2026 Q4: State of Fear by Michael Crichton > Likes and Comments
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This was a great book and was well researched by Crichton. As usual, Crichton is able to spin a great story starting with some facts and going beyond into speculative fiction. Not one of his best books, but still an entertaining and memorable read.
I think I’m going to bail out on this. I’m not enjoying it. I have read it before, and know where it goes. I wanted to reread to better rank it in the technothriller and Crichton lists, but am reminded of where it was at for me. I’ll have more to say maybe. I don’t want to spoil or break out the soapbox, at least not this early on.
Whatever else it's flaws, the fact that I've got through it in the month rather than the quarter is probably testament to Crichton's ability to craft a page turning thriller. For whatever reason, Goodreads isn't letting me post a review at the moment, but here's what I would have to say:As a thriller, SOF works well. At upwards of 700 pages, it's not a short novel, but it moves along at a brisk pace and I didn't feel it bogged down anywhere. On the other hand there were one or two sections that felt as if Crichton had recycled them from his previous works. I was sure I was in Jurassic Park, at one point.
The principle controversy, which seems to have got a lot of people hot under the collar, is the position the book takes on climate science. On the one hand, Crichton attests that the book showcases "many divergent views", but this is disingenuous, as that diversity is a long way from being treated on an even handed basis. On the other hand, the opposite claim, that Crichton is showcasing outright client change denialism, is also going too far. Both he (and 'Kenner', who very much comes across as Crichton's mouthpiece in the story) are making a more nuanced point than that.
All the same, he is let down by the weakness of some of his own (or Kenner's) arguments. One example: a forecast increase of 0.35 degrees was "off by three hundred per cent" against an outcome of 0.11 degrees. This is absurd, and he makes no such error with the Mars Rover landing he unfavourably compares it with.
The central, titular point of the novel though has nothing directly to do with climate change. It is a view expressed by a borderline demented character that a legal-political-media nexus is effectively conspiring to keep us constantly anxious or angry. This resonates. It used to be the case (at least in Britain) that you couldn't tell from a newscaster's tone of voice whether they were talking about Armageddon or the price of paperclips. Nowadays I've stopped watching and listening to news broadcasts altogether. I don't need the drama. And our current government, who's defining feature is that it's supposed to be more cheery and optimistic than the last one, is telling us to stock up on baked beans and bottled water.
Originally I gave the book 4 stars, but I think this was more of a reflection that, back in the day, I read it sitting under an olive tree with a glass of cold beer in my hand. I've downgraded to 3 stars on second reading, but I still quite like it overall.
State of Fear by Michael Crichton (2004)
Pages: 717 | Rated: 3,71 | Ratings: 93K
Why? Crichton on media and global warming. This one is a bit controversial.
Publisher’s Summary
In Paris, a physicist dies after performing a laboratory experiment for a beautiful visitor. In the jungles of Malaysia, a mysterious buyer purchases deadly cavitation technology, built to his specifications. In Vancouver, a small research submarine is leased for use in the waters off New Guinea. And in Tokyo, an intelligence agent tries to understand what it all means. Thus begins Michael Crichton's exciting and provocative technothriller, State of Fear. Only Michael Crichton's unique ability to blend science fact and pulse-pounding fiction could bring such disparate elements to a heart-stopping conclusion. This is Michael Crichton's most wide-ranging thriller. State of Fear takes the reader from the glaciers of Iceland to the volcanoes of Antarctica, from the Arizona desert to the deadly jungles of the Solomon Islands, from the streets of Paris to the beaches of Los Angeles. The novel races forward, taking the reader on a rollercoaster thrill ride, all the while keeping the brain in high gear. Gripping and thought-provoking, State of Fear is Michael Crichton at his very best.