Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1)

Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1)
Jurassic Park - Jurassic Park, Bk 1
Author: Michael Crichton
ISBN-13: 9780394588162
ISBN-10: 0394588169
Publication Date: 11/7/1990
Pages: 416
Rating:
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 103

4.2 stars, based on 103 ratings
Publisher: Knopf
Book Type: Hardcover
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

90 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

bananapancakes avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 95 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
This book is so much better than the movie. You feel the breath of the T rex on your face and the sharp nails of the raptor down your back. I really liked all his books in this series. He is an amazing writer.
PollyWannaBook avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 27 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Fascinating and well thought out. The plot differs somewhat from the movie, but not in a bad way.
lleewisc avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 3
This is a great book! Even with all the hype over the movie, it's still a great read. The book is a little darker than the movie.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 36 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
The scary, wild story of chaos theory and dinosaurs!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 3
Fortunately, I read the book before seeing the movie. First it was fascinating, then horrifying, but an enjoyable read throughout.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
ITS A GOOD BOOK, IF U SEEN THE MOVIE AND LIKE IT, YOU'LL ENJOY THIS BOOK TOO.
NavyMomma avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I guess maybe I should have read the book before seeing the movie. As it was, the book just didn't have the "fear factor" the movie did.
scrapbooklady avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 472 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
As a novel, "Jurassic Park" is Michael Crichton's most compelling literary effort, presenting a much deeper, darker, more carefully developed story than the Hollywood incarnation. In terms of similarities to the 1993 film, Crichton's "Jurassic Park" novel is, at best, a very distant relative. As you might expect, the book is bigger...with many more characters, more dinosaurs, more danger. It's also more intelligent, detailing the inner-workings of Theme Parks, Genetic Engineering, Animal Behavior, and Chaos Theory.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 55 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
a classic. way better than the movie.
roarlady avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 24 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I loved this book, there is no talent like well seasoned talent and Crichton has been one of the best for decades...Dinosuar theme park thriller, super entertaining, hard to put down...
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Killer dinosaurs! Excentric billionaires! Plucky scientists!
You know the story, you've seen the movie. This is an airplane
book, of course, but it's what Chrichton does best and he's at
the top of his game on this one. And who doesn't like dinosaurs?
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
What a tightly written, great novel! Couldn't put it down, even though I'd already seen the movie!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 24 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I love Michael Crichton. I've read all his books and this is second favorite. He is always on top of the latest technology. DNA was new when he wrote this story.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 28 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I love this book! It is very exciting, and in my opinion, better than the movie!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
classic read.
10 times better than the already great movie.
a must read!
nichellerj avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 1
I had seen the movie several times before reading the book, but even though I "knew" the story I still felt the tension and thrill of Jurassic Park. Crichton has a way of making you believe that this sort of thing can really happen!
Excellent read, couldn't put it down for a moment. :)
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 296 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Most have seen the movie, but the book is better.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 45 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I wasn't able to get into this book....I loved the movie but the book just didn't get my attention
anrkistpengwin avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent book filled with a lot of science to back up the fantastic plot. If you've seen the movie you will have some idea of what this book is about. But by no means is the movie just like the book. While I did enjoy the movie (not the sequels, mind you) the book is far better.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
A real page-turner!
NYbooks avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 100 more book reviews
Thrill-a-minute page turner. So much better than the movie.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
I really enjoyed this book. It was much better than the movie.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 64 more book reviews
Everyone knows the story of Jurassic Park. The book is a little different from the movie, but the same basic premise. Nice evening reading material.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
science fiction, exciting novel by one the great writers of our time
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
Crichton writes very exiting stories that are based enough in fact that they seem plausable. Everyone has seen the movie, but of course, the book is much better.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
Great book. Better than the movie, more detail
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
You've probably seen the movie. The book is better.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 27 more book reviews
If you just saw the movie, and never read the book, don't pass it up. The movie was great, but the book is better!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
***** I read Jurassic Park after seeing the movie, and greatly appreciated Chrichton's social commentary about the "wisdom" of pursuing genetic engineering, and the dangers thereof. As is often the case with Hollywood, the book is much better than the movie - and in this case, much more chilling.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Much better than the movie
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
The best book ever, very interesting and fast to read. Dinosaurs are brought back to life by scientists and kept in a theme park setting. Then things go wrong........
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
A fun, fast-paced book. What might happen when we fool with cloning?? There were several action sequences left out of the movie version. Worthwhile reading
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
A good read about the possibility of creating dinosaurs from dna.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 6 more book reviews
Much better than the movie!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
GREAT STORY !!!
kathyk avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
Better than the movie.
catlingmex avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 53 more book reviews
A fun read.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 20 more book reviews
sooooo much better than the movie!! and i loved the movie!!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 6 more book reviews
From the ever-inventive, ingenious mind of Michael Crichton comes the terrifying tale of a "theme" park that even Disney never dreamed of!

