The Andromeda Strain - Good Old Reads

The Andromeda Strain - Random House - 1969

Michael Crichton - Airframe — Michael Crichton

When you reach the conclusion of Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain, you may be asking yourself, “Really?” But while you’re getting your head around the story’s resolution, you’ll also be reflecting on what a good time you had getting there.

High Point: Crichton’s story and his style enables you to immerse yourself in this novel.

Low Point: Usually, the technical discussions blend well into the narrative, but occasionally can be overwhelming.

Author: Michael Crichton

Publication Date: 1969

Genre: Science Fiction

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Crichton’s first bestselling novel, The Andromeda Strain tells the story of a secret US government agency’s efforts to identify and stop a deadly micro-organism from space. As the scientists race to control it, the organism has already wiped out most of the population of a small Arizona town.

Showcasing the creativity and technical acumen for which his novels are known, Crichton structured the story as an informal report published after the incident. He even provides a faux bibliography at the end, citing works by the book’s characters. Much of the narrative is devoted to discussions of microbiology, chemistry and other scientific disciplines, giving the novel a unique sense of authenticity.

In fact, the book’s primary weakness—although slight—may be the sheer quantity of technical detail. While it usually blends well within the story, the technical data occasionally overtakes the pace of the narrative, requiring a focused effort to get through it all.

An interesting side note: the computer capabilities described in the story largely reflect those of the late 1960s when this book was published. Crichton incorporated computer printouts in the text, reflecting the output of room-sized mainframes and early line printers. But he also foresaw advances such as voice recognition, introducing us to a primitive version of Siri and Alexa.

This book exhibits an intelligent and inspired approach seldom seen in today’s novels. It expects its readers to be educated and somewhat sophisticated in their tastes—there’s not a single f-word in the whole book. And while Crichton’s resolution may have you scratching your head at first, you’ll quickly realize how clever and intuitive he portrays the conflict between a secret US government agency and The Andromeda Strain.