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Summary: What?
Review: Okay, here's the book that can put hyper-active children into a coma. I got this book half-expecting a semi-thriller, but got nothing but - what seems like - some boring, anti-Japanese murder mystery without any serious plot changes or anything to really keep your attention for any long amount of time. Crichton is one of the best action/adventure/techno-thriller writers of all time, and he wastes good paper with this, not to mention my money... and yours is you buy it.
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Summary: 2nd Best
Review: This book was one best books I have ever read. First u learn a great deal of Japanese culture in this. Also it is a great mystery. And it is the way Michael Crichton writes his books, thats what makes him a good writer. This book is worth the money and time.
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Summary: Definately a Mystery
Review: Rising Sun was very fun. It kept me thinking, and reading. The only problem I had with it, was that it seemed to move a little to quickly. It was still very hard to figure out, and worth it.
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Summary: A new twist for Crichton
Review: I am not a Crichton fan but for some reason always wind up reading his latest book. There is always at least something of interest there. So I was very pleasantly surprised with Rising Sun, a book that takes an unexpected turn for Crichton in that it is light on the science and heavy on character and plot. A murder mystery entangled in the complexities of Japanese business dealings in America, it provides Crichton with an opportunity - through several of his characters - to vent about Japanese culture and the problems American business has competing with them. The book works on several levels. It is an exciting mystery, an interesting exposition about Japanese business and culture and - as always with Crichton - a lesson in new technology. Whether the insights one gleans about the Japanese are true or not (and that was a controversial aspect of the book when first published) the image of them presented in the book is perfect to create the tension and intrigue that helps keep the plot ticking and holds the reader's interest till the end.
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Summary: CULTURE ENLIGHTENMENT
Review: As always, Crichton entertains, educates and enthralls! This is a murder mystery complicated by cultural differences and racism. A very excellent book that will have you unsuccessfully trying to figure out who done it while you learn a lot about the Japanese culture. The movie was good, the book is better!
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Summary: As usual, Chrichton pulls it off...
Review: I read this mainly because as a late-comer to the Michael Chrichton list of novels, I read Jurassic Park mostly due to the interest generated by the movie--the book,by the way, was CLEARLY SUPERIOR to the movie--I ended up reading this one as well. This was my 2nd Chrichton novel, and I was VERRRRY pleased with it. On the whole I despise books written in 'first person' but Rising Sun was exceptional because it WAS written this way. Some of the scathing reviews on this book puzzle me, if these people who are so critical of his writing are THAT good at guessing the outcome--AND--got tired of the writing style, maybe THEY shouldwrite a string of best sellers and IF they pull it off, maybe THEN the remarks will have merit. Until then, this book is a GREAT murder/mystery, and a great deal of fun to boot. Kudos to Chrichton...AGAIN.
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Summary: The Japan Fear of the '90s
Review: After the fall of Berlin Wall, many Americans had the feeling that the last remaining enemy was the Japanese Economy. Organized like an Army, this unity shook the life of many. Through this novel we get a sheer picture of those first years of the '90s, that is the time Japan was on the leading edge in many ways. The thesis is that the new-rich buy power into the US system, as to deviate the investigations for a murder case. It seems that the inside of a Japanese Company, sited in the US is Japanese territory. Today, much of that fear seems long gone.So many of the positions suggested by the book seem extremist, but, we learn from this book that Japanese spirit is difficult to win.
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Summary: Entertaining
Review: There are lots of detail to flesh out the events and plenty of Crichton's interesting insights on Japanese-American business relations and Japanese vs. American society. If you like to read books with details that spur you on to check it out for yourself this is a buy for you. (Crichton has a selection of other books in the end to help you follow up). I've read this book twice, once several years ago and again last night. Bottom line: no matter the controversy or the debate about this book to me it's still a good techno-thriller/suspense read. Sure it'll fail as a textbook but as fiction it's great. For those who are truly interested in the themes presented in the "Rising Sun" pick up "Bushido" by Inazo Nitobe and the "Book of Five Rings" by Miyamoto Musashi. Shameless plug here as both are available here at Amazon. :) They are hard to find in regular, walk-in bookstores here in the States. I bought my copies in Japan (Kinokuniya's in the Kanto area seems to have plenty of them) so if you're not heading there any time soon start clicking. Also, if you haven't seen the movie version it's quite entertaining as well if you end up liking this book. Just remember, don't ride the high horse while reading the book, just take an easy stride, relax, and enjoy.
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Summary: Quite possibly his worst
Review: It's a toss up between this and "Congo" for Crichton's worst novel. Saying that, "Rising Sun" has some style, a good plot, and a nice mystery--it's just not as original as his other stuff. I can think of a dozen better Crichton novels--"Airframe", I suppose, would be in a similar field. Sort of. And "Aiframe" is his best ever. But this book just lacks a special something that makes Crichton's best THE best. He's followed the same path as in all his other novels--TONs of detailled research and some quite profound observations mixed in with his clipped (and rather monotonous) narrative--but still, it's just not as good as his other stuff. However, as we all know: Cricthon's worst is still miles ahead of some others' best I could mention. Worth reading.
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Summary: Mystery Novel Of Easy Value
Review: Sometimes when you figure out the mystery to a novel, it takes away some of the bite the book has. In Rising Sun I was not fooled at all by the tapes and the Eddie Shakurmura character. So that takes a little away. Also, Lieutenant Pete Smith is one of the worst, dragged out characters I have ever encountered in a book. Then again, John Connor is one of the best characters I have ever encountered in a book. Rising Sun is a split for me. I didn't know who really killed the girl until the end. But I knew everything else that leads up to it. An okay novel by Michael Crichton.
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