“

As is most frequently the case, the book was better than the film.

And it was a really cool movie. Directed by Stephen Spielberg.

The section of Universal theme park in Orlando is fun too.

Michael Crichton’s 1990 genetically powered biological thriller combines an action packed adventure story with a cautionary tale of corporate, capitalistic greed gone wrong and rolls it all into a humanistic story with excellent characterization and that could be read as a powerful allegory of the harsh realities of laissez faire economics.

And there are dinosaurs.

Fast moving and intensely paced, there is not much filler material in this lean 400-page narrative. Crichton demonstrates his accomplished talent for story telling and though this is my first of his novels (and so I have no basis for comparison), this will not be my last.

While Alan Grant is the thematic and contextual protagonist – the paleontologist dropped off on an island teaming with REAL LIVE DINOSAURS!! – Crichton uses the rock star cool, black dressed, philosophical chaos theory mathematician Ian Malcolm as its spiritual guide for what this book says once the adrenaline has run out.

Clearly, Crichton had a message to impart and showed impressive virtuosity in how to deliver.