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branch_c 's review for:
The Machine Stops
by E.M. Forster
Yes, I know it was written in 1909 so we're supposed to admire it for the brilliance of what the writer was able to presciently imagine so long ago. So okay - one of the two stars is for Forster's prescient imagination. But ratings (and reviews) are meant to help modern readers decide whether to read the book or not, and I'm not willing to recommend it on that basis.
It's somewhat in the vein of 1984 or Brave New World, with a bit of Rand's Anthem mixed in, but it's less richly developed than any of those, and it's focused more on our increasing dependence on machines rather than on political ideologies. This is mildly intriguing, but in the end the dystopian view, bitter cynicism, and unlikable protagonist make it mostly unenjoyable for me.
On the positive side, it's a short story, and it does make some interestingly correct predictions, so if that's what you're looking for, give it a try.
Note that I read the version available online here, which has a few typos:
http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html
It's somewhat in the vein of 1984 or Brave New World, with a bit of Rand's Anthem mixed in, but it's less richly developed than any of those, and it's focused more on our increasing dependence on machines rather than on political ideologies. This is mildly intriguing, but in the end the dystopian view, bitter cynicism, and unlikable protagonist make it mostly unenjoyable for me.
On the positive side, it's a short story, and it does make some interestingly correct predictions, so if that's what you're looking for, give it a try.
Note that I read the version available online here, which has a few typos:
http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html