Michael Crichton, one of my favorite authors, writes stories that are infused with leading edge research. Some of my favorites include Prey, Jurassic Park, Andromeda Strain, and Airframe. Next is his new novel. Like in those books mentioned, science is also a major force in the story. Jurassic Park utilized cloning to bring back dinosaurs from fossils. This time genetic engineering is used to move human genes into birds and mammals. There is no central character in this book, instead Crichton interweaves several characters and story lines–some work some don’t. Story lines are somewhat hard to follow as a result. The reader experiences characters dealing with the results of such genetic transformations and Crichton forces the reader to contemplate the moral issues of scientists performing the research and more importantly huge biotechnology companies controlling the patents on genes and genetic engineering techniques at the possible expense of the common good. It’s not one of Crichton’s better efforts, but it is an engaging and quick read.
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