Rating: 
Summary: Tell the truth, I'll know.
Review: What would the world be like if nobody could lie? What would the world be like if they knew that in 10 years they would no longer be able to lie? That's the basis of this book, focused around the smartest individual ever to be born on this planet. Not only do you hate him becuase he's brilliant, you hate him because he's altruistic. Then you hat him because he's rediculously wealthy. Then you hate him because he's flawed, but torn to pieces because of it. Other than my dislike for the main character because he was just too good, I had a few other issues with this book.The book focuses on the impact of a truth machine on the human population and the social changes that occur because of it. Firstly, I think that lying in some cases is a good thing, and in some cases, the right thing. Secondly, I thought that the machine itself is just too implausible for me. And even if someone could come up with it, evolution would prevent that from happening. Lying is built into human nature. If there is a device that can universally monitor something, I truly beleive that evolution will jump in to diversify the species so that there will be a subspecies that can circumvent that monitoring. Secondly, this book briefly mentions that the main character was 5 standard deviations from the norm in terms of intelligence. I took the view that if someone of that intelligence can be born, other, equally likely occurrences should be equally likely. Like aliens landing on earth. Or other species on earth developing intelligence. Or the sun exploding. Nope, too far fetched for this sci-fi reader.
Rating:
Summary: Good for Teens, but not SF vets
Review: "The Truth Machine" offers a great premise for a SF story. Unfortunately, the delivery is uneven. Although I enjoyed the biographical nature of the book, I found myself groaning in dissapointment over the weak, oversimplistic visions of the future. Sometimes he writes like he's trying to appease his colleagues in the World Future Society. What's more, some of the plot points are not very well thought-out. Teenagers or SF newbies will probably enjoy "The Truth Machine"; those used to reading epic SF will probably find this a nice diversion, but not completely satisfying. This book was a very quick read with provocative ideas about the future. However, like Robert J. Sawyer, Halperin seems intent on lacing his story with futuristic buzzwords as if to remind us we are reading a science fiction novel. I was tempted to give this only 2 stars, but bumped it to 3 because of the taut writing style, and the fact that this is Halperin's fiction debut. He also deserves points for tackling what is probably the most difficult SF genre, the near-future.
Rating: 
Summary: I hope we can get one but doubt it
Review: Mr Halperin's The Truth Machine was a fabulous read. What if a machine could be invented that can instantly detect any lies or deceit with a hundred percent accuracy? When one considers the implications of this device, one realizes it will single handedly change the world. Everything, from journalism, to the legal system, to terrorism, to politics to personal relationships to whether students did their homework, is affected by the truth machine. Would the world be a better place if people were forced to always tell the truth and couldn't lie? Mr Halperin's point is the rapid advances in science and technology will enable a handful or even a single knowledgeable individual to cause incredible human destruction, vastly out of proportion to anytime in history. Picture a biotechnologist designing a super plague or a terrorist cell with plutonium, both capable of wiping out millions in a single incident. Never in history can so few kill and main so many. To offset our current and future peril, a truth machine is created that will detect any and all lying and deceit when people are asked specific questions. Laws are immediately passed making travel, licensing and other activities dependent upon passing a scripting monitored by a truth machine. In this manner, human society prospers, crime becomes virtually nonexistent, peace and happiness reign supreme. I was puzzled at what effect the truth machine would have on humor and irony. It seems like such a downer if the machine goes off whenever jokes are told ("Psst! Don't tell anyone my secret ... I am Batman!"). Regardless, I really enjoyed the book. Mr Halperin is a thinker instead of an artist while most other novelists are artists instead of thinkers. This makes Mr Halperin's writings very intelligent and credible, instead of merely utilizing creative narrative processes to sell a story.
Rating:
Summary: All time favorite
Review: I wasn't sure about TTM when i read the blurb on the back but felt strangely compelled to read it all the same. And i am so very glad i did. It was a refreshing change from the usual speculative pieces and has stayed in my TOP 3 BOOKS chart for more than a year - which no other book had ever done before. The issues it raises is helping me with my Speaking and Listening aspect of English GCSE. ps. I also found it amusing that in the book Al Gore won the election. Obviously not everything in the future is perfect.
Rating:
Summary: An endevour of Henleinian proportions
Review: Just as Robert A. Heinlein made us look at ourselves, new author James L. Halperin made us take a look at our culture of lies while creating timeless characters. The very nature of truth/morals/absolutes is examined in a wonderful read. MORE! MORE! MORE!
Rating:
Summary: Page turner!
Review: i've read this book twice now and even during my second read i couldn't put it down! i love reading books that deal with the future..i think it's interesting to see how others envisage what's to come...do you think this technology will ever come about or is deceit just too inbuilt into the human condition? i personally hope not...i would love to hear that it is being researched but fear i will not live to see it...i'm only 29!...
Rating:
Summary: SPARE US FROM THIS FUTURE.
Review: Labeled as a speculative novel, Halperin attempted a futurist, utopian work which might be slotted as genius genre. To me it was dystopian. The genius hero has a photo memory and writes a program not only for a truth machine but other programs to help mankind locate the fountain of youth. The application of the truth machine corrals mankind into pens of boring creatures. The denouement finds that although guilty of an old murder the hero has contributed too much to mankind to be executed by the world state. The ending reminded me of Kesey's ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST where the hero's lobotomy turned into a death sentence. Here the procedure was administered to destroy the hero's photo memory, turning him into not much more than a perfect babysitter. The story, narrated by an AI computer, was a bit unnerving to me by projecting a future filled with cold, machine like, inhuman calculators. The future inhabitants of planet earth may become truthful but also about as exciting as a cage of rabbits.
Rating: 
Summary: A simplistic, reactionary ramble
Review: This book promised a lot; an examination of the meaning of "truth," the establishment of a utopian society and nothing less than the history of the future.
What was delivered was weak and predictable. Expecting an insight into the working of the human brain and perception, all I got were shallow platitudes. Utopia turned out to be a happy place ruled by repubicans who somehow (despite their long corrupt history) managed to act for the betterment of all humankind. Halperin's understanding of US foriegn policy - in particular its repressive and violent nature - is non existent. His guesswork about the future isn't based on scientific extrapolations, like the kind you might get with Baxter or Egan, but ludicrous stabs in the dark (Apparently we'll soon realize that the Earth can actually comfortably support 18 billion human beings!). According to Halperin, capitalism will continue to be the democratic boon that it has always been (trillionaires are good for the world!) and nuking millions of civilians is an acceptable action, as long as the "good guys" are the ones who do it. It's a pity, the Truth machine is a good idea, but I guess we'll have to wait for someone else to do something clever with it. I'm sure even the writers of 'Armageddon' could come up with a better script actually.
Rating: 
Summary: UN-realistic - No character developement.
Review: I had a few issues with this book.
First: Pete sits around and worries that he will be caught and dreads over what he has done...FOR 25 YEARS! I think most of us could get over something after that long. It seemed like, when I was reading the last part of this book, the character Pete was still a child, not an adult. The character NEVER grew up. He stayed a child. Now I dont know about you, but I like it when my character grows and becomes more than he was in the beginning.
Second: If you or I had that much money, (darn near a trillion bucks) in the bank, and we were worried about someone finding out about something we'd done in the past...we would purchase an island somewhere in the middle of the atlantic and live there! No truth machines! No nothing but bliss! You could run your company from the comforts of your home by vid screens and have all your supplies flown in! Come on James! think about it!
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: James Halperin conceived a wonderful idea for a work of science fiction. Unfortunately he squanders it on simplistic, predictable writing.
| 
