Next

By: Michael Crichton

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Is a loved one missing some body parts? Are blondes becoming extinct? Is everyone at your dinner table of the same species? Humans and chimpanzees differ in only 400 genes; is that why an adult human being resembles a chimp fetus? And should that worry us? There's a new genetic cure for drug addiction - is it worse than the disease?

We live in a time of momentous scientific leaps; a time when it's possible to sell our eggs and sperm online for thousands of dollars or test our spouses for genetic maladies. We live in a time when one fifth of all our genes are owned by someone else, and an unsuspecting person and his family can be pursued cross-country because they happen to have certain valuable genes within their chromosomes.

Devilishly clever, Next blends fact and fiction into a breathless tale of a new world where nothing is what it seems, and a set of new possibilities can open at every turn. Next challenges our sense of reality and notions of morality. Balancing the comic and bizarre with the genuinely frightening and disturbing, Next shatters our assumptions and reveals shocking new choices where we least expect.

The future is closer than you think. Get used to it.

What's next:

The abridged version of Next,

the free interview with Michael Crichton, and

an exclusive sneak preview of Next.

Take your pick.

©2006 Michael Crichton (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers

Too Political Not Enough Story

Michael Crichton is an awesome storyteller, who towards the end of his life got way to political and forgot to try to tell entertaining stories. Next is one of those latter books unfortunately. This book is basically a rant about the idea that Genes should not be patent-able. So it's an oddball collection of events and characters that underscore this idea. The stor(ies), while kind of interesting, are not very coherent, and then at the end of the book we are treated to one of his rants in an epilogue. It's too bad that the author who brought us so many great books like Jurrasic Park and Timeline lost his way like this. I don't recommend this book.

Highly recommended

Maybe I listened to a different book than those who hated "Next", or maybe I was looking for something different than they were. Personally one of the things I most enjoyed about the book was the multiple related plots. To me it was like watching a "Seinfeld" episode. I also like the fact that in this novel Crichton injected alot more humor than is typical for him. I thought the tone of the novel was like that of many of John Grisham's where you we see the thinly disguised vanity and greed that get the characters involved in all kinds of trouble. I thought the characters were accurately portrayed.

If you are looking for an entertaining read and are not afraid of trying a different story approach give this book a look.

Oh, and I also thought the narration was well done.

Negative reviews can’t comprehend point of the boo

All the negative reviews missed the point. The book was VERY interesting if you are intelligent enough to realize the implications of gene editing in real life. Negative reviewers wanted some flashy non realistic action thriller sci fi- this book is about a real, albeit less extravagant threat to our bodies.

Insight into a world of genetic misbehavior

This is an interesting and at times very entertaining look into the possible scenarios of genetic manipulation. There are so many lines of story going, though, that you could get lost in the complexity. Overall very eye opening and entertaining. It makes you think twice about where the genetic research could take us.

Entertaining

Similar to Prey, State of Fear, but a little different. The way he presented the true facts was unusual and tying it all together was predictable. I am no scientist or literary pro and I liked the book and you will too, if you want to be entertained and the subject matter will get you thinking and is a great conversation starter.

So So

I did not feel that the plot line in the the sample used was really tied into the book all that well. I liked the charactrs but the ending left me feling like the book was not quite done.

Why Why Why

State of Fear, and Next are probably the worst Crichton novels to date. Both of them are long drawn out informative preaching tales that bore he reader. You have to read through two thirds of the book that just goes on and on about court cases and environmental data before the story actually takes off. There are no clear characters to follow, not to mention that the story portion of this book is just lame. Why are you making things like this Michael?

Entertaining, riveting, profound

I had already read the book, now I have listened to it.

It’s Michael Crichton at the top of his form, placing his characters in the ethical labyrinths of modern (here, biogenetic) science.

Great fictional story

Another great story by Michael Crichton. Some comical scenes, especially with the parrot. It would be helpful if there was a one second pause when the story finishes a paragraph and goes to a different setting and character to let the listener be aware of the change.
Also, Crichton might have been spending too much time with whiny children when he wrote this because he gives the children in this story a whiny tone.
Despite that, this is a great story to listen to with some disturbing real life aspects regarding genetic ownership and the problems it causes.

all around fantastic

The narrator does am amazing job. The book is super intriguing and fascinating! Would recommend!