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Prey
Written
by Michael Crichton
Reviewed
by Tom A. Wright
Cliche
Crichton: Look for a new, revolutionary technology currently being
developed and twist it into a farfetched, world-threatening disaster.
Then, have the characters in a continuous struggle for their lives
against whatever technologically created monsters he's created.
Some people may enjoy reading an endless stream of anti-technology
disaster stories, but I'm finding them trite and monotonous.
In
Prey, the monsters are nanomachines, robots built so tiny that
germs are humungous in comparison. The main character, a frustrated,
out of work computer programmer, is thrust into the middle of
a battle to contain a swarm of out of control nanomachines that
are causing problems for his wife's company, and apparently reproducing.
What is made out to be a minor problem in the beginning is growing
into a threat to humanity at an exponential rate.
Crichton
does his research into programming and nanotechnology, and it
shows in his story. However, the true potential and limitations
of microscopic machines is ignored in favor of a monster-movie
mentality. For a better view on the potential good and bad of
nanotechnology, I recommend Moonrise and Moonwar by Ben Bova.
Bova portrays the technology in a far more balanced manner.
Despite
the blatant anti-technology leanings in Prey, it is still an enjoyable
read. Just know before you open the book that most of the portrayed
danger and abilities of the nanomachines are so farfetched as
to be laughable. Prey is more fantasy then technological thriller.
Creating dinosaurs like in Jurassic Park is more feasible then
a killer swarm of nanomachines that act like a stalking animal.
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