Farewell Michael Crichton

What a sad day! I woke up to find news that my favourite author Michael Crichton has passed away :(

During my early teenage years, after being sick of reading Fear Street and not understanding what the heck was Christopher Pike writing anymore, I was looking for new books, new authors. Being the ever-fussy person that I am, it was rather hard to find something that pleases me. Mills & Boons, or any other romance novels are definitely out, a decision I made after reading three Sweet Dream books and find the storyline is essentially the same, and so predictable! I tried Stephen King but don't like his books either. Sidney Sheldon and John Grisham's works did not seemed appealing after a few pages.

So there was I, restless with no books to read (remember, at that time there's no such thing called the Internet or mobile phone). One day, I saw this in the book store :



There were plans to make this into a movie, which was why so much marketing on the book. Since the cover drew me to the book, and the storyline looks interesting, I decided to give it a try. At first I struggled with the scientific terminology and concepts being used, but once I got past it, the rest of the book was just amazing. I was so hooked to the book, so intrigued by the story that at one point in time, it did seemed possible that the recreation of dinosaurs will happen in future.

I found myself wanting to read more of Michael Crichton's books.

Thank goodness for Novel House in SS2 (now sadly gone out of business), they already had a reasonable collection of Michael Crichton's novels that I can rent. For the next few months, I started reading The Great Train Robbery, Disclosure, The Andromeda Strain, Rising Sun, Congo, Coma, Airframe, Sphere among those that I can remember.

Jurassic Park the movie was such a blockbuster hit it propelled Michael Crichton to fame. There were more adaptations but none as successful as Jurassic Park. I didn't watch the rest of the movies except Jurassic Park (of course must watch la!) . It was after 2000 that I stopped reading books altogether, which includes his later works, although I have bought State of Fear and is on my to-read list.

What made me so attracted to his books? One would be his no-nonsense writing style, and the fact that he was able to merge facts and fiction together, making all his stories seemingly real. My favourite books of his are Jurassic Park, Sphere and Congo. I would have to make time to read his latest books, but with the sad realisation there will not be any more amazing stories from him.

Rest in peace.




Extracted from People Online

Michael Crichton, the prolific best-selling author of Jurassic Park, The Lost World and Sphere and creator of TV's ER, has died at age 66.

The writer, who sold more than 150 million books and had many of his titles made into blockbuster movies, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles after waging a private battle with cancer, his family says.

"While the world knew him as a great storyteller who challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us – and entertained while doing so – his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a "devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes," his family says in a statement. "He did this with a wry sense of humor that those who were privileged to know him personally will never forget."

The family adds: "Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand. He will be profoundly missed by those whose lives he touched, but he leaves behind the greatest gifts of a thirst for knowledge, the desire to understand, and the wisdom to use our minds to better our world."

A private funeral is being planned.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I iike Jurasic Park. That was my dream in the childhood, to be an adventurous scientist to study dinosour. And suddenly he published the book and movie was released. And after time passes, I found very old Jurasic Park in one of guest house in Malaysia. It may passed a lot of travellors in this lonely planet.... Conclusion is that I am so sad...