Read an Excerpt from Michael Crichton's Dragon Teeth

USA Today has published an excerpt of the recently discovered Michael Crichton novel Dragon Teeth.

Check it out!

Michael Crichton Manuscript to be Published in 2017

An unpublished book by Michael Crichton is scheduled to be published by Harper Collins in May 2017. Crichton's widow, Sherri Crichton, discovered the manuscript Dragon Teeth while going through his archives.

From the press release:

Michael Crichton’s DRAGON TEETH follows the notorious rivalry between real-life paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh during a time of intense fossil speculation and discovery in the American West in 1878. The story unfolds through the adventures of a young fictional character named William Johnson who is apprenticed first to one, then to the other and not only makes discoveries of historic proportion, but transforms into an inspiring hero only Crichton could have imagined. Known for his meticulous research, Crichton uses Marsh and Copes’ heated competition during the ‘Bone Wars,’ the golden age of American fossil hunting, as the basis for a thrilling story set in the wilds of the American West.

Sherri Crichton has been working to honor her late husband by creating the Michael Crichton Archives through her company CrichtonSun. “When I came across the DRAGON TEETH manuscript in the files, I was immediately captivated. It has Michael’s voice, his love of history, research and science all dynamically woven into an epic tale.” She traced its genesis back to correspondence between Crichton and Professor Edwin H. Colbert, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History. “DRAGON TEETH was clearly a very important book for Michael. I’m so pleased to continue the long relationship that he shared with HarperCollins with its publication.”

I've seen mentions of unpublished projects in Michael Crichton's interviews, but I don't remember anything about this one. Time to go through my own Michael Crichton archives. When Pirates Latitudes was published, I discovered that Crichton had mentioned it in an interview.

The Origin of Pirate Latitudes

Origins of Pirate Latitudes - Part 2

There's something else to look forward to. National Geographic is planning a mini-series based on Dragon Teeth.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

“Given Michael’s history with Amblin, and his love of science, I am delighted to have found the perfect home for Dragon Teeth at Nat Geo,” said Sherri Crichton. “Dragon Teeth was a very important book for Michael and is another example of his immense talent and versatility as a writer and his appreciation and understanding of a great page in the history of paleontology.”

Micro Cover Revealed!

The cover of Michael Crichton’s upcoming novel Micro has been revealed:



Crichton’s name is at the top as usual, with the name of Richard Preston (who completed the unfinished novel) at the bottom.

The cover’s colors are red, black, and white—the colors that have been used for the covers of several Michael Crichton novels.

Now you know what inspired the colors on my blog.

Next (2006)



State of Fear (2004)



Prey (2002)



Timeline (1999)



Airframe (1996)



The Lost World (1995)



Disclosure (1994)

Book Description of Micro

The Harper Collins catalog now has a detailed description of Michael Crichton’s upcoming novel Micro:

Three men are found dead in the locked second floor office of a
Honolulu building, with no sign of struggle except ultra-fine,
razor-sharp cuts covering their bodies. The only clue left behind is a tiny bladed robot, nearly unrecognizable to the human eye….more

(Many thanks to Pavel Frčka for discovering this!)

Micro, which was completed by Richard Preston, will be released on November 22, 2011.

More on Michael Crichton’s Micro

A few more details have come out about Michael Crichton’s new novel Micro.

As I posted Sunday, science writer Richard Preston completed the novel Crichton had begun. Reuters reported:

“Besides the unfinished manuscript, Preston also had access to the outline, a bibliography of nearly 100 books and DVDs, as well as notes and research.”

I’m looking forward to seeing that bibliography. The last four novels Crichton published while he was still living—Next, State of Fear, Prey, and Timeline—all had bibliographies. I missed seeing one in Pirate Latitudes.

But the real treat comes from a Harper Collins press release:

The subject of the tension between modern man and the natural world was one to which Crichton repeatedly returned throughout his career. In an unfinished introduction to MICRO, he wrote, "Perhaps the single most important lesson to be learned by direct experience is that the natural world, with all its elements and interconnections, represents a complex system and therefore we cannot understand it and we cannot predict its behavior...Interacting with the natural world, we are denied certainty. And always will be."

Reading the first new words from Crichton since Pirate Latitudes put a lump in my throat. I hope the introduction will be published with Micro, even if it is unfinished.

