Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
22nd out of 54 books
—
57 voters
Jurassic Park and Congo
Two breathtaking adventure novels in one bumper volume, including Jurassic Park -- a Steven Spielberg film
Jurassic Park
On a remote jungle island genetics engineers have created a dinosaur game park. Then a rival firm tries to steal frozen embryos, and the nigthmare begins.
Congo
Three intrepid adventurers plunge into the heart of Africa in a desperate bid for the fabulous di...more
Jurassic Park
On a remote jungle island genetics engineers have created a dinosaur game park. Then a rival firm tries to steal frozen embryos, and the nigthmare begins.
Congo
Three intrepid adventurers plunge into the heart of Africa in a desperate bid for the fabulous di...more
Hardcover, 656 pages
Published
1993
by Cresset Editions
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,085)
I'm going to confess something really dorky and a bit embarassing about myself.
When I was in Jr. High I loved Michael Crichton and John Grisham. LOVED them. At the time, I had read almost all of their books.
Imagine me, twelve years old, huge coke-bottle glasses, puff-paint scrunchie, catholic school uniform, pulling The Andromeda Strain out of my desk during silent reading.
Are you kidding me?
I even did an oral book report in seventh grade on The Client. My teacher thought it was inappropriate,...more
When I was in Jr. High I loved Michael Crichton and John Grisham. LOVED them. At the time, I had read almost all of their books.
Imagine me, twelve years old, huge coke-bottle glasses, puff-paint scrunchie, catholic school uniform, pulling The Andromeda Strain out of my desk during silent reading.
Are you kidding me?
I even did an oral book report in seventh grade on The Client. My teacher thought it was inappropriate,...more
25 likes · like · see review
view all 9 comments
I read this book a kerzillion times when I was 12, not only because a plot that involves dinosaurs coming to life is tewtally OFF DA CHAIN, but also because it excited me to read all the curse words.
Great book - it is what it is, a straight-up thriller, and it definitely delivers. Suspense, gore, mad science, and characters that are well-drawn enough to make you care whether or not they make it out alive.
Also, I think this is the first book I ever read in which people get all out DEVOURED. Lik...more
Great book - it is what it is, a straight-up thriller, and it definitely delivers. Suspense, gore, mad science, and characters that are well-drawn enough to make you care whether or not they make it out alive.
Also, I think this is the first book I ever read in which people get all out DEVOURED. Lik...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
1 like · like · see review
Apr 02, 2008
Heros
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes science fiction, action, and Michael Crichton
Recommended to Heros by:
no one, I found it in the library
I actually read both of these books separately. Both are written by Michael Crichton. Both are pieces of science fiction and contain quite a lot of action. Jurassic Park was quite interesting and it talks about the chaos that accompanies the resurrection of the dinosaurs. Congo is about a band of explorers who have ventured into the Congo jungle. They are continuously attacked by a band of gorilla-like creatures that are very smart and very brutal.
Actually read this for the first time in high school, senior year, as a part of the Bio Honors course I was taking. I thought the movie was pretty lame, so was not looking forward to reading the book. To my astonishment, I absolutely fell in love with it, and Michael Crichton, and re-read it and The Lost World when I get the opportunity. Very good read even if, like me, you dont have much of an imagination.
1 like · like · see review
one of the first novels that i actually chose to read.
i thought it was perfectly graphic and thought it would make a great movie. then some jerk made a movie of it and ruined the whole damn thing!
i thought it was perfectly graphic and thought it would make a great movie. then some jerk made a movie of it and ruined the whole damn thing!
How does a book with a concept that seems to be perfectly matched for my taste fail to garner more than 3 stars? From the get-go, this book in particular was at a big disadvantage since I have seen the iconic movie that was made from it more than 20 times, so I invariably compare it to the movie. Sadly, this is one of the cases where the movie is superior to the book. The movie is exactly like this book, but Spielberg smartly cut out the fat that makes this pulp sci-fi not as appetizing as it sh...more
I enjoyed it, but not as much as the movie. The characters were very flat and there were no real arcs for them. Many were underutilized, like Ellie Sattler. It was almost as though she was there because there had to be a woman, but once everything started happening, she was sidelined. Lex, the little girl, was annoying and contributed nothing but constant whining and nay-saying; this may be realistic, but it doesn't make for fun reading. Ian Malcolm was similar; he didn't do much of anything, ju...more
I've been wanting to read this for as long as I could remember -- I was always into the Jurassic Park films, and was so excited to find out that they were based off of books (what else is new, right?). However, after years of trying and failing to find the book, I was ecstatic to learn that the book was finally available at my library (where I actually work, so luck may be it) and I was able to take it out.
