Michael Crichton: Prey

By MARK BROATCH

Dear Michael,

Please advise us when your new book will reach us.

You promised us the usual: breathless story-telling, people in peril, cutting-edge science with lengthy explanations and simple characters.

Remember, it has to have a one or two-word title and some kind of moral message.

Your faithful publisher,

HarperCollins.

Hi there,

The book is very close now. It's about nanotechnology, molecule-sized devices like cameras that can zip through your bloodstream taking pictures of what's wrong with you, though I've called it molecular manufacturing.

Pretty cool, huh?

The research is there, you can see from the usual bibliography I put in, though I have cut down on the lengthy explanations. Some people think they sounded like me - rather ranting rather than the everyday talk of one of the characters. Some of those critics might think I've repeated myself, banging on about nanotechnology and computer programs that mimic swarming insects.

In my defence, it is a complex area. You might want to edit it a bit. Or not. I think I've built up quite a good argument that this could happen, and even will, like the time-machine in my last novel, Timeline.

I tried not to get too preachy in this one, just having a few words to say about Jack and Julia's relationship to the kids and how house-husbands get a bit of a raw deal.

It's kind of a follow-on from my early novel The Andromeda Strain, where something nasty gets loose thanks to human stupidity and greed. But it's entirely different.

You might think some of it's overwritten too.

It's set in the Nevada desert, where they're making this nano stuff that gets out and swarms and is intelligent and reproduces. It's really freaky ... Anyway, I'll send it soon.

Michael.

PS: I think the fans will really like this one.

HarperCollins

$44.95

* Mark Broatch is an Auckland reviewer.