The best way to describe this read is controversial. My brother really likes Crichton, and when he urged me to read RISING SUN, I was happy to. Crichton does an extraordinary amount of research for each book and his efforts combined with his great sense of plot pacing makes for a brilliant read.

RISING SUN did not disappoint in that regard. I flew through the pages like they were nothing. What was a bit difficult to swallow was the topic. Crichton uses this work as a warning against heavy Japanese investment in the USA. It's obvious that he carefully crafted everything to speak against this foreign investment, to the point where gaining justice for the murder victim is largely forgotten. I wasn't born yet when Japanese companies bought up gobs of American companies, universities, and land. For someone who's more familiar with Japan's creative enterprises, the book's premise seems like a nutty conspiracy theory. It's only after I asked my parents that I knew that Americans "turning Japanese" was a real (racist) concern, once.

My other quibble was how Crichton referred to the Japanese characters as one homogenous group of despicable people. The book deals with huge mega-corporations: of course everyone's despicable. Corporations are always despicable in novels, especially thrillers, whether or not they are in real life. It was tiresome how every bad thing, every conflict, every backstory, every complaint or rotten thing was linked back to Japan. Like, COME ON, even the really awesome disabled, biracial, female electrical engineer hates the Japanese (ps that I still adore that character though).

All of the above doesn't take away from how well-written the book is, and the plot/mystery is engrossing to say the least. The three stars are earned, and I'm eager to pick up another Crichton on a wholly different topic. Just as long as it doesn't take pot shots at other countries.