Helpful Score: 9
I really loved Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain and Prey, so I thought I'd love this. Wow, was I wrong. This book was terrible!! First off, it was just plain boring. Crichton seems to be writing an editorial against global warming rather than a novel. I don't want to read page after page of his opinions on science, I want to read a story. Plus the characters were cardboard cutouts of people and weren't interesting. They were just stock characters, stereotypes with no depth at all and weren't even likable. The book was just plain awful. I couldn't get through it. This was one of the most disappointing books I have ever attempted to read. I hated this so much, I may never pick up a Crichton book again. I want my money back!
Helpful Score: 8
I was hoping for a thrilling adventure story with some sound scientific ponderings to keep me thinking. Instead, what the author has given us in "State of Fear" is a poorly disguised rant.
Look, whether or not you "believe" in global warming, this is a poorly written effort. The characters are cardboard, one-dimensional. If the characters believe in global warming, they are superficial, ignorant and pompous. You hate them. If they don't believe, they are superficial, suffer from superiority complexes, and arrogant. You hate them. Then there are the few characters that don't even reveal THAT much in the way of personality; all they do is lecture. A lot. To the point of tears.
The story part of the book is added as an afterthought. Most of the time is spent flying somewhere (usually a very long flight) and having the characters lecture until the plane lands.
Oh, and Michael...that throwaway comment about the anthropologist who wrote the book on cannibalism? I read that book too. It was fascinating, and not nearly as black and white as you portrayed it for your purposes. What a shame. The minute you mentioned it, I KNEW the fate of your character Bradley. You should have just written a non-fiction book on the environment and been done with it, rather than torture your devoted readers.
Look, whether or not you "believe" in global warming, this is a poorly written effort. The characters are cardboard, one-dimensional. If the characters believe in global warming, they are superficial, ignorant and pompous. You hate them. If they don't believe, they are superficial, suffer from superiority complexes, and arrogant. You hate them. Then there are the few characters that don't even reveal THAT much in the way of personality; all they do is lecture. A lot. To the point of tears.
The story part of the book is added as an afterthought. Most of the time is spent flying somewhere (usually a very long flight) and having the characters lecture until the plane lands.
Oh, and Michael...that throwaway comment about the anthropologist who wrote the book on cannibalism? I read that book too. It was fascinating, and not nearly as black and white as you portrayed it for your purposes. What a shame. The minute you mentioned it, I KNEW the fate of your character Bradley. You should have just written a non-fiction book on the environment and been done with it, rather than torture your devoted readers.
I'm not a huge proponent of global warming, but this was a case of a man with an agenda trying too hard to weave it into a thriller, and failing. Far too many inconsistencies and inaccuracies, not to mention way over the top, plot-wise. I finally put it down because these things were just too irritating. My first Crichton book since that "Congo" to find the junk heap.
Helpful Score: 4
Good story and well-written, quite the page-turner. Also, good follow-through with ending that ties everything up better than some of his other books. May change your entire outlook on the environment, or at least make you re-examine your stance on it.
Helpful Score: 4
A complex and compelling book. You just have to stick with it through the setup phase and pay close attention to the long list of characters and how they all fit together. It's rare to find a piece of fiction that is entertaining and also educational (with resources and footnotes to help keep the facts straight).
Helpful Score: 3
This book takes a bit to get into it - if you stick with it through the set up, you'll be rewarded. Even if you don't agree with "global warming" (and I don't have a requirement that I agree with every topic I read up on!), it's still a fascinating (and complex) read! This is not a book to casually read on the beach; it's more of a sit by the fireplace with your afghan and a cup of hot tea and read, read, read. Probably my only real complaint is that sometimes the technical explanations moved out of the realm of interesting and on to the realm of tedious. However, all in all, this was an interesting and worth your time to read.
Helpful Score: 3
I really loved Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain and Prey, so I thought I'd love this. Wow, was I wrong. This book was terrible!! First off, it was just plain boring. Crichton seems to be writing an editorial against global warming rather than a novel. I don't want to read page after page of his opinions on science, I want to read a story. Plus the characters were cardboard cutouts of people and weren't interesting. They were just stock characters, stereotypes with no depth at all and weren't even likable. The book was just plain awful. I couldn't get through it. This was one of the most disappointing books I have ever attempted to read. I hated this so much, I may never pick up a Crichton book again. I want my money back!
