The Andromeda Evolution (2019) [+]
Apr 07 2025
The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H Wilson is a sequel novel to Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain which I haven't read but seen in movie format. In the first story a NASA probe crashes at a remote Arizona town and the probe carries an alien virus that kills humans within three days except two people. A team of scientists is sent to find out how to stop the virus and it's a fairly tense medical techno thriller without any bang bang action.
Evolution takes place four decades later. All governments have been conspiring to keep the Andromeda virus a secret so as not to panic the world. There are two variants: AS-1 that kills people and AS-2 that eats plastic astonishingly quickly. Taken together it's an alien weapon designed to keep intelligent life confined to their home planets.
An Andromeda structure appears in the middle of the Amazon jungle and a team of scientists is sent to find out how to stop it because it's growing and growing. It's an international team and it means at least one of them has a secret they can't divulge. There's also the jungle to contend with (though that's glossed over) and the indigenous tribes which have had almost no civilized contact (and that becomes important later).
There are two significant plot twists. There's also some elaboration as to how the Andromeda virus (not sure the original story specified but this one indicates it's more like nanotechnology) has been designed as a weapon. I like how Wilson adds that the Saturn hexagonal storm is actually a big Andromeda virus storm (formed after the events in Evolution) and it's started to emit a radio signal aimed outside our solar system which may lead to a sequel novel.
It's a pretty engrossing story. Very talky and thinking about things and not much action except once in the middle and then more at the end. Rather good sequel considering it's by another author, Crichton having died in 2008.
Evolution takes place four decades later. All governments have been conspiring to keep the Andromeda virus a secret so as not to panic the world. There are two variants: AS-1 that kills people and AS-2 that eats plastic astonishingly quickly. Taken together it's an alien weapon designed to keep intelligent life confined to their home planets.
An Andromeda structure appears in the middle of the Amazon jungle and a team of scientists is sent to find out how to stop it because it's growing and growing. It's an international team and it means at least one of them has a secret they can't divulge. There's also the jungle to contend with (though that's glossed over) and the indigenous tribes which have had almost no civilized contact (and that becomes important later).
There are two significant plot twists. There's also some elaboration as to how the Andromeda virus (not sure the original story specified but this one indicates it's more like nanotechnology) has been designed as a weapon. I like how Wilson adds that the Saturn hexagonal storm is actually a big Andromeda virus storm (formed after the events in Evolution) and it's started to emit a radio signal aimed outside our solar system which may lead to a sequel novel.
It's a pretty engrossing story. Very talky and thinking about things and not much action except once in the middle and then more at the end. Rather good sequel considering it's by another author, Crichton having died in 2008.