The Andromeda Strain / The Terminal Man

by Michael Crichton

#1 "New York Times" bestselling author Michael Crichton has been called "one of the great storytellers of our age,"* a master at seamlessly blending cutting-edge science and technology with spellbinding adventure. Now two of his most electrifying thrillers have been combined in one volume, to astonish and terrify a new generation of readers with brilliant and disturbing visions of the frighteningly possible.

The Andromeda Strain

A satellite sent into the outer fringes of space to "collect organisms and dust for study" falls back to earth, crash-landing in a desolate area of Arizona, twelve miles from the tiny town of Piedmont. The terror has begun . . .

The Terminal Man

The brain of a patient prone to violent, uncontrollable seizures has been implanted with experimental electrodes designed to soothe his homicidal impulses. But the doctors never dreamed he'd learn to control the monitor inside his head. Now an unstoppable maniac is loose in an unsuspecting city.

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Novels, Mystery, Fantasy

624 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

John Michael Crichton was an American author, screenwriter, and filmmaker whose prolific career left an indelible mark on popular culture and speculative fiction. Raised on Long Island, he displayed a precocious talent for writing, publishing an article in The New York Times at sixteen. Initially enrolling at Harvard as an English major, he switched to biological anthropology after discovering a preference for scientific study over literature. He graduated summa cum laude and received a fellowship to lecture in anthropology at Cambridge. Later attending Harvard Medical School, he earned his MD but chose not to practice, dedicating himself to writing instead. His medical background profoundly influenced his novels, providing authentic scientific and technical underpinnings that became a hallmark of his work. Crichton began writing under pseudonyms, producing suspenseful thrillers as John Lange, including Odds On, Scratch One, and Easy Go, and as Jeffrey Hudson with A Case of Need, earning him an Edgar Award. His first major success under his own name, The Andromeda Strain, established his signature blend of scientific authenticity, tension, and exploration of technological hazards, leading to its film adaptation. Over his career, he wrote 25 novels, including The Terminal Man, The Great Train Robbery, Congo, Sphere, Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Disclosure, The Lost World, Airframe, Timeline, Prey, State of Fear, and Next, several adapted into major films, with four additional works published posthumously. Crichton also made significant contributions to film and television. He wrote and directed Westworld, pioneering the use of 2D computer-generated imagery, and later directed Coma, The First Great Train Robbery, Looker, and Runaway. He created the influential medical drama ER, which he executive produced and developed with Steven Spielberg, achieving critical and commercial success. Many of his novels, most famously Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World, became cultural phenomena, combining imaginative adventure with grounded scientific speculation, often exploring humanity’s overreach in genetics, biotechnology, and complex systems. His literary style was notable for integrating meticulous scientific detail, suspense, and moral cautionary themes. His works frequently addressed the failure of complex systems—biological, technological, or organizational—demonstrating the unpredictable consequences of human hubris. Employing techniques such as first-person narratives, false documents, fictionalized scientific reports, and assembling expert teams to tackle crises, Crichton created immersive stories appealing to both popular and scholarly audiences. His exploration of genetics, paleontology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence revealed both fascination and caution about humanity’s technological ambitions, while his early non-fiction, such as Five Patients and Electronic Life, reflected his scientific insight and forward-thinking approach to computers and programming. Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, Crichton experienced social isolation in adolescence and later pursued meditation and consultations with psychics, cultivating a lifelong interest in human consciousness and alternative experiences. A workaholic, he approached writing with disciplined ritualistic methodology, often retreating entirely to complete a novel in six or seven weeks. He was married five times, fathered two children, and maintained a wide-ranging collection of 20th-century American art. Crichton engaged in political and scientific discourse, particularly regarding global warming, where he was an outspoken skeptic and testified before the U.S. Senate. He contributed significantly to the discussion of intellectual property, technology, and environmental policy, coining concepts such as the Gell-Mann amnesia effect. Throughout his life, he received numerous awards, including Edgar Awards, a Peabody Award for ER, an Aca

Reviews

[Jan Jacob Mekes]

Mixed feelings about this. The Andromeda Strain is great, but The Terminal Man... while the premise sounds promising, it just isn't executed very well. Overly sexist, and not very well though out. There's a big list of references to scientific literature at the back of it, but that's apparently not a guarantee for good writing.

Oddly enough, Crichton seems to do a lot better just writing about men, in The Andromeda Strain, which also makes good use of false documents. If you can get it in a single volume without The Terminal Man, I suggest you do that.

[Paul Wells]

Oh my god.

This is so bad.

Very short sentences.

Paragraphs made from single sentences.

Then huge info dumps that come across as laughable attempts to be scientific, but in reality just fill pages that no one is going to read because they're so banal.

And characters who have no personality, just a trait.

And that ending - only "and then he woke up" could be lamer.

Actually, it reads like it's a proposal for a film rather than a finished novel.

