From the author of Jurassic Park, Timeline, and Sphere comes a captivating thriller about a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism, which threatens to annihilate human life. Five prominent biophysicists have warned the United States government that sterilization procedures for returning space probes may be inadequate to guarantee uncontaminated re-entry to the atmosphere. Two years later, a probe … Two years later, a probe satellite falls to the earth and lands in a desolate region of northeastern Arizona. Nearby, in the town of Piedmont, bodies lie heaped and flung across the ground, faces locked in frozen surprise. What could cause such shock and fear? The terror has begun, and there is no telling where it will end.
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A thought-provoking account of a potentially cataclysmic event. Fraught with technobabble, it will appeal to the more scientifically-minded.
It wasn’t what I expected. Made such real-life possibilities seem more prevalent.
Great book by a great author. Imaginative story and pulse pounding. Highly recommend.
I couldn’t finish it. I kept waiting for it to get better and it never did. I think the narrator has a lot to do with it. I listened to audio version
This was one of the books which made Michael Crichton’s reputation as a novelist whose books made great movies. It is also about the idea that life may come from other planets. The scenario of a contagion with unknown consequences posed the problems revisited by Hot Zone, and the problems faced daily by world wide health researchers. Epidemology began during the Medieval days of the bubonic plague. This is the modern view of such problems. This book is as relevant now as it was when it was first printed. The characters and situations are realistic and relevant.
Excellent reading. Hard to put down
I read this in 1971. I still remember that I could not put this book down!
this is one of the best first of a kind books that has been the basis for a lot of other authors. The possibilities in this book are an eye opener to the things that could happen that we really hope don’t. A great read and one you will remember for a long, long time.
Classic Michael Crichton! The book is suspenseful and goes deeply into the science of an other-world virus and its potential impact on the Earth.
Great read
Awesome. Ahead of its time. I read this book about 50 years ago, I think. I’m going to read it again. Thanks for the reminder.
It seemed almost as if Crichton was experimenting with a documentary style. It was written well, but the plot seemed stagnant.
Better than the movie. Read it all in one sitting.
A great classic!
Excellent book with great interesting characters. Very suspenseful plotting. The scary part is that it could happen in real life.
Great characters and story. Lots of intrigue and suspense. Terrifyingly possible. Well worth a listen!
This is the book that got me hooked on Michael Crichton…….
such an exciting book. You won’t want to put it down! Great writer that gives you a good mix of suspense, detail and characters. It’s an older book but you will still find it exciting.
Keeps your interest!
Dated science, but still informative and entertaining. Reads like a novella. Watch the movie instead.