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
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