When I first started reading the book, I was hesitant, worried that it wouldn't be as good...more
When I first started reading the book, I was hesitant, worried that it wouldn't be as good...more
After reading this book I have come to the profound and well-thought-out conclusion that dinosaurs are cool.
Awesome book. It was fast-paced and the suspense was so tense that I almost keeled over a few times whilst reading this. Chrichton has the perfect balance of action, information and interesting characters. In my opinion, characters in an action/thriller type book should not overshadow the plot and so it is in this novel. The characters are likeable and they all had their distinct voices an...more
Awesome book. It was fast-paced and the suspense was so tense that I almost keeled over a few times whilst reading this. Chrichton has the perfect balance of action, information and interesting characters. In my opinion, characters in an action/thriller type book should not overshadow the plot and so it is in this novel. The characters are likeable and they all had their distinct voices an...more
More like 3.5, there were some parts that felt drawn out but the combination of science, math and suspense was pretty awesome, I think I maybe a Crichton fan, I'm going to have to read one more book to test it.
Anyway, I obviously know the story line and the movie has always been one of a my favorites, but the book add a lot to it. Dr. Alan Grant is a better character in the book and I liked the fact that there was a romance going on. It was refreshing. Dr. Sattler is a young woman in her twentie...more
Anyway, I obviously know the story line and the movie has always been one of a my favorites, but the book add a lot to it. Dr. Alan Grant is a better character in the book and I liked the fact that there was a romance going on. It was refreshing. Dr. Sattler is a young woman in her twentie...more
Unless you've been living under a rock for the last 20 or so years, you already know the premise of Jurassic Park. To quote one of my favorite lines from the movie: "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs. Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth." Well, there you have it in a nutshell: a wealthy eccentric named John Hammond buys an island in Costa Rica and turns it into Jurassic Park - a living biological preserve for genetical...more
Author : Michael Chricton
Genre : Sci - Fi, Action, adventure
Melihat dinosaurus adalah keinginan semua orang di masa kecil. Hidup bersama dinosaurus adalah impian semua orang di semua umur. Apa yang terjadi jika semua itu menjadi kenyataan ?
InGen Corp yang dipimpin John Hammond berhasil menemukan gen dinosaurus yang terdapat pada fosil nyamuk. Dengan kecanggihan teknologi yang dimiiiki perusahaan, mereka merekayasa gen tersebut hingga melahirkan kehidupan hewan yang telah punah jutaan tahun yang...more
Genre : Sci - Fi, Action, adventure
Melihat dinosaurus adalah keinginan semua orang di masa kecil. Hidup bersama dinosaurus adalah impian semua orang di semua umur. Apa yang terjadi jika semua itu menjadi kenyataan ?
InGen Corp yang dipimpin John Hammond berhasil menemukan gen dinosaurus yang terdapat pada fosil nyamuk. Dengan kecanggihan teknologi yang dimiiiki perusahaan, mereka merekayasa gen tersebut hingga melahirkan kehidupan hewan yang telah punah jutaan tahun yang...more
Is Michael Crichton always this preachy?
This is the second Crichton thriller I have read and the second time I have come away noticing his anti-science rants and preachy tone. This time the anti-science diatribe was delivered by the character of Malcolm, who only seems to be in the book for his chapter long anti-science rant. I've heard he is even worse with this in State of Fear.
The book itself is a decent techno-thriller. It was enjoyable and moved along swiftly. One thing I did notice, though...more
This is the second Crichton thriller I have read and the second time I have come away noticing his anti-science rants and preachy tone. This time the anti-science diatribe was delivered by the character of Malcolm, who only seems to be in the book for his chapter long anti-science rant. I've heard he is even worse with this in State of Fear.
The book itself is a decent techno-thriller. It was enjoyable and moved along swiftly. One thing I did notice, though...more
A really cool read. Certainly different enough from the movie to warrant reading. In hindsight Jeff Goldblum was an even greater Ian Malcolm then I thought. He really made a lot out of the character despite the diminished role in the film.
I couldn't help but notice that every woman in the book was completely inept, and either endangered or caused the death of someone else. hmmmm. Kind of ironic when you consider the "women inherit the earth" line in the movie.
The book, besides having the draw...more
I couldn't help but notice that every woman in the book was completely inept, and either endangered or caused the death of someone else. hmmmm. Kind of ironic when you consider the "women inherit the earth" line in the movie.
