The author of Jurassic Park doesn't just write blockbusters, he ignites entertainment phenomena. In this, his first novel since 1996's Airframe, he delivers another high-tech thriller destined for big-budget moviedom. Crichton's tale—about scientists who are deconstructed and reassembled in medieval times—features all of his proven ingredients: a mad genius, soulless technocrats, a rugged, slightly befuddled all sent hurtling through a breathless series of twists and turns. That Crichton's latest scenario seems even less plausible than the DNA-derived velociraptors in Jurassic Park—and is bereft of convincing characters or lively dialogue—hardly diminishes Timeline's joyride appeal.