Eaters of the Dead, by Michael Crichton

January 2, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, Michael Crichton, technothriller, Thriller 

This book by Michael Crichton was filmed in 1999 with Antonino Banderas: The 13th Warrior. The movie is in this case better than the book.

Eaters of the Dead is set in the 10th century. The Caliph of Baghdad sends his Eaters of the Deadambassador, Ahmad ibn Fadlan, to the king of the Volga Bulgars. He never arrives but is instead captured by a group of Vikings. This group is sent on a hero’s quest to the north. Ahmad ibn Fadlan is taken along, as the thirteenth member of their group, to bring good luck. There he battles with the ‘mist-monsters’, or ‘Neanderthals’.

Eaters of the Dead is narrated as a scientific commentary on an old manuscript. A sense of authenticity is supported by occasional explanatory footnotes with references to a mixture of factual and fictitious sources.

Eaters of the Dead is a a good and interesting read, but in my opinion not among Michael Crichton’s best.

Links to books by Michael Crichton at amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

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Arctic Drift, by Clive Cussler & Dirk Cussler

October 13, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: bestseller, Clive Cussler, technothriller, Thriller 

Clive Cussler is a big bestselling author in the United States. He pretty Arctic Drift, by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler much follows the formula of James Patterson – who seemingly runs a bestseller factory – and writes basically with short sentences, short paragraphs and short chapters. And, perhaps even more than is the case with Patterson, Clive Cussler fills his pages with techno-action.

In Arctic Drift, Clive Cussler and his son Dirk imagine the U.S. and Canada on the brink of war. This is their third collaborative novel (after Treasure of Khan
and Black Wind), and they have the formula for success down cold. Cussler has created a world where NUMA is real and where saving the world is mandatory and as easy as turning the next page.

Here, the price of gas hits $10 a gallon, and US President Garner Ward must contend with a corrupt Canadian cabal that’s subverting efforts to solve America’s energy problems. Pitt barely escapes serious injury when a bomb destroys a D.C. lab along with records of research into an artificial photosynthesis process that could, almost immediately, eliminate the threat of global warming.

But despair not – Dirk Pitt is on the case. It looks very bleak, and events do certainly seem to escalate out of control. But the Pitts manage to connect the dots, and eventually the greedy guys are defeated and peace reigns yet again. Till next time.

Thriller fans in search of a quick, exciting read should be satisfied. There is lots of breathtaking suspense and audacious imagination in Arctic Drift, as in all the books in the Pitt series. And, yes, it is entertaining. As it were.

Praise:

‘the action zipping along until a final powerhouse showdown’ (Entertainment Weekly).

‘What’s not to like?’ (Los Angeles Times)

Links to the books by Clive Cussler: amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

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Corsair, by Clive Cussler and Jack Dubrul

May 15, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: bestseller, book review, technothriller 

This is the sixth novel in the Oregon Files series by Clive Cussler and co-authors. To my mind, this series seems to be written much in the fashion and style of the Corsair, by Clive Cussler and Jack Dubrul James Patterson thriller factory. That is, plot by Cussler, actual writing by Jack Du Brul. And with a similar recipe for success as well: Lots of action, a huge plot, pretty short chapters, preferably short paragraphs, and short, sweet sentences. It seems to work – both Cussler and Peterson write books that are bestsellers in the US.

In Corsair, Juan Cabrillo, the Corporation, and the Oregon are at it again. The Oregon is a vessel that viewed from the outside appears to be old, somewhat in disrepair and weak, but which in reality is heavily armored and full of sophisticated equipment and powerful weaponry. And the technology plays a significant role in the book.

It starts with a prologue set during the Barbary pirate war and a tale of a pirate fortune. It continues with the Oregon raiding a modern day pirate stronghold in order to capture a pirate leader out of a heavily defended port.

But the real action in Corsair, its main storyline, starts when the United States’ Secretary of State’s plane crashes under mysterious circumstances on the way to Libya. And the action is fast, furious and impressive. It is quite interesting and entertaining. Even though you really have let go of logic and go with the flow of the book pretty often in order to fully enjoy. But if you can do that, than this book is very entertaining.

Du Brul and Cussler weave great although sometime pretty wild plotlines, and they are good at mixing in “facts” in lots of shapes and forms – history, religion, and politics. To me, the plot was moderately or so engaging. And at some spots, even in this adventure filled action novel, things were a little too slow and the side stories a tad boring. But even so, Corsair is an above-average adventure story, and quite ok for a relaxing reading of a technological adventure.

