Truth Machine

Rating:
Summary: One of the most interesting books I've read!!!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. The characters were well developed. I also enjoyed the predictions. I found myself questioning the characters decisions on several occasions. I lost sleep because I couldnt put the book down.

Rating:
Summary: Awful
Review: Truly awful writing, one dimensional characters, and a childish view of social consequences if the book's premise ever came to be.

I bought this based on Amazon reader reviews; either these people read another book or the author has many loyal friends and family members.

Avoid this book; read "1984" instead for a dystopian view of the future.

Rating:
Summary: Surprising & Fascinating
Review: Chapter heads seemed ripped from a future world almanac. The 22g CP, the non-sentient, has a personality that ranks up there with Kubrick's Hal and Heinlein's Mike (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress). It is always, always refreshing to read science fiction that is plot-driven, character-driven and speculation-driven, and does not rely on pyrotechnics or pure fantasy.

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Summary: I could not put it down.
Review: I had to read The Truth Machine for my Intro to Politics course at school. This was the first book that I HAD to read that I truly enjoyed.

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Summary: A rockin' good book...Hallperin delivers!!!
Review: I found this novel left on an airplane seat, and have recommended it ever since. This Orwellian glimpse into the future, has the reader as nervous and desperate as the story's protagonist. The childhood guilt, the struggle with his own private hell, the forced martyrdom, makes this book a must read. A rockin' good novel.

Rating:
Summary: I loved the book.
Review: Although I disagree with SOME of the predictions about the effects of the machine. Still loved the book. And I read a lot of Sci-fi, fantasy and futuristic stuff. I'd say it ranks in the top 10 on my list. Thanks!

Rating:
Summary: A flawed, but very intriguing first effort.
Review: On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a good strong 7. The author does not seem to want to face the 'bad' things in life, so he "makes them go away" in the novel. Human nature would NOT lie down so meekly, IMHO. Consider the Middle East, where battles have raged for millenia, Ireland where fighting has been consistent for so long. Consider the Catholic Church, the most intransigent force known to society today. People will fight to the death when they feel their value structure is threatened. The novel seems to place the fear of crime so high that humanity will 'sell its soul' to end it. I don't think that this is the case. I would postulate that there would be a STRONG underground resistance to the ACIP, backed by the Church and by fundamentalist Islam, as well as others. After all, imagine the Pope submitting to a scip. I. don't. THINK. so!! The book was too pastel in its attitudes. HOWEVER, criticisms aside, I DO think that the very human protagonist was quite believable as a good person caught in a bad situation. I do think a Truth Machine is possible, and I think that the story of those who opposed it would make excellent reading! One can make a case for lying and self-delusion. Religion is both. Many people desperately need religion because they have NO ability to stand on their own. The knowledge that this life is all that there is and that WE and WE alone are RESPONSIBLE for our actions and our fate is too much for most to bear rationally. Religion salves that terror. Scipping the Pope and/or other religious leaders would reveal most religion for waht it truly is, an organized control mechanism, and the anger, riots, mayhem and suicides would shatter society! Religion would become a victim of the ACIP and since THAT would NOT be tolerated by ardent believers, then the blood WOULD be "up to the horses' bridles". Comments, please! Swan [e-mail]

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Summary: This book will affect me for a long long time!
Review: What a thought-provoking piece of work. Hard to believe it's a first novel. It really sets your mind spinning right from the beginning. Since reading futuristic novels is not for me, I was hesitant, but this book grabbed me and wouldn't let go! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about the truth machine in one way or another. I made everyone I know read it, and it's had the same effect on them.

Rating:
Summary: Fiction that also causes you to think
Review: I don't understand those people who go out of their way to write a nasty review. If you don't like it, never buy from that author again, but just because you disagree with a plot or don't like a writing style, that doesn't give a person free rein to proclaim that to everyone as The Truth. Anywho-- this book is for those who want a little bit of challenge in their sci-fi. Also did what a reader below suggested and read Robert Doherty's AREA 51 books and found their premise to be intriguing.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it.
Review: I'll admit it--I wasn't happy when I saw the size of this book. It was assigned to me by my political science professor for an intro to politics class. In the past, she has used a very short book, and I was hoping for that one. But after reading The Truth Machine (I did it in two days, I just couldn't put it down), I'm glad that this was the novel that the professor chose. I don't think I've ever thought about the possibility of a truth machine, and frankly, it's kinda scary to think that in the near future, all this stuff may happen. I still haven't decided on whether or not I think a truth machine would be beneficial to society. Anyway, I loved the Truth Machine. It's a book that will be recommended to my friends. And I have to say that the news blips were possibly the best part. It was interesting to see what was predicted, and how real some of those events could actually be.