New Michael Crichton Novel "Micro" in November

Word just came out that Michael Crichton's technothriller novel, Micro, will be published November 22, 2011. According to an Associated Press story, Micro, which Crichton had written a third of before he died, has been completed by science writer Richard Preston. The novel will be "a thriller about a biotech company in Hawaii and the graduate students who end up stranded and endangered in a rain forest. Preston, known for his best-selling nonfiction work about the Ebola virus, 'The Hot Zone,' used Crichton’s outline, reference materials and notes to finish the book."

Preston commented:

“Michael was writing at the top of his game, with a grand sense of adventure, into an eerie world that seems almost beyond imagining,” Preston said. “For me, it was an irresistible challenge to finish the novel, and I was driven by a desire to honor the work and imagination of one of our time’s most visionary and creative authors.”

Related Posts:
New Michael Crichton Novel Slated for November Release?

New Michael Crichton Novel Slated for November Release?

We may soon receive official word that a new novel by Michael Crichton will be published on November 22, 2011. (This would be the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, which was when Pirate Latitudes was released in 2009.)

Harper Collins, the publisher of Crichton’s novels Prey, State of Fear, Next, and Pirate Latitudes, has listed Untitled Crichton Novel in their catalog. These are also listings for audio, large print, and digital editions.

Very recently, an official Facebook page appeared for Michael Crichton. A friend notified me of it and said, “I wonder what's up. Gearing up for a new promotion?”

I’m wondering as well. And I’m also wondering if this is the novel Crichton left unfinished at his death, or is another work that, like Pirate Latitudes, was found on his computer.

More on this soon.

Related posts:

Newsflash--Two Crichton Novels to be Published

And Possibly More to Come...

Have You Reserved Your Copy of Pirate Latitudes Yet?

Barnes & Noble and Amazon are both taking pre-orders and reservations for Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes now. (Those who don't want to order online can call their local bookstore to reserve a copy.)

I've got my name down. The release date for Pirates Latitudes is Tuesday November 24, 2009 which is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I'll probably have it read by Thanksgiving--Crichton's novels seem to read very quickly for me.

Let the countdown begin! Only 144 days to go until we get to read a new Michael Crichton book!

Links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi

Pirate Latitudes Cover Revealed

Harper Collins has now posted the cover for Pirate Latitudes online.

(Thank you, Pavel, for the alert!)

The colors include red, black and white which have been staples on Crichton book covers, but this one also includes blue sky and what appears to be green water deepening to gray.

Michael Crichton’s name is in red, as it has been on the covers of the following books:
Next
State of Fear
Prey
The Lost World
Jurassic Park
Congo
The Great Train Robbery
Five Patients

Pirate Latitudes will be Michael Crichton’s 16th novel (under his own name), and will be 320 pages long. This ranks its length as 12th among Crichton’s novels.

1. State of Fear (2004) – 603

2. Timeline (1999) – 449

3. Next (2006) – 431

4. Jurassic Park (1990) – 399

5. Disclosure (1994) – 397

6. Lost World (1995) – 393

7. Sphere (1987) – 385

8. Prey (2002) – 367

9. Rising Sun (1992) – 355

10. Airframe (1996) – 351

11. Congo (1980) – 348

12. Pirate Latitudes (2009) – 320

13. The Andromeda Strain (1969) – 295

14. The Great Train Robbery (1975) – 266

15. Terminal Man (1972) – 247

16. Eaters of the Dead (1976) – 193

Pirate Latitudes is scheduled for release on Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

Links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi

Pirate Latitudes Info

Harper Collins has released some information on Michael Crichton’s novel Pirate Latitudes, scheduled for release November 24, 2009:

Discovered among Crichton’s files after his passing last fall, Pirate Latitudes is an adventure tale unlike anything Crichton readers have seen before. Demonstrating the versatility and raw storytelling power of this master of suspense, it is sure to generate tremendous reader interest and media coverage.

Jamaica in 1665 is a rough outpost of the English crown, a minor colony holding out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish empire. Port Royal, Jamaica's capital, a cut-throat town of taverns, grog shops, and bawdy houses, is devoid of London's luxuries; life here can end swiftly by dysentery or a dagger. But for Captain Edward Hunter it is a life that can also lead to riches, if he abides by the island's code. In the name of His Majesty King Charles II of England, gold in Spanish hands is gold for the taking. And law in the New World is made by those who take it into their hands.

