Michael Crichton Fans discussion

Our first monthly discussion pick is Sphere.

Feel free to discuss the book here both this month and in the future if you happen to stumble upon this long after the month has past. I hope that these discussions will give fans an excuse to read some of his works that they haven't yet or also revisit some works they haven't read in a while. Also to just generally promote discussion in the group as well:

Just finished tonight and I would say I found it pretty enjoyable.

Scott- I agree the ending felt kind of lacking to me. I will say though that to me it seemed somewhat hinted at that maybe Beth didnt really give it all up. What do you think about that theory?

I haven't watched the movie in a loooong time. It was long enough ago that I really didn't remember enough of what happened to spoil much in the book. I'm thinking about rereading it now that I have read it.

between the movie and the book which one is more interesting? either the plot or the characters or anything which is better to have the movie, the book or both?

I definitely thought the book was better. It's a lot better character introspective and doesn't feel as rushed. There's a lot of lost information and key points in the movie.

The movie left so much out, that you could watch the movie a million and a half times without spoiling the book.

Scott wrote: "Sphere eh? Well I did like it but I'd first like to bring the ending to the forefront. I would have liked it if one of the survivors kept the power while tricking the others and pretending it was w..."

Beth did keep the power, imo. Part of the thread through the story is that Beth starts out as a ‘manly’ looking, broad shouldered, militaristic looking woman - and is gradually considered beautiful and feminine by Norman - all this caused by ‘the sphere’. At the end of the story, the last few paragraphs, Norman is struck by her beauty again … after they all ‘forget’. Ergo, she didn’t ‘forget’. IMO, this is the ‘aha’ moment of the book, leaving open a sequel.

My puzzlement is the red corvette references. The first one is Ted talking about the corvette wedding present from his wife. Next, a corvette picture falls from one of Ted’s journals/books as Norman is looking through it - Norman sadly reminices about Ted and his beloved car/wife. Next, after they all ‘self-forget’, the corvette picture is in Norman’s coat pocket and he has no recollection of it or anything about it, tosses it in the trash … does this mean he also forgets about Ted completely? Somehow this corvette thing is important to the story, but I don’t get it.