February 1, 2026
Precrime for plot twists
Pre-Steal This Book
Did Crichton 'pre-steal' a sci‑fi plot? Readers split as Dan Brown gets roasted
TLDR: A creator recounts Harry Harrison trashing a novel after Crichton’s similar hit, coining the vibe of “pre‑stealing” ideas. Comments clash: some praise hustle and speed, others lament being scooped, with bonus Dan Brown shade over facts vs page‑turns—spotlighting how timing, not just originality, can make or break art.
An old-school publishing tale just sparked fresh drama: a game-maker recalls sci‑fi legend Harry Harrison rage‑tossing his own “alien virus wipes out a town” draft after Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain hit big—calling it “pre‑stolen.” The kicker? A dare to “pre‑steal” your heroes’ next idea by thinking like them and moving faster. Cue the comments: one user dropped a curt “2008,” like a timestamp mic‑drop, while another cheered the hustle with “awesome work ethic.”
But the community is split between hustle and heartbreak. One academic voice sighed that getting “scooped” sucks, but at least it proves your instincts were right. Others said tossing the manuscript was the real tragedy—publish anyway and let readers decide. The spice arrived courtesy of Dan Brown: a commenter swore they knew someone writing about “the Jesus bloodline” before Brown’s Da Vinci Code, quipping the earlier draft had “more respect for facts” but less page‑turning juice. That lit up a mini‑feud over what sells: accuracy or adrenaline. The meme‑y mood: is this creative fate, or precrime for plots? Fans cheered speed and boldness; purists mourned originality; everyone agreed the sting of near‑miss genius is painfully real—and wildly entertaining to argue about
Key Points
- •The author led the creation of a line of computer adventure games with prominent authors including Ray Bradbury, Michael Crichton, and Erle Stanley Gardner’s estate.
- •Harry Harrison recounted abandoning a novel about a space-origin virus devastating a small town after Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain became a bestseller.
- •Harrison felt his idea had been ‘pre-stolen,’ despite Crichton not having known of his manuscript.
- •The author suggests ‘pre-stealing’ by anticipating what admired creators might do and executing faster and bolder.
- •The post argues markets favor timely innovations aligned with existing trends over extreme novelty; published December 7, 2008.