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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This really ought to be subtitled The Andromeda Strain: Or the Infinite Folly of Man. It excellently illustrates how incapable of planning for the unknown our society is, and how predictable the likelihood of breakdowns are at every level, due to both human error and technological malfunctions. It is fiction, but it has a ring of truth that insists it is real -- it just may not have happened yet. And while it was published in 1969, the story has a timeless quality that holds up equally well today.
The writing skews very heavily toward science and technology, a strength of Crichton's, and very little to the characters and their interrelations. If the novel has a short coming, it is the one-dimensional nature of its characters. These characteristics, positive and negative, make the novel a notable example of the "hard science fiction" genre. This XKCD comic about a more recent hard sci-fi work reminded me of this one a great deal.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone that likes hard sci-fi, such as the more recent example [b:The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413706054s/18007564.jpg|21825181], or any Crichton fan that hasn't yet read it.
Spoiler
I also really liked how nothing the scientists did actually made a difference relating to the alien matter. While, yes, they did manage to learn some things about it, their actions didn't affect its spread nor cure its symptoms. They were simply lucky to outlast it while it was toxic to people.The writing skews very heavily toward science and technology, a strength of Crichton's, and very little to the characters and their interrelations. If the novel has a short coming, it is the one-dimensional nature of its characters. These characteristics, positive and negative, make the novel a notable example of the "hard science fiction" genre. This XKCD comic about a more recent hard sci-fi work reminded me of this one a great deal.
I'd highly recommend this to anyone that likes hard sci-fi, such as the more recent example [b:The Martian|18007564|The Martian|Andy Weir|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1413706054s/18007564.jpg|21825181], or any Crichton fan that hasn't yet read it.
Considering what Mr. Crichton is best known for writing, The Andromeda Strain exceeded my expectations and more.
In this novel, Crichton spares none in the expense of his writing and leaves readers on the edge of their seats as they fly through a story of mystery and suspense, to discover whether or not a deadly pathogen will destroy humanity.... kudos Mr. Crichton, for mixing just enough science to make this novel feel real. If it weren't written in the late 60s, I might have felt a bit more nervous about our handling of genetic mutations!
Regardless! I recommend this book to mystery, suspense, and fast-paced readers who like a little twist to their novels.
In this novel, Crichton spares none in the expense of his writing and leaves readers on the edge of their seats as they fly through a story of mystery and suspense, to discover whether or not a deadly pathogen will destroy humanity.... kudos Mr. Crichton, for mixing just enough science to make this novel feel real. If it weren't written in the late 60s, I might have felt a bit more nervous about our handling of genetic mutations!
Regardless! I recommend this book to mystery, suspense, and fast-paced readers who like a little twist to their novels.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated