Crichton Plots and Titles Trivia Quiz

Answer: Congo

'Congo' first published in 1980, features an ape Amy that could understand English and communicate through sign language. The character of Amy is based on a real chimpanzee named Koko, that could communicate through sign language. Crichton states that he was inspired by 'King's Solomon's Mines' to write this novel.

The novel features a hunt for diamonds in the lost city of Zinj. The city is guarded by killer gorillas which try kill the explorers. Finally, the explorers manage to escape, but a volcanic explosion destroys the lost city.

The novel is written in such a way, that the reader is made to believe that this is a true story (through the use of a prologue, epilogue and foot notes). A film version of 'Congo' was also made.

Answer: Prey

'Prey' first published in 2002, has nano technology has its main theme. A company creates a group of nano robots, that could be used as a camera (for use by the Defense department). They use E.coli bacteria to create the swarm of nano robots. They also use an artificial intelligence program called "PredPrey".

The program is secretly modified by two of the ambitious company staff and the nano robots go out of control and start killing people. The hero has to finally kill his wife and destroy the entire facility of the company to stop the nano robots.

The novel extensively covers topics like nano-technology, artificial intelligence and genetic engineering.

Answer: State of Fear

'State of Fear' was published in 2004 and the central theme of the novel is global warming. Generally, most writers try to warn about the ill effects of global warming, but Crichton questions the current theories. He goes on to say that the effects of global warming are not as bad as it seems and brings out a lot of data in support. The novel contains a large number of graphs and a lot of scientific data. The novel features a group of eco-terrorists who plan to artificially cause a series of natural disasters to wake people up to the effects of global warming. The hero and heroine try to stop the eco-terrorists. The novel features a grisly cannibal scene wherein one of the characters is eaten alive by cannibals.

For his efforts, Crichton received the AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) 2006 journalism award. But the novel has been severely criticized by environmentalists and scientists alike. Senator Hilary Clinton criticized him in a senate hearing for "muddy(ing) the issues around sound science". The novel however was extremely popular and was a bestseller.

Answer: Next

'Next' published in 2006, has genetics as its central theme. The novel features a court battle over the cells of a patient which had cancer fighting properties. The novel also discusses different genetic experiments that create a talking chimpanzee named Dave (which is the transgenic son of a scientist) and a talking parrot named Gerard.

This uniquely written novel has many sub-plots and a plethora of characters. The novel highlights the potential problems of gene patenting.

Answer: The Lost World

'The Lost World' was published in 1995 and is a sequel to the famous 'Jurassic Park'. After the destruction of Jurassic Park, all the genetically engineered dinosaurs are presumed dead. But the scientists find a lost world - 'Isla Sorna', which still contained dinosaurs. Lewis Dodgson, who is also featured in 'Jurassic Park', plans to steal the eggs of the dinosaurs, but his plan goes awry and puts everyone into danger. The novel portrays the dinosaurs (velociraptor) as intelligent animals and good parents (T. Rex).

The novel was made into a highly successful film, directed by Steven Spielberg. But there were a large number of changes made in the movie, which featured a dinosaur running amuck in a city (which is not a part of the novel). The novel ends with the scientists escaping and also revealing that the lost world was doomed because all the dinosaurs were infected by prions. However the movie ended with all the dinosaurs alive. After the success of 'Jurassic Park', Crichton was pressured by Spielberg to write this sequel.

Answer: Timeline

'Timeline' was published in 1999. This novel features time travel. An entrepreneur and his team invent a time machine and a professor gets lost in ancient France. His students and assistants go back in time to medieval France to find him. One of the highlights of the novel is a detailed description of a jousting contest between the hero and one of the villains.

The novel ends with one of the time travellers opting to stay back. 'Timeline' was made not only into a movie, but also a video game.

Answer: Sphere

'Sphere' was first published in 1987 and features an object from space that is found at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. A group of explorers go undersea to explore it and they find that it is a spacecraft that has come from the future. They find a sphere, which gives them the power to convert their subconscious thoughts into reality.

A giant squid manifests as a result and kills most of the team. The team finally destroys the spacecraft and uses their powers to erase the entire incident from their memory.

The novel was made into a film starring Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone and Samuel Jackson.

Answer: The Terminal Man

'The Terminal Man' was first published in 1972. The novel features Harry Benson who suffers from epileptic seizures, during which time he carries out criminal acts which he does not recollect later. The doctors decide to plant electrodes in his brain to modify his behaviour, despite the warnings of the heroine Janet Ross.

The experiment goes wrong and Benson becomes a killer. Janet is the only one who can help him, but he tries to kill her. The novel ends with Janet shooting him dead. This medical thriller is one of Crichton's early works and was made into a not so successful film of the same name.

Answer: The Andromeda Strain

'The Andromeda Strain' was first published in 1969 and is a science fiction thriller that highlights the possibility of people on earth being infected by extraterrestrial organisms. An object from space lands in a small town in Arizona; it contains a life form which kills all the townspeople, except two - an old man and a baby.

A group of scientists take the object to a top secret laboratory and try to find out more. They code name the organism as 'Andromeda'. They find out the Andromeda strain killed by causing clotting of blood.

The stain kept mutating and finally mutated into a harmless form. This novel was also made into a film.

Answer: Disclosure

'Disclosure' was first in published in 1994. The novel features an executive Tom Sanders who finds that his former lover Meredith Johnson has now become his boss. He spurns her advances and she retaliates by harassing him. Sanders decides to file a case of sexual harassment against her.

The novel ends with Meredith leaving the job and Sanders re-uniting with his family. The novel with its unique role reversal was severely criticised by feminists. 'Disclosure' was made into a successful film starring Michael Douglas and Demi Moore.