Technically accurate - debunks man-made global warming (Rating: 5 out of 5) Crichton was great at word pictures. In an entertaining, action-packed way the story shows clearly the lunacy of the environmentalist religion called "Global Warming." Incredibly well researched. Read it!
A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down (Rating: 4 out of 5) I am a fan of Michael Crichton's work. That said, this story is not one of his best. If you're looking for a great tale to escape into, MC has published far greater examples. The purpose of this story (as well as Crichton's later novel, Next) is to convey a message. It's the spoonful of sugar that helps the reader swallow the hard truth that Crichton wishes to convey.
The book takes its title from the end of a Platonic-style dialogue in which a sociologist specializing in the "ecology of thought" concludes that societies are kept under control of elites in government through ever-evolving oppressive fear. When the Berlin Wall came down, marking the end of the Cold War fear, a new fear became necessary. Crichton's sociologist points out that during 1989 the words "crisis", "catastrophe", etc., particularly concerning natural phenomena, greatly multiplied in media usage.
The message of the book is that the public can easily be led to actions contrary to its own good through ignorance or lack of hard science. Most people accept the "fact" of global warming through anecdotal evidence, typically attained from television or radio news outlets who quote politicians or "scientists" who have published no data in peer-reviewed journals. Crichton challenges us to dig deeper and questions the "truth" which we are being given.
Classic Crichton with a twist (Rating: 3 out of 5) State of Fear is the classic Crichton novel--a fun, action-packed story wrapped around a little nugget of science. But in this case, there is a twist. The twist is that for Crichton, the science he wrote about is the pseudoscience of Global Warming, or, to be a little more exact, the study of the environment and its warming trend in relation to the activities of humankind.
Having heard Crichton speak about Global Warming before, I knew he was not a fan. What makes State of Fear a compelling read is that here he lays out his reasons why. For instance, Crichton believes that Global Warming is based on simple premises that have not, and are not being thoroughly tested. He also believes it is a front for social agendas with less palatable social goals. In Crichton's view, these agendas must rely on fear to gain acceptance, and they communicate fear using what appears to be undisputable science. Describing this as but another example of the politicization of science, Crichton clearly believes it is dangerous.
There are other reasons as well, and as Crichton sets them down again and again, he gets a little preachy. Kenner, for example, the main character he uses to espouse his views, is as unyielding as the Global Warming advocates he faces off with. The only difference is that Kenner is a "real scientist" whose resumé is so remarkable it could only be fictional. And Kenner is always there to fight theory with fact, after fact, after fact. Fortunately, the novelty and contrariness of these facts keeps the monotony at bay and keeps the reader engaged.
So does Crichton tells us the Global Warming is a myth? No, he merely challenges the reader to think critically and investigate the theories that so many promote as fact. In the process, he introduces us to a series of forgettable characters who are wrapped up in a globe trotting adventure to fight environmental terrorists. In the end it is fun, interesting, and probably needed.
Blazingly fast read! Exhilarating book! (Rating: 5 out of 5) I was astounded at how fast I read through this book. This is one heck of a fast paced action packed thriller! Something I notice about Crichton is he seems able to appeal to a broad audience with his books. Many of the subject matters he writes about many people would find uninteresting, but Crichton has a way of making things interesting that, at face glance, might not seem so at first. I am not usually into novels of this type, but Crichton seems able to make ones of quality good enough to keep me coming back for more. This easily gets five stars from me.
An Exciting Thriller Based In Controversy (Rating: 4 out of 5) THE STATE OF FEAR, by the impeccable Michael Crichton, is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller based in the world of environmental science and the very controversial subject of global warming. This is a thought-provoking work of fiction that makes you question what you "know," as well as why and how you know it. IMHO, any good book or movie will entertain, make you think, and teach you something. THE STATE OF FEAR does all three.
THE STATE OF FEAR posits whether or not global warming is real. It shows us how scientists and data can be manipulated by governments and environmental groups to make the world believe something that may not be true. It examines the length to which radical organizations may go to make the world believe what they want us to believe. And it does all of this in an absorbing, gripping, spellbinding page turner that keeps the reader on the edge of his seat. The wily twists and turns keep you in suspense and the plot rocketing along until the very last page.
The only flaw I find in this book is the beginning, about the first 100 pages or so. So much fragmented back story, so many characters, so many facts are being thrown at the reader that the book is very hard to follow and get into. I have to admit that I almost stopped reading, but I am so glad that I did not. This book will make you question everything, and perhaps we don't do enough of that. Is global warming real? Are we, the public, being manipulated with out knowing it? I'll leave it to each reader to decide for himself...