Helpful Score: 3
Crichton takes on Global Warming. He mixes fact with fiction in this thrilling adventure that takes him from one end of the world to the other chasing enviro-terrorists all the while enlightning his obtuse, if well-meaning, super-liberal buddy. Crichton did his research in this book explaining how the Global Warming "crisis" is all for political gain.
Helpful Score: 2
Really complicated but in the way only Crichton can bring it across. Another one in his great columns.
Helpful Score: 2
"State of Fear" is a techno-thriller that takes on the subject of global warming. Although I don't agree with the authors's viewpoint, I was hooked by the story. Crichton does take a heavy-handed approach in using dialogue to "educate" the reader about the facts behind global warming. This became a bit much at times, however once again the story gripped me. The main characters face a race against time to stop eco-terrorists from causing irreparable harm to the planet. Don't look for in-depth characters or flowing descriptive writing, but you will find excellent dialogue and plot twists. No matter what your views are on global warming, I would still suggest this book. If you like a good thriller, Crichton won't disappoint!
Helpful Score: 2
Read about 60 pages one of the most boring books I've ever tried to read, gave up and reposted it for someone else.
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed this eco-terrorist suspense story. However, at times, it seemed that there was too much environmental "preaching" in the story. But, despite that, it was a fun book.
Helpful Score: 2
One of Crichton's more 'explantion-y' books. Still very good
Helpful Score: 2
Excellent classic Crichton.
Helpful Score: 2
Readable but opinionated to a fault. I don't agree with every point of view of the books I read but I do like a balance. This book is badly out of balance.
Helpful Score: 2
This is my second Michael Crichton book & it's pretty good. My only complaint is that it is a little "preachy" about the enviroment. But it's a well done story & keeps your attention.
Helpful Score: 1
So much for global warming. A very mesmerizing account of the fallacies concerning the myth of global warming. Read it and try to still beleive in what the media is feeding you.
Helpful Score: 1
An Excellent book by Crichton. He combines scientific research and evidence with an entertaining and fascinating (and a little scary) story. A Thoroughly enjoyable read that never stops! I Highly recommend this book!
Helpful Score: 1
As with most Michael Crichton books I got education as well as entertainment.
This is a well written, well researched action book which actually somewhat reverses the roles of villian and hero. Crichton deftly reverses the roles with information I never even dreamed of and motives that are actually quite believable. "State of Fear" pits our unlikely heroes against an even more unlikely foe as they attempt to save the world from the very people trying to save the world.
A read of this book will make you think hard about global warming and all the rhetoric from the conservationists. Maybe things aren't what they seem?
I would suggest you not miss the oppertunity to read this interesting and thought provoking book.
This is a well written, well researched action book which actually somewhat reverses the roles of villian and hero. Crichton deftly reverses the roles with information I never even dreamed of and motives that are actually quite believable. "State of Fear" pits our unlikely heroes against an even more unlikely foe as they attempt to save the world from the very people trying to save the world.
A read of this book will make you think hard about global warming and all the rhetoric from the conservationists. Maybe things aren't what they seem?
I would suggest you not miss the oppertunity to read this interesting and thought provoking book.
Helpful Score: 1
You may look at global warming with new eyes after reading this well-researched and documented novel.
Helpful Score: 1
Incredible story and plot. Couldn't put it down!
Helpful Score: 1
I really loved this book. It was the most entertaining intellectual book I've read since The DaVinci Code.I participated in a barnes and noble bookclub which Michael Crichton led, and I really am enlightened.If you are at all interested in the controversial global warming, then you will love this book. There are alot of good characters, and many twists and turns. I like the footnotes he includes. I actually did alot of searching online concerning many things in this book. The MAIN character is Peter Evans, a lawyer for an environmental agency. It is hard to know who to trust in this book. Not predictable at all. If you get this book before December I recommend you go to Barnes and Noble and sign up for the bookclub.
Helpful Score: 1
Good book, by Crichton.
Helpful Score: 1
Michael Crichton, as usual, tells a good tale and while he's at it, he kicks Al Gores' global warming butt.
Helpful Score: 1
The novel takes place in 2004. The protagonist is an environmentalist lawyer named Peter Evans. Throughout the novel, Evans' views concerning the facts surrounding global warming are frequently challenged by other characters as he repeatedly thwarts terrorist activities initiated by a radical environmentalist group.
