Jurassic Park

By Michael Crichton, Ballantine Books, 1991. 416 pages PB. Amazon

I picked up a copy of Jurassic Park a couple of years ago at a book sale. I finally got around to reading it. It was absolutely fantastic. It really is a lot different (and better) than the movie, though the movie was well done.

I was very pleased with Crichton's writing. There were no adult scenes and I don't believe any obscene language. Too many novels today are just chock full of that garbage.

Crichton does an excellent job developing the characters, and the plot is very easy to follow. Most of the characters you didn't like don't make it to the end, while most of the ones you do like do survive.

It also would appear that Crichton did his homework in researching for this novel. Too many times in books you read about something that you do know a little about, and it becomes obvious to you that the author knows very little. My pet peeve is when it comes to computers, as that's one area that I know a decent amount in. But Crichton was prepared and learned the technical jargon and how to appropriately use the language. Concepts that most people wouldn't understand were explained enough so that you could understand what was going on, and at the same time not sounding like an encyclopedia.

I would probably give this book an 8/10, and would probably even read it again someday.
I have just finished the sequel, The Lost World, and I will write a review on that shortly.