Airframe

Rating:
Summary: An educational mystery
Review: I almost didn't read this novel after seeing all the negative comments about it, but I am now glad I did and you will be, too. Any investigation undertaken by the government or a large company will be somewhat dry and methodical, but Mr. Crichton takes this serious mishap in the Air and launches a step-by-step description of how the mystery is investigated and solved. At the end of each small chapter is a sentence that screams for you to keep reading. You will learn plenty from this well-researched book about how a passenger jet is manufactured and maintained, how the pilots are trained, the power of the media, unions, and corporate America. You will learn and be entertained at the same time. There are mistakes in the book, but you can easily overlook them. You may guess correctly the true cause of the incident before the ending of the book, but getting to the end of the book is great fun.

Rating:
Summary: Wow, what a book!
Review: This is Crichton at his best. When I read the cover, I didn't think the plot sounded very exciting. Man, was I wrong! Crichton reveals a thrilling mystery through scientific details and some wonderful action scenes. Chracters are believable and you "become one" with the female protagonist as she sets out to find the truth about a near-fatal plane accident. A brilliant novel with twists and surprises galore, just like we Crichton fans like it!

Rating:
Summary: Another "rant" book
Review: I picture Crighton reading an article in a magazine somewhere and getting so worked up over a certain subject that he decides to write a book to "educate" people. These are what I call his "rant" books.

He takes a subject, comes up with mystery to solve, then has his main character bounce from person to person who gives a rather lenghty monologue on why the subject is bad. Rising Sun had the Japanese buyout of America, Disclosure had sexual harrassment, Airframe has the airline industry's lax safety standards.

These are his worst books. The plots are usually weak, and every single one of them is formula. There is always a message left for the main character which would solve the mystery immediately but for some reason our hero never gets the chance to check his machine, email, etc.

Don't get me wrong, Crighton is a favorite author of mine, and his books are always fun to read, but these books are too predictable. Airframe is one of these.

For fans only. Those looking for an introduction to Crighton should start elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Misleading Blurbs
Review: The blurbs on the back of the book jackets are misleading. Although I found this book to be interesting and reasonably suspenseful, it is not about corruption and bad practices or even danger in the airplane industry (which comes off very well in the story) but about problems in the media. I believe that is what the title is about, too -- that they take an incident and completely reinterpret, re-framing it using little more than hot air.

Rating:
Summary: It Will Do.
Review: The book is not one of his better works. The plot jumps and it takes quite a while to get started. But with that in mind it is something to read on the beach.

Rating:
Summary: Sad...very sad for Chrichton fans
Review: I am a HUGE Michael Chrichton fan, I LOVE his writing style, and very much look forward to his novels...and boy didn't he make us wait for 'Airframe'? I would have thought with a wait so long, he would have had time to at least make it as good as his other works...I am truly sad to say this falls way below Chrichton's past works of art. As a simple story, it was good in it's own way, and Chrichton DID keep the pages turning, but it just didn't have any 'magic'. His other novels are SO good that I kept reading in anticipation that a major cliffhanger would arrise and take my breath away...unfortunately it never did. I cannot tell you how sorry I am that I feel this way...like I said earlier, I am a HUGE fan of Chrichton, but NOT of 'Airframe'. Sorry for those who disagree. Let me hear YOUR thoughts on my views: [e-mail] Thanks and go read something ELSE by Chrichton.

Rating:
Summary: Airframe
Review: This is the best Criton book I have read so far. The characters were well defined. I have read other Criton books, and this was by far the best. The suspense was unmatched in this one. I liked this suspense one because oyu don't know what they will find next, or what they are going to what is wrong with the plane, next.

Rating:
Summary: Soooooo disapointed
Review: I was serioulsy expecting an entertaing book when I bought this. When I finished, I finished VERY confused. The plot seemed to jump all over the place, and didnt teach me a thing, which is unusual for a Chrichton book. It was boring and slow and confusing. Hope Timeline will be better.

Rating:
Summary: Crichton fans will be disappointed
Review: "Airframe" is probably Michael Crichton's weakest novel. As usual, the author shows to have done extensive research, but it seems as if the book was being specifically tailored to fit a future movie version. Worse, if you've read "Disclosure" or "Rising Sun" it's easy to predict the ending from the opening pages.

Nevertheless, "Airframe" does keep the pages turning. It may be a cookie-cutter style novel, but at least it's fun. Crichton fans will be disappointed, but those new to his work may get a fresher read.

Rating:
Summary: Don't Waste Your Time
Review: Where is the thrill that MC used to turn out? Not only is this book thoroughly dull, it's terribly written. Don't waste valuable hours of your life on this book.