A shroud of secrecy covers a privately-owned island off the coast of the Dominican Republic where an American bioengineering firm is quietly building a resort theme park. Even the expert consultants on the project don't know exactly what it is. And local doctors are mystified when an injured park worker arrives at the hospital with gashes on his body, as if he's been mauled by an animal of monstrous proportions. A year later, when the first invited guests to "Jurassic Park" attend a 4-day preview, the amazement, the shock, and finally, the terror they experience there offer a horrifying solution to this disturbing puzzle.

Riveting scientific detail ad a driving, suspenseful narrative make this an unforgettable story - one of advanced technology versus prehistoric monsters . . . and of an extraordinary good idea gone extraordinary bad
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
I wasn't really interested in the movie just the concept - the book was a fun diversion.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Alot better than the movie.
iggam2008 avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
I love this book! When I watched this movie for the first time as a child, I remember my toes curling in fear! It became my favorite movie very quickly. Well, the book is so much better!! I was reading one particularly intense scene when my phone vibrated next to me, and well, I almost jumped out of my skin! It was so intense that I couldn't put it down until I finished it! Polished this book off in about 2 days because it was that great!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 64 more book reviews
Excellent reading. So much better than the movie!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 67 more book reviews
Better than the movie!
tchstroo avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 74 more book reviews
Very entertaining. Fast paced.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 41 more book reviews
MUCH better than the movie!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
MUCH better than the movie...
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 32 more book reviews
Crichton's typical oversimplification of a real scientific situation. The movie was better, as Crichton has no sense at all about rounded, realistic female characters.
Gaddiel avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 31 more book reviews
Classic and a must-read. Enjoyed everything except some foul language...
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 20 more book reviews
SOOooooo much better than the movie - this book explained recombinant DNA technology and chaos theory (physics) in a way that even *i* could understand the concepts behind Jurassic park!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 323 more book reviews
"A tornado-paced tale...fast,furious, and suspenseful...a vastly entertaining science thriller...a sure-fire bestseller." - Kirkus Reviews
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 23 more book reviews
I really liked this book. The science was interesting
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 495 more book reviews
Better than the movie!
ruthk191 avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Great book especially for those who like some science thrown in. I read it when it originally came out and now my daughter is going to read it - she wants to go into genetics so it is a great fit. Don't be put off if you saw the movie - this is a different, much better story!
mummay avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
Better than the movie! This adventure is a bit heady for some, but when I read it aloud to my 10 year (omitting the bad words), he was left wanting more. Good thing there is a sequal that is equally as entertaining. The dinosaurs are not given the Disney humanistic behaviors and although Crichton 'made up a few facts' about dinorsaurs, he did a good job making you believe it could actually happen.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 7 more book reviews
An interesting concept. Way better than the movie.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Jurassic Park book was so much better than the movie and remains relevant.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
Great read and one of Crichton's best. While lacking the "effects" of the movie the story is disturbing and stunning with realistic characters and a very scary message about what can happen when you mess with nature.
MamaHendo3 avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 40 more book reviews
One of the best books I've ever read!!!! Better than the movie--if that's possible.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
This book was awesome! Crichton does a great job reeling the reader into a well woven story. Just as good as his other novels :)
jaimep avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
Loved it!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
Come on, who HASN'T heard of Jurassic Park? Read the book that started the movie, and enjoy it's amazingness ^_^

"An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now, one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true. Creatures extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery and all the world can visit them- for a price. Until something goes wrong..."