Word in port is that the Spanish treasure galleon El Trinidad, fresh from New Spain, is stalled in nearby Matanceros harbor awaiting repairs. Heavily fortified, the impregnable Spanish outpost is guarded by the blood-swiller Cazalla, a favorite commander of King Philip IV himself. With the governor's backing, Hunter assembles a roughneck crew to infiltrate the enemy island and commandeer the galleon, along with its fortune in Spanish gold. The raid is as perilous as the bloody legends of Matanceros suggest, and Hunter will lose more than one man before he finds himself on the island's shores, where dense jungle and the firepower of Spanish infantry are all that stand between him and the treasure.

With the help of his cunning crew, Hunter hijacks El Trinidad and escapes the deadly clutches of Cazalla, leaving plenty of carnage in his wake. But his troubles have just begun. . . .

(Thank you John and Juroc for discovering this!)

Links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi

Posthumous Publication - Part One

There’s a great deal of discussion lately about the decision to publish two Michael Crichton novels (one unfinished) posthumously. Some people are skeptical or uneasy that a techno thriller that Crichton had only written a third of will be finished by another author selected by Crichton’s publisher and family. It’s a topic I find intriguing and I’ll research and ponder it for a future essay on this blog.

First of all, I think fears that Crichton’s estate will authorize other writers to create completely new novels to be published under his name are unfounded. I will explain more in detail, but in short Crichton was not merely a storyteller—he was a philosopher who explored ideas and issues through novels. Another writer would not be able to recreate the intellect and passion that were the soul of Crichton’s works. I also do not think the fans would go for it.

Here are a few things to consider about the unfinished novel:

• If Michael Crichton didn’t want someone else to complete the novel, (or publish other books that may be found on his computer), he could have legally restricted anyone from doing that in his will. And there may be other legal steps he could have taken. He was too brilliant a man not to consider what might happen when he died.

• Michael Crichton signed a deal with Harper Collins to write two techno thrillers. Next was the first one. As the contract specifies the type of novel as “techno thriller”, the pirate novel does not fulfill the contract. As Crichton probably received an advance for both books when he signed the deal, his estate may be required to either let someone else finish the novel, or return part of the advance to Harper Collins. Unless there was a clause in the contract voiding the estate’s obligation in the event of the author’s death.

• Michael Crichton used his novels to comment on things that people need think about. Even if he was not able to finish his novel, he had probably done a great deal of research. If Michael Crichton had something to say, I want to hear it, even if someone else has to help convey the message.


A very important thing to remember is that Harper Collins cannot decide to publish anything of Michael Crichton's without the permission Crichton's family. So to criticize Harper Collins is unfair and an inaccurate perception of the situation. If Crichton's family authorizes the completion and publication of the unfinished novel mad other works, who am I to criticize them? His family knew him much better than his readers did, and Crichton left his legacy in their charge. I strongly feel it is not my place to second-guess his family's motivations and actions.

(One posthumous work of Michael Crichton’s has already been released. According to Wikipedia, Crichton’s widow Sherri gave birth to their son John Michael Todd Crichton on February 12, 2009. I wish him good fortune throughout his life, and offer congratulations and best wishes to his family.)



Links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi

And Possibly More to Come...

Take note of this quote from the article Posthumous Crichton Novels on the Way:

Ms. Nesbit said that Mr. Crichton left “many, many electronic files,” and that there could well be other novels or unfinished material. “We haven’t begun to really go through it all,” she said.

So who knows what else may be there? In an online discussion in Nov. 2005, I asked Michael Crichton if there would ever be a sequel to Travels. He said:

Actually, I have been trying to get a sequel to Travels finished for quite some time.
I don't know how it happened but it has been almost twenty years since that book...

Links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi

Newsflash--Two Crichton Novels to be Published

Michael Crichton fans will eventually have two new books to read.

According to a New York Times article, Posthumous Crichton Novels on the Way, an adventure novel titled Pirate Latitudes which in set in Jamaica in the 17th century, will be published on Nov. 24.


