Truth Machine

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Summary: I LIKED it!
Review: It was SO BELIEVABLE! It draws you in from the first page.

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Summary: Thought provoking.
Review: It was a thought provoking novel. It held my attention and was believable. I fear the predictions are likely to come true to a great degree. Entertaining and worth the time. Fred Sandberg, Santa Fe, Texas

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Summary: I'm tired of the world the way it is.
Review: When I was young I always tried to imagine what the world would be like if no one could lie. This novel fulfilled that image. It was one of the most exiting novels I've read in a long time. I have already passed the book on and recommended it to many

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Summary: It's about time we all started telling the truth.
Review: Once I started reading The Truth Machine, I could not stop. I will recommend it to all my friends and family in hope that they will thoroughly enjoy it as I did. --Robert A. Lohnes, Ontario, Canada

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Summary: Sorry--TTM is no longer posted on the Web.
Review: The free preview offer expired on September 30, 1996. Ivy Press has removed The Truth Machine from the World Wide Web. (The Web address was taken over by Ballantine, The Truth Machine's new publisher.) You can still read the first three chapters and participate in a discussion forum at: http://www.truthmachine.com The Ivy Press version of the book is no longer in print. The Ballantine version is available from Amazon.com or at bookstores everywhere.

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Summary: I love this book.
Review: It made me think and is a stark contrast to the abundant conspiracy-type stuff I usually consume. It was great to read about truth being universal for a change instead of being dictated by government or special interests. I want to discuss it with others. I manage a bookstore. It will be my hand-sell pick of the year. ---Victoria Bouffar

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Summary: It's exciting, stimulating and I loved it!
Review: I loved the writing style; because it really made me think; each section made me want more; I love the possibility of continuation of the story; and because I think deep down inside most of us want what only the truth machine can produce - peace. I absolutely loved it, couldn't put it down until the end and will recommend it to my friends and colleagues. What society is lacking right now is trust - honesty and accountability. These things will only be achieved in an environment where there is a guarantee of truth, with everyone on an equal plain (from the homeless person on the street to the President and other world leaders). I volunteer approx. 100 hours per month of my time to community development projects and find that local and state "politicians" and "officials" get in the way of progress because someone doesn't want to be held ACCOUNTABLE for his/her job. The merging of this machine into society would make it impossible for them to get in the way. Teresa Grabiel, Gloversville, NY

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Summary: Drama:9 -- Philosophy:10
Review: Some of the political and philosophical views were intriguing and very well thought out... the book is probably one of the best I've read. It would help get rid of all the deception and lying in the world. It would allow those of us that strongly believe in honesty to live comfortably with others... Arturo J. Morales, Graduate Student, Biology, MIT

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Summary: (Not actually rated there, but looks like at least a 9)
Review: Suppose someone designed a machine that could tell with absolute certainty whether or not a person was telling the truth. This is the premise behind James L. Halperin's first "speculative novel," The Truth Machine. Such a machine, for example, would facilitate a totally redesigned criminal justice system, and politicians would have to be extremely honest and forthright, as would society as a whole. In short, it would completely change civilization as we know it--a paradigm shift of epic proportions. The story itself comes in the form of a biography of the principal players in the machine's invention (complete with footnotes and an appendix), as written by a self-aware reporting computer, the Intel 22g CP-TLMos. The premise alone is good enough reason to read The Truth Machine, but when you add all the governmental plans and programs suggested by Halperin throughout the text, the result is a novel worthy of study by those of us who want a better future. (Note: I'm not advocating that we adopt everything he's outlined, but his ideas do have merit.) Moreover, the novel's many mult-dimensional characters and an intriguing plot make it a real page-turner. Finally, at a time when human society seems to be heading toward a brick wall at warp speed, Halperin's novel conveys an overwhelming sense of optimism, even in the wake of some pretty harrowing events. Read it, make your friends and families read it, then get together and discuss the implications. It really is a remarkable book, and that's the truth. --Paul M. Heffernan, from THE PLOT THICKENS -- MYSTERIOUS GALAXY BOOKSTORE'S NEWSLETTER http://www.mystgalaxy.com/mg.html

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Summary: [e-mail]
Review: Subject: The Truth Machine Time of Purchse: 6:15pm Tuesday October 1, 1996 Time of Completion: 5:06pm Thursday October 3, 1996 Comments: Very well done. An excellent read. The "news" postings at the start of each chapter added enormously to my enjoyment of this 'speculative novel'. For those of you who consider the devices described in the book to be much too fantastic: remember that scientific progress happens at an exponentialy increasing rate. Our knowledge of the world around us has at least doubled since 1900. The next doubling of knowledge will likely occur within 40 to 50 years. Information accumulation proceeds at a similar pace. The processing power of CPU's doubles around every 8 months. Please keep these facts in mind. And above all else it is still only a novel. Written words given meaning by perspective.