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I've just finished Pirate Latitudes by the late Michael Crichton.
I've been a sporadic fan of his for a while, mostly admiring his ability to take intriguing scientific developments and weave a narrative around them. I went off him with the last two books before his death - I was uncomfortable with what were effectively ad hominem harangues of people who had opposing points of view on climate change, and score-settling with people in real life that Crichton had felt slighted by. They weren't so much novels as linen being washed in public.
But Pirate Latitudes seemed likely to be distinct from the partisan sniping, and fortunately that's how it turned out as well. Unfortunately, it seemed there was a reason it hadn't been in the hands of his publishers before he died. I'm sure, had Crichton survived his cancer, he would have done at least a few more drafts of the book before he submitted it. Still, I enjoyed the read. And Spielberg's already optioned it for a film - before it was even published, no less - I've no doubt because of the Crichton name and to buy himself a ticket on the Pirates of the Caribbean bandwagon - but I'm doubting the final film will be much like the book.
Next up: well, I'm on a bit of a jag. I'm starting On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers - yes, another pirate tale - the book the fourth PotC film is derived from.
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