I have read a fair amount of his work and think he is an exceptional writer. He can be very descriptive and talk in technical terms but usually it isn't so complicated and his works are always interesting..the way he blends fact and fiction so well and it really makes you think. Like in Jurassic Park..he uses the idea of "extinct" DNA to bring back extinct animals..thru mosquitos...now we know how hard it would be to do; But such a thing seems so plausible in today's world. (Not that we should play God or anything) I never would have even thought of such an idea and yet he does and he makes it fairly believable. His works are usually fairly long but also tend to suck me in so I have to keep reading. I do think the movies can be helpful sometimes as they can enlighten you and break things down in an easier to follow manner. (besides the excellent special effects in JP.) I thought I heard Timeline would be a film at some point too.