Helpful Score: 1
A brilliant and thrilling fictional account of what harm the current global warming hysteria could wreak if its proponents were to have their way.
Michael Crichton is hardly the first to note that the press, environmentalists, the Left and politicized science have combined to make modern humans--who live in unprecedented comfort and safety--absurdly fearful, but he's certainly the first to turn that argument into a best-selling novel. The thriller that overlays what is essentially a political/philosophcal polemic is a bit mechanical and formulaic, but it serves well enough to propel the reader through a set of facts and figures -- complete with charts, graphs, and footnotes -- that they might not otherwise ever encounter nevermind be forced to come to terms with.
One of the arguments that Mr. Crichton makes perhaps goes further than he intended and makes the novel entirely worthwhile, especially in light of how we can see its truth playing out in the reaction to the book. Having shredded much of the specific "evidence" for man-made global warming and the supposed dire effects of same, he moves on to the broader point that:
Every scientist has some idea of how his experiment is going to turn out. Otherwise he wouldn't do the experiment in the first place. He has an expectation. But expectation works in mysterious ways--and totally unconsciously.
Here too he cites studies to prove his point. And consider how deeply that point undermines the entire claim of sciencism. the dream of the Age of Reason and the central claim of those who place their faith in science is that they represent forms of knowledge that can be arrived at dispassionately, rendering truths that are untainted by human emotions, superstitions, religious influences and the like. That we arrive instead at the recognition that science too is just a product of the prejudices of scientists is quite devastating.
What makes this all so delicious though is that the reviews of the book then precisely followed the pattern this thesis would have predicted. Conservative publications, generally pro-business, welcomed it as at least a breath of fresh air if not a profound addition to the literary canon, while liberal reviewers denounced it as dangerous demagougery. The writing, plot and all the rest of the book were entirely superfluous, these experimenters picked it up already knowing what they expected to find and unsurprisingly they all found exactly that. You and I too find here confirmation of our own beliefs, one way or another.
One of the arguments that Mr. Crichton makes perhaps goes further than he intended and makes the novel entirely worthwhile, especially in light of how we can see its truth playing out in the reaction to the book. Having shredded much of the specific "evidence" for man-made global warming and the supposed dire effects of same, he moves on to the broader point that:
Every scientist has some idea of how his experiment is going to turn out. Otherwise he wouldn't do the experiment in the first place. He has an expectation. But expectation works in mysterious ways--and totally unconsciously.
Here too he cites studies to prove his point. And consider how deeply that point undermines the entire claim of sciencism. the dream of the Age of Reason and the central claim of those who place their faith in science is that they represent forms of knowledge that can be arrived at dispassionately, rendering truths that are untainted by human emotions, superstitions, religious influences and the like. That we arrive instead at the recognition that science too is just a product of the prejudices of scientists is quite devastating.
What makes this all so delicious though is that the reviews of the book then precisely followed the pattern this thesis would have predicted. Conservative publications, generally pro-business, welcomed it as at least a breath of fresh air if not a profound addition to the literary canon, while liberal reviewers denounced it as dangerous demagougery. The writing, plot and all the rest of the book were entirely superfluous, these experimenters picked it up already knowing what they expected to find and unsurprisingly they all found exactly that. You and I too find here confirmation of our own beliefs, one way or another.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was great. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It has a lot of information about global warming that I never knew or even thought of. I feel like I have learned something as well.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is very thought-provoking with many citable references. An engaging fictional story to bring new light to global concerns.
I am concerned that some of these reviews have missed Crichton's main point. To me he was saying that environmental issues are complex, poorly understood, and frequently manipulated for short term political and financial gain. For the thoughtful reader, I think his book will help us to see how we have been "managed" by powerful people who instill a "State of Fear". Perhaps when we become less fearful, we will become more free. Give it a read and give it some thought.
Helpful Score: 1
AWESOME! For those who think global warming is only a theory at best- you'll find it reassuring, for those who think it's fact, it's challenging to your beliefs.
Helpful Score: 1
A thriller that goes through Iceland, Antarctica, Arizona, Solomon Island, Paris to Los Angeles. Opens the mind to several possibilities of what can happen in this world.
Once you get through the very beginning, it really snowballs and captures your interest.
Once you get through the very beginning, it really snowballs and captures your interest.
Helpful Score: 1
A fictional account of of the politics of global warming, with much factual documentation to counter the hype on the subject. Great read with a mixture of action and facts.
