Jurassic Park: A Novel

Michael Crichton

May 2012 · Jurassic Park Book 1 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this ebook

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Timeline, Sphere, and Congo, this is the classic thriller of science run amok that took the world by storm.

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

“[Michael] Crichton’s dinosaurs are genuinely frightening.”—Chicago Sun-Times

An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them—for a price.
 
Until something goes wrong. . . .
 
In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton taps all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying technothriller.

Praise for Jurassic Park
 
“Wonderful . . . powerful.”—The Washington Post Book World

“Frighteningly real . . . compelling . . . It’ll keep you riveted.”—The Detroit News
 
“Full of suspense.”—The New York Times Book Review

Ratings and reviews

I have read many books that were made into films, including many that underwent many changes in characters, plot points, and the like. This scenario is unique in that I have been a fan of the film for more than 20 years before reading the book. Despite the many changes made from the novel when worked into a screenplay, and my mind's tendency to focus on these differences rather than just enjoy what I was reading, I still enjoyed this novel. I would recommend this novel to any fan of the film.

I've loved the movie all my life, so I figured it was about time that I got around to reading the inspiration, this novel. I have to admit the first 80 or so pages dragged on to me, but once I got to the interesting parts [the island and the animals, and oh god, the science], I was hooked. Nothing at all like the movie, but both are wonderful in their own ways. I enjoy written word almost more than movies, sometimes, because it's fun to picture the things happening in your own head. I understand budget restrictions on movies, but the movie doesn't include half of what the book does. There are more dinosaurs, more people... Definitely recommended!

Things turn out much differently in the novel than in the movie; definitely worth a read for avid JP fans. The action scenes are well choreographed, and the dinosaurs can easily be visualized thanks to the author's writing style. Lots of jumping around from one POV to the next, but I didn't get whiplash. The ending is somewhat unresolved, but I can forgive it as the author was clearly leaving room for a continuation of the mythos. A solid, fun, and mildly educational read.

About the author

Michael Crichton’s novels include The Andromeda Strain, The Great Train Robbery, Congo, Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Disclosure, and The Lost World. He was as well the creator of the television series ER. Crichton died in 2008.