In the vein of Jurassic Park, this high-concept thriller follows a group of graduate students lured to Hawaii to work for a mysterious biotech company—only to find themselves cast out into the rain forest, with nothing but their scientific expertise and wits to protect them.
An instant classic, Micro pits nature against technology in vintage Michael Crichton fashion. Completed by visionary … visionary science writer Richard Preston, this boundary-pushing thriller melds scientific fact with pulse-pounding fiction to create yet another masterpiece of sophisticated, cutting-edge entertainment.
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Nano-technology takes on a frightening twist when a group of scientists are “miniaturized” by a machine used to shrink human beings. Imagine being so small that beetles, centipedes, ants, and even the most innocuous insect can bring about your death. An airplane that is only 1 inch long: so small an encounter with bats spells death. This is what the scientists are faced with as they escape into a tropical forest in Hawaii. It’s a battle to the death as they struggle to find a way back to the machine that will return them to their normal size.
The constant bickering among the group did get tiresome at tiems. This book, like many of Crichton’s other works is attempting to educate readers about the evils of technology when it falls into the wrong hands.
I’ve read most of Crichton’s novels and this is probably the worst. The plot seems to lurch from one badly thought out set-piece to another. Whilst the original idea for miniaturization is a great one, the scientific principles behind it are too easily fudged and seem to be bent to fit the plot points rather than have a well crafted plot that fits the science.
The main protagonists are characterless and unlikable with far too little character development and you early on get the impression they are just filling the ‘Star Trek Landing Party’ members you haven’t seen before prior to being bumped off earl in the episode – sadly some of these last far to long into the novel.
Even the main character is not fleshed out enough to make you bat an eyelid when he is killed off halfway through. The villain is equally badly characterized and by the time I got to the end I really didn’t care who was the victor.
To its credit I did finish it and I’m reading that it will shortly be made in to a movie but as most of Michael’s books are better than the resulting movies I’m not adding it to my must-see list
Great
Classic Crichton
This book is Honey I Shrunk the Kids but for adults and some really interesting science behind the “shrinking”. It has everything and shows that nature is more terrifying then any fantasy world.
Not Crichton’s best
I really enjoyed the “micro” world. I think the book is well documented. It’s amazing all the evolution skills the insects have developed. I´ve found this book to be an inspiration to look at nature, even a small part of it would be frighting, beautiful and amazing.
A fun look at the not too distant future of manufacturing exotic materials.
Fantastic concept. Keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Sadly, this was Crichton’s final book and had to be completed by Preston. There’s plenty of situations and ideas borrowed from Jurassic Park, so if you loved that book, you’ll enjoy Micro. Overall the story moves quickly and is full of adventure.
My main complaint is that the book could have used a more skilled editor. There’s plenty of inconsistencies, repetitions, odd punctuation, and stiff dialogue that a stronger editor could have fixed to really make this book sing.
As it is, if you can be forgiving as your read, it’s a fun romp that shouldn’t be missed.
As with all his works, this is an interesting peek into the future. Well written and very entertaining.
A science filled thriller. A group of science students get real adventure while interviewing for new jobs. They get to use all their knowledge trying to survive. The technologies explored in the book are scary and exciting.
This book is an e excellent, page turning story that is so believable. What is going on in this book could actually be in the works now a days. I highly recommend this book. You will not regret it. I don’t.
Miss this creative author.