A Book A Week

What if we could rebuild the world as it was millions of years ago? What if we could bring back plants and animals that are extinct? Could we? Should we? Twenty-five years after its initial publication, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton continues to thrill readers and dares to tackle the questions of ethics in scientific discovery. A 1993 movie adaptation became a blockbuster, spawned three sequels, and cemented Jurassic Park as a pop culture phenomenon. But as with most book to film adaptations, the novel offers much more detail and a richer overall experience.

The corporate world is abuzz with word of Ingen's new project. The corporation is run by the peculiar John Hammond who has funneled large amounts of money into a mysterious enterprise on a Caribbean island. Hammond has assembled a curious team of geneticists, zoological experts, computer scientists, and former theme park managers for his newest venture. As his competitors scramble to discover the secrets of his project, Hammond faces problems of his own. Whatever is being done on the island has caused death and serious injury to some of the local construction workers. Ingen's board sees massive potential in Hammond's endeavors, but they worry about the skyrocketing costs and the inherent physical hazards. In order to ease the minds of the board, investors, and company lawyers, Hammond invites a group of experts to tour his island before it is revealed to the public.

Doctors Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, paleontologist and paleobotanist respectively, are among the experts who are summoned to the island. Grant is much more at home digging up the remains of the long extinct animals he studies, but Hammond's generous funding of his digs does much to persuade him to leave the comfort of his dirt and bones. The duo is joined by Dr. Ian Malcolm, a hot shot mathematician from the University of Texas who specializes in the chaos theory. Also along for consultation is a lawyer hired by the investors, Donald Gennaro. Hammond tells his panel of experts that his high stakes project is a "biological preserve" that he plans to open as a state of the art amusement park. As the group enters Jurassic Park, it becomes clear that this is not a typical zoo. The main attraction is a scientific feat that will revolutionize the study of genetics and create unprecedented profits for Ingen. Jurassic Park is the home to living dinosaurs.

At first glance, Jurassic Park is a quintessential sci-fi thriller. Michael Crichton writes of a genetic regeneration program founded in the science of the time (which turns out to be pretty questionable with 25 years of hindsight) to craft a clever narrative of discovery gone wrong. On the surface level, the story works as an effective piece of entertainment. Beyond the stereotypes of the genre, the novel becomes a cautionary tale. In the vein of Frankenstein, the men of science in this novel must face the repercussions of their discoveries. Crichton weaves philosophical questions of morality and responsibility in the face of technological advancement into his tale of exploration and corporate intrigue. This allows Jurassic Park to be a thoughtful commentary on greed and stock driven research while still maintaining a page turning pace. Unlike the movie, the villains of this novel get what's coming to them in deliciously devilish detail that will leave you thoroughly satisfied. Even better, those who practice logic and reason become the heroes of this fable. Twenty-five years later, Jurassic Park remains a smart and thrilling pillar of fantastic storytelling.

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(2015, 17)