Very interesting view of the global warming issue.
Well written, but a littly preachy about environmental issues. Still, a good story!
Well documented look at the politics and science of global warming through fictional characters by a well educated author (M.D.)
A Michael Crichton novel.If you are a fan of his books this one not to miss.
I thought it was thoughtful and had a lot of interesting background information. I liked the presentation of the concepts that it is VERY difficult to make climate predictions or measure global climates in such a way that either support or deny global warming. Michael Crichton is a great story-teller.
This is the typically quick, compelling read that we've come to expect from Crichton, but it is not his finest novel. On the plus side, his book will make you think carefully about the dogma that global warming has become. But, Crichton has taken some serious liberties by misconstruing the science behind the overwhelming support for global warming theory. He unevenly pits strong arguments dispelling global warming against unsupported emotionalism espoused by his "liberal" characters in the novel. Obviously, one benefit of being a fiction author is that you can make a character say whatever you damn well please, making it easy to villify and write off the environmental movement that he tarnishes in this fictional work.
On the whole, I think this book provides a dangerous substantiation of many conservatives' worst exaggerations and prejudices of the left, while glossing over significant research supporting global warming.
Don't read this if you want an unbiased view of the science. Do read it if you want an easy, trashy thriller that's hard to put down.
And Crichton, don't politicize a moral issue.
On the whole, I think this book provides a dangerous substantiation of many conservatives' worst exaggerations and prejudices of the left, while glossing over significant research supporting global warming.
Don't read this if you want an unbiased view of the science. Do read it if you want an easy, trashy thriller that's hard to put down.
And Crichton, don't politicize a moral issue.
In usual Crichton fashion, this was well worth the read!
From Bookmarks Magazine: "State of Fear, Crichtons 14th novel is polarizing to say the least. Crichtons obvious political intent rubbed several critics the wrong way; some felt that he sacrificed story and character to make his points. These points, however, resonated with others, who found the thriller form an effective way to pose questions about the politicization of post-Cold War science to a large audience. Most agree that Crichton is neither stylish nor subtle, but few dispute his ability to whip up suspense. Fans of his earlier work will likely enjoy this effort, if theyre not turned off by his politics." Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.
From Booklist: "Crichton's novels often tackle cutting-edge technology and its implementation, but his latest addresses an issue that's been around for a bit longer: global warming. Millionaire George Morton is about to donate $10 million to the National Environmental Research Fund (NERF) when he suddenly decides against it. His lawyer, Peter Evans, is as surprised as anyone and is drawn into a web of intrigue after Morton's car careens off the road and Morton is presumed dead. Just before his "death," Morton was in contact with Dr. John Kenner, a researcher at the Center for Risk Analysis, who opposes NERF's agenda and presents Evans with some startling evidence about global warming. With Evans and Morton's assistant, Sarah, in tow, Kenner travels to Antarctica, where he learns that a group of environmental extremists are planning several attacks of environmental terror to convince the world of impending ecological disaster. The thrills in Crichton's latest are interspersed with fascinating but occasionally dense ecological facts and data, but he backs his assertions about the unpredictability of climate change with copious research and footnotes. Perhaps his most serious and important book yet." Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
From Booklist: "Crichton's novels often tackle cutting-edge technology and its implementation, but his latest addresses an issue that's been around for a bit longer: global warming. Millionaire George Morton is about to donate $10 million to the National Environmental Research Fund (NERF) when he suddenly decides against it. His lawyer, Peter Evans, is as surprised as anyone and is drawn into a web of intrigue after Morton's car careens off the road and Morton is presumed dead. Just before his "death," Morton was in contact with Dr. John Kenner, a researcher at the Center for Risk Analysis, who opposes NERF's agenda and presents Evans with some startling evidence about global warming. With Evans and Morton's assistant, Sarah, in tow, Kenner travels to Antarctica, where he learns that a group of environmental extremists are planning several attacks of environmental terror to convince the world of impending ecological disaster. The thrills in Crichton's latest are interspersed with fascinating but occasionally dense ecological facts and data, but he backs his assertions about the unpredictability of climate change with copious research and footnotes. Perhaps his most serious and important book yet." Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Terrific read. A novel thriller with a strong global warming investigatory subtext. Worth reading for any thinking person.
This is a great book, such a page-turner and filled with info and facts that really make you think. Loved it!
