Society of the Mind

Rating:
Summary: Harry has Character!
Review: Believe it or not, I picked up this book in a "Buck-A-Book," finding it in a pile among piles of random books. The cover intrigued me at first, but the text is what really hooks you. I am a writer and a reader AND a computer scientist, and I can tell you that the Truth behind the story is hauntingly prophetic. Harry does well with not only the plot, but for once in a LONG time, I read a book with REAL characters with REAL emotions that I could believe and let myself be engrossed within. Kudos to Eric L. Harry, and here's to more yet to come!

Rating:
Summary: I didn't want to get out ot the car!!
Review: I purchased this audio book to keep me company on my drive back home--Houston to Austin. I selected it from the bargain bin at Half-Price Books on Guadelupe. I found that it was just a bit longer than the drive, hence my reluctance to get out of the car. Yes, the dialogue was formulaic but not the plot or the information. Harry was and is ahead of the curve in his understanding of the pre-eminent role that smart computers could take. As I drove I continually compared it to the dystrophic undertow of computer operations depicted in The Matrix and AI. It was not the greatest story ever told but it had the ability to evoke imagery and provoke thought. Two rarities. As it was abridged I decided to look it up once I got home. Much to my surprise it was one of the many bargain paperbacks that I had already picked up because it had the word cyber-- included in the title. Well worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: Simply put, a good book
Review: I was awed by Harry's brilliant Arc Light, especially parts about the fusing of a nuclear weapon, as well as the prosecution and aftermath of a nuclear strike. When I saw he had written a cyberthriller, I knew I had to give it a try. I like to read fiction slowly and absorb the nuances of the plot and descriptive writing. So to say I was pleased with Society of the Mind would be a gross understatement. It was superb in every way I can write. Immediately after finishing this book, I sought and found Harry's latest offering -- Protect and Defend. In the early goings it has also grabbed my rapt attention. Again, Society of the Mind won't disappoint you and ably fills the void between Tom Clancy's fiction novels. I suggest reading all three of Harry's novels. I am also hoping for a sequel to Society since there is so much more that can be told about the Model Eight robots, the projected Nines, the mysterious late launch of three rockets, the future of HD-TV, and many more not-so-futuristic subplots. And if you're into "casting" books as you read them, Harry had to have had Jody Foster (Contact) and Alec Baldwin (Hunt for Red October) in mind.

Rating:
Summary: After reading this, I started treating my P.C. much better!
Review: I'm not really into computer sci-fi's. As a matter of fact, this is the first one that I have read. This was the BEST book I've read in a long time. I admit, at first, when I read the summary, I was only slightly interested in this story, but once I started reading it, I just could not, to use a cliche, put this book down. I read until three that morning, having started at midnight. I was seriouly sleep deprived, but I fought the drowsiness with the book sucessfully. It was rather frightening, though, one because Gray could predict things wiuth such startling accuracy and was, as he said, "an equal of God," and two, that the computers that we so often use and probably would shut down without, can turn against us. The writer did a superb job in describing the reality of such a world. Trust me, don't read it at night if you have a computer in the same room. Is there going to be a sequel, since at the end of this book, stage 3 was beginning? I hope so. The author made this book a very irresistable blend of coldness (from certain robots), emotions(from Laura), the compassion from High Top and Gina, and the intelligence from Joseph really shows.

Rating:
Summary: Good for what I paid for it.
Review: Like another reader I picked this one up in the bargain bin because it seemed interesting based on the inside cover. I actually enjoyed the book quite a bit; as a computer scientist I was surprised how few mistakes Harry made in his descriptions of modern and near future computing. There were a few errors, usually in terms of scale, like some of the things depicted in the book would take a lot more computing power than he says they have. Overall, though, I would say it's the best description of current technology by a layman I've read.

As to the story, it mostly consisted of the main character going from place to place and learning about new technology. The constant revelations kept me interested, but by the end things had been built up so much that I was disappointed with the story's climax. I also felt the ending was a bit too formulaic for an otherwise different book.

Overall, it's a fun book and one that will probably open your eyes if you don't follow the major developments in technology. If you can get it for a buck or two in the bargain bin I would reccomend giving it a try.