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Next, by Michael Crichton	2	16	02/18/2008 10:33PM

Alex rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

03/06/08

bookshelves: books-read-in-2006

Read in November, 2006

NEXT BY MICHAEL CRICHTON: I’m still trying to figure out how this manuscript landed in the hands of an editor and actually got the go ahead to be published in time for Christmas. I can’t help but think about all those dads that are going to be so disappointed on December 26th when they crack open the book and find a collection of plot lines with confusing characters and stories that seem to go nowhere.

In Prey and State of Fear, Crichton did what he does best in providing a well research...more NEXT BY MICHAEL CRICHTON: I’m still trying to figure out how this manuscript landed in the hands of an editor and actually got the go ahead to be published in time for Christmas. I can’t help but think about all those dads that are going to be so disappointed on December 26th when they crack open the book and find a collection of plot lines with confusing characters and stories that seem to go nowhere.

In Prey and State of Fear, Crichton did what he does best in providing a well researched book with a riveting and thrilling plot, thought I felt the latter a little heavy handed with a viewpoint I didn’t necessarily agree with. Compared with Next, I seriously wonder what happened? The book seems barely half finished, even though if runs on for four hundred pages. There are around five to seven plot lines each with their own vague characters that the reader has to struggle to keep straight going on in their own seemingly inane direction. Near the end of the book a few of these plot lines cross over forcefully at the author’s hand, and then the book ends and the reader is left wondering where the rest of the book is. What happened to the basic rule of a story? Instead of a beginning, middle and an end, the reader gets a weak infrastructure of a beginning, with part of a middle which suddenly ends!

Combined with this is the overarching philosophy of this novel (which I hope Crichton doesn’t subscribe to himself) where every person is one who sees life only for personal gain, to be rich, and feel constant pleasure. The women are always bombshells to be used and discarded, while the characters in general will stop at nothing to satisfy their pathetic personal whims.

As for the learning portion of the novel – with Prey it was the risk of nanotechnology, with State of Fear global warming – Crichton is very heavy handed in the risks of gene therapy and engineering, running the gamut from talking (and by this I mean with extensive vocabularies) parrots and orangutans, to the risks of human cloning, to bounty hunters trying to kidnap and steal tissues from innocent people who simply happen to possess the same DNA as a family member who had his cells declared property of UCLA in a court of law. While Crichton is trying to make the blatant point of “Watch out, this is what can happen,” it comes off as over-the-top farce and tomfoolery. And if it wasn’t made clear for you, he ends the novel with his note about how patenting genes is bad, as well as a list of other matters involving gene therapy, followed by a bibliography, just to show he did the work, supposedly

It is sad really, for I’d hoped Next would be the return to the great author who gave us truly brilliant novels like Jurassic Park, Sphere, and The Andromeda Strain, but Next can’t really be considered an actual book now, because of its failure in the rules of a novel on so many levels.

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Austin rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

