The Dueling Machine

Description

The Dueling Machine by Ben Bova is a classic science fiction novel by one of the most successful and most prolific contemporary American authors of the genre.

Written in 1963 in collaboration with Myron. R. Lewis, published in a serial form in 1963 in Analog Science Fact & Fiction, then in 1969 as part of the Watchmen series, the novel features an ingenious machine, a kind of a super computer invented by Bova way before computers became parts of day-to-day reality, designed and constructed to eliminate real bloodshed related to conflicts.

The machine provides the opportunity for people engaged in a fight to enter the virtual reality created by the machine and have their duels until the death of one of the fighters in that virtual reality, without actually physically hurting each other. However, most good inventions can be used for harmful purposes and a warrior figures out how he can use the machine for real-life crimes. One of the good characters in the novel is Dr. Leoh, the inventor of the machine who now must figure out how to fix the machine and how to prevent it from becoming a powerful and murderous weapon serving the interests of conquest by the evil.

Besides excellent plotting, outstanding character development and humor, Bova’s The Dueling Machine is often praised for providing a positive image of the future. The good forces eventually overpower evil ones, Dr. Leoh accomplishes his mission and the story ends with multiple happy endings. The book is eventful, weaving several different plot lines as the story moves towards the end – there is action, contemplation, planning, action again and also a little bit of romance to spice it all up. The novel has been frequently compared to Asimov’s masterpieces, so if you are a fan of his novels, you can expect to enjoy this one as well.
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