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Author J.M. Lanham

J.M. Lanham is an American author of science fiction, suspense, thrillers, and supernatural fiction.

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sci-fi thriller

Book Review: Sphere by Michael Crichton

March 30, 2025 By John

She may be old and tattered, but Sphere still delivered fresh thrills after a recent revisit.

Michael Crichton’s Sphere plunges readers into the abyss—literally and figuratively—crafting a techno-thriller that resonates with the depths of human curiosity and fear. As a writer who loves the fusion of science fiction and suspense, I found Sphere to be a masterclass in blending speculative science with psychological tension.

The book follows a team of experts summoned to investigate a mysterious spacecraft discovered deep beneath the Pacific Ocean. As they dive into the top-secret enigma, the story morphs into a cerebral exploration of consciousness, reality, and the unknown. Crichton’s meticulous attention to scientific detail, coupled with his knack for building palpable suspense, makes for another edge-of-your-seat thriller that’s sure to keep you riveted from start to finish.

The quote from American architect Louis Kahn (1901 – 1974) points out that sometimes scientists may overlook extraordinary possibilities because of a tendency to observe only that which is already known.

One of the coolest things about Sphere is that it’s one of many Crichton novels that made its way to the big screen. Released in 1998, the film starred Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson—an all-star cast tackling the eerie mysteries of the deep.

Much like Jurassic Park and Timeline, Sphere showcases Crichton’s talent for creating stories that practically beg to be adapted into Hollywood blockbusters, although it’s also worth noting that the tone of most of Crichton’s book tends to be a lot darker than their Hollywood adaptations.

The mysterious (and presumed alien) consciousness named Jerry communicates with the crew through the computer system in ways that baffle crew members.

While the movie Sphere tries to capture the tension, it tends to gloss over the slow-building dread that’s so palpable in the novel. The book delves far deeper into the characters’ psyches, especially when it comes to fear and paranoia. And (in my humble opinion) the sense of isolation and helplessness in the underwater habitat is far more vivid in the book.

The back cover of my extremely old yet highly enjoyable paperback copy of Sphere by Michael Crichton.

What sets Sphere apart is its ability to challenge perceptions and probe the human psyche. The characters’ interactions with the titular sphere serve as a conduit for examining fear, desire, and the power of the mind—a theme that resonates deeply with the explorations in my own work, such as The R.E.M. Effect.

For readers who relish a narrative that intertwines cutting-edge science with profound psychological exploration, Sphere is a dive worth taking. It’s a reminder of why the ocean—and the mind—remain two of the greatest frontiers yet to be fully understood.

Grab your newer, less-weathered copy of Sphere on Amazon by clicking here!

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Uncategorized Tagged With: #bookreview, #MichaelCrichton, #reviews, #SciFi, #SciFiBooks, #SphereBook, #SphereMovie, sci-fi thriller, science fiction, science fiction thriller

The R.E.M. Effect is FREE for Kindle through July 20th!

July 17, 2018 By John

Calling all R.E.M. fans,

The first book in the Ocula series is FREE for Kindle now through Friday, July 20th. If you haven’t picked up a Kindle copy, be sure to snag one ASAP.

Image of The R.E.M. Effect book promo
One pill. Countless side effects.

And if you’re already a fan, please help an indie author out by sending your friends, family, coworkers . . . hell, anyone who loves a good science-fiction thriller over to my Amazon page.

In other news, audiobook production for the Ocula series is on schedule, with the first audiobook wrapping by August 1st. The last book of the series, The R.E.M. Precept, is set to release in ebook and paperback December 2018.

Thanks for your continued support. It’s what keeps me writing.

—John

Filed Under: News Tagged With: JM Lanham, Ocula, Ocula Series, REM Effect, sci-fi series, sci-fi thriller, science fiction ebook, science fiction series, science fiction thriller

Big Thanks to my Readers!

April 22, 2018 By John

Hi all!

Well I’m fresh off my latest promotion for the REM series, and I have to say I can’t complain one bit about the results.

Most folks already know that giving away free copies is essential to spreading the word about little-known authors like me. Last week’s promotion ran for three days, and when all was said and done, over 2,000 copies of the first book in the series were downloaded!

Screenshot of KDP promo results.
Over 1,300 downloads on the first day alone. Thanks, Freebooksy!

So with that said, I just wanted to give a BIG THANKS to everyone who took the time to download The R.E.M. Effect. More than anything, I hope readers get a kick out of the story.

