Sphere

Rating:
Summary: What's wrong with the ending?
Review: I am in love with the book, I have been for the past 4 years. Now that I have the movie to compare to I can say without a doubt that THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENDING! It fits in perfectly with the disorted drama that encompasses the rest of the book and in now way brings down the rest of the book. I will defend this book, it's ending, and even the movie that didn't do justice to it outside the charecters.

Rating:
Summary: Do Not Overlook: Introspection and Personal Reaction
Review: I read this book years ago, and with the release of the movie, felt compelled to get a few extra copies to lend to friends prior to their running to see it. (Anyone who read Congo and then painfully spent money and time in a theater seeing it knows why I'm doing this). Crichton is not my favorite novelist to be sure, but he does have a way of advancing his plot, telling a story, and getting you involved as a reader with action (I've read 5 of his novels). This book is not an exception to my opinion but more the rule. I read slowly as a habit, but was unable to do this with this novel. I drank it in a weekend. From a science fiction point of view: no it's not on par with Asimov, Niven, Clark, or Gibson. Michael unfortunately does not labor us with the characters enough to give them full three dimensionality, in fact I've known people who couldn't associate with any of them, calling them cardboard representations of unlikeable people. The ending of this novel is controvertial. If you dare to read any or all of the negative reviews your peer readers have left on this page (I say dare because some of them feel compelled to insult those that disagree with them), you'll find most of them had major objections with this ending, and many make comment of Crichton's weak endings from other novels. So why do I join the ranks of the overwhelming majority of people that rate this book a 9 or a 10? As the story unfolded and plot points were reached, I found myself reacting: in fear, in anxiousness, in doubt, in eagerness to read on. This is a reaction to an art this is rarely reached. The story is truly gripping, we really do want to know what is happening next. Of all the reviews by friends and all the reviews listed here at AMAZON, only one person had difficulty picking the book up. Even that one person however got so caught up in the action, in the story, in the suspense that they also read it to completion in record time. Now having read the book in a whirlwind, we (the bug eyed, heart pounding, sweaty handed readers) cross a finish line that truly is a line. It's not drawn out, it comes quick, to many, too quick. What I implore is to not let the brevity become a betrayal. It's now your turn to think. Something happened, but what? Interanlize it, discuss it with friends, just don't let it go. If you do, you will be the disappointed few that do feel betrayed. It's easy for me to say those people "missed something", especially after some of them insulted me for liking the novel. But I honestly believe that they may have missed something. One - we all have strong emotions in reaction to the ending. Many have positive, some have negative. If you have an emotion, why are you having it? Did Crichton just make you feel? Have you ever looked at a painting and cried, felt angry, lost? (I encourage you to go to more museums if you have not, or at least get some coaching on opening your mind). I don't deem to compare Crichton or his novel on par with Degas or Monet, but as a piece of art, Sphere made us all feel, some stronger than others. To those that so violently hated it: you have not wasted your time. This book stirred something in you, take a look at it. Beware, it may be something you don't like, especially if you reacted enough to write a treatise like me to an audience you'll never meet. Two - I loved the ending. I have an opinion of what happened, what the sphere was, how it got there, what really happened in the decompression chamber, and what that will mean to these characters going on. I did not have it immediately, but on pensing for days, weeks, years after the read. The fact that it made me think like it did while being so exciting while reading is why I rate it so high. It has some weaknesses so is not a 10 in my mind, but the long term effect it has had on me from a story-telling point of view makes Sphere one of my favorite novels. FYI - If you agree with me about Sphere, I encourage you to read these 10's on my list: Thomas Harris - Red Dragon and Black Sunday; Tom Clancy - Without Remorse

Rating:
Summary: Ho-hum
Review: Seems to me it's kids who like this book so much. I can't imangine anyone with brains who think MC is go great anymore. These days he writes with the big screen in mind. I remember reading "The A--- Strain" centuries ago and it was really D--- good. Someone mentioned "The Great Train Robbery" which is very good because it's based on a true (note:TRUE)story so MC can't stick any lizard aliens in it. (Why are all aliens lizard-like anyway? What ever happened to semi-human types). Will I watch this move? No way, with a dopey cast like that. Did I read the book? I don't have to, I have telepathy.

Rating:
Summary: One of his best
Review: I read this book when it first came out, and could not let go. I've been waiting for the movie evere since... Now that I've seen it, I can't wait to read the book again. A must read and a must see.

Rating:
Summary: THANNK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...
Review: Finally somebody agrees with me in regards to chrightons characters. He may or may not have good storylines or original ideas, i dont really care. If there arent at least semi-interesting characters to bring the tale to life then the story is hardly worth reading...

Rating:
Summary: The only book that made me jump and have the chills.
Review: Crichton's Best Yet.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible Book
Review: This book is tied with Crichton's "Andromeda Strain". It is incredible and you will never put it down, a little dramatic in some parts, but that's how Crichton is, and the suspense makes up for it. I have read 2 Crichton's: "The Andromeda Strain" and "Sphere"- both excellent. Also, watch the movie. As usual it is not as good as the book. It skips a lot of parts and "cheeses" it up a bit, but it's overall pretty interesting. READ THIS BOOK!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting premise, thrilling story, really LAME ending
Review: The ending of this book was so weak and unimaginative that it ruined the entire novel. It is as if Michael Crichton worte a great story and slapped the ending together as an afterthought. It has to be one of the worst books I have read and it all has to do with the "Let's pretend nothing happened and it will all go away" ending. After reading the novel I have lost all respect for Michael Crichton as an author. All his stories seem to have "zero-impact" endings. After all is said and done the worlds in which his novels take place are no different on the last page as they were on page one. This includes Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain, that lame movie Demi Moore was in, and Sphere.

Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: It's a great action yarn but it leaves you cold in the end. The movie clips on TV shows a fanged snake creature but in the book ther was no such thing. The book leads you up to one helava climax like in Steven King's novels but just like Steven, the book leaves you holding a wet towel.

Rating:
Summary: I loved it!!! The most awesome book I have ever read.
Review: This book is so good, that after checking it out at the library and reading it, I went and bought it, and read it again! The action, characters, and plot is all top-notch. I recommend this book to anyone, even those people who dont care for sci-fi should rush out to buy this book. The movie, on the other hand, leaves alot to be wanted.