I really loved Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain and Prey, so I thought I'd love this. Wow, was I wrong. This book was terrible!! First off, it was just plain boring. Crichton seems to be writing an editorial against global warming rather than a novel. I don't want to read page after page of his opinions on science, I want to read a story. Plus the characters were cardboard cutouts of people and weren't interesting. They were just stock characters, stereotypes with no depth at all and weren't even likable. The book was just plain awful. I couldn't get through it. This was one of the most disappointing books I have ever attempted to read. I hated this so much, I may never pick up a Crichton book again. I want my money back!
This is a highly educational novel concering Global Warming.
Great story -- typically Crichton -- also very relevant since the storyline is based on the current Global Warming crisis. One of his best. Book is in excellent shape -- only read once -- even the dust jacket is intact.
A very interesting and different fictional perspective on the real life issue of global warming.
This is a very good book, however, it is important to realize that the case made regarding environmental issues is one-sided, despite the author's claims that it is balanced.
Good thriller with info related to global warming that makes the case that there is a lot of fear-mongering in the global warming/climate change issue. Much of the story is even more relevant today -- more and more news stories on TV involve a crisis! bombshell! breaking news! etc., often to the expense of a calm recitation of facts, which does not sustain viewership ratings.
Good book. Didn't hold my attention as much as some others, but overall good.
It was a very interesting book. Crichton used a lot of actual information to really make you think as the story unwinds. It was an enjoyable read.
Very informative, and resourceful. Gives a down to earth prespective of the global warming scenerio.
Good book. Crichton at his best. Great plot.
Modern thriller for Global warming fans.
This is a great book!
Crichton debunks global warming; includes extensive bibliography.
THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING BOOK! Crichton spent 3 years researching global warming and those that prophesy the destruction of the world to it. This book should be on the required reading list of every college student, if nothing else to provide some sort of balance to overwhelming b.s. coming from the media and the left. The book is footnoted like a grad school term paper, with several hundred sources to back up every detail. On top of all that, Crichton waves together all these critical details into a wonderful plot full of rich characters. Anyone who thinks they know something about global warming should read this (or even if you dont give a care and just want to read a great book!).
Thus begins Michel Crichton's exciting and provocative techno-thriller State of Fear. Only Crichton's unique ability to blend scientific fact with pulse-pounding fiction could bring such disparate elements to a heart-stopping conclusion.
This is Crichton's most wide-ranging thriller. State of Fear takes the reader from the glaciers of Iceland to the volcanoes of Antarctic, from the Arizona desert to the deadly jungles of the Solomon Islands, from the streets of Paris to the beaches of Los Angeles. The novel faces forward on a roller-coaster thrill ride, all the while keeping the brain in high gear. Gripping and thought-provoking, State of Fear is Michael Crichton at his very best.
This is Crichton's most wide-ranging thriller. State of Fear takes the reader from the glaciers of Iceland to the volcanoes of Antarctic, from the Arizona desert to the deadly jungles of the Solomon Islands, from the streets of Paris to the beaches of Los Angeles. The novel faces forward on a roller-coaster thrill ride, all the while keeping the brain in high gear. Gripping and thought-provoking, State of Fear is Michael Crichton at his very best.
Another Crichton great.
Unless you are really into computers and understand the language, I wouldn't reccommend this book.
A pretty good read. The republican view of global warming.
Personally I really did enjoy this book as i do with all of his books i have read. if you have a really strong opinion about global warming you may not like this book because the author really stated his take on global warming. but if you can over look that than you might enjoy this book as much as i did. ;)
excellent and revealing book!
not only the story, but the well documented details regarding actual facts about climate and ecology.
Mr. Crichton was a brilliant man who injects a sane perspective into this emotionally charged issue - thus the plot line, which is believable to the point of being scary.
i may hold on to this one for awhile to review the data again.
not only the story, but the well documented details regarding actual facts about climate and ecology.
Mr. Crichton was a brilliant man who injects a sane perspective into this emotionally charged issue - thus the plot line, which is believable to the point of being scary.
i may hold on to this one for awhile to review the data again.
An interesting outlook on what if Global Warming was man made to benefit the activities of certain groups.
science fiction ,of the dangers of ecological ruin,and corruption of business and governments
I got this from the bargain table at my local bookstore, and now I know why it was there. It is a lousy read. Crichton uses selective studies that agree with his position on global warming, while dismissing the overwelming amount of science to the contrary, in order to write a fiction book whose purpose seems to be to advance a political agenda rather than entertain. I had to struggle to finish it. I have been a big fan of his in the past, but this one has crushed my interest in him for the future.
good story
Enjoyable. Well up to Crichton's standards.
