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cha_mill26's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
cf93's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cecile87's review against another edition
4.0
Read this during jury duty when it came out. Loved it, especially the chilling idea of finding a spaceship from the future buried at the bottom of the ocean. I loved what they found in that ship as well, even the candy wrappers, if I'm remembering correctly. A mind-bender about the mind, to say the least.
farrington's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
chanidev's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this book up because I had just finished Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne and heard Sphere pulls heavily from it. In this sci-fi mystery, a group of scientists is pulled together to investigate an airplane crash in the middle of the ocean. The list comes by the recommendation of psychologist Dr. Norman Johnson when the U.S. Navy asked him for a report on human responses to potential alien contact.
The story becomes claustrophobic as the scientists and Navy personnel live solely in a cramped underwater habitat. They have to don diving suits to access the underwater crash-- which they identify as American-made, but nothing they recognize. It becomes a little thriller-y when the human psyche is pushed to the limits of underwater living. Mysterious creatures show and events start happening after the discovery of a large polished sphere on board the crash site. A lot less dense than Jules Verne books, and a lot more mystery, but it does incorporate a few Vernian ideas.
I tend to love Michael Crichton books, and this one was interesting but left a lot to be desired. In my opinion, this book is for those who enjoy the fiction part more than the science part of science fiction. It has the mystery thriller part of Crichton's Andromeda Strain but fewer explanations and more focus on human interaction.
https://ucplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/01/sphere.html
The story becomes claustrophobic as the scientists and Navy personnel live solely in a cramped underwater habitat. They have to don diving suits to access the underwater crash-- which they identify as American-made, but nothing they recognize. It becomes a little thriller-y when the human psyche is pushed to the limits of underwater living. Mysterious creatures show and events start happening after the discovery of a large polished sphere on board the crash site. A lot less dense than Jules Verne books, and a lot more mystery, but it does incorporate a few Vernian ideas.
I tend to love Michael Crichton books, and this one was interesting but left a lot to be desired. In my opinion, this book is for those who enjoy the fiction part more than the science part of science fiction. It has the mystery thriller part of Crichton's Andromeda Strain but fewer explanations and more focus on human interaction.
https://ucplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/01/sphere.html
kmik20's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Suspenseful and a departure from the typical sea monster stories with plot revolving around psychology. The story was interesting, but lacked something and kind of let me down.
daddyfingers's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
4.0
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
4.0
Started June 29th, 2013
Took me awhile, as I knew the film which I really like and have seen a few times and own on DVD and Blu-ray.
Both the film and the book have some problems, mainly both could have been shorter.
But the philosophical and psychological themes are well thought out and presented.
The ending might seem unsatisfying, but it is a deeply moral choice resulting of recognizing ones own shortcomings (and that of mankind as now).
Four stars as it could have been a little shorter and faster.
And the book is mostly one really long chapter, so no real breaks to pause. If you have not seen the film, this might be a book to read in one long setting, a risk which you should be aware of if you must sleep or do other things.
I strongly suggest, after reading the book to watch the film.
Recommended reading: other books by Crichton, [b:The Andromeda Strain|7670|The Andromeda Strain|Michael Crichton|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1298413298s/7670.jpg|997271] - old, but excellent and also a fantastic film.
Took me awhile, as I knew the film which I really like and have seen a few times and own on DVD and Blu-ray.
Both the film and the book have some problems, mainly both could have been shorter.
But the philosophical and psychological themes are well thought out and presented.
The ending might seem unsatisfying, but it is a deeply moral choice resulting of recognizing ones own shortcomings (and that of mankind as now).
Four stars as it could have been a little shorter and faster.
And the book is mostly one really long chapter, so no real breaks to pause. If you have not seen the film, this might be a book to read in one long setting, a risk which you should be aware of if you must sleep or do other things.
I strongly suggest, after reading the book to watch the film.
Recommended reading: other books by Crichton, [b:The Andromeda Strain|7670|The Andromeda Strain|Michael Crichton|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1298413298s/7670.jpg|997271] - old, but excellent and also a fantastic film.
read_amanda_read's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0