Michael Crichton - Next

Michael Crichton drew his last breath on November 4, 2008. He left a body of work that speaks for itself. Crichton's many science-based novels include hits like TheAndromeda Strain, Jurassic Park and Sphere, which were among over a dozen novels that became movies. Crichton also created the television drama ER.Next was published in 2006, Crichton's last novel. Two additional novels are expected to be published posthumously.

Crichton's novels draw heavily on his medical/scientific background, peppered with his own interpretations or coloring. Next is prefaced by the statement "this novel is fiction, except for the parts that aren't." The parts that aren't fiction are listed in the extensive bibliography at the back of the book. The book incorporates several news releases as part of the story. These news articles are also indexed in the bibliography, providing an eerie sense of reality in this shocking fiction novel.

So, how do issues like Eminent Domain, Patents and Property Law have to do with genetic research? These are actual arguments that have been decided through case law in actual court proceedings regarding the issue of genetic research. Does a person maintain ownership of their discarded tissue, or does it become the property of a research organization or researcher? What effect does research done by public institutions have, when those institutions (funded by public money) have the ability to patent and profit from research? The Bayh-Dole Act, passed in 1980 does just that. These issues skirt the line between improving the quality of life for all people and usurping the rights of Americans.

In Next, Crichton deftly weaves together a story incorporating many of the issues that exist in real life regarding genetic research. Where do we draw the line? Crichton takes the issue to the extremes to test the issues and determine where the breaking point might lie. Between introducing human genes into animals, cross-breeding animals, using human tissue to research disease (and claiming inter-generational ownership over the cell line), introduction of test products into the human population without FDA approval, moral issues arising from genetic testing and a dose of espionage, Crichton manages to cover many bases, uncovering potential problems with current trends in genetic research.

Okay, so Crichton's examples push the envelop further than conceivable. But the moral dilemmas are not stretched so far. Crichton tightly weaves the issues with his immense knowledge and background, creating a disturbingly believable set of circumstances that were meant to provoke thought and discussion. In our current economy, health care consumes twenty percent of our money. With such a large portion of cash infused into a single market, the temptation to transition from pure medicine to profitability is not a big step. It is already a major issue facing America. Crichton exploits this issue with interesting arguments that challenge the current status quo.

Crichton takes several sub-plots involving a vast cast or characters. The characters are adequately developed. The intricate plot brings several of the plot lines together at different points during the story. The jumping around gets a bit hard to follow at times, but the plot does contain many strong elements. The technical aspects of the story are way beyond my training or ability to comprehend, but appear to be well researched and supported by an impressive bibliography. The story bogs down at times, especially on the technical issues, which were way over my head. Getting past the technical jargon, the major themes were well thought out and developed.

Next contains 415 pages, which took me two days to read. The book seemed to be less than that...the pages turn quickly. Because there are nearly 100 chapters in this book, many of the short chapters leave a good portion of one page blank, meaning that the book has less words than you would expect from a book of this length. The number of words are probably in line with what you would expect from an average novel of less than 400 pages. The technical aspects slow the reading down a bit, but the descriptive narration of the story moves rapidly. The pace was balanced, all things considered.

I purchased Next at the airport for six dollars. It was on a clearance table. Because my previous book went much quicker than I thought, I needed another book to read on the airplane for my return flight. The price was right, and I happen to like Michael Crichton. I felt that I got more than my money's worth for this novel, which was solid, but not quite as suspenseful as some of Crichton's other works (of which, I have read at least half). Next, done properly as a movie, would probably draw a large crowd. The concept is original, the characters are adequately developed, the plot has some interesting ideas, and the idea ties in with real issues regarding morality, research and money. I enjoyed this book, but it was not quite what I expected. Not Crichton's best, but still a good read.