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kcourts's review against another edition
4.0
Only realized I had previously read after purchasing and a few chapters in. Totally different context 20 years later and yet the world remains the same. A very hand holdy writing style that I quite like.
monakabbani's review against another edition
3.0
“Mundus vult decipi.”
The information age is upon us and in 2023, we are blessed to have such access to an internet database of information. Or are we? Is this easily accessible vault of news really enlightening us or just crippling our view of the world as we know it? And what happens when that information can be manipulated? When we will believe anything we click into even if it’s been corrupted between its source and our eyes?
This book, published in 2000, is way too eerily reminiscent of modern society... like, creepily so. To the point where there is a reference to a pandemic in 2021 and I paused with absolute terror at the possibility of an e. coli outbreak to hit us along with this pre-existing slew of chaos. I mean, this is the beginning of the end of the world, is it not? But along with Earth breaking infections, the main discussion of this novel was electronic information and how easily manipulated that information can be to sway the population into pointed destruction. How. Creepily. Relatable. In a modern society where we get our information from social media with little care of its accuracy, this book was a real middle finger to us morons. And it’s absolutely correct to call us out on our laziness in verification yet absolute gusto in blinded righteousness. It happens every day. We do it ALL the time. The only difference is it’s seemingly harmless right now, but may not be so down the road. This really is the book to read at the start of our 2020 decade.
My only negative is this is a smart book and it wants you to damn well know it is a smart book. To the point of strained science-psychology explanations that drag the story for X extra pages until your brain is fried and you’re wondering how intelligent you really think you are. I had to sit on this book for a good two days to really grasp the overall picture and only then was I amazed. But upon finishing this book, I more so felt like, “Wow, that was a grey matter workout and thank Lucifer it’s over.” But looking back on it now, worth it.
So, feel like experimenting with enlightened existential terror highly suggestive of the times we are currently living in? Yeah, this book is the one.
The information age is upon us and in 2023, we are blessed to have such access to an internet database of information. Or are we? Is this easily accessible vault of news really enlightening us or just crippling our view of the world as we know it? And what happens when that information can be manipulated? When we will believe anything we click into even if it’s been corrupted between its source and our eyes?
This book, published in 2000, is way too eerily reminiscent of modern society... like, creepily so. To the point where there is a reference to a pandemic in 2021 and I paused with absolute terror at the possibility of an e. coli outbreak to hit us along with this pre-existing slew of chaos. I mean, this is the beginning of the end of the world, is it not? But along with Earth breaking infections, the main discussion of this novel was electronic information and how easily manipulated that information can be to sway the population into pointed destruction. How. Creepily. Relatable. In a modern society where we get our information from social media with little care of its accuracy, this book was a real middle finger to us morons. And it’s absolutely correct to call us out on our laziness in verification yet absolute gusto in blinded righteousness. It happens every day. We do it ALL the time. The only difference is it’s seemingly harmless right now, but may not be so down the road. This really is the book to read at the start of our 2020 decade.
My only negative is this is a smart book and it wants you to damn well know it is a smart book. To the point of strained science-psychology explanations that drag the story for X extra pages until your brain is fried and you’re wondering how intelligent you really think you are. I had to sit on this book for a good two days to really grasp the overall picture and only then was I amazed. But upon finishing this book, I more so felt like, “Wow, that was a grey matter workout and thank Lucifer it’s over.” But looking back on it now, worth it.
So, feel like experimenting with enlightened existential terror highly suggestive of the times we are currently living in? Yeah, this book is the one.
betiana's review against another edition
3.0
Carr's historical fiction books are fantastic. I picked this one up browsing in the library, thinking it was akin to the wonderful "The Alienist." A large part of my disappointment stems from living very close in time to the future (2023) imagined by Carr, and noticing that we have managed not to destroy everything completely yet. I did feel that he was prescient in his selection of 2007 as a year for a financial crisis, and Afghanistan as a place for great conflict. However, information overload has not made us into an amorphous mass, and there is plenty of hope for our civilization using information wisely. By and large, a mildly entertaining window on the fears we had at the turn of the century, and the alleviating realization that we have not fulfilled them -- at least not yet.
heathermollauthor's review against another edition
1.0
worst. book. EVER.
can't believe this was written by the same author of "the Alienist".
not even worth writitng a review
can't believe this was written by the same author of "the Alienist".
not even worth writitng a review
swflsweetie's review against another edition
3.0
This is a very different work from what I've come to expect from Mr. Carr, but it was well written and certainly thought provoking.
wingedpotato's review against another edition
3.0
So-so thriller about the dangers of info tech. Not the best I've read.
emikas's review against another edition
3.0
I can’t believe this book was written before the iPhone! Carr’s thrilling narrative is hauntingly predictive of our modern fears.
pussreboots's review against another edition
1.0
Caleb Carr is best known for his Victorian era mystery-thrillers. Killing Time is a departure from his usual fare as it's set in the near future and is more a social commentary than a mystery. It was serialized in Time Magazine before being released by Random House in book form. Somewhere in the mix of writing outside his normal genre and the challenge of writing a serial, the story fell apart.
Killing Time's premise is fascinating and earily realivant given the current economic crisis and our invasions of Afgahistan and Iraq. There's also the internet too playing a role, giving everyone too much information and none of it verifiable. Then there's the environment and the missing fish (among other problems). In other words, the world has gone to pot in 2023 and in that mess the protagonist is recruited to do some good.
Malcom Tressalian, his methods and his vessel, stink of Captain Nemo and the Natulus. As I slogged through the middle section of the book I found myself thinking more of Nemo as "eco-terroist" than I was about the book I was supposed to be reading. That's not a good sign!
Killing Time's premise is fascinating and earily realivant given the current economic crisis and our invasions of Afgahistan and Iraq. There's also the internet too playing a role, giving everyone too much information and none of it verifiable. Then there's the environment and the missing fish (among other problems). In other words, the world has gone to pot in 2023 and in that mess the protagonist is recruited to do some good.
Malcom Tressalian, his methods and his vessel, stink of Captain Nemo and the Natulus. As I slogged through the middle section of the book I found myself thinking more of Nemo as "eco-terroist" than I was about the book I was supposed to be reading. That's not a good sign!
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