Action packed, fast read. Highly recommended.
I bought this book because of the other great reviews and because I am huge Crichton fan, but this one just bored me. It just fell far short of my expectations.
Thought provoking, good suspense novel. Definitely gives a new insight into theories like 'Global Warming' and 'protecting the environment'. A good read.
This isn't a very well-written book. It is pseudo-scientific. It is a book with a conservative anti-environment political agenda. I was stuck in an airport with little choice. It's really the author's rather jejune diatribes. However, he is well-known and someone might want it. Characters were not developed and cardboard. Really one of the worse books I have ever read.
scary - another 'conspiracy theory' book - just enough facts to make me wonder.
Excellent and informative
In Paris, a young physicist performs an oceanographic experiment--then dies mysteriously after a romantic tryst with a beautiful stranger. In the jungles of Malasia, powerful hypersonic cavitation technology--capable of toppling mountains with sound---is purchased by a private interest for an unspecified purpose. In Vancouver, a businessman leases a small research submarine for use in the waters off New Guinea. In Tokyo, in Los Angeles, in Antarctica, in the Solomon Islands--an intelligence agent races to put all the pieces together to prevent a global catastrophe.
A bit off of Crichton's beaten path this book approaches and dissects the myth of global warming amidst a story of suspense and terrorism. A bit of a dry read in areas but complete with footnotes in case you'd like to do more research on your own after you've finished.
Good long read!
Thought-provoking and informative on a complex topic, global warming, without sacrificing any potboiler elements you'd expect of this author.
global warming is real or not? micheal crichton does his best to keep u on the edge of your seat
In typical Michael Crichton fashion, the story develops around little-known scientific facts about how humans can influence the environment. So if you wanted to know more about how giant ice bergs, tsunamis and flash floods can be created, this is your book. At the same time, there are nice subplots around how to track terrorists via the Internet and an obscure way to assassinate people.
it keeps you guessing...
Excelent: Good story and filled with numerous facts about the environment. Gets you thinking.
I started reading this book, and just couldn't get into it. Usually I love Crichton books, but this one just didn't grab me.
Michael Crichton has written another gripping novel that I couldn't put down. I never knew what was going to happen next, so I just had to keep reading.
What can I say,He did it again, another great book from Michael Crichton.
A bit dissapointing. The overall story was good but the character and plot development were light.
Another Crickton blockbuster thriller! Very current. He tackles global warming, eco-terrorism very realistically. A very good read and very instructive about "non-profits".
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
If you are interested in global warming then this is the book for you it is very intense but worth a read
Thought provoking and page turning...Crichton takes on global warming!
It really makes you think exciting to the end
I thought this a very good read and it was a provacative read. It will make you think about things.
classic Crichton
A good read, as most Crichton novels are. Lousy science, though - he seems to want to persuade us that global warming theories are nothing more than scientific brainwashing. He should stick to writing, the plot races along, it's an interesting read.
good book but it took me awhile to get into the story
A mild diatribe against global warming. Lots of documented footnotes. The adventure story that cloaks the political agenda of the book is fast and violent. A good airport read.
More science than typical for Crichton. I good read, but not a page-turner like some of his others.
Not my favorite of Crichton's books -- a little too much sermon in this one about the environment. However, there was a lot of interest in it.
Typical Critchton, fast paced, interesting characters, abundance of statistics and interesting facts..........quick read!
An engaging page turner. I appreciate a thriller with depth & detail & this book certainly provides just that. At times the plot is almost too outrageous, but it is, after all, fiction. And while fiction, the book provides an opportunity for the reader to truly reflect on how beliefs are formed merely by impressions provided in the media & based on misinformation. The appendices are equally as compelling as the book itself. Highly recommended.
A diverse plot, good airplane book. I expected a little more out of Crichton though.
Very thought provoking...is this true....
For anyone concerned about the environment this is a must read.
Quintessential Crichton - Very well researched, compelling plot and interesting characters. A real eye-opener!
Excellent read, backed by excellent research into the global warming/environmentalist agenda.
Michael Crichton is a master researcher and writer. I admire his biblioraphy and writing style. A thoroughly interesting book on a hot topic. (Pun intended, forgive me.)