11/21/07

Read in October, 2007

recommends it for: someone who enjoys Chichton

Is Next Our Future?
“Welcome to our gentic world. Fast, furious, and out of control. This is not the world of the future- it’s the world right now”. Written in bold, red letters, these words describe the novel Next, by Michael Chichton, almost perfectly. Fast paced, entertaining but also intellectual, Next, offers a well researched look into the scientific world of today. But it is not only about science; in today’s world everyone has an alternative motive, bringing the story into the p...more Is Next Our Future?
“Welcome to our gentic world. Fast, furious, and out of control. This is not the world of the future- it’s the world right now”. Written in bold, red letters, these words describe the novel Next, by Michael Chichton, almost perfectly. Fast paced, entertaining but also intellectual, Next, offers a well researched look into the scientific world of today. But it is not only about science; in today’s world everyone has an alternative motive, bringing the story into the politics of genetic sciences, as well as the financial and profitable side. And underlying it all is the question of ethics. Is it ethical to own a gene that is naturally produced? Is it right to genetically alter animals for the sake of their protection? Or for mankind’s benefit or entertainment? Should a scientist halt research on a fatal disease because someone has a patent on it? Its questions like these that are confronted in Next. But Chrichton does it in a way that is easily understandable, taking these real life problems and events and putting fictional characters into those positions. This adds a degree of emotion to the story, because the reader can more easily relate to a normal individual.
Though somewhat relatable, the characters is where Next holds its greatest fault. With so much material to cover, and so many different personalities involved in the genetic conflicts, Chrichton involves too many characters. This creates confusion, because one character will be introduced, given a back story, and remains on subject for twenty pages, then only to be forgotten about until another hundred pages goes by, and then the character is introduced again for another minor point. This happens many times, and with so many characters none can be considered major, and it becomes more challenging to understand each one. And though there are many, the characters are still enjoyable. From a modern, industrial bounty hunter to a biologist harassed a cussing chimpanzee; they remain interesting even if hard to believe.
Besides the incredible confusion involved with the characters, Next does not hold many faults. It is well written, and the technical information, material usually well above my head, is surprisingly interesting and easy to read. Spread throughout the book are news articles, sometimes relating to plot, sometimes just relating to genetic sciences in general. This either helps the story or entertains the reader, though mostly it is both, but always they are enjoyable. Next deserves much praise, as an innovative novel that mixes intelligence with entertainment. Its flaws are forgivable; the subject of Next is much more confusing then the book itself, and only so much can be done to simplify it before ideas are lost. One of Michael Chrichton’s better works, Next gave a good look into the world of the genetic future, which may be closer then we understand.
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Jeffrey rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

10/11/07

Read in October, 2007

Next by Michael Crichton is a ridiculous, silly book. But I bet a lot of people said the same thing about Brave New World, Dune, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger in a Strange Land, and 1984 when they came out. No, Next can not hold a candle to these science fiction classics, but it is the same kind of book, and it is poignant for its time. The fact is, Crichton writes satire, and the general perception of him does not accept this. Next is both silly and excellent. More importantly, I ...more Next by Michael Crichton is a ridiculous, silly book. But I bet a lot of people said the same thing about Brave New World, Dune, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger in a Strange Land, and 1984 when they came out. No, Next can not hold a candle to these science fiction classics, but it is the same kind of book, and it is poignant for its time. The fact is, Crichton writes satire, and the general perception of him does not accept this. Next is both silly and excellent. More importantly, I learned quite a bit from reading it. I did not know that genes can be patented, human tissues can be used in any way by whomever happens to end up with them, and that gene testing results can be hidden in such a way that deaths have been covered up because they were "trade secrets". Crichton shows the extreme possibilities of these insane laws. In Next, a man has a gene that could be a groundbreaking cure, but when the company that has the patent for it is sabotaged and loses all its samples it believes it is within its rights to hire bounty hunters to track down this man's daughter and grandson and surgically take some of their genes since they are the company's property. This is just one story that intersects the others in Next (Oh, by the way, there is a transgenic chimpanzee-human in the book). Will it happen? Probably not. But do we only produce children in test tubes like in Brave New World? Have we colonized the moon like in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress? And while surveillance gets scarier and scarier are we actually being watched all the time like in 1984? No. Satire, by definition, is trafficking in exaggeration to warn people about where we are going. Crichton might be mentioned more frequently in a list that includes John Grisham and Danielle Steel, then with the likes of Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, but he is a satirical science fiction writer, and a pretty good one. His popularity and high quantity output is making people think he is for thirteen-year-old boys only. He is better than that. Give the man a chance. Start with Next. ...less

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Rick rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

01/15/08

Read in December, 2007

So I was, like, really broke towards the tail end of last month. But, you know, broke or not, I still needed something to read - I was just going to have to content myself with one of those trashy, $7.99 paperbacks. And, lemme tell ya, pickings are slim.

So I got a Michael Crichton book. I'm very ashamed. More so because I actually, well, liked it.

