Sphere (1987)

Author(s) : Michael Crichton

Genre : Science fiction/Thriller

Pages : 385

Rating : 7/10

Since I am adding another good book here, we should probably rename this blog. “Sphere” by Michael Crichton is an exciting thriller filled with intricate twists and turns, and is completely un-put-down-able after the first 100 or so pages. Even though it is a fairly old book by now, and some of the issues mentioned in the book are fairly outdated, it manages to capture the imagination with its time transcending ideas.

The book starts off as a regular run-of-the-mill sci-fi work but is turned into a deep exploration of the human psyche. The story revolves around a psychologist, Norman Johnson, who is called upon to visit a crash site by the US Navy. Being a consultant for many crash investigations, Norman isn’t surprised…until the crashed object turns out to be a spacecraft from three hundred years ago. He is sent to the ocean floor with a team of scientists, all with their own motivations for joining the trip. They are trapped in an underwater habitat for days as a storm rages on the surface, and the mystery of the spaceship unfolds in a deadly and gruesome fashion. Crichton succeeds in making all of the deep sea’s horrors come alive and uses them to portray human weaknesses like never before.

Having said that, the climax gets a little out of hand and seems too perfectly choreographed, with the characters acting in a fairly non-human fashion in the last three or four pages. This book is departs from the typical Crichton theme of malfunctioning technology (such as in Jurassic Park or Andromeda Strain) and is pleasantly refreshing. Definitely a good book for someone with spare time on hand.