Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I started off with a very different opinion than I finished this book with. I think the tech jargon in the first bit was so mind numbing and i literally could’ve skipped pages but the gorilla and animal jargon was so good and now I want to read a book actually by a congolese author on the congo. The casual racism at the beginning knocked it down many pegs like mike really? so it doesn’t reach 4 stars
I have a love/hate relationship with Crichton’s books.
On the one hand: I would argue that he has some of the strongest premises for books/thrillers to this day, and they can be captivating think pieces about mankind and our relationship with technology. Crichton often fills his books with thorough research and insightful commentary, which does heighten a lot of the thrills and tension throughout.
On the other hand: more often than not, Crichton can lose himself in his ‘research’ and leave plot/structure to the wayside. This issue has pervaded every one of his novels that I’ve read, which often leads to very long passages of exposition on subjects or situations that can halt the plot to a near standstill.
I was very excited to read Congo because it seemed like a tightly plotted book that Crichton could sprinkle his insightful technological predictions throughout, but I was wrong. Often we were sidetracked from the plot to discuss (in depth) hippos and their nature as animals, only to lead to a brief, half page confrontation with the creatures. This was just one example, but there were many more.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and was thrilled at some points, but even for a 300 page book, this was a very long, padded, and slow affair.
On the one hand: I would argue that he has some of the strongest premises for books/thrillers to this day, and they can be captivating think pieces about mankind and our relationship with technology. Crichton often fills his books with thorough research and insightful commentary, which does heighten a lot of the thrills and tension throughout.
On the other hand: more often than not, Crichton can lose himself in his ‘research’ and leave plot/structure to the wayside. This issue has pervaded every one of his novels that I’ve read, which often leads to very long passages of exposition on subjects or situations that can halt the plot to a near standstill.
I was very excited to read Congo because it seemed like a tightly plotted book that Crichton could sprinkle his insightful technological predictions throughout, but I was wrong. Often we were sidetracked from the plot to discuss (in depth) hippos and their nature as animals, only to lead to a brief, half page confrontation with the creatures. This was just one example, but there were many more.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and was thrilled at some points, but even for a 300 page book, this was a very long, padded, and slow affair.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this a long time ago and recall that I liked it but found it a bit messy.
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-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
Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors, but this isn't one of his best works. The story lines of Amy, the gorilla, and the natives of the Congo were interesting and engaging but I found that he spent too much time describing technology that has since become outdated and uninteresting.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Has a little Cryptonomicon feel to it. But I think the ending is a rushed. It ends rather abruptly.