State of Fear by Michael Crichton Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of State of Fear
Book Review: Compelling Reading
Summary: 4 Stars
Michael Crichton was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 23, 1942. He was educated at Harvard University. He has written many page-turning suspense novels, many containing cutting edge technology and all of them are extremely well researched. He is probably best known as the author of `Jurassic Park' but has had several best selling novels since then. Jurassic Park was published in 1980. Difficult to believe I know.
State of Fear is a novel that keeps you on the edge-of-your-seat with suspense. It is a thought provoking view of how information can be and often is manipulated in the modern world. From the sunny streets of the French capital, Paris to the freezing wastes of Antarctica and on to the exotic Solomon Islands the book takes the reader on a non-stop tour of danger and adventure.
Book Review: Couldn't put this book now
Summary: 5 Stars
I read the 500+ page State of Fear in one week. The fastest I have ever read a book, I could not put it down! The combination of suspense and actual scientific facts on Global Warming was very fun to read. I love all the religious environmentalists who denounce this book, while probably not even reading it first. Open your minds, there is never a consensus in anything. The cry of "Scientific Consensus" borders on totalitarianism by trying to shout down the minority party and effectively silencing their voice. Lets worry about helping the starving of the world, instead of wasting billions of dollars on a supposed theory when examined further is nothing but hot air!Book Review: Crichton Has Done It Again!
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Crichton has done it again with another riveting book that keeps reader's eyes fixed on its pages. "State of Fear" combines both a suspenseful fictional plot with hardcore facts supported with a lengthy bibliography. Crichton puts forth every aspect of his writing talent in the novel and bases it on a hot topic both in politics and the environment. Global warming is the main issue presented in the novel and the entire storyline revolves around the theory. Before the introduction, Crichton uses a page to inform readers that the characters, events, and organizations in the book are fictional but the facts that are marked with a footnote are truthful information. Many readers will find it pleasant to know that the chapters are usually very short and always end with a cliffhanger. From the beginning, the entire novel will keep readers on their toes and only allows them to calm down when scientific facts and charts are introduced to keep things in a real world perspective. "State of Fear" is a book unlike any other thriller and doesn't lose Crichton's touch that he includes in all his novels such as "Congo," "Airframe," and "Timeline."
The story begins by giving readers a foreshadowing of the horrific events to occur by presenting a few short stories of unusual circumstances that could lead to disaster. A high tech submarine is bought by an unknown company, a marine scientist is killed, and a seismic device has been stolen from a research foundation are all leading up to the peril that is about to strike on humanity. After the events are presented, it is clear that there is a well organized gathering of foes that have a goal to wreak havoc in the most undetectable and high tech methods ever thought by man. The main characters are then introduced including the multi-millionaire, George Morton, and his dedicated lawyer Peter Evans. Morton is planning on making a monumental donation in support of the National Environmental Research Fund (NERF) because of the lawsuit they are planning to bring against the United States on charges that the country has allowed global warming to progress and is causing sea levels to rise on small islands in the Pacific Ocean, mainly on the island of Vanutu. Evans repeatedly meets with NERF and the head of the organization, Nicholas Drake, in order to be better familiarized with how they will present their evidence during trial.
The plot kicks into high gear when it comes time for the ceremony honoring George Morton for his support of NERF. Before the banquet, Evans notices that Morton is acting very strange and is asking unusual questions about what they truly believe is right and wrong for the world and its people. When it comes time for the banquet everyone is shocked when Morton publicly announces his withdrawal of support from the organization and madly speeds away in his new Ferrari. Morton leaves the ceremony in a state of drunken rage in spite of Evans' effort to keep him by his side and crashes into a ravine. His body is unable to be found but he is presumed dead and Evans is left to put all the pieces together.
At this point we are introduced to Professor John Kenner from MIT who spent time with Morton just before his tragic accident. Kenner and his sidekick Sajong Thapa then explain to Evans how NERF has ties to a terrorist organization called ELF (Environmental Liberation Front). However, this particular group of terrorists induces fear into the public by causing environmental disasters and killing thousands of innocent people to get their point across. Evans is very skeptical at first, but eventually realizes the danger that the entire world could face if they don't stop a series of global disasters that have the potential to change modern society.
Michael Crichton does an excellent job of giving each character a unique personality and allows the reader to fully understand what their views are on environmental issues. Crichton puts a great amount of research into his novel in order to both educate his audience on why many people today are blinded by what is truly wrong with the earth and its people, and at the same time, fulfill their desires of action and thrills that he puts in all of his books. Readers will be intrigued to discover the exotic locations Kenner, Evans, and the crew travel to and all the scenarios they must escape to save their lives and the countless lives of innocent civilians. The current issue of global warming is put into a whole new perspective with this book and the evidence that Crichton presents can be disturbing for some to come to terms with. I recommend this novel to anyone who is willing to get caught up in the storm of electrifying literature and is open to enjoying the information it presents, not matter where they stand on political issues.
Book Review: Crichton debunks the global warming myth
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a fan of Michael Crichton. I have read all of his books, including
his non-fiction titles. I enjoy his action-packed fiction style that also educates while entertaining. This book did not disappoint. Crichton tackles the ongoing, and sometimes heated, debate about global warming and the environment. Arguing one side is John Kenner, a cientist and federal agent, although he is more Indiana Jones than Albert Einstein, who is tracking down a group of eco-terrorists who have a plan
to sheer off an antarctic iceberg and induce a massive pacific tidal wave
in an attempt to convince the world that the environment is buckling under the weight of humanity. The other side is argued by Peter Evans, a
tag-along in Kenner's group whose prejudice about global warming has
been formed by the bias of the mainstream that have accepted its
theories as truth. It's these prejudices that Kenner refutes with dialogue after dialogue citing scientific evidence to the contrary. The book crescendos in an action-packed climax much like many of Crichton's other works, but the reader will likely be more impressed by Crichton's research (complete with citations) into the theories of global warming.
Clearly, the purpose of the novel was to present the evidence for or
against global warming, complete with opposing points-of-view in the form
of Crichton's characters, and to do so in a way that makes for entertaining reading. I didn't get a sense, one way or another, about Crichton's own personal feelings about the environment, but you can see his frustration with misinformation that has cluttered the mainstream and maybe hasn't presented the "full picture". And so enters this novel. Some may say it has political motivation behind it. They may even label Crichton 'right wing'. Some may say he's doing a great service by gathering mounds of evidence that global warming is not caused by human activity and presenting it in such a form. Personally, I say this is an entertaining and educational piece of work written by a brilliant scientist who simply wants to know the truth. Two thumbs up for State of Fear.
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Book Review: Crichton has better books
Summary: 3 Stars
I've read a lot of his books, and this one was pretty average. Not bad, but he's got many that are much better.