They'd Rather Be Right (Starblaze Editions)

Rating:
Summary: Abysmal, Godawful, Deplorable -- Don't miss it!
Review: If you can possibly get your hands on this rarity (also available under the title "the Forever Machine"), by all means do -- it's hilariously awful, the avatar of very early, very bad SF. The book does raise some interesting questions, but so ineptly I found myself imagining the robots from "Mystery Science Theater 3000" having a go at it. Probably the worst book to win the Hugo award for best SF novel, and the worst novel I will ever recommend

Rating:
Summary: Not worth the bother.
Review: Just what I like, being told that myself and the world is full of one-track minded people that can only achieve immortality by completely throwing away who we are and becoming undirected hippie-like goobers. The only good part is the end and I mean the last few pages that deal with an insightful comparison between religion and science. The rest of the book is horrid.

Rating:
Summary: A Parable of Correctness
Review: They'd Rather Be Right is a science fiction novel about Bossy, a cybernetic marvel, and the men who insist on building her. Professors Billings and Hoskins are academics who have designed a synthetic brain. If provided with the correct facts about a problem, Bossy produces the optimal solution, without fear or favor. To the horror and confusion of the professors, they find themselves hounded and hated by every kind of fanatic and even the man on the street. Now they are on the most wanted list, the Feds are after them, and only Joe Carter stands between them and prison.

Joe is a telepath. He can read minds and, with some effort, can even slightly influence the thinking of other minds, but he pays a somatic price for using his talents. He has helped the fugitives to elude the Feds on several occasions, but now they need to find a long-term hideout to rebuild Bossy. Joe selects the house of a former prostitute, Mabel Monohan, in the sleazy section of town. They settle in and, with a little larcenous help from Doc Carney, a former practicing mentalist, they acquire the necessary materiel.

Originally published in Astounding in 1954, much of the writing appears dated as compared to contemporary works. The technology is typical of SF stories of that time, less than ten years prior to the invention of the transistor; thus, the computers were based on soon to be obsolete technology ... just like today. Don't let the vacuum tubes, switches and delay lines turn you off, however, for this story is not about technology at all. It is about the nature of people, a subject that doesn't seem to change much across the eons.

It seems Bossy can make people young again. The subject is attached to the machine with numerous wires, sensors and emitters, then the synthetic brain interacts with the human brain to eliminate incorrect thinking. By some type of psychosomatic effect, the rectified brain causes the body to rejuvenate from the cells on up. After Mabel, the first subject, is treated and rejuvenated, the professors find themselves wanted in a different way. However, everybody soon discovers that there is a price to pay for restored youth.

This novel produced a sensation among SF fandom, not for its writing style or characterization, but for what it had to say. As with Heinlein, people read the senior author for ideas as well as plot, characters, and other technical issues. The author has had a disportionate influence on the field considering his small quantity of works. However, such ideas soon become part of the canon and thus are now considered obvious and trivial.

Clifton has produced two other SF novels in addition to various shorter works; the other novels are also morality tales of sorts. Insofar as I am aware, Riley has not written any other SF novels, but has written shorter works.

Highly recommended for Clifton fans and anyone else who enjoys parables of human foibles.

Rating:
Summary: A Parable of Correctness
Review: They'd Rather Be Right is a science fiction novel about Bossy, a cybernetic marvel, and the men who insist on building her. Professors Billings and Hoskins are academics who have designed a synthetic brain. If provided with the correct facts about a problem, Bossy produces the optimal solution, without fear or favor. To the horror and confusion of the professors, they find themselves hounded and hated by every kind of fanatic and even the man on the street. Now they are on the most wanted list, the Feds are after them, and only Joe Carter stands between them and prison.

Joe is a telepath. He can read minds and, with some effort, can even slightly influence the thinking of other minds, but he pays a somatic price for using his talents. He has helped the fugitives to elude the Feds on several occasions, but now they need to find a long-term hideout to rebuild Bossy. Joe selects the house of a former prostitute, Mabel Monohan, in the sleazy section of town. They settle in and, with a little larcenous help from Doc Carney, a former practicing mentalist, they acquire the necessary materiel.

Originally published in Astounding in 1954, much of the writing appears dated as compared to contemporary works. The technology is typical of SF stories of that time, less than ten years prior to the invention of the transistor; thus, the computers were based on soon to be obsolete technology ... just like today. Don't let the vacuum tubes, switches and delay lines turn you off, however, for this story is not about technology at all. It is about the nature of people, a subject that doesn't seem to change much across the eons.

It seems Bossy can make people young again. The subject is attached to the machine with numerous wires, sensors and emitters, then the synthetic brain interacts with the human brain to eliminate incorrect thinking. By some type of psychosomatic effect, the rectified brain causes the body to rejuvenate from the cells on up. After Mabel, the first subject, is treated and rejuvenated, the professors find themselves wanted in a different way. However, everybody soon discovers that there is a price to pay for restored youth.

This novel produced a sensation among SF fandom, not for its writing style or characterization, but for what it had to say. As with Heinlein, people read the senior author for ideas as well as plot, characters, and other technical issues. The author has had a disportionate influence on the field considering his small quantity of works. However, such ideas soon become part of the canon and thus are now considered obvious and trivial.

Clifton has produced two other SF novels in addition to various shorter works; the other novels are also morality tales of sorts. Insofar as I am aware, Riley has not written any other SF novels, but has written shorter works.

Highly recommended for Clifton fans and anyone else who enjoys parables of human foibles.

Rating:
Summary: Classic SF
Review: This is classic SF from the winner of the 1st Hugo Award. Written in 1962 it may sometimes seem dated and sophomoric, but it is thoughtful, introspective sf at its best. One of my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Classic SF
Review: This is classic SF from the winner of the 1st Hugo Award. Written in 1962 it may sometimes seem dated and sophomoric, but it is thoughtful, introspective sf at its best. One of my favorites.