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kandicez's review
3.0
This book was obviously well researched just like all of Crichton's books. I always find that thrilling, especially when it's about something dangerous, like explosives and nerve gas in this title. The low stars are not for that, nor are they due to the pacing. This was a perfect title for Hard Case Crime, thrilling and told at breakneck speed. The low stars are for lack of depth.
Crichton isn't known for creating characters. It's the situation of his tales that really grab the reader. Often that's enough to make me overlook the lack of characterization, but here it simply wasn't. We don't get to know anyone in this book despite having access to a personality profile!
I would recommend this as an airplane or beach read, but that's about it.
Crichton isn't known for creating characters. It's the situation of his tales that really grab the reader. Often that's enough to make me overlook the lack of characterization, but here it simply wasn't. We don't get to know anyone in this book despite having access to a personality profile!
I would recommend this as an airplane or beach read, but that's about it.
catsflipped's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really wanted to enjoy this book but found it a little hard going.
To begin with I struggled to keep track or who/what/where as the ground work for the novel was laid. As we settled down into the investigation things improved but I still found things could be disjointed.
I think this would work brilliantly in film but in text I found it lacking.
To begin with I struggled to keep track or who/what/where as the ground work for the novel was laid. As we settled down into the investigation things improved but I still found things could be disjointed.
I think this would work brilliantly in film but in text I found it lacking.
chaz21's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mike_word's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
levisamjuno's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun, quick read. I was excited to read another Crichton book from his pseudonymous days. There were a few points through the story that seemed a bit contrived, but the action throughout and the resolution were pretty well paced. I reread it today (having read it 2 years ago for the previous review) and I enjoyed it much more the second time.
lah_reads's review
2.0
I don't think I've ever said this about a Crichton novel before, but this one just didn't match my expectations.
It was pretty fast paced, and it had some exciting moments, but it actually felt a bit too rushed. The main hero has way too much of an ego, which makes him hard to like, and the plot is lacking in that special something that every other Crichton novel I've read contains.
Now, I understand that this is one of his earlier works, and hard case mysteries are pretty boiled down, but I feel as though Crichton could have done so much more with this one. It just wasn't up to his normal caliber.
It was pretty fast paced, and it had some exciting moments, but it actually felt a bit too rushed. The main hero has way too much of an ego, which makes him hard to like, and the plot is lacking in that special something that every other Crichton novel I've read contains.
Now, I understand that this is one of his earlier works, and hard case mysteries are pretty boiled down, but I feel as though Crichton could have done so much more with this one. It just wasn't up to his normal caliber.
fanboyriot's review against another edition
5.0
Now this was a good thriller. There was so much that happened in such a short time. While this book lacked some depth in areas, it made up for it in the overall story. It was well paced and easily drew me in, wanting to know what was going to happen next.
msand3's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars. My first experience reading Crichton’s early John Lange work was underwheming. The characters were stock, with zero development beyond a vague, one sentence description of their physical features and their classically Anglo-sounding names. The names of the two main characters -- Graves and Phelps -- most certainly had to be a reference to the (then) contemporary television series Mission Impossible: Peter Graves as Jim Phelps. We get a psychological profile of Graves (an important element in the plot), but no further attempt to integrate his life or past/personal experiences into the narrative.
This was meant to be a quick, breezy thriller. And there’s nothing wrong with that kind of novel. But if that’s the aim, then it needs to be gripping to make up for the lack of any other type of character/setting/subplot development. The first half of Binary just doesn’t deliver. Perhaps the chapters discussing computers and early techno-jargon may have been more interesting to readers in the early-70s, but in 2019 it feels dated and dull. The first third of the novel (maybe more) is devoted to the “set-up” -- much like the early station-briefing scenes of a police procedural that should really only take a short time to unfold. The middle section is largely predictable. Only in the final couple chapters does Lange deliver action, some surprises, and a bit of suspense, although not without some impossible-to-believe moments and twists.
In short, it wasn’t bad for a quick, entertaining read, but nothing very memorable. There are certainly better places to start with Crichton (I haven’t read any more of his Lange novels, so I can’t compare this one to others), and there are also better spy/terrorist novels of the era to consider before this one, including the early work of Frederick Forsyth (especially [b:The Day of the Jackal|540020|The Day of the Jackal|Frederick Forsyth|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405364996s/540020.jpg|1792180], John le Carré, Thomas Harris’ [b:Black Sunday|32417|Black Sunday|Thomas Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442372592s/32417.jpg|1582603], or even [b:the pulp procedurals of Ed McBain|647594|Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here! (87th Precinct, #25)|Ed McBain|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1176728364s/647594.jpg|633738].
This was meant to be a quick, breezy thriller. And there’s nothing wrong with that kind of novel. But if that’s the aim, then it needs to be gripping to make up for the lack of any other type of character/setting/subplot development. The first half of Binary just doesn’t deliver. Perhaps the chapters discussing computers and early techno-jargon may have been more interesting to readers in the early-70s, but in 2019 it feels dated and dull. The first third of the novel (maybe more) is devoted to the “set-up” -- much like the early station-briefing scenes of a police procedural that should really only take a short time to unfold. The middle section is largely predictable. Only in the final couple chapters does Lange deliver action, some surprises, and a bit of suspense, although not without some impossible-to-believe moments and twists.
In short, it wasn’t bad for a quick, entertaining read, but nothing very memorable. There are certainly better places to start with Crichton (I haven’t read any more of his Lange novels, so I can’t compare this one to others), and there are also better spy/terrorist novels of the era to consider before this one, including the early work of Frederick Forsyth (especially [b:The Day of the Jackal|540020|The Day of the Jackal|Frederick Forsyth|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405364996s/540020.jpg|1792180], John le Carré, Thomas Harris’ [b:Black Sunday|32417|Black Sunday|Thomas Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442372592s/32417.jpg|1582603], or even [b:the pulp procedurals of Ed McBain|647594|Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here! (87th Precinct, #25)|Ed McBain|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1176728364s/647594.jpg|633738].
birdmanseven's review against another edition
3.0
I like these early Crichton books. This one was odd in that the stakes were very high (presidential assassination), but it felt like only about 5 people were involved. I think it would have worked better if the threat had been on a more reasonable level.
Listen in to our Crichton spotlight: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-2-thanks-nostradamus
Listen in to our Crichton spotlight: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/episode-2-thanks-nostradamus