Prey

Rating:
Summary: [Bad] bestselling book will make [bad] blockbuster movie
Review: Crappy bestselling book will make crappy blockbuster movie

Crichton makes a clean break from at least one of his familiar devices. Usually, Step One of a Crichton book is to ASSEMBLE A TEAM. Step Two is EXPLAIN WHY PROTAGONIST IS PART OF SAID TEAM. In this book, the team has *already* been assembled at a remote location! Straight to Step Two! Our hero needs to save the team, or fix the situation out there, or report back on what's gone wrong, or something like that. I forget. Just think Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, Lost World, Congo, etc., and you've got the idea.

This is a book about nanotech researchers who've never heard of, read, or contemplated the potential for nanotech disasters: "A flying, self-replicating, evolving swarm? Let's set it loose and see what happens!" These characters are operating in a vacuum; an easy narrative device that will no doubt serve Crichton well, as readers unfamiliar with nanotech themes will imagine he is raising these concerns for the first time.

The vacuum doesn't stop there. Crichton spends maybe a page or two describing some of the potential medical & military benefits of nanotech, without giving any sense of the enormous wealth, nor of the huge social changes such technology would foster. The researchers/businessmen in Prey manage to make molecular assemblers, but are *still* worried about surviving the next round of funding? Sorry, but whoever manages to make assemblers will abandon whatever project they're working on and start making diamonds, extracting gold from seawater, or building a space elevator - and not lose any sleep worrying about the next investor meeting.

If there's any doubt that this book was written with a lucrative, easy-to-digest Hollywood movie in mind, consider the meat of the central crisis. What's the protagonist's first indication that something unusual is happening? His wife is looking - especially fit. Crichton takes the most powerful, exotic technology the world's ever seen and, literally, anthropomorphizes it. No nano-mecha-fungus growing over the surface of the earth, no "ice9" solidifying the oceans. No, nothing that would stretch the imagination too far. Instead, imagine Sharon Stone's cold, dead eyes staring icily into the camera. Spooky! (Just like in Sphere!).

As another reviewer correctly pointed out, everything in this book is stolen from John Carpenter's 1982 movie "The Thing" - so don't be surprised if "Prey: The Movie" ends with someone saving the world with a slow-motion jump-shot to throw a grenade in some creature's maw. Crichton will add his own touch, to be sure; I bet they'll work a "fast-acting neuro-toxin" into the mix.

Rating:
Summary: An Awesomely Bad Movie in the Making
Review: A decent opening and some good basic science are extrapolated into the most ludicrous B movie garbage that would insult the intelligence of an 'Independance Day' fan. Lack of attention to basic plotting too, for example the hero is forty years old and attended university in the late 70's yet the book is set in 2009, go figure.

Crichtons unique style makes it readable, but can't stop it insulting the intelligence, no doubt the basic issues need to be raised though.

Rating:
Summary: New concept but misses the mark
Review: This book has the trademark twists and turns you expect from Crichton but I was not impressed. He could have done better.

Rating:
Summary: Chilling, cautionary tale
Review: If you value sleep, please pass up on this one. Not because it's scary (although, when you think about it, it's downright terrifying), but because you won't be able to stand it, wondering what will happen next. I imagine you might know this book will be made into a movie, and some of the scenes might be written with that in mind, scenes that beg for awesome special effects.

Crichton does so much research, you have to wonder, "what if...?" The theme of technology overtaking society has been around seemingly forever; however, with the news of a baby clone being born today, you have to wonder...how long before the scientists lose control? And how many would it take to ruin things for everyone? Well, just a small handful....read this book!!...

Rating:
Summary: A book or a screenplay?
Review: I have enjoyed much of Michael's work, dating back to "Sphere" and "Disclosure" and especially his last book prior to this one: "Timeline".

In his latest effort, the depictions of nano-technology gone amuck are very well done, but the story surrounding the technical details is a bit weak. A quick glance at the footnotes and bibliography shows that he did his homework on the recent developments in nano-technology. Throughout the book, the innovations and technical developments are believable and presented vividly.

