Eruption, Michael Crichton and James Patterson, authors; Scott Brick, narrator
John MacGregor is in charge of HVO, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Moana Loa, the largest volcano in the world is sending signals, with a growing number of earthquakes, that it is about to erupt. Mac is addressing an audience about the coming eruption. He knows about how large the eruption will be, and he thinks it will be record-breaking; he knows exactly when it will occur, as well. He does not want to cause a panic, so he doesn’t tell them the whole story. He simply tells them that it will be a large eruption, but not how large, he informs them of an approximate date, but not the exact date, even though he knows it. He does tell them that the lava flow will not travel to Hilo. It is expected to travel away from inhabited areas. It should flow toward a military training ground, so it will not threaten civilization. Soon he would learn he was wrong. He would be summoned to a meeting by the military. There, he would be told about an additional problem, besides the coming eruption. Agent Black was on the loose.
The army had stored dangerous waste material in that uninhabited area. and the canisters were beginning to leak. They had to be contained before the eruption made the situation worse. The material in them was unknown, but very dangerous. It had begun to morph into a contagious “virus” with the power to cause a pandemic that would destroy all plant life on the planet, and then all human life. MacGregor now had the weight of the entire world on his shoulders, He was sworn to secrecy. His job was to figure out a way to prevent the volcano from exposing the world to this danger.
The military, the media, ordinary citizens, headline hunters and others all battled for the spotlight. They interfered in his effort as they inserted themselves into the equation. Even though he explained how to stay safe, many headline hunters ignored the rules. Several people died unnecessarily in their effort to get the best photograph, to expose more information, and/or to be in charge or to be the first to cover the news. Film crews flew dangerously close to the volcano, others incited the public. People grew concerned. They did not feel they were being told the whole story, and indeed, it was top secret, so they were not told the whole story at all. They were very much in danger, so was the entire world.
Although the book seemed well-researched, and Patterson created a great deal of excitement in the novel, the scientific explanations and the descriptions of the growing number of catastrophes often flew over my head. The use of foul language was way over the top and crude. The dialogue often went on unnecessarily, seemingly to fill the pages. Many of the ideas were repetitive.
It was a valiant effort, but the writing style of both authors was at odds with each other, so that a plausible science fiction novel became a made for TV thriller, ripe for a great pyrotechnic display to excite an audience, but not something to ignite much thought. It was difficult to stay engaged with the narrative because there was simply way too much death and destruction. It took too long to get to the main point which was that the canisters of material stored in the “ice tube” by the military were never properly monitored and now posed a threat to the entire world. The volcano was the catalyst, but not the greatest danger. What was stored under the ground, waiting to be unleashed, was the monster waiting to be freed. A pandemic of monstrous proportions was at the door. The material stored in the canisters had morphed into something unknown and deadly. The struggle to find a solution was key. That in a nutshell covered the plot that went on for too long.
This book was never completed by Michael Crichton who died unexpectedly before he finished the manuscript. James Patterson collaborated with Crichton’s widow. She provided the incomplete novel to him. He completed it. Sometimes, it would be better if certain professionals stayed in their own lane. Crichton wrote great science fiction. Patterson writes great mysteries. Each could be described as a master in his own field. This “joint” effort, however, did not work for me. Crichton’s books, though science fiction, were a cut above that and were in the realm of the possible, just not yet in our time. Patterson’s books are quite different, often featuring characters that fly under the radar creating mayhem, world catastrophes and crime, but they are always in the realm of the current real world of the possible. The two different styles did not merge seamlessly for me.