Friday, November 07, 2008

Michael Crichton, 1942-2008

I was so sorry to hear that we lost Michael Crichton on Wednesday; he was 66 years old.

Like millions of other people I'm a great admirer of his work, especially his very first novel, The Andromeda Strain, which back in the seventies ignited my interest in epidemiology. I think I can safely say that Michael Crichton's SF work definitely influenced a significant number of my own SF and dark fantasy novels.

The Andromeda Strain also led me to discover that the strange dizzy spells and blackouts my mother regularly suffered were actually epileptic seizures; something that my family never discussed or explained to me when I was a kid. To finally know what was happening to her was a huge relief.

Dr. Crichton was a genius on the page as well as the screen. I don't think there will ever be a storyteller to rival him. We all talk about dazzling the world, but he actually did it. Safe journey, Michael.

8 comments:

  1. He was a genre of one. That is a rare talent indeed.

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  2. Heartbreaking news! He will be missed and never replaced.

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  3. The Andromeda Strain has always been one of my all-time favorite novels, with such an exciting ending. I also liked Michael Crichton's Timeline, for which the movie adaptation apparently didn't work. Ironically, just recently I belatedly picked up a few of this great author's older works. I just finished The Terminal Man and am about to start Congo.

    What a tragic loss! Michael Crichton is truly a giant in American popular literature. And at age 52, it reinforces my desire to keep up with my own personal health, especially in the area of cancer detection and prevention.

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  4. His passing is definitely sad news. He and his writing will be missed.

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  5. Michael will be deeply missed. His stories filled my mind with adventure.

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  6. I feel an immense feeling of loss whenever a great voice is silenced. I find myself thinking of the stories not told, and hope that the ones already out there will be enough to inspire us well into the future.

    Godspeed to Dr. Crichton. Prayers for his family.

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  7. Prolific man. Andromeda caught me when I was in my early 20s. Brilliant. He had such a range, doing ER as well as many other projects. Sadly missed.

    www.publexicon.com

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