Michael Crichton: Final Thoughts

Now, just because the title of this entry is "Final Thoughts" doesn't mean that I don't intend to read any more Michael Crichton. Though I don't really have too much of an interest in his non-science fiction novels, I do intend to read The Andromeda Strain, Sphere, and probably Congo again. I read Congo when I was ten, and all I remember about it is gorillas doing sign language and that there was an atrocious film adaptation. The truth of the matter is that I've got way too much on my plate to spend so much time on one author. I've got stacks of video games, novels and I'm forcing my girlfriend through LOST right now, though after a few discs there's actually not much forcing to be done. After five novels, though, it's time to move on from Crichton for a while, at least.

That being said, I see it necessary to do a quick wrap-up to conclude my thoughts about those works of Crichton that I've recently engaged myself with. There's a lot to respect about the man's work. His novels have sold millions, a lot of them have been adapted into successful films (Jurassic Park being one of the first movies to really capture my young imagination) and he's even dabbled in television with ER. He made science fiction presentable to the general public. He didn't have outrageous character names or shallow worlds to dive into and he didn't fall back onto too many cliches. What I like most about his work is his idea to take a simple idea and spin it into an exciting, intelligent read. Dinosaurs brought back to life? Time travel? Sure, he can write a novel about that - and it won't be outrageous. Finding ways to plausibly work in some decidedly sci-fi ideas is something I hope to put into practice myself - Timeline is his best example of this. I love the way he blends fiction with reality, especially by providing "in-universe" reports and articles, my favorite example being the entirety of Eaters of the Dead.

On the other hand, there is the matter of his politics. Not simply his stance on politics or that he has views at all, but how heavily they're shoehorned into his work and repeated to the view ad nauseum. It may be something that less astute readers might not pick up on, but his writing is definitely didactic. But his fast-paced action sequences often remind you the real reason why you're reading his books - for entertainment, not education - though I suppose a little real world implications aren't a bad thing. I was saddened to hear about his death, and haven't really been able to find any details about it. He did have one post-mortem release, with apparently another to follow in the near future. Counting Vonnegut, that's two authors whose deaths I've experienced and been saddened by - because they both inspired me to keep reading and writing. for that I'm thankful.