State of Fear by Michael Crichton

(600 pages)



The undisputed master of the high-concept thriller has written his most gripping and entertaining book yet In Paris, a physicist dies after performing a laboratory experiment for a beautiful visitor. In the jungles of Malaysia, a mysterious buyer purchases deadly cavitation technology, built to his specifications. In Vancouver, a small research submarine is leased for use in the waters of New Guinea. And in Tokyo, an intelligence agent tries to understand what it all means. Thus begins Michael Crichton's exciting and provocative techno-thriller State of Fear. Only Crichton's unique ability to blend scientific fact with pulse-pounding fiction could bring such disparate elements to a heart-stopping conclusion. This is Crichton's most wide-ranging thriller. State of Fear takes the reader from the glaciers of Iceland to the volcanoes of Antarctica, from the Arizona desert to the deadly jungles of the Solomon Islands, from the streets of Paris to the beaches of Los Angeles. The novel races forward on a roller-coaster thrill ride, all the while keeping the brain in high gear. Gripping and thought-provoking, State of Fear is Michael Crichton at his best.

I love Michael Crichton normally, having discovered "Jurassic Park" the novel as a teenager.
This did not disappoint... Whilst it was hefty in more ways than one, witha very serious plotline, i was compelled to keep reading and managed to finish it in 4 sittings :)
the characters were interesting, the plotline was fantastic, with plenty of opportunities to go hunting for the facts because of all the references provided both in the text and via footnotes.
my only complaint is that i felt the twist at the end coming :( maybe i am just too clever for my own good!!
Overall this was a really great thriller and i would recommend it to everyone :D