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Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Micro in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Review Just becasue
The book Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Prestom was great. I may be a little biased because Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors but at the same time I hold his work to a specific standard that he must meet or else I'm disappointed. Like most of his work Micro touches on some topics that as a society we should be aware of. It warns us of some disasters that new technology, being worked on or possibly already created, can cause. It id also an eye opener to the dangers of that our inventions pose.
In Micro a group of young graduate students at a college or approached by the head of a company called Nanigen. The graduate students are invited out to the Nanigen lab in Hawaii to see for themselves the work being done there and to see if they want to work for the company. Out of curiosity all the approached graduate students agree to go but their trip to Hawaii becomes more than what they bargain for.
Nanigen is studying the micro world mainly looking for chemicals that micro animals are making that could be useful to humans in some way. Also like many scientific companies in the private sector Nanigen is doing top secret work for the government. Greed gets in the way for some of the scientist already working for the company and the trip becomes extremely dangerous and even deadly for the graduate students. Having to deal with micro-bots and new technology never heard of before the students must fight to survive a world very different from our own.
What I like most about the book was one of the same features that keeps me reading Michael Crichton's work. The author does his research very thoroughly. The book may be a work of science fiction but there is a bibliography in the back for the curious reader to be able to learn more about the fascinating topics brought up in the book. For being a work of fiction the animals, plants, chemicals, technology,and scientific concepts are not. What I liked least about the book was how similar to another one of his books it was and how predictable some parts felt to me. Again though, I am very familiar with Michael Crichton's work and that would probably explain why it felt so predictable. I cannot hold that against the book.
Overall I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 and would highly recommend it. It has a very strong story and is believable which is an important factor for science fiction. The target readers for this book would start around high school age if not older. I feel like high school students will get the basic concept of what book was talking about but they might be lost on some of the finer detail. It all just depends on if the book is being read for the story or if the reader is interested in science specifically microbiology and nanotechnology.
I feel like I need to note on here that Richard Preston finishing the book did not harm it in any way.
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In Micro a group of young graduate students at a college or approached by the head of a company called Nanigen. The graduate students are invited out to the Nanigen lab in Hawaii to see for themselves the work being done there and to see if they want to work for the company. Out of curiosity all the approached graduate students agree to go but their trip to Hawaii becomes more than what they bargain for.
Nanigen is studying the micro world mainly looking for chemicals that micro animals are making that could be useful to humans in some way. Also like many scientific companies in the private sector Nanigen is doing top secret work for the government. Greed gets in the way for some of the scientist already working for the company and the trip becomes extremely dangerous and even deadly for the graduate students. Having to deal with micro-bots and new technology never heard of before the students must fight to survive a world very different from our own.
What I like most about the book was one of the same features that keeps me reading Michael Crichton's work. The author does his research very thoroughly. The book may be a work of science fiction but there is a bibliography in the back for the curious reader to be able to learn more about the fascinating topics brought up in the book. For being a work of fiction the animals, plants, chemicals, technology,and scientific concepts are not. What I liked least about the book was how similar to another one of his books it was and how predictable some parts felt to me. Again though, I am very familiar with Michael Crichton's work and that would probably explain why it felt so predictable. I cannot hold that against the book.
Overall I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 and would highly recommend it. It has a very strong story and is believable which is an important factor for science fiction. The target readers for this book would start around high school age if not older. I feel like high school students will get the basic concept of what book was talking about but they might be lost on some of the finer detail. It all just depends on if the book is being read for the story or if the reader is interested in science specifically microbiology and nanotechnology.
I feel like I need to note on here that Richard Preston finishing the book did not harm it in any way.
https://facebook.com/nightreaderreviews
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Micro in Books
Jan 9, 2020
The book Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Prestom was great. I may be a little biased because Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors but at the same time I hold his work to a specific standard that he must meet or else I'm disappointed. Like most of his work Micro touches on some topics that as a society we should be aware of. It warns us of some disasters that new technology, being worked on or possibly already created, can cause. It id also an eye opener to the dangers of that our inventions pose.