That being said, the measure of a novel is the story itself, and in this aspect the book falls short. The flow is choppy and too little character development leaves the plot twists to seem a bit too coincidental and contrived.

Overall, as with all of his work, the book is a quick and enjoyable read and will make an excellent film. Next time though Mr Crichton, please spend as much time on the story as on the technology.

Rating:
Summary: It's been done better
Review: Michael Crichton has made a career out of scientific cautionary tales, some of which are significantly better than others. Unfortunately, _Prey_ is one of those others.

You already know the drill, right? A small army of sci-fi/horror works have used it by now -- including _The Thing_, more than a few episodes of _The X-Files_, the _Alien_ series, and a good half-dozen of Crichton's previous books. A small group of scientists, trapped in a remote location and unable to summon help, must fight for their lives against a deadly new species that they don't understand -- even if they've given rise to it themselves. As always, the good guys have to venture out of their temporary refuge on various missions, only to be stranded and picked off due to unforeseen circumstances. As always, there's a guy who wants to protect the enemy species out of greed. And as always, just about everyone except for Our Hero winds up dead. (Anyone who considers any of this to be a spoiler probably doesn't get out much.)

Unfortunately, _Prey_ takes this time-tested formula and manages to make it singularly unconvincing. For one thing, the good guys *aren't* unable to summon help until very late in the game. While the full extent of the enemy's capabilities isn't immediately apparent, Our Hero has plenty of time after realizing that the team is in big trouble to find a darn phone and call in the big guns. (If we're really supposed to believe that he doesn't do so because of company loyalty and/or a non-disclosure agreement, Crichton needed to make a much stronger case.) Nor would the big guns find the enemy difficult to dispatch, because it's got more vulnerabilities than Achilles had heels. In other words, humankind is never in any real danger: about the worst that's going to happen here is that a few eggheads get iced, and half of them had it coming.

If _Prey_ has a redeeming quality, it lies in Crichton's highlighting of the very real risks of nanotechnology research. Yet Dean Koontz's _Midnight_ covered the same territory over a decade ago on a much wider (and much scarier) scale.

It's hard to deny that Crichton's work was a lot more enjoyable back when he actually had to work to sell a jillion copies. Will he ever again write anything half as good as _The Andromeda Strain_? Time will tell, but it's not looking likely.

Rating:
Summary: One of Crichton's Best!
Review: The best of Michael Crichton's sci-fi thrillers share a simple theme: humankind cannot control its own creations. PREY is no exception. This riveting, hair-raising novel concerns the melding of nanotechnology (the creation of tiny machines on a molecular level) and genetic engineering to create Crichton's latest menace to the human species: a deadly cloud of millions of self-replicating machines.

The narrator Jack is a stay-at-home dad who cannot find work because he was unjustly blacklisted in the computer science community. His past work on an algorithm based on predator/prey models has earned him some fame; however, that all seems past him now as he struggles to raise his three kids. His wife Julia, an executive in a local start-up company, does not seem to have time for them. Lately, she has been distant and moody, not really herself. Jack suspects that she is having an affair. When he is given the opportunity to consult for Julia's company because his work on the program PREDPREY was used to direct the company's nanotechnology, he accepts it. In the back of his mind, he only wants to find out the truth about his wife; what he actually finds is much more disturbing and threatening.

Crichton does a wonderful job with Jack's character and narration up until his arrival at the Nevada lab; afterwards, Jack could be any Crichton hero. The formula elements are there: the cowardly but determined-to-save-the-company executive, the children in jeopardy, the marital discord, the easily identified expendables. Of course, Jack and his small band are cut off from society's help - no outside communication, surrounded by nothing but desert. Jack must be resourceful with the materials and knowledge at hand to defeat the enemy. Despite these formulaic devices, Crichton manages to keep the reader in constant suspense, with each turn of the plot as surprising and as breathtaking as the last. This time around, he doesn't overburden the plot with lengthy treatises on scientific subjects; he demonstrates some (but not entire) restraint, adding only what is necessary *when* it is necessary. The story is grounded in realism, with brand names and everyday chores and realistic technology, so that by the time the story takes its leap into the unfathomable, the reader is completely willing to suspend disbelief.