The book, besides having the draw...more
Jurassic Park is packed full of interesting concepts - cloning, chaos theory, and nature's ability to adapt for survival, not to mention the conflict between our awe and curiosity toward nature and our exploitative and controlling attitudes toward it. This was all around a great science thriller, drizzling the scientific food-for-thought onto a hugely entertaining backdrop.
It's been a long time since I read the book, but I feel like I have to give it 5 stars because of how much I loved it in hi...more
It's been a long time since I read the book, but I feel like I have to give it 5 stars because of how much I loved it in hi...more
Michael Crichton made an excellent career out of taking someone else's novel and turning it into a screen-play which he then got published masquerading as real books.
That's a little unfair really - for the genre Crichton is writing in, he is near the top of the tree. But there is a sense at times that his eye has always been on the movie deal, not on the book for the sake of the writing.
And this is nowhere better exemplified than here. Every part that isn't meticulous research regurgitated is an...more
That's a little unfair really - for the genre Crichton is writing in, he is near the top of the tree. But there is a sense at times that his eye has always been on the movie deal, not on the book for the sake of the writing.
And this is nowhere better exemplified than here. Every part that isn't meticulous research regurgitated is an...more
I was afraid that since I watched the movie so many times, the book wouldn't hold the surprise factor for me, but it did! There are parts of the plot in the book missing from the movie (although I think the movie is done very well anyway). There are more mathematical and scientific theorems presented in the book than I would usually be interested in, but surprisingly enough I didn't mind them. I think it helped add believability to the story and lent support for how this new world came to be. Ma...more
I distinctly remember reading this book right before the movie came out. I always get more out of movies when I read the book first. I remember it being one of the most compelling reads I've experienced. Then when I saw the movie I was absolutely blown away. The film is a masterpiece of movie entertainment. The special effects were flawless and really transported you into another place and time. They matched the images in my head when I read the book and then some. After seeing the special effec...more
If you loved the movie, this book will blow you out of the water. The movie was based off this book, and it's a good thing I saw the movie before I read this or I would've been disappointed. The book is much different from the movie, but in all the right ways. There is much more adventure in this book and you absolutely have to read this. You all have an idea of how Jurassic Park goes, but you will still be blown away. I can't say anymore. Just read this book because you will not be disappointed...more
This book is lots of fun. But Crichton probably should have stopped at this volume. Subsequent work simply did not live up to this.
The tale is irresistible. Humans meet dinosaurs. Human rationality presumes that it can contain the meeting of humans and dinosaurs and keep things antiseptic and safe. Technology moves faster than reflection on its use. . . .
Whedn I first read this (quite a few years back), it was like a roller coaster ride (and the same thing with the movie). Lots of excitement, lo...more
The tale is irresistible. Humans meet dinosaurs. Human rationality presumes that it can contain the meeting of humans and dinosaurs and keep things antiseptic and safe. Technology moves faster than reflection on its use. . . .
Whedn I first read this (quite a few years back), it was like a roller coaster ride (and the same thing with the movie). Lots of excitement, lo...more
Jurassic Park has always been a favorite movie of mine, and the book is just as good as the film. The story centers on a theme-park where people can see real dinosaurs, created from DNA found in ancient amber. But the dinosaurs aren't content to be an attraction, and what happens when they escape is completely terrifying.
This is Michael Crichton at his best. The book isn't preachy or annoying, and it reads fast. What's more, the plot, while far-fetched, seems like something that could happen. Th...more
This is Michael Crichton at his best. The book isn't preachy or annoying, and it reads fast. What's more, the plot, while far-fetched, seems like something that could happen. Th...more
This book review is on the book Jurassic Park. Jurassic Park was a great book. I really liked this book because it was about dinosaurs. This book was about two kids who's parents got a divorce and went to their grandfathers island called Jurassic Park.
