The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
Hello, Stranger.
Let's talk about Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man.
If you're interested in reading it, I'd be much obliged if you could go through this link. I get a few cents if you do, which helps me feed my book addiction.
The weaknesses of this book are all rather Freudian. Does there need to be a major twist that the person Reich killed was his father, even if Reich did not know it? It undercuts Reich as a villain, which is a shame, because I enjoyed hating him. It's also a twist that has little to no telegraphing; the few details included to support it would never lead a reader to the same conclusion. I could put up with this twist, however, if it was not for the broader Freudian themes that permeate the book.
Far worse is the relationship between Powell and Barbara. Barbara (through a few twists and turns) becomes basically a child in a grown woman's body. Powell (who is married!) nurses Barbara back to health, and she falls in love with him immediately. It would be slightly less uncomfortable if she hadn't called him Daddy so many times over the preceding pages. But damn, what a gross relationship. It's as if Bester felt that Reich getting caught was not a big enough prize for Powell, so he threw in the girl too.
All that said, I'd recommend giving it a read. Making a protagonist who is a villain is a bold move. The fact that he's a more compelling character than the hero of the tale is a remarkable feat. Enjoy the clash between Reich and Powell and admire Bester's creativity as demonstrated by Reich's plan.
Let's talk about Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man.
The Short of It
Plot: How do you get away with murder when the police can read minds?
Page Count: 192
Award: 1953 Hugo
Worth a read: Yes
Primary Driver: (Plot, World, or Character)
Bechdel Test: Fail
Technobabble: Minimal
Review: Very enjoyable - good, concise world-building. And an excellent job making a protagonist who is a bad guy... but you still want him to win. Romantic plot-line is unnecessary and definitely seems like grooming. Sharp writing.
Plot: How do you get away with murder when the police can read minds?
Page Count: 192
Award: 1953 Hugo
Worth a read: Yes
Primary Driver: (Plot, World, or Character)
Bechdel Test: Fail
Technobabble: Minimal
Review: Very enjoyable - good, concise world-building. And an excellent job making a protagonist who is a bad guy... but you still want him to win. Romantic plot-line is unnecessary and definitely seems like grooming. Sharp writing.
The Medium of It
Spoiler Free!
Though it shows its age every now and again, The Demolished Man is absolutely worth a read. There are a number of good characters on both sides who have their own complexities and are well fleshed out. That said, most of the players involved, outside of the main protagonist and antagonist, are quite shallow. The main character is deplorable; in this case, that makes him more engaging, and keeps the reader rooting for him and against him in equal parts.
The broader world of The Demolished Man, with the exception of telepathy, is not particularly inventive. There are space colonies which are discussed without much detail, as well as dramatic jumps in technology and medicine - neither of which have a huge impact on the plot. The broader intrigue and subterfuge plots - involving internal politics of different parties - are also a bit tepid.
Nonetheless, the book is deeply engaging, and Bester uses mind reading in ways that I have yet to see elsewhere.
If you're looking for classic science fiction, this is a great way to get into it - in part because those things which date it add to its charm.
If you're interested in reading it, I'd be much obliged if you could go through this link. I get a few cents if you do, which helps me feed my book addiction.
The Long of It
Spoilers Ahead!
This book ultimately boils down to a central conflict: between Ben Reich (a business tycoon) and Lincoln Powell (policeman), both trying to outwit the other. It is this game of cat and mouse that makes it so appealing to read, as we're in some way rooting for both of them. Reich is, to put it bluntly, an awful person. He's terrible. But some part of you wants him to win, wants his efforts to pan out. The idea of buying a catchy tune and having it stuck in your head to defeat mind readers is brilliant, and not something I've seen in any other book. This also helps humanize Reich; how much of a monster can he be when he's constantly humming a nonsense rhyme to himself?
Spoilers Ahead!
This book ultimately boils down to a central conflict: between Ben Reich (a business tycoon) and Lincoln Powell (policeman), both trying to outwit the other. It is this game of cat and mouse that makes it so appealing to read, as we're in some way rooting for both of them. Reich is, to put it bluntly, an awful person. He's terrible. But some part of you wants him to win, wants his efforts to pan out. The idea of buying a catchy tune and having it stuck in your head to defeat mind readers is brilliant, and not something I've seen in any other book. This also helps humanize Reich; how much of a monster can he be when he's constantly humming a nonsense rhyme to himself?
The weaknesses of this book are all rather Freudian. Does there need to be a major twist that the person Reich killed was his father, even if Reich did not know it? It undercuts Reich as a villain, which is a shame, because I enjoyed hating him. It's also a twist that has little to no telegraphing; the few details included to support it would never lead a reader to the same conclusion. I could put up with this twist, however, if it was not for the broader Freudian themes that permeate the book.
Far worse is the relationship between Powell and Barbara. Barbara (through a few twists and turns) becomes basically a child in a grown woman's body. Powell (who is married!) nurses Barbara back to health, and she falls in love with him immediately. It would be slightly less uncomfortable if she hadn't called him Daddy so many times over the preceding pages. But damn, what a gross relationship. It's as if Bester felt that Reich getting caught was not a big enough prize for Powell, so he threw in the girl too.
All that said, I'd recommend giving it a read. Making a protagonist who is a villain is a bold move. The fact that he's a more compelling character than the hero of the tale is a remarkable feat. Enjoy the clash between Reich and Powell and admire Bester's creativity as demonstrated by Reich's plan.
That's all for now.
Have a good day, Stranger.
And don't forget to read a book!
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