Scan barcode
A review by remlezar
Binary by Michael Crichton, John Lange
3.0
Fast, easy, fun, and masculine to a ludicrous degree. So, pretty much exactly what you want when you pick up a pulp novel to read over the summer break. It was cool getting to read a Michael Crichton book from before he was THE Michael Crichton. Kind of feels like watching batting practice at a major league ballgame, or showing up to the symphony early and hearing all the instruments get tuned up.
Something that did surprise me about this book that sets it apart from most other pulp novels: absolutely no sex. Not even the suggestion of any. Honestly, I'm not even sure who the naked lady on the cover of the book is supposed to be. There's really only one female character in the entire novel, and to say she's disposable would be putting it nicely. The book fails the Bechdel test miserably - not only do two women characters not talk to each other about something other than a man, but two women characters don't appear at all. There's only one, and she talks to some men... about another man.
Overall, though, you can't complain too much. Reading this book is like getting on a rickety old roller coaster at a traveling carnival. If you have a good time and the entire thing doesn't fall apart by the end, you're happy.
Something that did surprise me about this book that sets it apart from most other pulp novels: absolutely no sex. Not even the suggestion of any. Honestly, I'm not even sure who the naked lady on the cover of the book is supposed to be. There's really only one female character in the entire novel, and to say she's disposable would be putting it nicely. The book fails the Bechdel test miserably - not only do two women characters not talk to each other about something other than a man, but two women characters don't appear at all. There's only one, and she talks to some men... about another man.
Overall, though, you can't complain too much. Reading this book is like getting on a rickety old roller coaster at a traveling carnival. If you have a good time and the entire thing doesn't fall apart by the end, you're happy.