Truth Machine

This book is much more of a political think-piece than a sci-fi novel. The characters are well developed and the "future" presented forces you to consider so many potentially new ideas. I was particularly struck by the methods of law enforcement and criminal punishment that materialize throughout the book. The first-person/third-person/computerized person narrative is creative and interesting to follow. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the growth of society and the political potential of humankind.

James Halperin's debut science fiction novel, "The Truth Machine", is an amazing achievement. It is a story so grand and sweeping in its scale that it gives Clarke's "Childhood's End" and Haldeman's "Forever War" strong competition for the greatest novel written about Earth's future. What sets it apart from those two books, though, is how it only requires a leap of faith regarding scientific advances to imagining the future "The Truth Machine" realizes, as opposed to alien intervention affecting the futures in the "Childhood's End" and "Forever War". The author, Halperin, is Harvard educated posits fascinating theories about perilous future of Earth and how the events in this book helped avoid it. "The Truth Machine" has been termed "'1984' for our generation". While there are similarities, each book takes a decidedly different view of people having absolute knowledge and no privacy. "1984" is about how the government controls the populace through the use of `big brother', a system with which none of the country's citizens are safe from government surveillance and manipulation. This dark view is contrasted dramatically by Halperin's much more positive view of full disclosure and the methods of achieving it. "The Truth Machine" primarily focuses on the life story of Randall Peterson "Pete" Armstrong, a child prodigy with total recall memory, whose entire life's outlook has been defined the tragic murder of his younger brother, Leonard, by an ex-convict who was believed to be capable of committing violent crimes again, but could not be imprisoned any longer under the current law structure. Pete is committed to making a difference for humanity that will atone for his brother's death and help millions of others, too. In his first year at Harvard (at just age 13!), Pete is recruited to enroll in a small, but exclusive, class of the brightest and most agile students on campus. In that class, he meets people and establishes friendships that will further his identity. It is there that the idea of a `truth machine' is conceived and Pete realizes that its existence is possible and that he could do it. The `truth machine' would be a mechanism that would be 100% accurate in determining if a person was lying or telling the truth. It could help eliminate crime and dishonesty in general. As long as it is employed universally (and not just by government officials), the `truth machine' could revolutionize humanity and take it to that next evolutionary step which would help it avert its coming self-destruction.The premise is fascinating and, had it just focused on the development and application of the `truth machine', this would have been a very solid book. However, "The Truth Machine" achieves transcendence by becoming a social history of our future. Over 60 years of time and events are covered in this novel. Halperin realizes that the company Pete established to design the `truth machine', Armstrong Technologies Inc. (ATI), will have to produc

This book is my favorite type of speculative fiction. It's a story about something that completely changes the way the world works. All the variables are redefined, and the characters are forced to adjust accordingly. Books of this nature always seem to be the ones I enjoy most -- perhaps because I love the thoughts they spawn and the philosophies they help me to form. Before reading _The Truth Machine_, I was awestruck by two other novels, _Replay_ by Ken Grimwood, and _Jumper_ by Steven Gould. Coincidentally, all three of these novels were written by first-time authors, just like James Halperin.Character development in books of this type is one of the most important elements, and I was very pleased that even though there are quite a few major characters in _The Truth Machine_, Halperin managed to develop each one in great detail. I was able to anticipate and understand the thoughts and actions of the characters, which is a certain indicator that they were very well-developed.I also found the writing style to be very enjoyable. One of the reviews here criticized the style, although I can't quite see why. I found it to be an excellent balance between ease of reading and complexity of the ideas expressed. The computer's narration and the occasional footnotes made it even more enjoyable.In terms of plot, I couldn't have been more pleased. The plot was very solid and moved fast enough to keep me interested, yet slow enough that all the interesting details were relayed. I was even more impressed with the predictions however, as I'll bet many people are. Excepting a few minor cases that I'd disagree with merely because I tend to be slightly more of a pessimist than an optimist, the predictions, and even the dates, seemed so realistic that I almost found myself thinking that this book was, in fact, an actual historical document. Like the other two books I mentioned, _The Truth Machine_ has provided me with truckloads of thought fertilizer, and I honestly believe (no pun!) that I will think about life somewhat differently now that I've read it. Even now, I find myself analyzing my words to make sure I'm being as truthful as possible in relating my opinions of the book! I think I've been completely honest, but an ACIP probably wouldn't hurt things. ;)I'll be taking a few nights off for some much-needed rest, and then I'll start on _The First Immortal_ right away. I can't wait to see what *it* does to my thoughts.

James Halperin has combined a visionary analysis of the future of brain imaging technologies with a compelling and deeply human story. This novel imagines a future in which a brain scanning device can distinguish perfectly between truth and falsehood. Although a mind boggling prospect, it's one I've been asked about repeatedly during recent months in response to a brain scanning study published by my colleagues and I that shows differences in brain activity during true and false recognition. Readers might find it fascinating to compare the current state of scientific research on brain scanning (summarized in Searching for Memory) with Halperin's evocative fictional depiction of the future possibilities. The Truth Machine is simultaneously fascinating, moving, and chilling. Anyone interested in where society is heading should read this book. --Professor Daniel L. Schacter, Chairman, Department of Psychology, Harvard University

Each chapter of this book begins with a series of "news clips" - some from the actual past, some from the potential future. The book is worth reading for those alone; they range from horrifying to hilarious. No doubt a good many of them spring from the author's research into futuristic studies. Like the novel's computer narrator, they weave a broadcloth background against which the events of the plot flicker like images on a movie screen. Randall Petersen Armstrong starts out as a genius without a cause. Now, the world tends to be cruel to smart people, so before long Randall racks up an awful lot of miserable memories, despite the best efforts of his loving parents. At twelve, he enters Harvard. There a professor invites him to attend "Theology as Social Science," a class renowned for its brilliant discussions. During the course, Randall decides to invent a Truth Machine (foolproof lie-detector). Devoting his entire life to the pursuit of Truth through the medium of technology, Randall largely ignores his social life, which consequently does not develop very well. As a side-effect of his search, he also invents a number of good and worthy programs and gadgets which improve the quality of life for many people. While this does wonders for his bank account and reputation, it doesn't do much to make him a more balanced person. Like many geniuses, Randall never learns how to judge people, and in the end this proves his downfall. Society never fails to exact a brutal penalty for the mortal sin of Not Fitting In. Randall's lack of judgment leads him from one disaster to another, each compounding the previous ones and setting the stage for the next. Through all this he manages to carry on a parody of a happy life. He also manages to save the world, probably several times over but at least once for certain, not quite by accident. This does not quite save him. The Truth Machine preserves the human race, but in the process it totally destroys its creator - like many of the best inventions. Even so, you need to read this book. It is brilliant and gripping fiction; you may disagree violently with some of the ideas presented, you may want to scream and throw it across the room, but you will not be able to ignore it. This book will shoot your suspension of disbe