Fantastic Voyage: Microcosm

By Kevin J. Anderson

An unidentified flying object has been shot down from the sky-and a single strange pod has survived intact.Now Team Proteus-a U.S.-Russian crew of scientists, doctors and technicians-will be reduced... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451409434
• ISBN13: 9780451409430
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Onyx Books
• Length: 339 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Voyage = One Fantastic Yarn

I still remember watching the original 'Fantastic Voyage' on TV many, many years ago and found myself totally immersed in the adventure. I was thrilled to see the novel written by Isaac Asimov, although he based it upon the screenplay, which is something Isaac is definitely NOT known for doing. He then went on to write his own version: 'Fantastic Voyage: Destination Brain' which again was fun, but I found it to be not quite up to the usual Asimov level of entertainment and intellectual stimulation. Now comes Kevin J. Anderson and a version which takes us inside the body of a real alien. Could there be a better premise for a novel about miniaturization?I am happy to say that Anderson does a Fantastic job of taking an idea originated by someone else, and taking it to a higher level of science AND entertainment. Now, it has been mentioned before that this book isn't going to make anyone smarter by reading it, but, it certainly WILL give you an entertaining thrill while you do. I read some reviewers now and again who base a books readability upon an almost impossible set of statistics that virtually NO book will ever live up to...are the locations of each novel 100% accurate? Is the science verifiable and factual? I personally base MY enjoyment upon whether or not I actually ENJOY the story, NOT the messy details...not that they aren't important or appreciated when an author goes out of their way to do the research, but I personally don't believe miniaturization is possible--at least not yet anyway--and therefore NO amount of scientific explanation, no matter HOW plausible and sophisticated it sounds will suddenly sway my opinion on whether or not a novel is actually worth reading. However, Anderson has written the technical details in such a way that whether or not miniaturization IS possible, it sure SOUNDS possible. Oh yeah, one more thing: This story MOVES. Yes, it DOES take a chapter or two before the plot really unfolds, but trust me, when it finally takes flight, make sure your seatbelt is fastened and your tray is in the full and upright position 'cuz you suddenly go super-sonic super fast. The imagination alone it took to craft this story is worth the price of the novel...but the fact that Anderson has given us a great story as well certainly underscores his raw talent at storytelling. Buy this book and set aside an afternoon of virtual adventure in Innerspace...you won't be disappointed.

Lots of action

This story spends about a hundred pages developing diverse intersting characters and then BANG sends them on a fantastic voyage. While I did not find the actual voyage into the alien that exciting, it was definitely suspenseful. What was more interesting to me was the story that was happening outside the alien among the politicians, diplomats, and the poor doctors. This was page-turning stuff! I think that the problem with the voyage inside the body was that it plays better on the big screen where one can visualize the suspense among the myriad of special effects. The narrative does just not do it justice. Great characters, a mysterious alien, and a good tale make this a four star book.

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What Asimov's 'Fantastic Voyage' did for the human body; Anderson does for the alien. 'Microcosm' is at once filled with chilling alien exotica, fraught with danger, speculation, and awe,for that edge-of-your-seat ride. Anderson has written an exhilarating and fast-paced thriller that is a welcome companion to Asimov's original novel. Gary S. Potter Author/Poet.

Excitinfg sf thriller

In present day Russia, Deputy Director Foreign Minister Vasili Garamov is in Azerbaijan trying to defuse a military crisis. The rebels have taken over Baku, slaughtering all non-Moslems in the city. The Russians want revenge attacking with the Army and Air Force. When a Russian jet fires upon an unknown bogey in the sky, an explosion occurs with an alien life form fleeing its destroyed ship by a pod that lands on the earth.In the Sierra Nevada Mountains lies the Proteus Facility, a black-ops organization researching micro-miniaturization. The alien life pod is delivered to the facility for testing. Four volunteers and their ship are miniaturized so that they can enter the pod to examine its contents. The shrinking works, but inside the pod, billions of nano-machines wait to kill the invaders. In the containment chamber, the humans have bigger problems as the pod's weapons threaten the entire planet.Kevin Anderson has written an exciting science fiction thriller that keeps reader interest from start to finish. FANTASTIC VOYAGE: MICROCOSM updates the classic movie with a suspenseful story that still leaves room for sequels. The characters are fully developed and deliver the action that makes readers want to see them star in future adventures.Harriet Klausner