According to the article "The new novel, discovered by Mr. Crichton’s assistant in the writer’s computer files after his death, features a pirate named Hunter and the governor of Jamaica, and their plan to raid a Spanish treasure galleon."


Harper Collins will also publish a technological thriller Crichton had started writing. Only a third of the novel was completed so the publisher, Crichton's agent Lynn Nesbit, and his estate plan to find an author to finish the novel based on Crichton's notes and plan to publish the novel in the fall of 2010.

From the article:

Ms. Nesbit said that Mr. Crichton was “the most private of all authors that I have ever met in my life,” and that he never showed his agent or his editor any material before he had a complete draft. She said that other than the general category of technological thriller, she had no idea what the incomplete novel was about.

Ms. Nesbit said that she and Mr. Burnham had discussed some possible co-writers, but no decision had been made. She added that any selection would be made in collaboration with Sherri Crichton, Mr. Crichton’s widow, acting on behalf of his estate.


I had assumed his new novel for Harper Collins was finished. (See Michael Crichton's New Book ) I do recall Michael Crichton saying in an interview that once he had completed his research and notes, the actual writing of a novel took only a few months.

Links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi

New Book Update 9/20/08

Wikipedia has deleted the information about Crichton’s new novel. Now it simply lists:
"2008 - unreleased novel - to be released on December 2"

So we’re still waiting for the official announcement. It should be soon, I would think. As far as the subject matter goes, I wonder about something. In the June 3, 2007 New York Times Sunday Book Review there was a survey titled “Read Any Good Books Lately?”which featured different celebrities giving their recommendations. Michael Crichton was one of them. He recommended three books. One was fiction: Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bourdain.

The other two were nonfiction and therefore could possibly be connected to the research Crichton was doing for his upcoming book. Here are the titles and Crichton’s comments:

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
By Nassim Nicholas Taleb
“The second volume by the author of Fooled by Randomness continues his theme — our blindness to the randomness of life — in an even more provocative, wide-ranging and amusing mode. A book that is both entertaining and difficult.”

Problems of Empiricism (Philosophical Papers), Vol. 2
By Paul K. Feyerabend
"From 1981, a brisk reminder that the conflicts of contemporary science are not in any way new or unique. The author is reviled in many quarters, mostly by those who have not read him. He is invariably provocative."

New Book Update - 9/7/08

Something new on the Wikipedia link:

It is proposed that this article be deleted because of the following concern:

Unsourced content and, as best as I can tell, an unverifiable title. There is a Michael Crichton untitled novel coming up, just no reliable source for this title and summary.

If you can address this concern by improving, copyediting, sourcing, renaming or merging the page, please edit this page and do so. You may remove this message if you improve the article or otherwise object to its deletion for any reason. To avoid confusion, it helps to explain why you object to the deletion, either in the edit summary or on the talk page. If this template is removed, it should not be replaced.

The article may be deleted if this message remains in place for five days.Prod, concern: Unsourced content and, as best as I can tell, an unverifiable title. There is a Michael Crichton untitled novel coming up, just no reliable source for this title and summary. This template was added 2008-09-06 05:55; five days from then is 2008-09-11 05:55.

If you created the article, please don't take offense. Instead, consider improving the article so that it is acceptable according to the deletion policy.
Author(s) notification template: {{subst:prodwarning|Final Day of Happiness (novel)}} ~~~~

We should be getting an announcement on Crichton’s website soon, so we’ll know one way or another. I wonder if there’s a leak at Harper Collins

Taking a look back, Next was announced on or around September 12, 2006. So hang on everyone!

Crichton speech from May 21, 2007
On May 21, 2007, there was a conference in Chicago on "Legal and Ethical Issues raised by Michael Crichton's Next." Here’s a link to the speech Dr. Crichton made there. I just discovered this on Crichton’s website in the Next section. It isn’t listed in the speeches section. This must have been added fairly recently to his website.

What I Have Learned From Reactions to My Books

And the title is...

According to Wikipedia, the title of Michael Crichton's new book is Final Day of Happiness and is about scientists working on an advanced Super-collider who inadvertently create an artificial black hole threatening all of humankind.

