I have usually enjoyed most things that Michael Crichton does, from Andromeda Strain to Jurassic Park, but what about Next?

In this novel Crichton takes on the interesting topic of genetics, how genes work, affect us and how they might be used to ‘better’ our existence – or perhaps increase the bank balance of those involved.

Although the book was interesting and worth reading, I have to admit that the plot wasn’t overly gripping. As a novel, although it came to a conclusion, it didn’t flow and I had difficulty following where the story was and where it was heading. The characters were a little cliched and becasue of this we didn’t really delve into them.

So why was it worth reading? Well it made me think. I am interested in learning about new things and the insights into genetics that the book delivered were interesting and thought-provoking. Crichton looks at how companies are buying up bits of the human genome and explores this through some legal banter as the book moves on.

One question it did leave me, was that if companies are buying the patents on genes, and perhaps they buy the patent on genes that cause disease, could individuals who get those diseases sue the owners? Perhaps owning a large part of the genome isn’t the best financial aquisition you could make.