The book is always just a little bit better than the movie ^_~
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
One of my all time favorites! If you are swapped this book, keep it and post another! I have read this time and time again and each time It is just as enjoyable and frightening. To compare it to the magnificent movie is just, but the book makes the story that much more intimate, and the fear, wonder, and excitement are real. Plus, you might learn something
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 68 more book reviews
Breathtaking suspense!! I was out of breath the whole time I read...and yet I couldn't stop reading. Even better than the movie.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
as always the best..............
instantkarma60 avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
If you are hesitating on reading this book because you saw the movie, don't. I was and the movie is like a condensed version of the book. A whole lot more goes on in the book than in the movie.
jacquiebeans avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE MOVIE! I thought this book would be bogged down with yucky scientific terms I wouldn't understand, take forever to get somewhere, then be all blood-and-guts at the finish (like the movie), but it wasn't! Quite the opposite! I found the science zany, it read quickly and enjoyably, and it was all done tastefully. Amazing read!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
If you don't mind wading through the science side of it buckle up for a riveting ride! Edge of your seat excitement! The movie definitely did not live up to the book. Although it did create an interesting franchise *insert eye roll here* A great read though.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
"Michael Crichton tops all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying techno-thriller yet."
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 988 more book reviews
This novel was the basis for the 1993 film of the same name. An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now, one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true. Creatures extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them--for a price.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
While the original Jurassic Park movie may be the best of the Jurassic Park movies, the book far exceeds the first movie in plot, action, and story telling. If youve seen the movie already, then you should be familiar with the plot: Eccentric billionaire John Hammond, through his huge bio-genetics company InGen, funds a top secret scientific project to clone dinosaurs from fossilized DNA and populate the Mother of All Theme Attractions, Jurassic Park. But after a series of incidents that Hammond manages to keep hidden from public view (Velociraptors snack on unsuspecting Costa Rican laborers, for instance Something that wasnt mentioned in the first movie at all), InGen's board of directors sends attorney Donald Gennaro and a team of independent observers to inspect Hammond's theme park on Isla Nublar off the coast of Costa Rica. Their mission: to evaluate Jurassic Park's safety measures and its viability as a money-making tourist attraction. And as you very well know Everything goes horribly wrong!
Whats different in the book than the movie is that there are two T-Rexes instead of one, Compys are on the loose all over the park, The raptors are trying to escape by boat, and the main characters have to travel through a raptors nest!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 23 more book reviews
Dinosaurs rule the earth - again.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
Very good.
freeverse071681 avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 609 more book reviews
Bioengineers clone 15 species of dinosaurs and establish an island preserve where tourists can view the large reptiles; chaos ensues when a rival genetics firm attempts to steal frozen dinosaur embryos, and it's up to two kids, a safari guide and a paleontologist to set things right.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 335 more book reviews
From the back of the book:

An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now, one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true. Creatures extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them - for a price.

Until something goes wrong...
tish avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 384 more book reviews
an old favorite...of cours,the book is better than the movie...the pages are alittle yellowed
donkeycheese avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 1255 more book reviews
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now mankind's most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all of the world can visit them - for a price. Until something goes wrong...
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Dinosaurs extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park! It is a scientist's dream come true until something goes horribly wrong. This is the book upon which the movie Jurassic Park was based.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 236 more book reviews
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered.
wss4 avatar reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 389 more book reviews
FROM THE PUBLISHER
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Creatures once extinct now roam Jurassic Park, soon-to-be opened as a theme park. Until something goes wrong...and science proves a dangerous toy....
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 68 more book reviews
This book has a small bookcrossing.com ID sticker on the inside cover, and a very tiny bookcrossing sticker on the spine. It's got a little wear as it's been loved. There's a small tear on the bottom of the spine, the pages are beginning to yellow, and the corners are a little bent. Still contains lots of entertainment value!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 90 more book reviews
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now, one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true. Creatures extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery and all the world can visit them.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 24 more book reviews
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now, one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true. Creatures extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery and all the world can visit them- for a price.

Until something goes wrong...

In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton taps all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying techno-thriller yet.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on
This book was printed in 1991. I believe it is one of the older copies. It was a great read. I found it just a little bit scary but unlike the movie I could put it down for a little while until I got braver. Not bad shape for a older paperback.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 102 more book reviews
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now, one of mankind's most thrilling fantasies has come true. Creatures extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them-for a price.
Until something goes wrong...
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
Great condition!!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews
Great book, but has some wear and tear on it. Well worth the read!
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 21 more book reviews
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now, one of mankinds most thrilling fantasies has come true. Creatures extinct for eons now roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them-for a price. Until something goes wrong...
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
Oh come on I shouldn't even have to explain this one.
reviewed Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park, Bk 1) on + 49 more book reviews
Top right corner of cover cut. The rest of the book is in good condition. Fantastic story.Alot of fun and suspenseful.