The main flaw of this novel is the cardboard characters (except for Jack, and even he goes flat.) Yes, the science isn't perfect and some plot elements are ludicrous - for example, Jack is allowed into the highly classified building of a government contractor without a security clearance - but hey, it's a good read. This kind of book is not meant to be contemplated too carefully after it's over. PREY is pure entertainment, no more, no less.

PREY is a first-rate thriller, on a par with both JURASSIC PARK and THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, both of which echo in parts of this book. I highly recommend this book for readers of thrillers and science fiction.

Rating:
Summary: disappointed
Review: not much to say, his most recent book is the most disappointing yet, and i have read them all. the overlay of the house dad dealing with his children's problems while saving the world is just silly. the technical stuff too technical for the average reader, i think.

I probably will not buy his next one.

Rating:
Summary: OK read, but a bit disappointing
Review: I am a big fan of Crichton's past work, and ever since Andromeda Strain I have always looked forward to his new releases. This book is similar to his past few in that it deals with the dark side of technology. I found it not as scary as "Jurassic Park," nor as interesting as "Timeline." This book is entertaining; however, with a slightly stronger plotline, it would have been an outstanding sci-fi thriller.

Using a first-person narrative, the book is actually a nice introduction to the science of complexity theory, complex adaptive systems, emergence, networks, and of course, nanotechnology. These topics have been on the forefront of scientific research during the past decade, and for those unfamiliar with these topics, this book serves a good (if not eye-opening) way to learn. The idea of runaway nanomachines is not new, and along with genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, is frequently brought up by those who warn of the dangers of technology. As pointed out in the book, humans as a species have a unique ability to screw things up, and Murphy's Law often occurs in unexpected ways. The sobering fact is, since the advent of nuclear weapons, we now have the ability to destroy the planet. Out-of-control, genetically-engineered viruses or intelligent nanomachines simply add to this threat.

Could the scenario presented in "Prey" actually occur? Yes, although in the reality it could turn out to be much, much worse. In retrospect, I admit that this is my whole beef with the plot; with just a little more effort, the story could have involved a more terrifying, widespread threat, more sinister global villians, and/or a wider range of protagonists. Perhaps a less fortunate ending would have added to the perceived danger as well, leaving the reader with more food for thought. It will be interesting to see how Hollywood deals with this script (assuming it makes it to the big screen). It could turn out to be more like "Sphere" and less like the original "Jurassic Park."

Unless you are collector of Crichton's first editions, you might want to borrow this book from a friend or local library, pick up a used copy, or simply wait for the paperback to be published. It is certainly not the worst Crichton book I have ever read, nor is it, in my opinion, his finest.

Rating:
Summary: Inventive tale about "nanotechnology" - wild suspense
Review: He's not merely a great author -- Crichton is one of the most imaginative, inventive writers of our times. This, his 13th work of fiction, reminds us of the empire he spawned with Jurassic Park -- a story plausible enough to scare us, entertain us, educate us, and grip us from start to finish. Ironically, the book starts out a little slow, laying the framework for recently turned house-husband Jack Forman, his ex-work circumstances, his family, and his daily routine. Our author nailed this role so accurately we began to resent the wife's "interference" in the household! The story soon reveals Jack's concerns about wife Julia, an executive at a leading edge tech firm, making "molecular" level devices that work to create artificial vision. [Here's where a few tutorials about nanotechnology slow us down just a little too.] But when the swarms of these devices go awry, really bad things begin to happen. Jack is brought in to solve some potential programming problems, but literal survival, rather than fine tuning coding logic, emerges immediately as the challenge at hand. We even wonder at one point who the real humans may or may not be.

From the extensive bibliography at the end to the author's foreword about the potential for artificial evolution, the book gives every appearance of solid research. Couple that with a Stephen King-like premise, toss in a hero or two we like, generate some marital tension, and conclude with a fight to survive, and we get 350 pages or so that fly with the wind. Don't miss this one!!