Another great book from Michael Crichton. Very interesting with lots of scientific background information to support his fictional scheme. Great read, fast-paced.
Little outlandish on the action side, but a great read anyhow. Great info on global warming and societies obession with crisis/diasters.
He's back! I have not been that thrilled with his last couple of efforts but this one is great - vinage Crichton - full of fascinating facts, thought provoking theses and it's a real page turner. Could not put it down. Serious entertainment!
This was the only Michael Crichton book that I have not really enjoyed. Basically, I didn't like the ending. Still a wonderfully written book.
A very chilly fast moving book about global warming. I enjoyed it very much.
Exciting, and soooooo true of the world today!
in case you're not already nervous about global warming....you will be after reading this one
"In State of Fear, Crichton takes on global warming - and finds the story-telling possibilities intriguing.
"Thought-provoking..definitely a page-turner."
"Thought-provoking..definitely a page-turner."
In Paris, a young physicist performs an oceanographic experiment-then dies mysteriously.
In the jungles of Malaysia, powerful hypersonic cavitation technology-capable of toppling mountains with sound-is purchased by a private interest for an unspecified purpose.
In the jungles of Malaysia, powerful hypersonic cavitation technology-capable of toppling mountains with sound-is purchased by a private interest for an unspecified purpose.
This book was a little too deep for me, although Michael Chrichton is brilliant.
This was actually my least favorite of all of Michael Crichtons books. The good news is he's such a great writer that even his worst book is still a worthwhile read!
A complicated plot with lots of twists.
slow going.
Pretty good read, but not I expected more from Crichton...
This is a real page turner. You'll love it if you like a fast moving yarn. The info at the end is even more interesting than the plot!!
This book was loaded with some great information. The Author attempted to write a fictional book and weave true information within the story. I think the reason he did this is, he so much wanted to get this information out, after 3 years of research. He figured, if he wrote a Non-Fiction book about a boring topic, no one would read it. So, he wrote this. The book was OK.
Another great book from Michael Crichton! I thought it started out a little slow, but after a chapter or two, I couldn't put it down. It also has some fascinating information and opinions on global warming and human influence or lack of influence on the environment.
My husband's book and he loved it.
Excellent book-well-researched and well-written. Chrichton has done it once again. If you're interested in the issue of global warming, this book is a must read.
**** Michael Crichton is the master of making corporate/government conspiracy theories seem not only plausible, but highly likely. This book is no exception. Great for a long airplane trip.
Fairly standard Chrichton. Lots of details, a different environment, but essentially, the same story as many of his other books.
Good for what it is.
Good for what it is.
The first 2/3 of the book was a real page-turner. Be prepared to read with an open mind though, as the focus of the book is to show that global warming does NOT exist. Never hurts to read a contrarian's point of view. Unfortunately, the last 1/3 of the book was sloppy and it seemed like the Author was caught with no way out, so he had to quickly find a way to wrap it up.
Typical Crichton - this novel takes on what may be the myth of global warming.
Crichton does Crichton -- very interesting story, well-developed, but same basic cast of characters, same basic story line.
Very good ready, but same-old same-old.
Very good ready, but same-old same-old.
Another Good Book from Crichton.
Excellent read. Too real to be fiction!
Crichton's breakneck pace in this thriller about baddies trying to create "natural" disasters can't distract from the fact that it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Along about page 400, he spends 5 pages on one underlying theme of the book -- that the fear of man-made ecological disaster has replaced The Red Menace as the threat du jour (and has now largely been replaced by the terrorist menace), all to help keep the power structure in power and the masses distracted.
good resd
An interesting thriller, filled with science, typical of a Crichton novel. This one, however, is based on scientific data which is backed up by citations. A must read for anyone who believes that Global warming or climate change is settled science.
okay read, would not go out of my way to purchase and read.
Really good read. At first seems like multiple different plots, then as the book gains momentum they all start to connect.
The story was great. I liked the characters a lot. This an excellent book.
This book is set in modern times and manages to bring a masterful look at a very controversial subject. Citing true science sources, yet interweaving a masterful mystery/suspense plot State of Fear is hard to put down until the end.
If you are fed up with the global warming hysteria that has taken hold hold of the politicians and the media, this is the book for you. I just bought nine extra copies of this book so I could pass them around to all my friends and anyone else I can convince to read it. Of all of Michael Crichton's books, this may be the one that has the most lasting impact on his readers. I just regret that I didn't read this until after he had passed away. I would have loved to expressed my gratitude to him for this excellent turbo-thriller with a valuable message.
