Alex Arrelia > Recent Status Updates

I was slightly concerned that I would re-read Sphere and find it less compelling than I did the first time. The opposite is true, I’m finding it even more tense, and I think the characters are even better fleshed out than before—Harry in particular. I think I’m going to go back and read more of his work this year.

Re-reading Sphere after reading a fair number of very bland and very silly deep sea horror novels last year, it feels like experiencing the book equivalent of Top Gun: Maverick to be quite honest. It’s so refreshingly competent, that I’m now beginning to wonder if the real problem with the cursed half-life of the Jurassic Park film franchise isn’t due to the lack of Spielberg, but Crichton.

I have to question the audiobook direction, as the stilted, campy William Shatner line delivery is a gimmick that quickly becomes irritating. I understand why this creative choice was made, but it takes away from DiLouie’s prose—which I know can be evocative, scary and introspective. I’m sure I’ll power through, but I wish I’d bought the paperback instead.