And if you’ve already burned through the book, would you please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads? Reviews are the lifeblood of indie authors, and without them, we have little chance of getting our stories out to the masses.

It doesn’t have to be Roger-Ebert worthy, either. Just a simple, “Hey, this book was the bomb!” or “Hey, this book was total garbage!” works just fine. (although I really hope it’s not the latter…)

You can leave a review on the Amazon product page by clicking here, and if you feel like dropping by Goodreads to put in your two cents, you can do so by clicking here.

Thanks again for your support, and if you have anything to add, please don’t hesitate to leave it in the comments below.

Take care, and happy reading!

— J.M. Lanham

Filed Under: News Tagged With: ebooks, JM Lanham, kindle books, Ocula, Ocula Series, REM Effect, REM Project, sci-fi thriller, science fiction, science fiction ebooks, science fiction thriller

The R.E.M. Effect is FREE on Kindle!

April 17, 2018 By John

Dreams must be heeded and accepted. For a great many of them come true.

— Paracelsus

The R.E.M. Effect book cover
The R.E.M. Effect (The Ocula Series, Book 2)

 

In celebration of today’s release of The R.E.M. Project (The Ocula Series, Book 2), I’m giving away The R.E.M. Effect (Book 1) for Kindle now through Thursday, April 19th.

Dear readers,

I’m excited to announce the sequel to 2016’s The R.E.M. Effect is finally available to Kindle readers!

Set six months after the events of the first book in The Ocula Series, The R.E.M. Project picks up right where the first book left off. With the plot of the planned trilogy already in place, the second installment moves fast, taking readers deeper into the Ocula conspiracy while answering a few lingering questions from the first along the way.

All in all, I think you’re really going to enjoy the followup, and from now through April 19th, you’ll be able to pick up a FREE copy of the first book. So, even if sci-fi thrillers aren’t your usual genre of choice, don’t be afraid to give it a try!

Thanks for your interest in The Ocula Series, your feedback, and your continued support. Feel free to drop me a line in the comments below. Talk to you soon!

— J.M. Lanham

P.S. Don’t forget to tell your friends. Please like, share, and help spread the word!

Filed Under: News Tagged With: JM Lanham, kindle deals, REM Effect, sci-fi thriller, science fiction, thriller books

Get The R.E.M. Effect Kindle Copy for 99 Cents

August 5, 2017 By John

The R.E.M. Effect book cover
The R.E.M. Effect for Kindle is only 99 cents August 6th through the 9th. 

Beginning this Sunday, August 6th, you can pick up a Kindle copy of The R.E.M. Effect by visiting my author page at Amazon.com.

The promotion ends on the east coast at midnight on Wednesday, August 9th, so hurry before the price jumps back to a whopping $2.99 (I know it’s no huge savings but hey—at least it’s a cup of coffee. Unless you’re a fan of Starbucks, in which case you’ll still be short a few bucks).

As always, Kindle Unlimited customers can still pick up the ebook for free. If you know anyone who may be interested in my science-fiction thriller but isn’t a member, you can gift them a copy on the cheap for a limited time. Just click the “give as a gift” button on the upper righthand side of the product page.

Thanks so much for your continued support.

J.M. Lanham

SaveSave

Filed Under: News Tagged With: dreams thriller, JM Lanham, REM, REM book, REM Effect, REM effect book, sci-fi thriller, science fiction, science fiction thriller, suspense, The R.E.M. Effect, thriller, thriller about dreams

Antisense RNA Therapy in Fiction: ScienceThrillers.com

March 13, 2017 By John

Hi readers,

This week I was fortunate enough to have an article featured on www.sciencethrillers.com. ScienceThrillers is a crossroads where science meets entertainment, and features books that are suspenseful, thrilling, and heavily dependent on science fact.

sciencethrillers.com
sciencethrillers.com

The article dives deep into my use of antisense RNA therapy in the sci-fi thriller The R.E.M. Effect. Antisense is actually a promising medical technology that’s undergone decades of research, but there’s still plenty of work to be done.

You can learn more about antisense RNA therapy by checking out my article on sciencethrillers.com.

Hope you enjoy!

— J.M. Lanham

Filed Under: News Tagged With: antisense, antisense therapy, sci-fi thriller, sciencethrillers, sciencethrillers.com, The R.E.M. Effect

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