I just finished Cold Mountain, and am trying to read books for other movies that are coming out that I know I'll see.

Timeline's coming up. Is this one worth reading? Anyone read it? And more importantly, anyone liked it?

I didn't like it--it just seemed like Jurassic Park in a medieval setting. IMO it was just Crichton on autopilot.

Formulaic, utterly predictible crap, every moment painfully obvious that it was written to be a screenplay.

I thought it wasn't bad. Not what I'd call deep literature. But it was a fun, quick, fluffy read. It was pretty much the equivalent of a summer popcorn movie.

I haven't read it, but plan on doing so in the next couple weeks. I haven't heard good things though.

Well, Jurassic Park was the last Crichton book I've read, so I haven't exactly been a fan. I'm in need of some fluff in my reading diet, so I may check this one out.

Love it. But don't expect the movie to be anywhere close to it.

Why not?

Wow. This is almost word-for-word what I was going to say.

Although it didn't work for me as a novel, I will give the movie a try. A lot of times pulpy stuff like this makes for very entertaining films (think Die Hard).

I thought it was OK, but as other have said, definately not a fiest for the brain.

I expect the movie to be almost EXACTLY the same. As I said before, the dialogue, pacing, jousting, fore-shadowning, "cliff-hangers", swash-buckling, pithy quips used by the "good guys" while dispatching the "bad guys" ALL read just like the book was written as a script for a popcorn flick. I don't remember anything at all in the book that wouldn't translate directly into a Joe-sixpack movie.

I thought it was an enjoyable read but nothing too exciting.

I think its better than Prey.

I think "screenplay" with every book I read by Crichton, but he can be an entertaining read. I enjoyed Timeline, I actually read it on a beach vacation so I wouldn't have to think too hard. I too enjoyed it more than Prey.

So if you enjoy his writing I think you'll enjoy Timeline.

It seems the general consensus that a movie version of a book is almost always inferior to its source. With Crichton, though, it seems to be the exact oposite, especially with his recent books.

Timeline

But, I'm looking forward to renting the movie.

(And Prey )

Well, I was talking more about how they made the professor Chris Hughes'(Paul Walker's character) father and not just a teacher/father figure. Doniger's obviously miscast. I don't think Ethan Embry could pull of Stern and a lot of other stuff I can't remember right now.

Didn't bother to put those in spoiler since most of you think it'll suck anyway.

Time travel
The Dark Ages

Timeline

I really enjoyed Michael's pre Lost World books. Even J. Park was an enjoyable read. Since then, he is only going through the motions

That sums it up about perfectly.

In my opinion, the central concepts of the book were really interesting and had potential, but they just sort of petered out as it became a "where's Waldo" sort of thing.

Easily one of Crichton's worst.

Crichton formula #1: Take a smart, good-hearted person and drop them into the middle of corporate-intrigue scandal. Worked well for Disclosure; tepid for Rising Sun or Disclosure II: Airframe.

Crichton formula #2: Take a team of various experts and drop them into a weird situation that spirals out of control. Worked well for Jurassic Park, Sphere, Eaters of the Dead, and (to some extent) Congo. Worked very badly for The Lost World and [shudder] Timeline. Timeline is one of his worst.

Haven't read Prey yet.

- David Stein

Eaters of the Dead? Are you kidding me? That was Crichton's worst book.

Timeline is just a screenplay in book form. Awful.

And for the record, from best to worst:

Airframe
Disclosure
Sphere
Jurassic Park
Andromeda Strain
Prey
Rising Sun
Travels
Terminal Man
The Lost World
Timeline
Eaters of the Dead

I loved Eaters of the Dead. I liked how he set it up and its amazing how many he fooled into thinking it was a true story. I thought it was a good, quick, fun read. But I really can't compare it to too many of his other novels, since I've only read that one and Rising Sun, which I read years ago and remember liking it very much.

I agree that Critchton's books read a lot like screenplays. What's funny about that is that when they are adapted into movies, there's always a TON of changes.

Timeline
Utter crap as a book, it should make a better movie. For a good book about time travel try:

Time Travel
Middle Ages
Plague


Dooms Day Book by Connie Willis

I thought Timeline was utterly unoriginal, boring and way too simplistic.

Easily the worst book I've read in ages.

Alright, I can totally not pay attention to your recommendations.

Please tell me why in the world Airframe tops that list. You want to talk boring...

BTW I liked Timeline. I thought it was pretty good and held my attention. It would be much better if it was edited down a lot. Too long.