Loved it as a kid... now that I read it, kinda anti-science preachy, but with poor arguments. ( )

By now, most people have seen the movie adaption of Jurassic Park. I think it's safe to say it was well liked and memorable. The original novel is so much more. With more background, more authentic (if not always easily understood) science and lots of detailed description that paints a picture more fantastic than the film's special effects could ever hope to reproduce, Jurassic Park is a book not to be missed. Action, adventure, dinosaurs, DNA, cloning, ethical/moral dilemmas and so much more, Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park cannot be completely appreciated without reading this book. ( )

Crichton is great at writing fast paced stories telling us all the horrible things we can (and almost certainly will) do wrong as we rush smash through the barriers of scientific discovery. Jurassic Park is his most popular version of this tale and for good reason. ( )

This review is coming to you from a strange computer at a very strange house: the house I grew up in (I'm house-sitting for the next week and a couple of days.) For some reason, I cannot get wireless to work on my laptop, so I'm using my Mom's desktop (which she admits is a piece of crap.) The only problem I seem to be having is that the keyboard is a little funky - like my fingers are too big to be using it or something. But fear not gentle reader, I WILL prevail! And now, onto the review...

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last 20 or so years, you already know the premise of Jurassic Park. To quote one of my favorite lines from the movie: "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs. Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth." Well, there you have it in a nutshell: a wealthy eccentric named John Hammond buys an island in Costa Rica and turns it into Jurassic Park - a living biological preserve for genetically engineered dinosaurs.

The thing you need to know about the book is that it is quite different from the movie on a number of points. I will not spoil it for you here, but suffice it to say that I have seen the movie numerous times, and I never knew what was coming next in the book. It had me reading quickly to get to the end and see how the characters were going to get out of trouble. In my opinion, the book kicks the movie's a**.

Jurassic Park was captivating and completely engrossing from the very first chapter. Michael Crichton sure knew how to create tension and suspense in his novels! I was on the edge of my seat, racing toward the finish line and hoping none of my favorite characters ended up on the dino-diet. It was a fast-paced read and almost impossible for me to put down.

Jurassic Park is simply thrilling - and quite a bit darker than it's movie adaptation. Crichton manages to give the reader all of the scientific details without bogging down the story or giving up even an ounce of the creepy suspense that builds from the first pages. A phenomenal "techno-thriller," Jurassic Park and Michael Crichton deserve every bit of accolade they have received. I am deeply impressed, and will definitely be recommending this book to others.

Also recommended:
Check out my review of Robert T. Bakker's Raptor Red ( )

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