May Book Study - Next

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Fenika

Fenika

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Hello, and welcome to the SF/F Book Study. This thread is for discussion of Next by Michael Crichton.

***Spoilers*** will be streaking naked through this thread unpredictably. You have been warned.

If anyone wants to see the previous book studies:

2008:
Ender's Game (August)
Lies of Locke Lamora (September)
A Deepness in the Sky (October)
A Fire in the Deep (November)
Storm Front (December)

2009:
I Am Legend (January)
The Onion Girl (February)
Lord of Light (March)
Small Gods (April)
Beggars in Spain (May)
The Once and Future King (June)
Foundation (July)
The Graveyard Book (August)
Neuromancer (September)
The Last Wish (October)
The Knife of Never Letting Go (November)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (December)

2010:
Battle Royale (January)
Jhereg (February)
Cyberabad Days (March)
Tigana (April)

Thank you to Broken Fingers for starting the book study!
 
Fenika

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I started last week, but Under Heaven interrupted. I should be picking it up again in the next few days.
 

ELMontague

I'm about two thirds in.

<<<Spoiler>>>

I so wanted to like the bounty hunters, but thems a bunch of right bastards, deserving of a slow and very painful death.

I'd have to say the thing I like most about this book is that it's just close enough to what might be possible now that it's unnerving. God, let's hope some of that stuff isn't happening. And, let's hope that we aren't all that daft.

That's all for now.
 
benbradley

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I've got a hardback copy sitting around somewhere, and I've read about half of Crichton's output including the more recent novels before this one (Timeline, Prey, State of Fear, and I think Airframe was in there somewhere), so I suppose this is my excuse to read it.

I do recall a video that was on his site promoting this book - it was a sort-of advertisement for a puppy, or for genetic engineering of a puppy - it shows a boy with a puppy, the boy grows into a man, becomes and OLD man, and the puppy stays a puppy!
 

ELMontague

Almost to the end, I'll give him credit for getting me to turn the pages. I would have read much faster were it not for work and other obligations. Bits are far fetched, but I love rooting for the good guys. I only wish there had been more good guys and less schmucks.
 

ELMontague

Part of the reason we chose this one is to look at the mass market appeal of Crichton's fiction, which is definitely science fiction, but comes off as very accessible.

Thoughts?
 
Fenika

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I enjoyed Next, but found that certain character scenes started to drag for me. I wish there had been more of the good guys and less schmucks as noted above.

Certain arcs wrapped up a little too fast, particularly the parrot and the hybrid chimp (I'm horrible with names and will probably remember them later, lol). Not only were those characters interesting, but the media craze / reconnection with the old owner were important in their own right. Also, I wanted to see more of them interacting together (and the family). That parrot saved that chimps life for goodness sake!

As far as accessible, I think (and based on my limited experience of mainstream non SFF) that Crichton writes in a style that is more mainstream and thus Joe Reader feels comfortable with it. He also can draw you in and pull you close to the characters. Even with the baddies, he had us right there in their heads (for better or worse).
 
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