[David Shepherd]

Bought while on holiday in the US. Had thought about reading the book before, as I had seen the film of Andromeda strain. The technology described is quite dated as the story is quite old. The suspense however isn't. A good story, but spoiled by a fairly abrupt ending that doesn't really satisfy.

Not read the second novel yet...Terminal Man

[David]

I had previously read The Terminal Man in a solo book. This time I read The Andromeda Strain.

I've read almost all of Crichton's books starting from Eaters of the Dead to his final novel. I had never gotten around to read the rest of his earlier novels. The first book I read of Crichton's was Jurassic Park, which was amazing.

I've seen the movie The Andromeda Strain, so I knew what to expect from the book. But, this book moved quite quickly as you got deeper into it. And, even though there is a lot of scientific jargon and explanation of the science in the book, it does not cause the story to grind to a halt or become boring. The story still moved at a pretty rapid pace so much so that I didn't realize I'd reached the end until I saw the next page was the Epilogue. I wish the book was longer.

The Terminal Man is not as exciting as The Andromeda Strain and does feel a bit dated. Even though the science described in it is now being largely done. Implants today are common and control the heart and prosthetic limbs. They can't control your mind, yet, though.

This is a great way to consume two early Crichton novels.

[Shad Davis]

I want to rate both of these stories separately but this book as a whole. Combined I would probably rate this book 4/5 stars but separately I would give The Andromeda Strain a 4.5/5 and The Terminal Man a 2.5 or 3/5.

The Andromeda Strain was definitely wordy in the sense that it required me to read and evidently reread certain passages to make sure I was paying attention and actually retaining the information I was reading but that’s what I love about Michael Crichton in general; that I always seem to learn something interesting, regardless of the subject. The buildup of suspense and the way events unfolded drew me into the story and I enjoyed it very much.

As for The Terminal Man, I think its greatest strength revolves around its characters, which unfortunately (in my opinion) do not get the conclusion that they deserved. I think that a few extra chapters wrapping up the thoughts of the rest of the characters and the themes of the story could have done a lot in terms of the overall story.

[Danea Heahlke-Allen]

I remember reading this book many, many years ago. It was fabulous then, and though very technologically outdated, still gripping and exciting. Crichton loves his science and studied up on viruses and whatnot for this book. I was on the edge of my seat until the last 3 pages and then..... he fizzled. Ugggg, so disappointing. I remember it ending so much better years ago, but I WAS younger then.

All in all a great read. Knocked it out in a weekend.

[LambchoP]

Both Andromeda Strain and Terminal man are fun, quick reads that I devoured in one or two sittings. Andromeda is a science fiction story about an alien microbe that crashes to earth on a satellite and causes major devastation to the human race. The Terminal man is about a man who learns how to control the electric pulses going to his brain during a seizure treatment while in the hospital. This very violent man, who now possesses some "science fictiony" powers escapes from the hospital and all hell breaks loose. While I did enjoy The Andromeda Strain a bit more, each book had its own strengths and they were both fun and entertaining. Both books are a must read for fans of Michael Crichton and I'll give these two shorter novels a 4/5 rating.

[Ben]

Took a day to read each book, so finished this collection in two days. The Andromeda Strain I liked better, although I did not like the ending. The Terminal Man also had (what I felt was) a rushed ending. The books are awesome overall, though. One piece of criticism I have of Andromeda Strain is that there are zero female characters.

[Eileen Goodwin]

Science fiction is a unique experience in that when read years after it was written, you can see some clever truth as well as some silly notions. Kind of fun to read Michael Crichton again.

[Dee]

This was 2 books in one volume so will review them separately:
The Andromeda Strain first:
YIKES...this read like an account of something that actually happened (I quite liked that style) and, as a result, was pretty disturbing.
I LOVED IT.

The Terminal Man:
Same number of stars for this one...read it in one day...

[Al]

Product Description

The Andromeda Strain

A satellite sent into the outer fringes of space to "collect organisms and dust for study" falls back to earth, crash-landing in a desolate area of Arizona, twelve miles from the tiny town of Piedmont. The terror has begun . . .

The Terminal Man

The brain of a patient prone to violent, uncontrollable seizures has been implanted with experimental electrodes designed to soothe his homicidal impulses. But the doctors never dreamed he’d learn to control the monitor inside his head. Now an unstoppable maniac is loose in an unsuspecting city.

About the Author

Michael Crichton's novels include Pirate Latitudes, Next, State of Fear, Prey, Timeline, Jurassic Park, and The Andromeda Strain. He is also known as a filmmaker and the creator of ER. One of the most popular writers in the world, he has sold over 150 million books, which have been translated into thirty-six languages; thirteen have been made into films. He remains the only writer to have had the number-one book, movie, and TV show at the same time.

[Crossmaster]

I did not read the two books in succession, however, both were read, and both were enjoyed.

