Eruption

More than fifteen years after his untimely demise, another of legendary author Michael Crichton’s partially completed manuscripts sees the print in Eruption, in collaboration with James Patterson – one of the biggest-selling authors of our time.

Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on earth, is priming to have its most violent eruption in centuries in less than five days, but the nearby city of Hilo, Hawaii, seems it will come out unscathed. The volcano’s topography, studied by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory headed by John ‘Mac’ MacGregor, predicts that the lava will flow away from the city – towards an area largely uninhabited except for an army training base. But whatever hope Mac has for Hilo’s wellbeing goes for a toss when the chief of the army base summons him with an ominous secret that threatens to destroy all life on the planet if the lava flows as predicted.

Racing against time to devise a solution to the problem, Mac and his team, supported by the army, do all they can while confronting multiple obstacles, natural and human. Nature – as in the internal workings of an active volcano – defies the team at every step, disproving predictions and disrupting plans. Humans, in the form of publicity-hungry celebrities, arrogant billionaire cowboys, and a few who disobey orders and bypass procedures – albeit innocently, cause their share of chaos. All the estimates and strategies are practically blown away when the gigantic volcano finally erupts, and the apocalyptic threat to humanity approaches inexorably at the pace of the lava flow, with only a few individuals fighting to thwart it.

Michael Crichton has been at the top of the list of my favourite authors for a long time, and I know of several who became readers solely because they came across a Crichton masterpiece and got hooked. His death at the relatively early age of sixty-six was a devastating blow to fans worldwide, and any announcement of the publishing of his manuscripts is a cause to celebrate. Though not the same as the original books, the experience of seeing Crichton’s words in print is something his fans would loath to miss. His exhaustive research, lucid presentation of complex scientific concepts, and knack for making fiction sound like fact are unparalleled. As for James Patterson, one of the biggest names in publishing for a while now, I have enjoyed the books he has written solo – like the Alex Cross series – but not his collaborations that much.

Eruption combines, for the most part, the strengths of Crichton and Patterson: the former’s knowledge of science and technology adding substance to the latter’s uncomplicated prose, short chapters ending with a hook, and vivid descriptions of action. The breakneck race against the volcanic activities leaves little scope for character development, though a few, including Mac and Jenny Kimura, stand out. Right from the riveting prologue, the narrative moves at a fast clip, with scenes fit for adaptation to the big screen, towards the pulse-pounding finish. On the downside are the few stereotyped characters, unrealistic dialogues, and repetitive parts about the impending danger, which could have been worked upon a bit.

While not in the league of the best of either Crichton or Patterson, Eruption is still an absorbing read, not the least because of its nostalgic value, and I enjoyed it a lot!

I am sincerely grateful to the fine people at Little, Brown and Company / Hachette Book Group and Mystery and Suspense Magazine for the Digital Galley of Eruption through NetGalley!