A review by manuphoto
They'd Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Not nearly as bad as I was led to believe. It’s actually a fun read. Yes it’s very pulpy, very 1950s and the gender roles are, err, “old school” (even downright misogynistic at times, especially in the last third of the book), but it’s full of great sci-fi ideas.

The take on Artificial Intelligence and its impact on society, the “morality” of machines, etc, is really interesting. These are still very relevant themes. I enjoyed how they were explored in the novel, although I have to admit that as a whole, it’s not that coherent. It’s a bit messy in fact, but still enjoyable and easy to read. Plus, it’s quite short. So I do recommend it, it is worth reading. 

I wouldn’t call it a great achievement but it can make one think on important topics and that’s already more than many novels can claim.