Review-Michael Crichton-"State of Fear"

Michael Crichton's "State of Fear"- a gripping, scientific thriller.The book can be seen from two perspectives- one, where the author gives a proven picture of how the term "Global Warming" has been misused by NGO organizations to create fear among the masses, and the second, there is the brilliant plot by Eco-terrorists, to "create" calamities for publicity reasons and how it is thwarted by the characters in the novel.

The story revolves around

• Peter Evans, an environmentalist lawyer
• Morton a millionaire philanthropist
• Drake, the Director of NERF(National Environment Resource Fund) who is also a close friend of Morton
• Sarah, Morton's Secretary
• Kenner-an environmentalist
• Sanjong- Kenner's friend

The storyline in brief, the story begins with suspense, mysterious people buying very lethal stuff and a scientist being murdered. Peter Evans is Morton's lawyer and believes in conventional stuff about global warming, just like any of us, and is convinced that earth would face disastrous results much sooner if global warming is happening at this rate. Morton, being a rich philanthropist, funds NERF for various philanthropic reasons and mysteriously, he withdraws his monetary support for their International Conference and disappears. Now Evans, Sarah, Kenner and Sanjong join hands and fight the eco-terrorists who had planned to "create" natural calamities during the conference . The plot is progressively foiled by the team, and the suspense is heightened when Morton, who was believed to be dead reappears somehow magically to rescue them, from a life-threatening danger.And during the course of their rescue mission, slowly it is discovered that NERF has been routing their funds for such illicit mission, to create "fear of Global Warming" among the masses and gain more publicity by false propoganda.

The author, through this book,conveys to the reader that Global Warming has been blown beyond proportion, by various organizations, for publicity and creating fear among masses. He also states various proofs, in the forms of graphs and quotes from famous environmentalists.He emphasises that global warming is not a phenomena to be scared of, and whatever measures the mankind takes to control it, has only caused even more disaster to the environment and humans in general. The huge amount of money that has been spent on all this, could be effectively used otherwise to benefit mankind.He reiterates throughout the book that if man tries to take control of nature, assuming that he is attempting to maintain the balance, then he is going to cause irreversible damage to the existing delicate balance structure of nature.

The book is an awesome thriller, and the story is beautifully spun, to keep the reader's interest intact throughout. Also the scientific facts and graphs might go a little above our heads, yet simple language is used to convey the message. Kudos to Crichton!! A masterpiece and a must read!!