In Micro a group of young graduate students at a college or approached by the head of a company called Nanigen. The graduate students are invited out to the Nanigen lab in Hawaii to see for themselves the work being done there and to see if they want to work for the company. Out of curiosity all the approached graduate students agree to go but their trip to Hawaii becomes more than what they bargain for.
Nanigen is studying the micro world mainly looking for chemicals that micro animals are making that could be useful to humans in some way. Also like many scientific companies in the private sector Nanigen is doing top secret work for the government. Greed gets in the way for some of the scientist already working for the company and the trip becomes extremely dangerous and even deadly for the graduate students. Having to deal with micro-bots and new technology never heard of before the students must fight to survive a world very different from our own.
What I like most about the book was one of the same features that keeps me reading Michael Crichton's work. The author does his research very thoroughly. The book may be a work of science fiction but there is a bibliography in the back for the curious reader to be able to learn more about the fascinating topics brought up in the book. For being a work of fiction the animals, plants, chemicals, technology,and scientific concepts are not. What I liked least about the book was how similar to another one of his books it was and how predictable some parts felt to me. Again though, I am very familiar with Michael Crichton's work and that would probably explain why it felt so predictable. I cannot hold that against the book.
Overall I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 and would highly recommend it. It has a very strong story and is believable which is an important factor for science fiction. The target readers for this book would start around high school age if not older. I feel like high school students will get the basic concept of what book was talking about but they might be lost on some of the finer detail. It all just depends on if the book is being read for the story or if the reader is interested in science specifically microbiology and nanotechnology.
I feel like I need to note on here that Richard Preston finishing the book did not harm it in any way.
In Micro a group of young graduate students at a college or approached by the head of a company called Nanigen. The graduate students are invited out to the Nanigen lab in Hawaii to see for themselves the work being done there and to see if they want to work for the company. Out of curiosity all the approached graduate students agree to go but their trip to Hawaii becomes more than what they bargain for.
Nanigen is studying the micro world mainly looking for chemicals that micro animals are making that could be useful to humans in some way. Also like many scientific companies in the private sector Nanigen is doing top secret work for the government. Greed gets in the way for some of the scientist already working for the company and the trip becomes extremely dangerous and even deadly for the graduate students. Having to deal with micro-bots and new technology never heard of before the students must fight to survive a world very different from our own.
What I like most about the book was one of the same features that keeps me reading Michael Crichton's work. The author does his research very thoroughly. The book may be a work of science fiction but there is a bibliography in the back for the curious reader to be able to learn more about the fascinating topics brought up in the book. For being a work of fiction the animals, plants, chemicals, technology,and scientific concepts are not. What I liked least about the book was how similar to another one of his books it was and how predictable some parts felt to me. Again though, I am very familiar with Michael Crichton's work and that would probably explain why it felt so predictable. I cannot hold that against the book.
Overall I would rate this book a 4 out of 4 and would highly recommend it. It has a very strong story and is believable which is an important factor for science fiction. The target readers for this book would start around high school age if not older. I feel like high school students will get the basic concept of what book was talking about but they might be lost on some of the finer detail. It all just depends on if the book is being read for the story or if the reader is interested in science specifically microbiology and nanotechnology.
I feel like I need to note on here that Richard Preston finishing the book did not harm it in any way.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated A Fish Called Wanda (1988) in Movies
Jul 2, 2020
A Jolly Good Time
A member of my family mentioned when discussing the 1988 John Cleese comedy A FISH CALLED WANDA that you can tell much about a person over what part of this film that you like the most. Do you like:
a). The John Cleese/Jamie Lee Curtis love story
b). The "caper"
c). The beleaguered, unsuccessful hit-man Ken
d). The old lady and her 3 dogs
e). Kevin Kline as Otto
For me, that's easy - ALL OF IT! I find that A FISH CALLED WANDA is a very funny, richly acted comedy/caper that brings forth 4 characters that are easy to spend 2 hours with. Starting with John Cleese as Barrister Archie Leach. Cleese conceived, wrote, starred-in and (at times) directed this film and his "British humor" (honed from years as a member of the MONTY PYTHON comedy troupe) is in full force here. He has a reserved appearance about him that covers a wild man underneath yearning to break free.
