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Description
“Ingenious and beguiling.” —Time“Crichton keeps us guessing at every turn in his best work since The Andromeda Strain.” —Los Angeles Times“Sphere may be Crichton’s best novel, but even if it ranked only second or third, it would be a must for suspense fans.” —Miami HeraldA classic thriller from 1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Crichton, Sphere is a bravura demonstration of what he does better than anyone: riveting storytelling that combines frighteningly plausible, cutting edge science and technology with pulse- pounding action and serious chills. The gripping story of a group of American scientists sent to the ocean floor to investigate an alien ship, only to confront a terrifying discovery that defies imagination, Sphere is Crichton prime—truly masterful fiction from the ingenious mind that brought us Prey, State of Fear, and Jurassic Park. Read more
Publisher : Harper
Publication date : March 29, 2011
Edition : Reprint
Language : English
Print length : 544 pages
ISBN-10 : 0061990558
ISBN-13 : 57
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 4.19 x 1.23 x 7.5 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #1,114,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #37 in Technothrillers (Books) #69 in Hard Science Fiction (Books) #72 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Kindle
Underwater horror both really fits and really doesn't fit this novel, it does take place underwater but the horror is tied far more to the hopelessness and isolation than the water itself. It's a really interesting book, and the twist of what the sphere is and what it does is super unique. Psychological horror is usually focused on things like anticipating a disaster or knowing nothing of what's happening outside, so it's really unique reading a book instead focused on people's subconscious mind and desires. Usually more explanation makes a horror book worse, but it made it a lot more interesting here
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Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2026 by Kindle Customer
Format: Mass Market Paperback
I’m probably a little behind the game, but my adventure into the novels of Micheal Crichton started a few years ago with Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain, and it has been an interesting experience so far. It’s weird to go back and realize that he has written so many novels that I’ve already watched the film adaptations of. The novel begins with psychologist Norman Johnson getting called away to the South Pacific to lead a group to investigate a mysterious craft that has apparently crashed and is submerged deep below the ocean floor. When the crew go down to explore, it seems that there is a mysterious sphere that is a part of the craft. I know some of us have had those books that they were lukewarm about, but that they eventually really ended up enjoying by the end, and to me Sphere is that novel. It seems like the novel redeemed itself in the second half when the psychological aspects kick in as we head towards the conclusion. I say this because, well, the characters just grated on my nerves, especially during portions of the first half of the novel. However, despite this, Crichton overcomes all this by creating a compelling and fascinating psychological thriller. This being my third read from Crichton, it seems that he always brings a cerebral and thought-provoking approach, whether that be in the way of science, technology, or, in this novel, psychology. One of the fascinating aspects is just digging in to the mystery of the sphere and trying to get a feel for what it is. The question of manifestations comes into play, and the questions become “Who are what is the monster? And what is it after?” We see this play out, especially as havoc is wreaked upon the crew and the psychological damage on board. There is quite a bit of mystery to think about and consider revolving around the sphere and the mysterious spacecraft. I really thought the slow building and frantic and uneasy tensions in the second half really led to an intense conclusion where we as readers are trying to put all the pieces together. The claustrophobic feel of the characters far under sea and stuck within the confines of the vessel also added to the atmospheric uneasiness and tension as they are dealing with an unknown entity. This really added to the fractured state of mind of the characters and enhanced the tensions. Overall, this was yet another solid read from Crichton, thought provoking and tapping more into the psychological realm rather than scientific world. I have The Lost World next on my Crichton reading list and look forward to it.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2024 by fra7299
Format: Kindle
Was very interesting and engaging. I was very into this book. Stayed up late to continue reading. I don’t usually do that but this book caught my attention.
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2026 by Kathy Rose
Format: Kindle
I was hooked on the idea right away! It starts off fast and keeps you on your toes, always keeping you guessing. It had a suspense that was hard to shake off and a bit of a creepy vibe. It’s like The Thing, but underwater, and even more intense. The thing is, stories like this really need more time to develop the characters, so they feel more real and interesting. Especially with how the plot is set up. It just needed a little more time to really shine.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2026 by Amazon Customer
Format: Kindle
Well, Michael Crichton is starting to become one of my favorite authors. His plot lines are so creative, and he executes them pretty well. This book was no exception, in my mind, to the standard I have started to hold him to! Throughout this book's journey, I was hooked. I mean, the ideas he comes up with are simply fantastic and so original in my mind. Synopsis: A sphere is found underwater, and a group of qualified people are sent to investigate it. They are in no way prepared for what happens next, and neither was I! I don't want to say too much to give anything away, but the only things that annoyed me out of this book were two things. I thought the women characters were written poorly. Although he made the main woman, Beth, smart, he also made her emotionally unstable and a bit of a sexual object, particularly towards the end of the book, which irritated me. I feel like in real life, Beth would have had much more depth and would never do some of the things he had written. I also found some typos, including switching to first person for a couple of sentences instead of third and switching a character's name once. But I dismissed these irritations due to me really enjoying the plot line. Some of the facts sprinkled into the book were fascinating, and I truly hope they are factual and not something he made up, because I am taking them as truth. Yes, I know I can google it but I am too lazy to do that. Most of the book is set far, far underwater and I feel as if I really learned some things about the deep ocean which was fascinating. For example, the most toxic creatures of the world are water creatures! And this is due to the ocean being an older living environment. Let me just nerd out for a bit over this and the other things I have learned while reading this book. Anyway, off to pick up another book by him, and I highly recommend Sphere! You won't guess the ending, and it will definitely leave you thinking.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2019 by Amy
Format: Kindle
I discovered Michael Crichton back in 1993. Jurassic Park the movie had just been released in cinemas and was the movie event of the year. My cousin lent me the novel so I could read it before we went to watch the movie. It blew me away. Crichton's style is such that he presents an incredible premise in a way that's totally believable. After Jurassic Park I began devouring a lot of his books—Congo, The Andromeda Strain, The Lost World, Disclosure, Airframe, Timeline... eventually I discovered other great authors and moved on. That left Sphere out of my Crichton library for an incredible 34 years. Long story short, this novel made me feel like I was back in 1993, devouring page after page of SF adventure. It might not be a classic, but that doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned as an avid reader, it did a 5/5 job splendidly. If you like Crichton books, you'll love Sphere. And if you have never read Crichton before, you might fall in love with his worlds beginning here.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2026 by Sam
Format: Kindle
I really enjoyed this book with the level of detail and the character development. Great ending. A philosophical look at human behavior.
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2026 by Amazon Customer
Format: Paperback
This was my ninth Crichton novel I have read over the years, and I will say it's not his best, but it stands out as a good book. It keeps you in suspense. This sci-fi plot is driven by the dialogue of its characters. The novel might have been stronger if Crichton used more plot narration. Letting the readers imagine important sequences via dialogue, I think, can lead the reader astray. The characters were far too nonchalant regarding their discoveries of aliens, time travel, and a possible multiverse. Crichton brings in some great scientific theories to ponder but focuses on the dynamics of human psychology as the core theme of his book.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2024 by Atticus Finch