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Title: The Andromeda Strain |
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Review of The Andromeda Strain
The United States government is given a warning by the pre-eminent biophysicists in the country: current sterilization procedures applied to returning space probes may be inadequate to guarantee uncontaminated re-entry to the atmosphere.
Two years later, seventeen satellites are sent into the outer fringes of space to "collect organisms and dust for study." One of them falls to earth, landing in a desolate area of Arizona.
Twelve miles from the landing site, in the town of Piedmont, a shocking discovery is made: the streets are littered with the dead bodies of the town's inhabitants, as if they dropped dead in their tracks.
Product Description
- Some biologists speculate that if we ever make contact with extraterrestrials, those life forms are likely to be--like most life on earth--one-celled or smaller creatures, more comparable to bacteria than little green men. And even though such organisms would not likely be able to harm humans, the possibility exists that first contact might be our last.
That's the scientific supposition that Michael Crichton formulates and follows out to its conclusion in his excellent debut novel, The Andromeda Strain.
A Nobel-Prize-winning bacteriologist, Jeremy Stone, urges the president to approve an extraterrestrial decontamination facility to sterilize returning astronauts, satellites, and spacecraft that might carry an "unknown biologic agent." The government agrees, almost too quickly, to build the top-secret Wildfire Lab in the desert of Nevada. Shortly thereafter, unbeknownst to Stone, the U.S. Army initiates the "Scoop" satellite program, an attempt to actively collect space pathogens for use in biological warfare. When Scoop VII crashes a couple years later in the isolated Arizona town of Piedmont, the Army ends up getting more than it asked for.
The Andromeda Strain follows Stone and rest of the scientific team mobilized to react to the Scoop crash as they scramble to understand and contain a strange and deadly outbreak. Crichton's first book may well be his best; it has an earnestness that is missing from his later, more calculated thrillers. --Paul Hughes
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Comments for The Andromeda Strain
- Posted on 2008-07-01
The Andromeda Strain
Interesting flashback to an earlier version of medical science fiction. I read it after viewing the recent remake for TV of the film version, and in anticipation of viewing the original film version on DVD.
The recent TV remake is better than the book, which today seems a little hackneyed. This long-ago first novel by Crichton included enough errors in the author's writing craft that, today, I must wonder how it ever got published.
Score: 3
- Posted on 2008-06-23
Watch the movie. The book's not worth it.
I saw a good portion of the Andromeda Strain on TV and it looked pretty interesting. I recalled that I had picked up the book at a book sale a few months ago so I got the book out and began reading.
Normally, the book is much, much better than the movie, so if you liked the movie, you will love the book. Not so with this one. The book was very difficult to read - you get to a point where you don't care if you finish or not. The book started off pretty slow, but I thought it would improve. It did not, not even a little. The ending was horrible and really didn't seem to finish the story. There were a lot of loose ends (such as what happened with the infant and the old man?).
The story is basically about a US satellite that brings back an extremely volatile virus from space. The virus kills just about everyone in a small town. It is studied in a top secret laboratory. I think they found a cure (it really was that boring).
The book was filled with interesting computer-generated graphics that really didn't add anything to the reading experience and looked just weird. Of course, this book was also written in 1969, so maybe they considered that to be top-notch back then.
I really don't recommend this book. This is the first time I would actually tell you to watch the movie as opposed to reading the book.
I'm glad this was not the first Michael Crichton book I read, because it would have turned me off to his other books (I've read several of his other books and I love them).
Score: 1
- Posted on 2008-06-14
Nice early work of Crichton
It was about 15 years ago in my science class that I watched the movie Andromeda Strain, and I just finished reading the book last night in about 6 hours. Yes, it was difficult to put it down.
The story line is simple yet compelling. Satellite falls down into a very small town, and all the people were dead in very strange ways. The most striking point is that their all of their blood has been clotted, dried like solid, inside their body. When more thorough investigation was done, there are two survivors. These survivals and the satellite are brought to top secret laboratory designed to contain and study extraterrestrial life form.
Because the "disease" causes immediate death, group of scientists are at work to find solution or cure, as quickly as possible. As the scientists examine & learn more about the satellite & survivors, the plot thickens.
Keep in mind this book was published almost 40 years ago. Author has done incredible research and the whole idea of laboratory designed for alien life form seemed "radical", and truly science fiction 40 years ago in my opinion.
It's a great book to read, and I also recommend to watch the movie if you can find one.
I also know & realize that the ending is not quite good as it could've been and I agree. However, the ending shouldn't be the judging point of a book.
One other things people mentioned was that the book was too "scientific" & "technical". Author tried to explain basic biology & chemistry terms & ideas that was discussed in the book. I realize this may be confusing to some non-science people. Since I studied both chemistry & biology, I understood most of the techno-lingo. So be aware for non science people.
Score: 4
- Posted on 2008-05-25
Not as Good as Microbe, But worth it.
I read both this and Bill Clem's novel, Microbe, which has been compared to it, and I enjoyed Clem's book more. Not to say this wasn't good, but parts just fell flat for me, where in Clem's book, it's non-stop action and furious pace. Still I have to give it four stars for a great effort. if you haven't read Clem's novel Microbe, do yourself a favor and read it. then you can compare for yourself and see if the national reviewers were right.
Score: 4 - Posted on 2008-05-11
Crichton's big ticket
I actually saw the movie before I read the book. I thought the movie was really good until I read the book... Wow! Crichton's writing style is amazing and addictive! Now, when I see the movie, I still think it's good, but it pales in comparison to the book.
Score: 5