Brand new never read. Got as a present.
This was a very good book but it took me a while to get into it. I almost gave up about 1/4 of the way but decided to keep reading. Very involved plot line that took time to develop and get across. Still, a very good read.
The world may be on the brink of disaster, and its an entirely man-made danger. Billionaire philanthropist George Morton has agreed to fund a grant that will enable the National Environmental Resources Fund to publicize what they perceive as a threat to the welfare of the earth. Mortons young lawyer, Peter Evans, knows hes been having second thoughts lately. In fact, hes noticed that Mortons been acting strange ever since he met enigmatic M.I.T. professor John Kenner. Peter doesnt know what to make of Kenner, nor does Mortons beautiful assistant, Sarah. She knows somethings amiss, though she cant quite figure out what it is, and so she and Peter join forces. Neither could possibly imagine what is about to happen, or how it will change their livesand possibly the planetforever. Alive with the gripping suspense and authenticity that are Michael Crichtons trademark, State of Fear is a breathtaking thrill ride you wont soon forget.
Another good book by Crichton.
Serious Entertainment, Spellbinding, Thrilling, and Compelling. Fast paced and exciting, hard to put down.
Everyone should read this book. Is there a lot of truth in it?
my husband loved this book..
jen
jen
This was an excellent book. In addition to being a very suspenseful story, it is an extremely interesting and informative perspective on global warming and environmental causes.
A great adventure tale. Makes ya wanna just keep readin. Really cool imagery.
I didn't get very far reading this, because I was turned off by how far-fetched the science was. Since then, I have heard a lot about how irresponsible many experts find the science in this book. So I'd say, Enjoy it, but don't let it convince you that global warming isn't real!
Very good book that will make you rethink some of what you thought you knew
Very thought-provoking book about a very pertinent topic in the news today- global warming. It was hard to put down!
In Paris, a young physicist performs an oceonographic experiment-then dies mysteriously after a romantic tryst with a beautiful stranger.
In the jungles of Malaysia, powerful hypersonic cavitation technology-capable of toppling mountains with soun-is purchased by private interests for an unspecified purpose.
In Vancouver, a businessman leases a small research submarine for use in the waters of New Guinea.
In Tokya, In Los Angeles, In Antarctica, in the Soloman Islands... an intelligence agent races to put all the peices together to prevent a global catastrophe.
In the jungles of Malaysia, powerful hypersonic cavitation technology-capable of toppling mountains with soun-is purchased by private interests for an unspecified purpose.
In Vancouver, a businessman leases a small research submarine for use in the waters of New Guinea.
In Tokya, In Los Angeles, In Antarctica, in the Soloman Islands... an intelligence agent races to put all the peices together to prevent a global catastrophe.
What if this whole thing about global warming was being helped along by not only the news, but activists as well. It is well written as most of M. Crichton books are.
In Paris, a young physicist performs an oceanographic experiment then dies mysteriously. In Malaysia, powerful hypersonic technology capable of toppling mountains with sound is purchased by a private interest group. In Vancouver, a businessman leases a small research submarine. In Tokyo, Los Angeles, Antarctica, and Solomaon Islands, an intelligence agent races to put all the pieces together to prevent a global catastrophe.
Techno -thriller. From the glaciers of Icelend to the volcanoes of Antarctica, from the Arizona desert to the deadly jungles of the Solomon Islands, from the streets of Paris to the beaches of Los Angeles. The novel races forward on a roller-coaster thrill ride, all the while keeping the brain in high gear.
In Paris, a young physicist performs an oceanographic experient-then dies misteriously. In the jungles of Malaysia, a powerful hypersonic cavitation technology is purchased by a private interest for an unspecified purpose. In Vancouver, a businessman leases a small research submarine for use in the waters off New Guines. In Tokyo, Los Angeles, Antarctica, the Solomon Islands, an intelligence agent races to put all the pieces together to prevent a global catastrophe.
The latest techno-thriller from Crichton from the glaciers of Iceland to the volcanos of Antarctia,from the Arizona desert to the deadly jungles of the Soloman Islands. A rollercoaster of a thrill ride!
global warming thriller
Actually this is my wife's book. She says it's typical Crichton stuff. That means she liked it.
My husbands book. I have not read it.
