A thriller's thriller

Jurassic Park is the signature Crichton novel. Released in 1990 it pushed genetic engineering directly into the center of popular culture and ignited a franchise that spans movies, comics and video games.

I read this book for the first time in HS. I suspected it would be different than the movie, for obvious reasons but it did strike me HOW it was different.

The film is an action adventure, filled with charming actors and groundbreaking special effects. Sam Niel, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Attenborough all have fun on the big screen, and look good doing it.

What they left out from the novel, however, are more than a few set pieces, its the tone.

Jurassic Park the novel is a thriller, to be sure, but is better described as a horror-thriller.

For example Dennis Nedry's death in the movie is tense and maybe a little scary but his death in the book still sticks with me now. Crichton takes the time to explain being blinded by the Dilophosaurus' spit, the searing pain of the venom in his eyes. And just as Nedry is being disemboweled his last thoughts are wishing for he pain to be over. Despite the imagery there isn't a sense of exploitation or sensationalism in the narrative but merely the reality of animal attacks and how brutal they can be and humanity being subject to the violence is framed as scary.

Crichton clearly took the time to research all areas of the book to bring such an incredible idea into the realm of believably. He never gives way to the instinct to have a scientist hand wave away an potential issue with a quip about the "science being too hard for a layperson to understand".

He also treats the dinosaurs as animals. They have animal instincts and motivations. The movie, being what it is, made the Raptors and T-Rex the breakout stars of the film. The kitchen scene is some of the best storytelling put to film. In the novel, while menacing, there is not maliciousness to it, outside of what a tiger or chimpanzee could muster in the real world.

I enjoyed the book. Its the best thriller I have ever had the pleasure of reading and kept me engaged. The film and book differ enough as to make this book more than worth it.