by Michael Crichton & James Patterson
Recently I discovered that one of my favorite authors had left behind an unpublished book. Michael Crichton died suddenly in 2008, and I’ve missed his scientific and historical thrillers. I really looked forward to diving into what would probably be his last book. The problem is that Crichton left behind the idea for the book, and I haven’t been able to determine if he wrote any of the actual book. His widow entrusted James Patterson to write/complete the novel.
Eruption is a present-day novel set in Hawaii where the world’s largest volcano is set to erupt. The main character is the lead volcanologist, John MacGregor, who heads a team of scientists who will guide residents through the natural disaster. Much of the novel involves how these scientists work and how the local politics of Hawaii function. The impending eruption has long been forecasted, and it’s not deemed cataclysmic until MacGregor learns that the US Army has stashed a secret project deep in the side of the volcano. Now the stakes are dire for the entire planet.
The idea is solid and apparently Crichton gathered notes and research for the project for years. The problem is that this book doesn’t read like the fast-paced thrillers Michael Crichton was known for. The first eighty percent of the book is a slow slog watching bureaucrats maneuver for the impending disaster. Things do pick up in the last twenty percent of the book, which is where all the action occurs. It’s a shame the reader must wait that long. Parts of the novel seem ludicrous. The way the different levels of government and agencies work together (or fail to) suggests the writer has little understanding of these entities. The history of the secret project feels implausible at best. When the army shows up, an army General declares martial law which is illegal. The characters themselves aren’t interesting people. There were times when I found the dialogue overstated and grating. There’s a B-rated movie kind of feel to the whole thing. I can’t speak to the validity of the science represented. There are some interesting ideas presented. One review I read by someone claiming to know a lot about earth science/volcanos regards the book as highly flawed.
Obviously, I wanted a great book and found a mediocre one. Maybe if you’re a Patterson fan, this will be more to your taste. I haven’t read any James Patterson books and don’t feel inclined towards the themes he takes up.
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Interesting take—I’ve been a Crichton fan for years, so it’s disappointing to hear this one didn’t live up to his usual standard. Sounds like it was trying too hard to combine his style with Patterson’s. Honestly, I might skip this one. I’ve got enough on my plate anyway—just finished dealing with some mold damage at home, and that was a slow slog of its own! Thanks for the heads-up on this book.
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I’m reading this right now!
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Let us know what you think when you’re done.
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I loathe these famous author (maybe alive, maybe dead)/somebody else (maybe famous, maybe not) “collaborations.” The greed is palpable. The quality stinks. I took a chance on Micro because, like you, I like Crichton, and I didn’t get even 50 pages into it before giving up. No way I’ll pick this one up. These books make me feel oily just looking at them. (But, hey, that’s just me. 🙂
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I actually liked Micro. Richard Preston is another fav. I also like the writing team of Preston/Childs who have written together for decades. But I see your point about collaborations for profit. Name recognition is crucial in book selling and it alone DOES sell copious books. These are the only writers who make any money in the business.
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Right, I don’t count ordinary collaborators (like Preston/Childs, or even King/Straub, who do it just because they want to).
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I have loved Michael Crichton’s book and James Patterson has written some barn burners. I’m sorry this proved to be somewhat of a dud. Thanks for the honest review – it will keep me from buying it.
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Oddly enough, with 26K reviews the book has a 4-star rating on Amazon and 3.8 on Goodreads so it might just be me.
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No, I trust your reviews!
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Thanks for the review. As soon as I saw the cover, I was ready to buy! But after reading your review, I’ll pass. I am way less patient than you and wouldn’t slog through 80% of a book to get to the action. I’m sure I would be doing a lot of skimming.
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Yes, I also skimmed a bit and that’s unusual for me.
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