What metaphors are used in Next by Michael Crichton?

The novel is set in California, mostly around the Los Angeles-Santa Barbara area. The setting is gorgeous, with warmth and sunshine all the time. The setting sets up a bright setting, a place that makes the reader want to be happy all the time. This setting is a stark contrast for the stories that are being related in the plot. The setting is misleading, making the reader feel as though good things are happening, only to learn later that these good things are actually horror stories in disguise.

The writer possibly chose this setting in order to create a metaphor to the story he is trying to tell. The research industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that on the surface appears to be doing great things for humanity. These researchers are finding new and amazing drugs that provide health and happiness to millions of people who as little as a few years before would have suffered or possibly died. This is a great thing. However, some of this research uses unethical procedures and creates side effects that could change the very basics of human nature. Just like California seems like a warm and happy setting despite its high potential for natural disasters, bio research, if looked at close enough, proves to have a dark side.