Links to the books by Clive Cussler: amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

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Critical Mass, by Whitley Strieber

April 13, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, technothriller, Thriller, Whitley Strieber 

This is an overheated thriller based on a somewhat unlikely – but still interesting – scenario about nuclear terrorism by bestselling author Whitley Strieber Critical Mass, by Whitley strieber (see also 2012: The War for Souls). The main character in the book is Jim Deutsch, a CIA contract employee, who has expertise in counter-proliferation work. He discovers that nuclear devices have been smuggled into the US. While investigating, he finds himself facing roadblocks at every turn, forcing him not to trust anyone. It seems America’s elaborate homeland security apparatus has been compromised.

Then, while Deutsch is still trying to make his report, Las Vegas is bombed and completely wiped out. As it turns out, the fate of the entire world seems to now be in the hands of an unknown Islamic terror organization, headed by a master-terrorist known only as the Madhi.

U.S. president William Fitzgerald is faced with the choice of launching a devastating counterattack aimed at much of the Muslim world, or surrendering to the Madhi, or trying to find the exact location of the threat. And the clock is running, and the deadline approaching.

Strieber is a good writer and knows very well how to build suspense. So, if you are willing to suspend belief a little, and allow that the scenario of Critical Mass is a possible scenario, then this is an exceedingly exciting thriller!

The author: Whitley Strieber is the author of over 30 novels, including the Wolfen, the Hunger, Warday, Communion, Superstorm, The Grays and 2012. The Wolfen, the Hunger, Communion, and Superstorm (as the Day After Tomorrow) were all made into films, and the Grays and 2012 are in preproduction at Sony and Warner Bros. respectively.

Links to Whitley Strieber’s books at amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

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YouTube DirektPromo video of the book

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Rising Sun, by Michael Crichton

January 3, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, John Connor, Michael Crichton, technothriller, Thriller 

Rising Sun was filmed in 1993 (starring Sean Connery): Rising Sun. It was a wonderful movie, but still represents an instance of the class of cases where the book is better than the movie.

Rising Sun is the chronicle of three days of investigation into the murder of a young woman during a business party. Detective Peter Smith finds himself investigating a foreign culture as well as a crime.

Michael Crichton: Rising SunHe soon finds that there is much of Japanese culture that he doesn’t understand. Smith is guided through the intricacies of Japanese behavior by John Connor, a detective on leave who used to hold Smith’s job.

The murder of Cheryl Austin should be easy to solve, as it was videotaped by security cameras at the Nakamoto building. Nakamoto officials, however, obstruct the investigation from the beginning. The tapes of the murder and what they actually show prove to be a separate mystery. It is not only the tapes that lie: Most of the people questioned by the detectives have their own motives for concealing the truth. Very little is what it seems at first glance.

Rising Sun is a very fascinating detective novel, full of surprises and fast-paced action. A superb read!

You can read more Crichton-reviews at Leserglede!

Also, you can order the book and movie Rising Sun, Michael Crichton from amazon US. Also, amazon Uk has Crichton Rising Sun, book and movie!

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Sphere, by Michael Crichton

November 16, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: book review, International bestseller, Michael Crichton, recommendation, technothriller, Thriller 

Filmed in 1998: Sphere

Michael Crichton, now sadly dead, was one of the greatest thriller writers of our time. He was one of my favorite authors. In Sphere Crichton rolled out the present, past, and future into a highly technical and confusing science fiction adventure. The present features, among others, a pompous astrophysicist, a female zoologist, a black mathematician, and a 53-year-old psychologist, who are summoned by the Navy to examine a plane crash Michael Crichton: Sphere in the South Pacific.

The past is manifested in the stranded object resting on the sea bottom where it has been for some 300 years. When the four scientists, who carry their emotional minority baggage of sex, color, and age along with them, descend to the deep in their submersible, they discover the wreck to be no less than a spaceship from the future that fell through a black hole, thus defying time and space. At the bottom of the sea, strange things begin to happen, and one by one the cast of characters diminishes.

Sphere is very fast paced and very exciting. The plot is part of the future unfolding. You never know what is going to happen next and you can’t stop until you do. Crichton, in my opinion, develops his characters better in this novel than in any of his other books. One of Crichton’s best! Strongly recommended!

You can purchase this and other books by MichaelCrichton at amazon US here: Michael Crichton: A New Collection of Three Complete Novels: Congo, Sphere, Eaters of the Dead, see also Timeline, and State of Fear.Alternatively, you can order from amazon UK: Sphere, Timeline, and State of Fear.

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