Andrew W. Mitchell

A Crichton-esque techno thriller somewhat reminiscent of "Prey" about a super computer virus achieving self-awareness and taking on the world. Interesting plot and story, but it felt very fragmented and incohesive - it started out as a standard mystery / thriller about rogue stock trading, then quickly branched off into artificial intelligence, computer viruses, nanotechnology, mind control with some gorillas and zen buddhism thrown in for good measure. It felt as if the author started off show more on one tangent and kept adding more and more fantastic things as it took his fancy. show less

One of earth's uncharted frontiers is the rainforest canopy. Mitchell was in Borneo studying gibbons, looking up into the trees, when he began asking what it would be like to be "up there" with them.
Not just a Picture-Book, the seasoned naturalist author presents a thorough series of observational narratives across the jungles of the world--Borneo, Niu Gini, Amazonia, etc. The history of platforming, rope walks, air ships, and rafts. The future of the jungle, with its rapid depletion, and show more the promise of its phytochemical abundance. Quotes the Brazilian chemist, Otto Gottlieb, in 1981: "...almost nothing at all is known about the chemical composition of 99.9% of our flora." [226]
The author names the species of plants and insects which have a demonstrated billion-dollar potential, and which face extinction due to the control of commerce by companies which ignore the opportunity and the research. show less

A book about the pacific and the loss we are seeing brought the area. A loss, that has actually accelerated since this book was published in 1989. I never did get all the way through the book. It's interesting and rather biographical with some fascinating details like the ant plants mentioned on p53. But I'm now in the position of having to downsize my library and this book is one of the casualties. Pity but I won't be using it in the future. I give it three stars.

I bought this book because of its good reviews. Fortunately it was only $.99. It started off interesting and with promise. However, about half way through it started to bog down and I had to push to finish it. When I did, I felt that the ending was abrupt with unanswered questions as if the author had boxed himself in and could not adequately complete the story. I would not recommend it.