Crichton, I think, resonates so well with middle-of-the-road audience...more

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Will rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

10/05/08

Read in March, 2007

The cast of characters is vast. I spent far too much time trying to keep track of them. This book is not about characters. It is a novel about ideas, and the characters are there to illustrate the underlying concepts. What if private corporations are able to copyright genetic information? The implications are staggering. Crichton uses examples from real life, dramatized. One such is a guy who is found to have a natural resistance to a form of cancer. He was misled into returning over and over to...more The cast of characters is vast. I spent far too much time trying to keep track of them. This book is not about characters. It is a novel about ideas, and the characters are there to illustrate the underlying concepts. What if private corporations are able to copyright genetic information? The implications are staggering. Crichton uses examples from real life, dramatized. One such is a guy who is found to have a natural resistance to a form of cancer. He was misled into returning over and over to a doctor who was extracting cells from him to sell to a company that was going to reproduce those cells and use them as medicine, without the original cell-producer’s permission. This has actually happened. Transgenic issues arise as well. Dave is a chimp with a difference. Human genetic material from a researcher has allowed him to develop the vocal apparatus necessary for speech. Turns out Dave has things to say. What is he? Human? Chimp on steroids? What rights might he have? Another transgenic character in the book, the most amusing, and probably the likeliest piece of the story to make it to the silver screen more or less intact, is an African gray parrot named Gerard. He is highly intelligent, vastly chatty, and capable of mimicking a wide range of sounds both human and non. Laugh out loud funny. The issues raised are not so funny, and it is clear that Crichton believes that a course correction is much needed.

I saw him interviewed recently on Charlie Rose where he talked about the genesis of this project. He had attended a conference on genetics biology and the law, was shocked, and began accumulating stories illustrative of the dangers. Many of those stories have made it into this book. It is a fast, enjoyable read, and has the distinct benefit of being eye-opening for the vast majority, like myself, who know far too little about this startling new branch of science. Of course, Crichton is still Crichton, so he manages to set up his share of straw men as stand-ins for those he dislikes, environmentalists, the NY Times. Cheap shots which soil an otherwise interesting as well as an entertaining read. Recommended.
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Chris rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

07/05/07

Read in May, 2007

It's not very often that I experience self-consciousness while reading a book. This book inspired that kind of feeling in me by its being so poorly crafted that I felt absolutely philistine. I'm not sure if Crichton just had a bad writing streak, or if my tastes in reading have moved on - but his most recent book, Next, was an astounding disappointment.

Next focuses on the potential that present day and up and coming genetic technologies may have upon our society and way of life. A cautionary...more

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Dword rated it:

(review of isbn 0060873094)

07/03/08

Read in June, 2008

This is a strange and disjointed book.

The scientific and legal sections are understandable, interesting, and thought provoking. The arguments against gene patents had me so riled up, I sought out the authors website and followed up with the Congressional Bill status reporting site, www.thomas.gov. The Patent Reform Act of 2007 got pulled in May and there doesn't seem to be much action to reform gene patenting except in Canada and Europe.

The plot and action sections are jumbled, often d...more

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Natalie rated it:

01/02/08

bookshelves: science

Michael Crichton wags his finger at the genetics industry.

I found this book to be horribly interesting and utterly terrifying. I hadn't previously known that one-fifth of the genes in the human genome are owned and patented by private entities (usually universities) - thus guaranteeing that no one outside of that university can study that particular gene and any diseases that may result from its activation.

There isn't one sympathetic (human) character in the book; I pretty much wished...more

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Pras rated it:

12/31/07

Read in December, 2007

recommends it for: Mad geneticist

When I saw this book for the first time (actually only the cover, since i'm not allowed to rip the plastic wrap ..damn capitalist bookstore), i become curious about orangutans who swear on tourist. I know long time ago that Orangutans has high intelegence comparing to other animal. Sharing their domain of intelegence with chimp and dolphin doesn't mean they can produce such a vocalization called word.
Other interesting thing abaout this book is how Crichton arrange the story with the pace of ac...more

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Franco rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

04/14/08

Read in April, 2008

Next would be classified under science fiction because its theme of genetic engineering. This novel is about a four year old transgenic kid named Dave. Dave was raised as a Chimp until he went through the process of transgenic where he was part human. This creature was created by a scientist Henry Kendall, who researches autism, put his own embryo into the chimpanzee, because he hoped to create a fetus and wanting to dissect it, but then everything went wrong… This book would be an external on...more

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Cheryl rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

01/22/08

bookshelves: nyt-bsl-january-2008

Read in January, 2008

Okay, so this was was the first book on my NYT BSL for January to come in from the library for me to read. A word of advice. If you aren't used to Crichton's style of writing, and the in depth technical writing, don't read this book. I knew what I was getting into having once tried to read Jurassic Park and getting lost in the technical explanations.

