‘Rising Sun’ (1992) makes trade pacts thrilling
Michael Crichton Monday (Book review): Crichton mixes a hardboiled murder mystery with Japanese corporate intrigue. It’s outdated but engrossing.
Books
‘Rising Sun’ (1992) makes trade pacts thrilling
Poirot all business in ‘Murder in Mesopotamia’ (1936)
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): You could hand this Agatha Christie novel to a newbie and say “This is the template for a Poirot mystery.”
‘Contact’ (1997, 1985) makes science accessible, lovely
Throwback Thursday (Movie, book reviews): In the late-1990s gamut of space-visitor movies, “Contact” is the mainstream one – in a good way.
Crichton’s career stealthily begins with ‘Odds On’ (1966)
Michael Crichton Monday (Book review): The layperson knows his first novel as “The Andromeda Strain,” but it was actually “Odds On.”
Poirot airs his theories in ‘Death in the Clouds’ (1935)
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Agatha Christie tries a new riff on the closed-room mystery with a closed-cabin mystery.
‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968) is as cold as space itself
Throwback Thursday (Movie, book reviews): “2001: A Space Odyssey” influenced later works such as “Contact,” “Event Horizon” and “Ad Astra.”
Christie gets theatrical in ‘Murder in Three Acts’ (1935)
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): This novel doesn’t have the strictest three-act structure, but it does tap into the notion of life as a performance.
Crichton opens a smart puzzle box in ‘Sphere’ (1987)
Michael Crichton Monday (Book review): Unlike most Crichton novels, “Sphere” is a puzzle box. On your first read, you don’t know what it’s about.
Christie expands sleuth roster with ‘Parker Pyne Investigates’ (1934)
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Christie struggles to come up with the right word for Pyne’s job. He’s like a life coach, except you pay by the situation.
‘Eaters of the Dead’ (1976) digs into Viking lore
Michael Crichton Monday (Book review): Crichton takes a crack at making the “Beowulf” lore accessible for modern readers.