On Jurassic Park their grandfathers made clones of different types of dinosaurs. One thing went wrong with this experience though. The power went out in Jurassic Park allowing the dinosaurs to get lose because their electric fenceds went off. You...more
On Jurassic Park their grandfathers made clones of different types of dinosaurs. One thing went wrong with this experience though. The power went out in Jurassic Park allowing the dinosaurs to get lose because their electric fenceds went off. You...more
This is my favorite book. It's bound together so intricately and perfectly that I wouldn't want to change it in any way. I find that the theories and possiblities in this book create an endless world. The story is detailed and suspenseful. It gives you terror and backs it up with knowledge, the best way to so (in my opinion). I've read this book many times and I can never get enough of the characters and the dinosaurs. It's one of those "What if?" books that I think are incredible. Truly, the mo...more
One of the greatest books ever written. Michael Crichton was not just a dinosaur fan, but he was also a science fan. He was destined to write this, the best of his books, epic story of a man with a vision and the chaos that arose from that vision. I was thirteen when I first read it, three years after I saw the movie. To this day I still can't decide which is better because, to me, they are both classics in their own rights. Crichton will be missed greatly, but I'm so very glad he left this wond...more
Jurassic Park 4
Congo 2
= 3
Congo 2
= 3
Not quite like the very familiar movie but even more fast paced
John Hammond has found a way to obtain dinosaur DNA and now is ready to open Jurassic Park,where visitors can see real live dinosaurs,go on rides and buy merchandise.However an accident prior to opening means the lawyers want safety checks done by experts before they can ope. But when the park breaks down and the dinosaurs are on the prowl,the experts are the prey.
I love the book and the film,being a huge fan of dinosaurs as a kid. The dinosaurs are very cool,good action scenes and interesting...more
I love the book and the film,being a huge fan of dinosaurs as a kid. The dinosaurs are very cool,good action scenes and interesting...more
In honor of the passing of Michael Chrichton, I am adding this book to my favorites list. I read this book long before the movie was ever made and long before DNA analysis was in the headlines of pop culture magazines and local news casts. This is a fun and exciting read (it's helped me pass enough time in airports) and has more teeth than the movie does.
Chrichton wrote many other books, but none are as engrossing as this one. Great literature? Nah. Fun? Oh yeah!
Chrichton wrote many other books, but none are as engrossing as this one. Great literature? Nah. Fun? Oh yeah!
This book is the best one I have read by Michael Crichton which made the movie all the more disappointing. (but the movie was still done well) The story was excellent and all the dinosaurs really made things more exciting and full or suspense. It reminded me a lot of when my little brother and I would pull out our plastic dinosaurs and cars and build our own Dinosaur Park with roads and everything much like a zoo.(we did this long before the novel was written)
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Michael Crichton (1942–2008) was one of the most successful novelists of his generation, admired for his meticulous scientific research and fast-paced narrative. He graduated summa cum laude and earned his MD from Harvard Medical School in 1969. His first novel, Odds On (1966), was written under the pseudonym John Lange and was followed by seven more Lange novels. He also wrote as Michael Douglas...more
More about Michael Crichton...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“You think man can destroy the planet? What intoxicating vanity. Let me tell you about our planet. Earth is four-and-a-half-billion-years-old. There's been life on it for nearly that long, 3.8 billion years. Bacteria first; later the first multicellular life, then the first complex creatures in the sea, on the land. Then finally the great sweeping ages of animals, the amphibians, the dinosaurs, at last the mammals, each one enduring millions on millions of years, great dynasties of creatures rising, flourishing, dying away -- all this against a background of continuous and violent upheaval. Mountain ranges thrust up, eroded away, cometary impacts, volcano eruptions, oceans rising and falling, whole continents moving, an endless, constant, violent change, colliding, buckling to make mountains over millions of years. Earth has survived everything in its time. It will certainly survive us. If all the nuclear weapons in the world went off at once and all the plants, all the animals died and the earth was sizzling hot for a hundred thousand years, life would survive, somewhere: under the soil, frozen in Arctic ice. Sooner or later, when the planet was no longer inhospitable, life would spread again. The evolutionary process would begin again. It might take a few billion years for life to regain its present variety. Of course, it would be very different from what it is now, but the earth would survive our folly, only we would not. If the ozone layer gets thinner, ultraviolet radiation sears the earth, so what? Ultraviolet radiation is good for life. It's powerful energy. It promotes mutation, change. Many forms of life will thrive with more UV radiation. Many others will die out. Do you think this is the first time that's happened? Think about oxygen. Necessary for life now, but oxygen is actually a metabolic poison, a corrosive glass, like fluorine. When oxygen was first produced as a waste product by certain plant cells some three billion years ago, it created a crisis for all other life on earth. Those plants were polluting the environment, exhaling a lethal gas. Earth eventually had an atmosphere incompatible with life. Nevertheless, life on earth took care of itself. In the thinking of the human being a hundred years is a long time. A hundred years ago we didn't have cars, airplanes, computers or vaccines. It was a whole different world, but to the earth, a hundred years is nothing. A million years is nothing. This planet lives and breathes on a much vaster scale. We can't imagine its slow and powerful rhythms, and we haven't got the humility to try. We've been residents here for the blink of an eye. If we're gone tomorrow, the earth will not miss us.”
—
122 people liked it
More quotes…
