State of Fear (Michael Crichton, 2004)

It is a credit to a writer as accessible as Michael Crichton that he can make a book that is as fundamentally stupid as State of Fear so effortlessly entertaining. And when I say stupid, I don't mean unintelligent. The book is littered with well researched scientific jargon that is imperative to the flow of the narrative. What I mean is that the premise is stupid, and once you get passed the essay length facts and figures concerning global warming and the riveting action sequences that are some of the most exhilarating in recent memory, what you are left with is a book about eco-terrorists manipulating the weather for their own diabolical needs. Like I said: stupid.

But give credit where credit's due. I've made no bones about the fact that Crichton's prose is somewhat limited yet he is a man that is consistent. He is the techno thriller king and whilst I found myself laughing at much of State of Fear in terms of its ludicrousness, I couldn't help but read on. At close to 700 pages, it's lightening fast and as things got gradually most ridiculous, I found myself getting more enthralled.

But the fundamental problem, again, is its bombastic nature. If it were a movie, I'd liken it to films such as Volcano or The Core, movies that aren't any good through any stretch of the imagination but you can't help but get suckered in by. In fact, I'd quite like to see it as big dumb summer blockbuster. It reads as such.

State of Fear may not be Crichton's signature novel (that title goes to Jurassic Park) but it would fair to say it's his magnum opus. Silly but well thoughtout. It's heart's in the right place at least.

3.5/5

The Fall (Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan, 2010)

The Fall, the sequel to last years The Strain, is one of those follow ups that works much better than its predecessor. Whilst The Strain had the vampire world to set up, The Fall runs with it. We now know the key principals and their conflicts. What Del Tor and Hogan deliver here is a far more streamlined beast (it’s a full 100 pages shorter than The Strain) that delivers its exposition in a more efficient manner whilst using the sequel moniker of “it’ll get worse before it gets better” to full effect. Trust me, it’s bleak.

The only issue have is that, as being part 2 of a planned trilogy, it does feel as though it’s an exercise in moving from point A to point A, something even a movie as great as The Two Towers suffered from.

But there’s no denying this series has some punch. Part 3, The Night Eternal, will be released in a years time. I can’t wait.

And not a sparkling vampire in sight.

4/5