Congo by Michael Crichton

This was exactly the type of book I've been looking for lately. Talk about a page turner. I've come to the realization that I'm a HUGE fan of adventure books and I think it's why I'm so drawn to many dystopian stories. For example, I could have continued reading about the Hunger Games arena endlessly and loved the journey in the novel Unwind.... all the running, hiding out, close calls and nail-biting moments. Harry Potter 7 was my favorite of the series for just the same reason. I devour the adventurousness of it all.


I decided to ask around for good adventure stories. Congo (along with Michael Crichton in general) was on the of first books recommended to me so I grabbed an old paperback copy and my local indie.

I LOVED IT! Such a fun and suspenseful adventure. From the first page /first attack, to rafting on the river, to surviving through the night, I loved almost every second of it.

I really enjoyed many of the characters as well, especially Amy. Many of her little comments made me laugh out loud. Her quite literal interpretation of life was comical and really insightful. I also loved reading about Munroe and Peter's relationship and conversations with Amy.

The only tiny complaint I had was the shear volume of scientific and historical data that was thrown at you. In my opinion it didn't really add to the story. I understand that the author needs the reader to have a basic understanding of the details behind the expedition but the amount of it was not necessary it my opinion. Many of these parts of the book would drag... but not enough to make me dislike the story. I simply found myself skimming through them to get back to the main plot.

In all, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more Crichton soon. It's exciting to find an author that I like so much... especially when he has such a large selection of books to keep me busy for a while.

If you like adventure, don't hesitate to pick this one up.