the environment, are eliminated (literally). To advance their evil agenda, the forces of darkness must control the flow of information. The minds of the people must be stuffed with enviro-blather. The heart of the people must be kept in constant 'state of fear' to make sure they keep looking to the "leaders" for solutions (and conveniently surrender pesky rights to secure "ultimate" security), etc. Great stuff.
The book makes you think. And chances are that if you think this through you will conclude manmade global warming is a lie. With the Supreme Court case of Mass v. EPA, the purveyors of this lie are attempting to create a super-bureacracy that will control the use and emission of the literal basis for human life -- carbon. (And that, folks, should put you in a real "state of fear.")
Book Review: Best book I've ever read!
Summary: 5 Stars
A book that entertains AND makes you think. It will cause you to challenge everything you read in the news, forever.
Great book! I highly recommend it and will be giving out this book as gifts to all my friends!