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Grex Books Item 98: "Congo" by Michael Crichton
Entered by vms on Thu Mar 22 12:05:18 UTC 2001:

One of the amazing and wonderful novels I've ever read. An excellent
example for the phrase - A PageTurner. Congo-i consider the book as the
best by crichton. Congo is about an exploration by a group of people
targeting the mineral reserves in the region, since that reserves could
be used for developing sophisticated electronic components and hence
enormous market potential. The group mysteriously disappears and one
more set of people venture into the Congo forests to find out the
reason. The Events that follow, vividly and fantastically unfolded by
Crichton and the terrifying parts where Gorillas reign are a
masterpiece. A must read for any Fiction Lover.

9 responses total.

#1 of 9 by mcnally on Thu Mar 22 21:11:19 2001:

  I'll take your word for it that the book is enjoyable but the movie
  adaptation they made a few years ago was simply awful..

#2 of 9 by katie on Fri Mar 23 01:55:53 2001:

Yeah, how does that happen? I think I walked out of the movie...

#3 of 9 by ashke on Fri Mar 23 02:14:52 2001:

If you go for Congo, it's not as good as some of the others he has written.
i'm at a loss for my favorite Chrichton, it's between the books for Sphere,
Rising Sun, and well...everything else he wrote?

#4 of 9 by vms on Sat Mar 24 08:10:37 2001:

I didnt see the movie Congo. and after these responses i dont hope to see it.
and i havent read sphere/rising sun as well. i should read those ones soon.

#5 of 9 by mary on Sat Mar 24 13:33:42 2001:

Well, I'll confess to having read them all.  _Congo_ was simply awful,
it read like bad screenplay, which it was.  _Rising Sun_ was racist and
would have drawn deserved criticism had it been about blacks.  I remember
_Sphere_ as having a decent beginning and then piddling out.

Crighton's latest, _Timeline_ was dull.  I expect they could make
a reasonably successful movie out of it what with the whole Middle
Ages theme and a cool time machine.  

Mostly Crighton get's good ideas but then has no idea of how to
flesh them out into better than mediocre stories.

#6 of 9 by slynne on Sun Mar 25 20:37:27 2001:

Ok, I have to ask. Mary? If you dont like Crichton, how come you have 
read all of his works. I havent even read one because they dont look 
that good.

#7 of 9 by mary on Sun Mar 25 22:18:45 2001:

I was wondering when someone would ask.

I don't know.  Really.  But I can't help myself.

I also pay good money to go see any movie that involves aliens or has
people dressed up in space suit kind of outfits.  Or ghosts.  Or science
gone bad.  It doesn't matter how awful the reviews have been.  I'll be
there within days of its opening with the lowest of expectations.

It may having something to do with a prior life.

#8 of 9 by parmar on Wed Jan 7 11:36:55 2004:

well the best one from Michael Crichton is still 'Sphere'. 
the best thing about the author is the technical details that he puts into
his story whether it's about nanotechnology, astrophysics, biotech etc
he is simply a pleasure to read

#9 of 9 by mynxcat on Wed Jan 7 16:17:32 2004:

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