Book info

• Title Congo
• Author Michael Crichton
• Year 1980
• Genre Thriller

The search for diamonds, a crucial scientific breakthrough and a mythical ruined city set off this adventure into the heart of the Congolese jungle. The American expedition is led by Karen Ross, desperate to find her husband and recover the data he found before he disappeared. But there are other teams trying to get there first, and the way is strewn with life-threatening dangers -- plane crashes, civil wars and a dormant volcano awoken by dormant explosives.

Thoughts

I’ve always been a big fan of Michael Crichton, and I think I must have read this before but I didn’t remember a lot about it as I revisited it via audiobook. The interesting concept of communicating with animals takes centre stage here, alongside a bigger plot regarding a race to the exotic minerals in the middle of the jungle. It’s the traditional Crichton fare, intricate and highly researched details hanging on a thriller of a story. I don’t know that it will take its place as one of my favourite of his books, but it reads well and keeps you guessing, and that’s good enough for me.

Rating: 3 / 5