DISTORT REFORM: A review of the distorted science in Michael Crichton's State of Fear

By Gavin Schmidt

01 Feb 2005

State of Fear by Michael Crichton, HarperCollins Publishers, 624 pgs., 2004.

Michael Crichton's new novel State of Fear is about global-warming hysteria ginned up by a self-important NGO on behalf of evil eco-terrorists ... or by evil eco-terrorists on behalf of a self-important NGO. It's not quite clear. Regardless, the message of the book is that global warming is a non-problem. A lesson for our times? Sadly, no.

In between car chases, shoot-outs, cannibalistic rites, and other assorted derring-doo-doo, the novel addresses scientific issues, but is selective (and occasionally mistaken) about the basic science involved. Some of the issues Crichton raises are real and already well-appreciated, while others are red herrings used to confuse rather than enlighten.

CRICHTON MAD: A review of the distorted plot and politics in Michael Crichton's State of Fear

By David Roberts

01 Feb 2005

Michael Crichton, author of State of Fear.

Photo: HarperCollins Publishers.

Michael Crichton's State of Fear is an attempt to meld serious politico-scientific critique with a modern techno-thriller. It's an ambitious undertaking, but to paraphrase an old folk saying, success is 10 percent ambition and 90 percent not writing an awful book. Crichton's novel, alas, is unilluminating as a critique and unsatisfying as a thriller.