Next is essentially a view of what could and probably will happen in the future of genetics research. The good and the bad. Crichton follows 6 o...more

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Crissy rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

01/17/08

Read in January, 2008

I had a little trouble getting into this book as the chapters jump around quite a bit to follow different character's aspects of the story. But once I finished it I resolved to read it again because I became so interested in the story that I wanted to backtrack to make sure I didn't miss anything. It's based on true events and scientific discoveries dealing with moral, ethical, and financial chaos caused by advancements in the field of genetics. Now that we have the knowledge that allows us to m...more

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Kirsty rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

08/05/08

bookshelves: science-fiction, thriller-n-mystery

Read in August, 2008

This was a strange book and I have to say it had me pretty freaked out. It was terrifying - not in the 'horror' way, but because this could actually happen (and I'm sure IS happening behind closed doors).

It took me a while to get into the book, as I haven't really read Science Fiction before, and so I wasn't used to the format. Also there is a fair amount of medical jargon, which is difficult to digest at first, but becomes easier the more you read. Once I'd gotten into the book though, I fo...more

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Damhnait rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

08/01/07

Read in July, 2007

recommends it for: Nobody

I had been boycotting Michael Crichton since his unhelpful muddying of the waters of the climate change "debate" in his next-to-last novel which included a personal message to his readers that he didn't believe the issues were really human related at all. Read the IPCC report, you ignoramus. However, I was stuck in an airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, having finished every novel in my bag and with the prospect of 12 hours of airplanes and airports ahead. The novel selection in the airp...more

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Jes rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

06/20/08

Read in June, 2008

recommended to Jes by: a patient at the hospital I work at.
recommends it for: anyone who wants a page-turning book!

I'm telling a bit of a fib when I say I've "read" this book. Truth be told, I only read about a third of it but the portion I got to experience was very interesting!
The author does an excellent job at combining fact and fiction. Crichton gives us a glimpse of what can happen in the strange world of research when people do not come first. Throughout history, horrific events have occurred "in the name of science" which destroyed people's livelihoods. These events eventually ...more

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Menoedh rated it:

10/06/08

Read in February, 2008

I cant say this is the NEXT best thing from Crichton, but I can still say this IS Crichton. He could still amuse me with how he could blend information, science, and fun reading all together in one book.

I think all of Cichton's fan could see that his writing style had gone into popular. More humor and lifestyles are included in the character. I dont know wether this is a change for his writing style or is it particularly for this book.

Most of the people who rated negative for this book ...more

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Charlotte rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

07/11/08

Read in July, 2008

NEXT had nearly as many strengths as weaknesses but was certainly worth reading. The novel takes on the subject of genetic modification, both in current practices and possible applications in future years.

Dozens of characters make appearances; some stay the length of the novel while others make brief cameos. One of the major drawbacks to this is that few stories really reach a conclusion and those that continue through to the final pages are easily confused. My biggest annoyance was that we...more

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Nikki rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

01/03/08

bookshelves: easy-reading

Read in January, 2008

A definite Crichton once again.

Whereas I loved Timeline -- the first Crichton book I read -- and enjoyed several of his other books a lot, Next wasn't as much of a page-turner as I'd hoped.

Personal Opinions:
- The story was interesting yet involved too many people and situations to really draw me in properly;
- The characters weren't developed enough as there were way too many of them which made them hard to relate to IMO;
- The action scenes were easy to read and definitely ...more

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Danna rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

01/18/08

Read in January, 2008

Yes, I love dime-store thriller fiction, especially of the scientific type. In this genre, Crichton is one of my favorite authors. Some of his stories are better written or more entertaining than others, but I always appreciate his efforts to introduce complex scientific realities to a lay public who is barely or not at all concious of the enormous effect such things have on our lives. As he's been known to demonstrate in previous books, scientists are often obsessed with what can be done wit...more

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Rachel rated it:

(review of isbn 0060872985)

08/17/08

Read in May, 2008

Michael Crichton's Next is a tense thriller that makes the reader quite nervous. The fact that Crichton is well known for his well-researched books, and a glance at the bibliography, makes me feel a bit uncomfortable about genetic engineering in science today. There are several good characters, but it's mostly about introducing as much shocking reality as possible. You begin to think, what if this is really happening? The characters ...more

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