In the year 2301, guns are only museum pieces and benign telepaths sweep the minds of the populace to detect crimes before they happen. In 2301 murder is virtually impossible, but one man is about to change that...Ben Reich, a psychopathic business magnate, has devised the ultimate scheme to eliminate the competition and destroy the order of his society. The Demolished Man is a masterpiece of imaginative suspense, set in a superbly imagined world in which everything has changed except the ancient instinct for murder.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
In a world policed by telepaths, Ben Reich plans to commit a crime that hasn't been heard of in 70 years: murder. That's the only option left for Reich, whose company is losing a 10-year death struggle with rival D'Courtney Enterprises. Terrorized in his dreams by The Man With No Face and driven to the edge after D'Courtney refuses a merger offer, Reich murders his rival and bribes a high-ranking telepath to help him cover his tracks. But while police prefect Lincoln Powell knows Reich is guilty, his telepath's knowledge is a far cry from admissible evidence.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
SALES POINTS * #14 in the Millennium SF Masterworks series, a library of the finest science fiction ever written * The first-ever winner of the Hugo Award for best sf novel of the year. * 'Bester's two superb books have stood the test of time. For nearly fifty years they've held their place on everybody's list of the ten greatest sf novels' -- Robert Silverberg * 'Alfred Bester wrote with the pedal to the floor and the headlights on full beam. His work combined erudition with an unparalleled imaginative inventiveness. Bester was writing cyberpunk while William Gibson was still running around zapping the other kids at school with a toy raygun' -- James Lovegrove
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
63 of 68 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Even 49 years after its initial publication, The Demolished Man still stands as a true science fiction novel. The story of Ben Reich living in a future world where mind reading is a commonality amongst a group known as 'Espers.' In a world without crime, for one can know when you will commit one, how is one to go about plotting a murder? Ben Reich has the perfect plan. This book captivated me from beginning to end when I read it 10 years ago and I continually reccomend it to those that enjoy science fiction. Author, Alfred Bester, won the first Hugo Award for Science Fiction for The Demolished Man. In my opinion this book is still the hallmark of science fiction novels, unfortunately, however, Bester himself is so unheard of in many literary circles and more so in the general public. I highly reccomnend this book for anyone who has a flare for science fiction.
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By Human
Format:Paperback
The Demolished Man was the first novel to win the Hugo award. The book has everything: plot, strong characters. In the future, to committ a crime is an impossible task, due to all those telepaths running around. In case somebody do committ a crime, there is no prison ,what they do is just swipe your mind clean. However, Ben Reich decided that he will committ a crime anyway, He is even hired a telepath to help him to block his thougths. This is actually more the detective novel developing in Futuristic scenario. The Demolished Man is a novel of the future, where along with all new ways of life and powerful technology, only one thing remains unsolved: the mystery of human soul.
P.S. Also if you like this novel read The Stars, My Destination. I think, this is the best novel Alfred Bester written.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Bester's "The Demolished Man" is a true classic of the sci-fi genre, and perhaps the first cyberpunk novel. Though it does appear dated at times, Bester's work remains as fun and powerful as when it was written fifty years ago. Threads of Bester's comic book roots can be seen woven throughout the story, which moves along at a brisk, almost frantic, pace.
A near future world where a small minority has developed their latent ESP, Bester's world is a compelling mix of utopia and dystopia. The mind police have virtually eliminated crime, either by rooting it out beforehand, or by always catching their man after-the-fact. But this safety comes at a dear price, where the unenforcable promise of the ESPers is only guarantee of privacy that most have.
However, Ben Reich, as head of a major corporate powerhouse, feels that he can outsmart the ESPers. Haunted in his dreams by a mysterious man, and driven by uncontrolled passions, Reich decides to eliminate his chief rival, D'Courtney. The murder sets off a brilliant battle of wits between Reich and the head investigator, Powell, which can only end in the "demolition" of Reich, or the total embarrassment of Powell.
Who gets demolished? What IS "demolition"? Why would Reich risk so much to kill D'Courtney? With so many pressing questions, it was amazing to see Bester wrap this book up in such a fulfilling way. A great mystery with a clever ending, set in a compelling near future world - despite its age, "The Demolished Man" remains a standard-bearer of its field.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
You will be Demolished- Not Destroyed
Hugo Award winner in 1953. As I make my way through the Hugo list it's surprising how these 50 year old sci-fi stories remain relevant This book was a mind reading murder mystery... Read more
Published 1 day ago by flyup
2.0 out of 5 stars
Doesn't hold up well except as a curiosity
Short version: I hated it.
Long version: this episodic future-set police procedural is overflowing with offensively-drawn female characters, two-dimensional male... Read more
Long version: this episodic future-set police procedural is overflowing with offensively-drawn female characters, two-dimensional male... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Marshall Stack
4.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting story of getting away with murder in a world where no...
I love that the title of the book tells you so much about it. You know you're reading about a "Demolished" man walking before you even begin (what exactly that means you won't find... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Karin Montemayor
4.0 out of 5 stars
Amusing
Honestly, this novel hasn't aged well and the storyline kind of falls apart at the end but it's an interesting idea and I find myself thinking back to it from time to time, so... Read more
Published 2 months ago by P. Murawski
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good story that unfortunately shows it's age
Fascinating premise: Benign Telepaths that can prevent or detect a murderer using their telepathic abilities. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jeff A. Tipton
3.0 out of 5 stars
Unsuspenseful Scifi Chase
Ben Reich is a man troubled by dreams, living in a world of telepaths. Much as in Minority Report, crime is difficult to commit and easy to punish, and murder is all but... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jonathan "WorldsWithoutEnd dot com"
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enyoyed the volume.
This was as listed and I enjoyed the purchase. Overall very pleased with the buy and I will purchase again.
Published 4 months ago by Richard G. Harrell
4.0 out of 5 stars
When All the Cops are telepaths...
First thing to be said: huge spoiler in the last two chapter.
OK, now about the book. This is another unusual book in sci-fi genre. Read more
OK, now about the book. This is another unusual book in sci-fi genre. Read more
Published 5 months ago by ONI SURYAMAN
1.0 out of 5 stars
out-dated sci-fi
Although this is considered a classic of its time (1953), it is very dated. Some of the reference to peepers and jumpers become corny after a while.
Published 6 months ago by Allen42
4.0 out of 5 stars
And the winner is ...
First Hugo Award winner and worth it. I've been going back and reading some of the SF classics. This is a very good book, but the ending is a little muddled. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Michael D. Bigham
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