Jamie Lee Curtis is quite good as the center of the film, Wanda Gershwitz, a cunning conman who will stop at nothing - and step over everyone - to get what she wants. I find that Curtis is under-rated as an actress and a comedienne and this picture shows that she can hold her own against 3 comedy greats at the top of their game.
The 2nd member of the Monty Python troupe to appear in this film is the remarkable Michael Palin as hapless hit-man, Ken. He becomes increasingly frustrated and frantic -and increasingly funny - as he attempts to complete his assignment throughout the course of this film.
But...the real star of this film...and the actor/character that steals the film away from everyone else...is Kevin Kline's Oscar winning performance as Otto, Wanda's erstwhile love who has a very high opinion of himself. It is rare that a comedic performance wins an Oscar - Kline's win is the the last one to do so - but it is easy to see why the Academy decided to reward Kline for it is a committed performance that is wild, wacky and over-the-top, but not overtly so. Kline has been very good in many other pictures/performances before and after this film, but he never reached the height that he reached in this film.
The film has veteran director Charles Crichton listed as Director with Cleese listed as co-Director (though Cleese insisted that Crichton did all the work and he only put his name on it to assuage the fears of studio executives over Crichton's advanced age). Well...Crichton does a wonderful job of letting the lunacy explode on the scene while keeping a lid on it and moving the action along at a brisk pace.
Wanda is one of those films that people remember fondly, but do not revisit. I would highly recommend you do, it's a jolly good time.
Letter Grade A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
a). The John Cleese/Jamie Lee Curtis love story
b). The "caper"
c). The beleaguered, unsuccessful hit-man Ken
d). The old lady and her 3 dogs
e). Kevin Kline as Otto
For me, that's easy - ALL OF IT! I find that A FISH CALLED WANDA is a very funny, richly acted comedy/caper that brings forth 4 characters that are easy to spend 2 hours with. Starting with John Cleese as Barrister Archie Leach. Cleese conceived, wrote, starred-in and (at times) directed this film and his "British humor" (honed from years as a member of the MONTY PYTHON comedy troupe) is in full force here. He has a reserved appearance about him that covers a wild man underneath yearning to break free.
Jamie Lee Curtis is quite good as the center of the film, Wanda Gershwitz, a cunning conman who will stop at nothing - and step over everyone - to get what she wants. I find that Curtis is under-rated as an actress and a comedienne and this picture shows that she can hold her own against 3 comedy greats at the top of their game.
The 2nd member of the Monty Python troupe to appear in this film is the remarkable Michael Palin as hapless hit-man, Ken. He becomes increasingly frustrated and frantic -and increasingly funny - as he attempts to complete his assignment throughout the course of this film.
But...the real star of this film...and the actor/character that steals the film away from everyone else...is Kevin Kline's Oscar winning performance as Otto, Wanda's erstwhile love who has a very high opinion of himself. It is rare that a comedic performance wins an Oscar - Kline's win is the the last one to do so - but it is easy to see why the Academy decided to reward Kline for it is a committed performance that is wild, wacky and over-the-top, but not overtly so. Kline has been very good in many other pictures/performances before and after this film, but he never reached the height that he reached in this film.
The film has veteran director Charles Crichton listed as Director with Cleese listed as co-Director (though Cleese insisted that Crichton did all the work and he only put his name on it to assuage the fears of studio executives over Crichton's advanced age). Well...Crichton does a wonderful job of letting the lunacy explode on the scene while keeping a lid on it and moving the action along at a brisk pace.
