Hugo Winner Book Review: The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester

This book won the first Hugo award for best novel in 1953. I found the novel difficult to get through, although about half way through I found it easier going. It uses a writing style that features long passages of dialog as well as some unusual ways to present characters who are communicating by telepathy.

All told, I was undecided whether this was an uneven novel that was hard to read, or if it was a groundbreaking book with a unique and innovative writing style - maybe both. I can see how it influenced later science fiction novels in the detective and cyberpunk genres.