Rapture for the Geeks
Rapture for the Geeks: When AI Outsmarts IQ by Richard Dooling
My review
rating: 3 of 5 stars
Richard Dooling could use a few refresher classes on writing an effective novel. Or perhaps some adderall. The book started with an interesting premise and was engaging and well written at first. Then he started to wander. Towards the end he just got absurd. If you want to write a book about life after The Singularity, here’s a tip, stick to topics relating to the Singularity and life after it. Going on a diatribe about Dawkins’ “The God Myth” shortly after abounding on how geeks (probably your target audience) often take regard the religious debates as pointless is a waste of time. Save if for an internet flame-war. Or, better, given your clear hatred for Dawkins, why not write another book titled “The Dawkins Myth” in which you argue why Dawkins is a moron. If you stripped out the 1/5 or so of this book that is completely off-topic, you would actually have an interesting, albeit short, book. Overall, I don’t regret reading it… just buying it. I’m quite glad I got it out of the bargain bin and was spared paying full price.
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By BartlebyScrivener on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Maybe you should consider taking a refresher course in remedial reading, where you will perhaps learn the difference between a novel and work of nonfiction.
By rfdeshon on Dec 18, 2008 | Reply
Considering that the Singularity has not happened and some project that it will never happen, it is not a work of non-fiction. The book is about what the world might be like, if thats the bar for non-fiction than I guess all sci-fi should be reclassified as non-fiction.