• Jurassic Park

  • A Novel
  • By: Michael Crichton
  • Narrated by: Scott Brick
  • Length: 15 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (40,891 ratings)

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Jurassic Park  By  cover art

Jurassic Park

By: Michael Crichton
Narrated by: Scott Brick
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Editorial review


By Alanna McAuliffe, Audible Editor

LIFE FINDS A WAY IN SCI-FI STANDOUT JURASSIC PARK

I, like every other millennial, spent my youth equal parts enamored with and petrified by 1993's big screen adaptation of Jurassic Park. It was a cinematic marvel the likes of which I’d never seen before, brilliant story work bolstered by state-of-the-art animatronics and an impeccable cast. And yet, despite the raptors running rampant on Isla Nublar, there was a stark realism to the story, underpinned by a scientific premise that felt distressingly plausible.

Over the years, I’d watch it again and again and again, until I had memorized every line and singular moment, every bleat of the ill-fated goat, every water glass tremor. There was just one problem—now that I knew the film inside and out, I wanted more. And so, the instant I was old enough to get my preteen hands on a copy of the film’s source material, I did just that. (Spoiler alert: I loved it so, so much that I’d later name my own pet dino—okay, fine, bearded dragon, but close enough—"Crichton" in honor of the late author.)

Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton’s groundbreaking sci-fi standout that had inspired that film is speculative fiction as its very best—whip-smart, taut, and unflinching. Not once does the novel lack for something to say, whether it’s on the ethics of science, technology, and ambition or the resultant disaster from unleashing that which we do not fully comprehend into the world. Upon reading it for the first time, I was instantly struck by the effectiveness of the novel’s blend of minute high-tech, cerebral detail and flashes of graphic body horror, all strung together with a tight, suspenseful narrative. Throughout, there is an urgency to the story, conveying a warning about mankind’s hubris that, even three decades after the novel’s initial publication, we perhaps still fail to heed.

Impressively, what remains sharpest about Crichton’s masterwork aren't the teeth of an apex predator or claws sinking into prey. Instead, it’s the author's incisive musing on unfettered capitalism, the inescapable push-and-pull between chaos and control, and the impact of both on the natural world that cuts right to the bone. John Hammond, the founder of the fictional park, is not naïve about the misgivings—he simply does not care about the risks if they yield significant reward. Motivated only by the potential of profit, he is arguably a more effective antagonist than any of the carnivores lurking in the long grass. After all, the escaped dinosaurs are merely acting on instinct—the real destruction is wreaked by man’s attempts to commodify the natural world.

Continue reading Alanna's review >

Publisher's summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Timeline, Sphere, and Congo, this is the classic thriller of science run amok that took the world by storm.

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

“[Michael] Crichton’s dinosaurs are genuinely frightening.” - Chicago Sun-Times

An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them - for a price.

Until something goes wrong...

In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton taps all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying technothriller.

Praise for Jurassic Park

“Wonderful... powerful.” - The Washington Post Book World

“Frighteningly real...compelling... It’ll keep you riveted.” - The Detroit News

“Full of suspense.” - The New York Times Book Review

©1990 Michael Crichton and © 2014 by Dinosaur Holdings LLC. (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Scott Brick brings a chilling calm to the complex story with his deep, even tone and clear enunciation.... He does a particularly fine portrayal of John Hammond, the creator of the controversial park, giving the character a raspy edge that suits the dark agenda beneath his grandfatherly facade." (AudioFile)

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What listeners say about Jurassic Park

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Great Narration, Great Story, missing details

The story is obviously great, Scott Brick is an excellent narrator, however for some reason they decided to leave out a lot of details whenever they are reading something that's on a computer screen. The part where Malcolm interrogates the control crew about the dinosaurs multiplying is truncated to the point that you have no idea what dinos have multiplied... it's a small gripe but it's a large plot point.

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95 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

Lots of Science

Well, that was fun and science heavy. I guess I've watched the movies before and never really read the book, so it seemed like time.

The book is far less horrifying to me than the movie, but I startle very easily and have a bad scream reflex. So me watching the movie is far more dramatic than me reading the book, even though the book also has a certain level of stress and suspense.

I liked it.

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Wow!!!!!

This is just a wonderful Audible experience. Michael Crichton is a brilliant researcher who does a fabulous job of explaining complex scientific and mathematical ideas to the lay person. He also weaves a story of suspense at just the right pace. It gets a bit gory at times, which I choose to not focus on, but, well, it has to happen in a story involving T-Rex and Raptors.

Scott Brick also performs brilliantly, not over-feminizing the women's voices so as to sound like a drag queen, but rather telling the story with just the right pace and urgency.

Do not hesitate - Read this book!

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One of the cases where the movie is better

One of the cases where the movie is better. Pacing issues and low points. still a fun listen

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Fans Of The Movie Should Certainly Get This

Jurassic Park is just a terrific, terrific novel by Michael Crichton. While the movie, quite rightly, focused on the action and novel cgi, the book delves much more into the science, while still making it just as exciting. A really really fun book.

Sadly, the reader is pretty average. He certainly doesn't spoil the book, but neither does he enhance the experience. I've probably audible-ed close to 100 books, and I'd say he is slightly below average.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book!

Overall I thought it was an amazing book much more details obviously as I compared it to the movie recommended

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Love it!

I loved this book. I grew up watching the movie and it has a special place in my heart for sentimental reasons. I was told I should read the book. I bought the audio book and it was great. I listened to other audio books and couldn’t not stand the way it was read but not this one. It was great.

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awesome

chrichtons descriptiveness transports you into the park. wish some Trex moments were in the movie

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Now that I have heard this...

This is a awesome book! I have always loved Dinosaurs, and always wanted to learn about them. I also wanted to hear stories, ever since I was young. Now I have heard this.p, I am watching the movies!
Thank the Author and the Reader! Thank you!

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It's Jurassic Park, so of course it's awesome.

If you've only seen the movie, you're missing out. There is much more to the story than you've heard. Fantastic narrator.

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