Thursday, July 27, 2017

Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton

Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton

The Andromeda Strain is a 1971 American science fiction movie based on Michael Crichton's 1969 novel. It was the beginning my enjoyment of the genre and Crichton. For some strange reason he has included inaccurate portrayal of Mormons in several of his books and does so here. That would not bother me as much but for the fact that he researches his science and is known for having his facts in order. Not so the case with Mormonism.

Michael Crichton is dead, it surprised me to see a new book authored by him on the NYT top list. But there is was: Dragon Teeth. The book imagines the fossil-hunting expeditions of Edward Cope and the rivalry he had with Othniel Marsh. Come to find out they were real people and the events records are mainly true as part of the Bone Wars: The Cope-Marsh rivalry which dominated American science during the second half of the 19th century. They were the founding fathers of American paleontology and dinosaurs.

The book is a quickly paced, engaging historic mishmash of decades of events condensed into a year’s story, inconsequential read. Does not take long to read and wouldn't merit the time if required. Nonetheless an enjoyable digression.

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