The Lost World

Fun Memorial day weekend read, nearly as good as the original. Might have read before seeing the movie sequel, certainly the book is much better.

This is the only sequel Crichton wrote, and it's very good. The technology at Site B is the same as the original book, but that makes sense. Tech that the protagonists have is improved, which also makes sense - it's been more than five years. The science is consistent, and I like the resolution. The human antagonists are comical, and come to appropriate ends.

The book was written after the first film, perhaps under some pressure from Spielberg. The return of Ian Malcolm (the author cited Doyle's return of Holmes) is a joy, and not only are his lines mentally spoken by Jeff Goldblum, but there is often wry commentary related to his early adventure in the first book. Scenes at the end of the book (and under morphine) are also similar, a Malcolm monologue on modern science.

If there's one thing I would ask the late Michael Crichton, it would be why kids? They were grandkids of an overconfident owner in the first book; here they are just student helpers. Perhaps this was a Hollywood influence also.