The Turning Option

by Harry Harrison

Other authorsMarvin Minsky

Paperback, 1993

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

Science Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

SF & F

Publication

Warner Books (1993), Edition: Reprint, Mass Market Paperback, 409 pages

Description

Turing Option is written by Harry Harrison who is also the author of Deathworld, Make Room! Make Room! (filmed as Soylent Green), the popular Stainless Steel Rat books, and many other famous works of SF. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

User reviews

LibraryThing member uvula_fr_b4

Harry Harrison of course is one of science fiction's "grand old men," and Marvin Minsky is a leading light in the nascent field of artificial intelligence (AI). The Turing Option is a true Gernsbackian novel (a lovely term referencing the grandfather of American science fiction, Hugo Gernsback,

Jr., which has since been replaced by the vaguely porny-sounding "hard SF" as the descriptor of choice) set in the not-too-distant future (the book opens in 2023) which explores the boundary between artificial and organic (or "real") intelligence as well as the sources of human personality. The lead character is a young scientist who survives an assassination attempt even though he is shot in the head; as his knowledge is desperately needed by his employers, the AI technology that he'd developed is utilized to reconstruct his brain and, with it, his mind: his knowledge, personality and memories. This is one of the rare instances where a lecture in thriller clothes works; indeed, I was far more interested in the didactic segments than the plot itself (corporations with their own private armies, espionage and "black ops" services trumping national governments, waging guerilla war on each other, yadda-yadda-yadda). There is a lot to absorb, but it is so fascinating that it never bogs down; indeed, I had to force myself to read it more slowly in an attempt to retain more of the information conveyed. Deeply thought-provoking and easily the best thing I've read by Harrison thus far (admittedly that isn't much), I will definitely be re-reading this again at some point. And again. And again. Michael (Mr. "There's No Such Thing as Global Warming!") Crichton only wishes he could write this well.

The funny/sad thing is, I'd be willing to bet that The Turing Option is now as out-of-date as the prospects of K. Eric Drexler -- who offers a complimentary blurb on the inside front cover.

Show Less

5 more

LibraryThing member djotto

It should be great, shouldn't it? Harry Harrison, author of Bill the Galactic Hero and The Stainless Steel Rat, writes an AI-based thriller with Marvin Minsky, one of the most well-known AI researchers on the planet.

The result is absolutely terrible. The plot, and a few of the elements, aren't too

bad. I suspect that what let the book down was MM's insisting on "accurate" science. This results in the characters dropping into exposition mode for pages at a time, while they bring the reader up to speed on basic AI concepts. Really, really horrible.

Show Less

LibraryThing member gbanville

This book is not written with a great deal of skill and style, it is more a popularization of some interesting ideas from artificial intelligence enthusiasts.
The way it is presented reminds me a great deal of one of my other books, [The Silicon Man].

LibraryThing member sgarnell

I had problems with this book. Not sure who is to blame. Minsky or Harry Harrison. IMHO it suffers from too much attention to technology. and goes on about stuff that never went anywhere. As far as story goes, the mystery that it hopes to stir up in the beginning never did strike me as important. I

don't know...maybe it's a great book and I don't get it. I'll check out other reviews and see if it's worth taking a second look.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Vvolodymyr

Mostly the book reads like a murder mystery, set in near future, with almost everything more or less "down to earth".
Except, of course, the development of AI and what was most interesting in the book for me, – attempt at cybernetic reconstruction of a brain!
It reads breezily, with reasonably

captivating plot, and as mentioned, - some interesting tech/ideas.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Lyndatrue

I wanted to love this book. I really did. Harry Harrison (RIP, Harry, I can't seem to get over being sad you're gone) and Marvin Minsky: How could that not be wonderful? Sadly, it is not.

While I worked, one of the fields I specialized in was AI. I still own a few books by Minsky that I couldn't

quite let go, and he is still one of the great intellects of the age. I own an original copy of Perceptrons. He can write. Harry could write. Just not this time out.

Show Less

Fewer