Wanda is one of those films that people remember fondly, but do not revisit. I would highly recommend you do, it's a jolly good time.
Letter Grade A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Marylegs (44 KP) rated Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, #1) in Books
Aug 14, 2019
Jurassic Park is the first book in a two part saga written by Michael Crichton, it become one of the most iconic films of the 90’s. Those who have seen the film know that the story revolves around a biotechnology company experimenting with genetics and DNA reconstruction to create dinosaurs in the modern world. On an island off of Costa Rica, these Dinosaurs are being contained in what is being heralded as the zoo of the future. The scientists have managed through DNA extraction and reconstruction to produce 15 different species of extinct Dinosaurs. To test out the park some renowned academics including Dr Grant, palaeontology, Dr Sattler, palaeobotany and Ian Malcom a chaos theory mathematician, are invited to the park. This obviously ambitious leap in technology and questionable ethics runs into some trouble and obviously this has catastrophic consequences.
Never, have I ever, put off reading a book so much as this one. At the very beginning of the year I decided to randomly choose books to read to really push me out of my comfort zone. But, every time I looked at this list I had created I would choose something else. I was avoiding this book, not only because the film was so iconic to my childhood but also I didn’t know if it would be the sort of book I would enjoy to read.
All I can say is, bravo. This book was brilliant. I honestly didn’t want it to end. I loved everything. I didn’t even mind Malcom’s rants on chaos theory, I actually rather enjoyed them and found them thought provoking. I really liked that it was close enough to the film that I could follow what I already knew. But there is so much more to this story. There are obviously fictional elements included regarding the behaviour and activities related to the dinosaurs, but there was obviously a lot of research undertaking when the book was written so I believe the artistic licence is warranted. I loved the differences and I will definitely now read the sequel and these books will be placed into my exclusive re-read rotation.
Never, have I ever, put off reading a book so much as this one. At the very beginning of the year I decided to randomly choose books to read to really push me out of my comfort zone. But, every time I looked at this list I had created I would choose something else. I was avoiding this book, not only because the film was so iconic to my childhood but also I didn’t know if it would be the sort of book I would enjoy to read.
All I can say is, bravo. This book was brilliant. I honestly didn’t want it to end. I loved everything. I didn’t even mind Malcom’s rants on chaos theory, I actually rather enjoyed them and found them thought provoking. I really liked that it was close enough to the film that I could follow what I already knew. But there is so much more to this story. There are obviously fictional elements included regarding the behaviour and activities related to the dinosaurs, but there was obviously a lot of research undertaking when the book was written so I believe the artistic licence is warranted. I loved the differences and I will definitely now read the sequel and these books will be placed into my exclusive re-read rotation.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Great Zoo of China in Books
Nov 13, 2019
The Chinese government have been working for years to create the ultimate tourist attraction, a very special zoo stocking with only one kind of animal - dragons. Long considered a myth the Chinese have found that they do exist and now they are ready to astound the world by showing of these amazing creatures and the fantastic zoo they have created to house them.
CJ Cameron is one of those invited to attend a special press preview tour, on behalf of National Geographic. A renowned expert on all types of reptiles she takes her brother Hamish with her as a photographer as part of a small and select group so that they can be the first to reveal the zoo to the world.
But on this special day, the dragons have their own plan and soon the Chinese are fighting for control of the dragons and the zoo they have created, with Cameron and the other group of journalists caught in the middle as the fearsome beasts rampage through the complex. Cameron must rely on her wits and experience with crocodiles and alligators to survive.
The obvious four word description of this book is 'Jurassic Park with dragons' but also superficially that does describe it's also missing the point of both books. Indeed Reilly acknowledges the Jurassic Park angle, both in an off the cuff remark by Hamish at the start of the book and also in the interview at the back. Jurassic Park has Michael Crichton in full science-as-thriller mode, pondering the latest advances (at the time) of both DNA and fossil discoveries and then giving a glimpse of how these beasts must have been when they ruled the world. The thrill comes from the dinosaurs themselves, they are the stars of the book.
