A curious thing to reread a beloved book for the first time in literally decades.
In this case, Sphere by Michael Crichton. I'm not sure when I last read it but it was certainly before I enlisted in the Navy (which is important unto itself in regards to the story). During high school and college, it was one of my favorite novels (by contrast, I loathed the film aside from the casting and score).
The differences in perspective while reading the book, from a teenager and young adult to a middle-aged man after going through the Navy, makes certain things stand out a lot more.
Of course, the technical aspects of the Navy are glaring (both what Crichton gets right and wrong) as well as trying to figure out the job ratings of the four petty officers (Crichton never specifies them, just their expertise, but I'm pretty sure I've guessed them correctly as ET, MS, MM...and JO!)
But the biggest thing that stands out as a more mature reader is how I don't think Sphere isn't nearly as brilliant of work of literature as I once thought. I've always had an issue with Crichton's prose, particularly the vagueness of where certain characters physically exist. However, now such flaws stand out even more, along with new ones I didn't have problems with before, such as the unnatural verbal interactions that often come off clumsy at best.
Additionally, there are aspects of the story that haven't aged well (particularly Beth's portrayal, even if parts of that were deliberate) and how some of the science has now become outdated (such as the notion that only humans have imagination).
However, even with those flaws standing out more, the story is still a fun sci-fi, psychological thriller and it achieves what Crichton frequently did best by combining heavy research with dramatic action. I still love the exploration of imagination and how it could be utilized as a weapon, even if unconsciously. And I still love how the story pushes the boundaries of Clarke's third law ("Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic") even if there are novels that demonstrated those ideas far better.
Sphere may not carry as much weight as it once did and, while nostalgia is certainly a factor, I nonetheless enjoyed reading the novel again. But it definitely has fallen from the lofty place it held in my mind for so long, even amongst Crichton's bibliography. Which makes me wonder how well Jurassic Park holds up (and that's before you even get to its outdated science...).
In this case, Sphere by Michael Crichton. I'm not sure when I last read it but it was certainly before I enlisted in the Navy (which is important unto itself in regards to the story). During high school and college, it was one of my favorite novels (by contrast, I loathed the film aside from the casting and score).
The differences in perspective while reading the book, from a teenager and young adult to a middle-aged man after going through the Navy, makes certain things stand out a lot more.
Of course, the technical aspects of the Navy are glaring (both what Crichton gets right and wrong) as well as trying to figure out the job ratings of the four petty officers (Crichton never specifies them, just their expertise, but I'm pretty sure I've guessed them correctly as ET, MS, MM...and JO!)
But the biggest thing that stands out as a more mature reader is how I don't think Sphere isn't nearly as brilliant of work of literature as I once thought. I've always had an issue with Crichton's prose, particularly the vagueness of where certain characters physically exist. However, now such flaws stand out even more, along with new ones I didn't have problems with before, such as the unnatural verbal interactions that often come off clumsy at best.
Additionally, there are aspects of the story that haven't aged well (particularly Beth's portrayal, even if parts of that were deliberate) and how some of the science has now become outdated (such as the notion that only humans have imagination).
However, even with those flaws standing out more, the story is still a fun sci-fi, psychological thriller and it achieves what Crichton frequently did best by combining heavy research with dramatic action. I still love the exploration of imagination and how it could be utilized as a weapon, even if unconsciously. And I still love how the story pushes the boundaries of Clarke's third law ("Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic") even if there are novels that demonstrated those ideas far better.
Sphere may not carry as much weight as it once did and, while nostalgia is certainly a factor, I nonetheless enjoyed reading the novel again. But it definitely has fallen from the lofty place it held in my mind for so long, even amongst Crichton's bibliography. Which makes me wonder how well Jurassic Park holds up (and that's before you even get to its outdated science...).
