Reviews

The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H. Wilson, Michael Crichton

fredosbrother's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

maggiebook's review against another edition

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5.0

As a fan of both Crichton and Wilson I had high expectations for this book. So I am happy to say Andromeda Evolution did not disappoint. This book delivers all that Crichton did so well: science to back the fiction with pages of footnotes to support it, believable scenarios and a story that is hard to put down.
Story - Wilson uses the first book as an intrical part of the story very cleverly and pays homage to Crichton beautifully without pulling the reader from the world. The story has a very good pace with a ending that is so exciting, if you are like me, you will find yourself reading so fast that you must force yourself to slow down to fully enjoy it.
Characters - If you have read any of Daniel H Wilson previous books you will know one of his strengths is developing very diverse human characters. He brings this talent to Andromeda Evolution and, unlike many science fiction books, develops the characters throughout the story without slowing the narrative down.
It was a 5-star read for me. Highly recommend.

gjachimiec's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

timring4's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

chelseatm's review against another edition

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2.0

I like Daniel H. Wilson, so I was excited when I heard about his book as I've recently gotten into Crichton. But it just didn't work. Here are the reasons why:

- There was a notable shift in perspective. It began as a historical record using the documents and security footage to tell the story but nearer to the end, it became more traditional storytelling. I went from observing factual observation to internal feelings.

- The book didn't really seem to be about the Andromeda strain really. I would have liked to know about it's invasion rather than the human's manipulation of it.

-There were some annoying inconsistencies. Things were brought up as "click bait" that were never addressed again.

-Finally....I think it just got to be too much. It just became too layered and complicated.

All in all....this book just made me want to read Andy Weir.

magikspells's review against another edition

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3.0

So it was pretty ok, very Crichton-esque which I enjoyed but it was real out there even for sci-fi.

lynguy1's review against another edition

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4.0

THE ANDROMEDA EVOLUTION by Daniel H. Wilson is a science fiction / techno-thriller novel and a sequel to Michael Crichton’s THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN. It can be read as a standalone novel, but it would be beneficial to read Crichton’s novel first.

Wilson continues Crichton’s story after approximately 50 years of waiting. Research has continued on the strain and the world thought it was now safe. The watchdog group, Project Eternal Vigilance is on the verge on being shut down when a large formation appears in the Amazon jungle on the equator showing similarities to the original strains of Andromeda. A team of scientists (Project Wildfire) are deployed to the jungle to investigate and determine how to stop it. However the microbe is evolving and time is of the essence.

This is a well-written novel and carries on Crichton’s legacy and builds on his original story line. I was thoroughly engaged and entertained. The novel is written as a post-incident report. The main characters are well defined with a variety of personalities and traits that came across as very realistic and in the case of one character, highly imaginative.

It took me about 7% of the book to get totally committed to the story, but once I was there, I devoured the book. There are also some technical explanations and diagrams. Don’t let that throw you. They make sense.

Overall, the novel was thought-provoking and entertaining. If you enjoy Michael Crichton novels or science fiction, I recommend you try this. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Many thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and Daniel H. Wilson for a digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

browneyes112890's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

libellum_aphrodite's review against another edition

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2.0

How many hackneyed sci-fi tropes can we attempt to pack into one plot? While the first book was clever and quasi-realistic, this one felt like a joke of outlandish plot points, forced internationalism, and overstated political posturing. To top it off, the newly revealed mechanism and purpose of Andromeda feels like a blatant rip-off of the protomolecule from The Expanse. I suspect Crichton's widow commissioned this to capitalize on his authorial reputation and keep some cash flows flush (see "Development" here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Andromeda_Evolution).

ramsfan1963's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Interesting sequel to the original novel by Crichton. I don't think it's as good as the first book, which felt like a documentary, and this one felt like a found footage film, but it's still entertaining. The ending does get a bit far fetched but still within the realm of science.