In The Great Zoo of China the dragons are very much a McGuffin. Any suitably fearsome creature would have done, real, historical, mythical or completely imagined. They are simply a powerful threat to humans and agents capable of wreaking huge amounts of death and destruction, as would be expected of Reilly. The star of the show is Cameron, and to a lesser extent her brother (and a few others).
Cameron is Reilly's first lead female character in an action role (The Tournament being a completely different kind of book) and this works really well in the novel, both in terms of setup and plot and she makes a convincing heroine using her knowledge and intelligence to combat each threat.
Of course there are moments where the reader has to suspend their belief. Reilly doesn't aim for gritty realism, he goes for the big and impressive set pieces, almost certain death and narrow escapes that clearly would be impossible in the real world. His novels are very much blockbuster movies transferred to the written word, with the added bonus that the special effects come free courtesy of the reader's imagination.
As usual the plot drives at a breathtaking pace although the real story doesn't start until Reilly has taken us on a tour of his ultimate zoo and shown off his dragons before letting them off the leash.
Yes some of it is pure hokum and there are a couple of plot holes, but at the end of the day this was not written to win any literary prizes. This was written to entertain and thrill and it does that with ease.
Rated: Strong language and graphic violence (i.e. lots of people eaten by dragons)
CJ Cameron is one of those invited to attend a special press preview tour, on behalf of National Geographic. A renowned expert on all types of reptiles she takes her brother Hamish with her as a photographer as part of a small and select group so that they can be the first to reveal the zoo to the world.
But on this special day, the dragons have their own plan and soon the Chinese are fighting for control of the dragons and the zoo they have created, with Cameron and the other group of journalists caught in the middle as the fearsome beasts rampage through the complex. Cameron must rely on her wits and experience with crocodiles and alligators to survive.
The obvious four word description of this book is 'Jurassic Park with dragons' but also superficially that does describe it's also missing the point of both books. Indeed Reilly acknowledges the Jurassic Park angle, both in an off the cuff remark by Hamish at the start of the book and also in the interview at the back. Jurassic Park has Michael Crichton in full science-as-thriller mode, pondering the latest advances (at the time) of both DNA and fossil discoveries and then giving a glimpse of how these beasts must have been when they ruled the world. The thrill comes from the dinosaurs themselves, they are the stars of the book.
In The Great Zoo of China the dragons are very much a McGuffin. Any suitably fearsome creature would have done, real, historical, mythical or completely imagined. They are simply a powerful threat to humans and agents capable of wreaking huge amounts of death and destruction, as would be expected of Reilly. The star of the show is Cameron, and to a lesser extent her brother (and a few others).
Cameron is Reilly's first lead female character in an action role (The Tournament being a completely different kind of book) and this works really well in the novel, both in terms of setup and plot and she makes a convincing heroine using her knowledge and intelligence to combat each threat.
Of course there are moments where the reader has to suspend their belief. Reilly doesn't aim for gritty realism, he goes for the big and impressive set pieces, almost certain death and narrow escapes that clearly would be impossible in the real world. His novels are very much blockbuster movies transferred to the written word, with the added bonus that the special effects come free courtesy of the reader's imagination.
As usual the plot drives at a breathtaking pace although the real story doesn't start until Reilly has taken us on a tour of his ultimate zoo and shown off his dragons before letting them off the leash.
Yes some of it is pure hokum and there are a couple of plot holes, but at the end of the day this was not written to win any literary prizes. This was written to entertain and thrill and it does that with ease.
Rated: Strong language and graphic violence (i.e. lots of people eaten by dragons)
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Catch and Kill : Shadow Operatives Thriller 2 in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Catch and Kill – Shadow Operatives Thriller 2 by J. D. Lasica came recommended to me because of people comparing it to works by Michael Crichton. I am pleased to confirm that all the people comparing the two authors were correct. J. D. Lasica also informed me that I did not need to read the first book to understand this one and that turned out to be true as well. There are not many books that are part of a series that can also be read as a stand-alone. On that same note, this book was so good that I want to go back and read the first book as well.
