James Patterson is completing an unfinished novel by the late Michael Crichton, publisher Little, Brown announced in a news release.
The novel, as yet untitled, will be about “a mega-eruption of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano that can destroy not just the island but the entire world,” the publisher said. The announcement comes less than three weeks after Mauna Loa erupted for the first time in 38 years.
Crichton, known for bestsellers including The Andromeda Strain and Jurassic Park, died in 2008. The last novel published under his name, The Andromeda Evolution, was written by Daniel H. Wilson and released in 2019.
In a statement, Patterson said he considered Crichton to be “one of the world’s best storytellers.”
“I’m honored that [Michael Crichton’s widow] Sherri Crichton has entrusted this extraordinary story to me and that I will have the opportunity to bring Crichton’s brilliant ideas to life,” Patterson said. “I’m particularly excited to be working on this wonderfully prescient novel about Mauna Loa in light of current events. It’s as if Crichton could see into the future, and I’m eager to bring that vision to his readers and to mine.”
Sherri Crichton had kind words for Patterson, saying, “I know that Michael would be very proud to have Jim complete the book he was writing at the time of his passing. I am honored to be joining hands with Jim on this incredible adventure.”
The novel from Crichton and Patterson is set for publication in 2024.
Michael Schaub, a journalist and regular contributor to NPR, lives near Austin, Texas.
