The Demolished Man

What can be said about The Demolished Man that hasn't already? What should be said?

This book won the first Hugo award, and it's clear why. The Demolished Man is an amazing story full of psychological warfare and subtlety.

My favorite part is Bester's writing style. This man knows how to tell a story and he knows how to write one. The prose is hectic, but easy to read. You'll never be lost. The two men, Reich and Powell, are such well-done archetypes that they feel fresh within a genre overwrought with them.

Though Reich is a bad man, you'll find yourself enraptured by him and following his plots with your full attention. Through Powell, you'll glimpse the fascinating world of the Espers, and the psychic society they possess feels legitimate, rather than just a plot point.

I'm a writer and avid reader, and I've made it through fifteen books since the start of 2013. The Demolished Man is the first of the lot I wish I had written. This is the kind of book I hope to someday write, and I'm considering stealing it from the library (money's tight and all, the recession and whatnot). It shot its way to my favorites list, and I can't wait to read more of Bester's work.

Recommended? Hell yes.