Action packed right from the start, A woman by the name of Kaden is attacked in an attempted kidnapping at a celebration where she was originally a person of honor. After returning home and finding that it has also been broken into Kaden receives messages from a mysterious man called Bo. Bo wants her help in investigating The Disappearance, and reluctantly Kaden agrees. At the same time on Samana City, a place called Fantasy Live is doing its soft open, and Alex, a reporter for the Axom is doing an undercover story on it.
Fantasy Live uses augmented reality to bring the patron’s deepest fantasies to life, within reason. Alex finds out some disturbing information about Samana City and Fantasy Live and sends word back to Axom. As it turns out Kaden and Bo’s investigation is already leading them to Fantasy Live and they team up with some other Axom employees to infiltrate the island. Things do not go very smooth for them on Samana City. Kaden must trust in her teammates, both familiar and new if they hope to escape. In the process, they are going to try to bring the girls from The Disappearance home and save the world from a surprise bio-warfare that no one is prepared for, but the creator of Fantasy Live is ready to kill to make sure no one interferes.
What I liked best was that the plot line was well thought out. The plans of Incognito and Lucid were explained in a way that made them completely believable. While it does take place in the future the technology used is not that far from what we use every day now. Naturally, I did not like the idea of Lucid and Incognito being missing at the end. However, with this being only the second book in the series I have faith that they will be found. I still do not completely understand how The Disappearance was able to happen without anyone noticing something before it was too late.
Target readers for this book are adults. This is due to the content and topics surrounding sex, forced surrogacy, and human trafficking. People who enjoy action-packed thrillers in a slightly futuristic setting will enjoy this book. I rate this book a 4 out of 4 because I got exactly what I was promised with this book. Each character clearly has their own personality that plays into how they respond to the situations presented. Everything was so believable that it was almost scary to think about how these events could actually happen.
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Action packed right from the start, A woman by the name of Kaden is attacked in an attempted kidnapping at a celebration where she was originally a person of honor. After returning home and finding that it has also been broken into Kaden receives messages from a mysterious man called Bo. Bo wants her help in investigating The Disappearance, and reluctantly Kaden agrees. At the same time on Samana City, a place called Fantasy Live is doing its soft open, and Alex, a reporter for the Axom is doing an undercover story on it.
Fantasy Live uses augmented reality to bring the patron’s deepest fantasies to life, within reason. Alex finds out some disturbing information about Samana City and Fantasy Live and sends word back to Axom. As it turns out Kaden and Bo’s investigation is already leading them to Fantasy Live and they team up with some other Axom employees to infiltrate the island. Things do not go very smooth for them on Samana City. Kaden must trust in her teammates, both familiar and new if they hope to escape. In the process, they are going to try to bring the girls from The Disappearance home and save the world from a surprise bio-warfare that no one is prepared for, but the creator of Fantasy Live is ready to kill to make sure no one interferes.
What I liked best was that the plot line was well thought out. The plans of Incognito and Lucid were explained in a way that made them completely believable. While it does take place in the future the technology used is not that far from what we use every day now. Naturally, I did not like the idea of Lucid and Incognito being missing at the end. However, with this being only the second book in the series I have faith that they will be found. I still do not completely understand how The Disappearance was able to happen without anyone noticing something before it was too late.
Target readers for this book are adults. This is due to the content and topics surrounding sex, forced surrogacy, and human trafficking. People who enjoy action-packed thrillers in a slightly futuristic setting will enjoy this book. I rate this book a 4 out of 4 because I got exactly what I was promised with this book. Each character clearly has their own personality that plays into how they respond to the situations presented. Everything was so believable that it was almost scary to think about how these events could actually happen.
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