The Andromeda Strain is a captivating science fiction suspense thriller. It makes you realize that what once seemed impossible, actually isn't. It tells the tale of scientists who recover and begin to study outer-world bacteria that has fallen to Earth. It is a superb thriller that makes you think again about life, extra-terrestrial life, and science.

The Terminal Man is of the same genre, but it brings the suspense to the Earth's surface, particularly, Los Angeles. It is about a group of doctors who attempt to heal a man with the assistance of cutting-edge technology. He is afflicted with a condition that causes him to have raging and uncontrollable seizures. He is implanted with a nerve-controlling computer to stop them. However, after supposedly treating him, he escapes the hospital, with readings showing his mind can control the computer.

Anyone who has a taste for Crichton's writing, a love for true suspense, or a probing curiosity for the capabilities of technology would have trouble putting this novel down.

[Anne (ReadEatGameRepeat)]

So although these are 2 different books I have 1 criticism for both - which is the ending, both end very abruptly. like it feels like you are in this train, throughout both stories it picks up speed quite quickly and then all of a sudden it just stops - it doesn't slow down, I didn't really get any closure on either story, it just sort of stopped. I give the entire book 3.5 stars

Andromeda Strain (4.5 stars) - The story is great, it is the origin of many sci-fi tropes. It's also interesting since it was written in the late 60's and the "advanced technology" then now is considered almost old fashioned. like I said before the only criticism is the sudden ending.

The Terminal man (3 stars) - it's okay, but it's not as good as the Andromeda Strain, but it's still a good story, I think like the Terminal man it is probably the origin of a few medic-thriller tropes. I think the characters in this were quite interesting, I have seen a lot of criticism about this book regarding sexism and I must say I disagree, especially because of Dr. Jen Ross's internal monologue which makes her seem real and shows here dealing with the sexist opinions of other characters.

[Kara Kirkpatrick]

This book was very intriguing and always kept me guessing. I kept trying to figure out what was wrong or what was going to happen next, something I love to do when reading a book. The book is about a group of scientists who work in a secret government lab to find the cure to a deadly virus they name the Andromeda Strain. The doctors each have faults in their research that leads to miscalculation of the virus that might go incredibly wrong. The use of literary devices and foreshadowing made me interested the entire time, even when the content was mainly scientific or lacking in amusement (example: when reading the articles and science outcomes). The book's ending caught me very off guard, I will not explain further so that I do not give away the ending, I will just say it was surprising. The book made me more aware of the possibility of viruses wiping out entire populations, and I'm sure when first released scared many people. I recommend this book and have loved the other books Michael Crichton has written.

[Larisa Willden]

I am being generous with 3 stars--partly because I'm forgiving the outdated technology. I felt andromeda strain was nothing but one explanation of technology after another. There were story lines that lead nowhere and ultimately left me extremely unsatisfied. I though terminal man had the better plot and I think it helped that it relied less on the technology as a literary device, but I hated the ending.

[Widagdo Sidiq]

I enjoyed reading The Andromeda Strain than The Terminal Man. It is probably because I am currently doing research in microbiology field and also have a clinical medicine background. As usual, Michael Crichton is one of the best narrator ever existed. His details in story-telling feels enganging, but not overwhelming, which is hard to do.

[djcb]

An okay typical Crichton book about some extra-terrestrial strain of virus. Books is from the late 60s and all about tech, but interestingly doesn't feel all that outdated.

Read this mostly because it's referenced in the Shadow Gallery song.

[Sean]

The Andromeda Strain:

Despite being early and somewhat immature, I think it's a great read. Having read it twice I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Terminal Man:

Not so much in this one. Disappointing execution. Maybe it's because it's his early work or maybe it's just too dated and I'm reading it behind its time.

[Rickard]

Fascination story with an, unfortunately, uninteresting ending. The build-up of the story followed a good sci-fi story line taking place in the sixties and anticipated a more robust ending rather then the simple uneventfull ending.

[Christian]

After reading the Andromeda Strain some time ago, I only read the Terminal Man. Michael Crichton takes on mind control using a computer and implantation technology. As always the author manages to take a controversial topic, puts it over the top and still maintain to keep it believable.

[Anne]

The Andromeda Strain was the perfect read for an airplane ride--it's a page turner and helped the trip go quickly. It's a mystery story in a way--what is this stuff? The book makes you start thinking like a scientist--what's this stuff made of? How does it work? I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Leigh]

I really enjoyed The Terminal Man, but I wasn't thrilled with the ending. It was abrubt. The story had an interesting plot and I also liked the female character.

[Nancy]

If you like Crichton, this is a must!

[Robert Snow]

Stories like this are what put Crichton on the best seller list!

[Mandy Anderson]

for a book written 40 years ago this was amazingly easy to lose yourself in and not think about the time difference. suspenseful... dramatic .. scary..I liked Andromeda strain more than terminal man but both great