Final Day of Happiness - Wikipedia

There should be a formal announcement on Crichton's website soon. The new book sounds extremely interesting! (But, of course, what else would we expect from Michael Crichton?) Back in March, this article appeared in the New York Times:

Asking a Judge to Save the World, and Maybe a Whole Lot More

By DENNIS OVERBYE, NY Times, March 29, 2008

More fighting in Iraq. Somalia in chaos. People in this country can’t afford their mortgages and in some places now they can’t even afford rice.

None of this nor the rest of the grimness on the front page today will matter a bit, though, if two men pursuing a lawsuit in federal court in Hawaii turn out to be right. They think a giant particle accelerator that will begin smashing protons together outside Geneva this summer might produce a black hole or something else that will spell the end of the Earth — and maybe the universe…

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/science/29collider.html

I emailed the story to a friend and commented:

“Does Michael Crichton know about this? LOL! Scientific hubris strikes again!”

How did I know? (Twilight Zone music plays)

It is now possible to pre-order Michael Crichton’s new book online. However, things could still change before December. Everything is tentative for now. Here’s the online info, and as you can see, there are some discrepancies.

At Barnes and Noble:

Untitled Crichton Novel #4

By Michael Crichton

* $27.95 List price

* $20.96 Online price (Save 25%)

* $18.86 Member price

Available for Pre-Order; This item will be available on December 2.

* Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

* Pub. Date: December 02, 2008

* ISBN-13: 9780060873028

* 464pp

At Amazon:

Michael Crichton Thriller Two (Hardcover)

By Michael Crichton

Product Details

* Hardcover: 400 pages

* Publisher: Harper Collins (December 1, 2008)

* Language: English

* ISBN-10: 0007241011

* ISBN-13: 978-0007241019

New Book Update

The computers where I work now show Michael Crichton’s new book scheduled for release on Dec. 2, which is a Tuesday. Now that’s more like it! I can read it and write a revised “A Michael Crichton Christmas 2008”. The book is listed as Untitled Crichton Novel #4, fiction, 464 pages in length. Assuming that is the final page count (this information is subject to change as we’ve seen) here’s how the new book will rank in terms of length with Michael Crichton’s other novels:

1. State of Fear (2004) – 603

2. Untitled New Book (2008) - 464

3. Timeline (1999) – 449

4. Next (2006) – 431

5. Jurassic Park (1990) – 399

6. Disclosure (1994) – 397

7. Lost World (1995) – 393

8. Sphere (1987) – 385

9. Prey (2002) – 367

10. Rising Sun (1992) – 355

11. Airframe (1996) – 351

12. Congo (1980) – 348

13. The Andromeda Strain (1969) – 295

14. The Great Train Robbery (1975) – 266

15. Terminal Man (1972) – 247

16. Eaters of the Dead (1976) – 193

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Find links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi

Michael Crichton’s new book and other news

We’re all holding our breath!

Many of Crichton’s fans have been speculating on when his upcoming book will be released. (Many people inquire about his next book, but we’ve already had his ‘Next’ book.

According to the computers at the bookstore where I work, an as-yet-untitled novel by Michael Crichton is scheduled to be released on December 28, 2008. This is, of course, tentative and subject to change. I’ll keep you posted. (By the way, I’m not sharing any inside information. This information would be available to any customer who asks when Michael Crichton has a new book coming out.)

The book’s ISBN number is 9780060873028 and there are also large print and audio cd editions listed as well. So it looks like something’s definitely coming soon. I’m surprised by the date as Dec. 28 is on a Sunday. New releases, especially strict-on-sale books, are usually released on Tuesdays. Crichton’s last two books were released on a Tuesday. (Strict-on-sale is a restriction that prohibits bookstores from selling a book before a certain date, when if the books have arrived at the store before then.)

Dec. 28 will be the Sunday after Christmas, and should be completely nuts for retailers. Most people think that stores are busy right up until Christmas, and it’s over. But between returns and customers anxious to use gift cards, most retail places are hectic through the middle of January. In any case, I’ll be there bright and early to break into the first box myself.

Michael Crichton top art collector

This month’s issue of Art News magazine lists Michael Crichton as one of the top 200 art collectors in the world.

The ARTnews 200 Top Collectors:

http://www.artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=2520

Crichton is listed as a collector of modern art.
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Find links and more info on Michael Crichton at:
http://kahlessa.proboards80.com/index.cgi