Book Review: The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester

In a world ruled over by telepaths, Ben Reich, head of a powerful company, tries to get away with the greatest crime of all - murder. Due to the intervention of telepaths, murder is almost unknown and the crime rates the ultimate punishment: Demolition, the removal of the person's personality so a new, better one has a chance to develop in it's place.

Reich is powerful, arrogant and believes himself above the law. Unfortunately, his arrogance and self-centredness means I never built up much emotional involvement with him which means the story becomes a when-will-they-catch-him tale rather than hoping he gets away with it. I didn't think it as well realised as Tiger! Tiger! or Extra, or as extraordinarily strange as Golem^100.

Title: The Demolished Man
Author: Alfred Bester
Publisher: Gollancz
ISBN: 1857988221
Published Date: 1951
Pages: 239

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Review by Paul Silver, 2004