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Gridiron
 
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Gridiron (Paperback)

by Philip Kerr (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Vintage; New edition edition (6 Jun 1996)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099594315
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099594314
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.4 x 3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 336,864 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description
Ray Richardson, a brilliant architechnologist, has created "The Gridiron" in the heart of LA. Every aspect of the building is controlled by an intricate computer system, but after two bizarre deaths, on the eve of the official opening, the computer reveals itself as set to destroy its creators.

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.3 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Concept good, executrion poor, 28 May 2004
By sam (UK) - See all my reviews
  
This review is from: The Grid (Mass Market Paperback)
The concept of a bit of sentient technology gone mad is hardly original but the backdrop of this novel is convincing and engaging. The design and descriptions of the building are rather good and the scenes centering around the obsessive architect and his foolish wife are excellent.

However, the rest isn't good at all. Most of the charaters are absurdly poor and the dialogue is stilted and at the lowest level of hollywood action-speak. The thing that really spoils is for me is that the technical ideas are woefully implemented. The descriptions of AI are not dated, they show that Kerr has tried to fill his story with 'hard' details but it seems that he has drawn his 'facts' from a single tabloid newspaper article on artificial intelligence. Kerr is even mad enough to try and take open swipe at Asimov and his three laws of robotics. Come on, Mr Kerr, you aren't even in the same league. People understood AI better in the days of Alan Turing.

Philip Kerr has tried to write a hollywood action novel, and he has suceeded. Save yourself the bother and read 'A philosophical Investigation' instead which is far less flawed.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Great concept, poor execution, 27 Nov 2000
By A Customer
For me the jacket notes of this book made it a "must read". The concept of a building with a mind of it's own was too good to miss. A lively enough start and some interesting characters made it easy to read at first but then as the building took control the storyline became inevitable and I was probably more relieved than those trapped inside when their ordeal ended.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars This book delivers, 15 Aug 2000
By A Customer
I must say that I had my preservations about this book when I first started out - I mean a story about an intelligent building that gets out of control! It all seemed a little farfetched and boring in the beginning but the suspense and action soon picked up and the book became extremely exciting. Basically the plot is about human survival in a high tech world dominated by machines. Give it a chance and this book will be good to you. All in all a great read if you're in to this sort of thing.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Whack my Benoboe
The principle character of this book is a thinly disguised 'satire' (do American authors understand the true meaning of this word? Read more
Published on 28 May 2000

3.0 out of 5 stars A climax that is across between 2001 and Die Hard.
Gridiron is the nickname for the latest smart office building in Los Angelos. Designed by an arrogant architect with a big ego and run by a parallel computer. Read more
Published on 12 Dec 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars entertaining but not for nerds
Computer nerds will probably hate it because it makes you think about what benefits artificial intelligence actually brings. Read more
Published on 21 Nov 1999 by robinlambert@compuserve.com

5.0 out of 5 stars entertaining but not for nerds
Computer nerds will probably hate it because it makes you think about what benefits artificial intelligence actually brings. Read more
Published on 21 Nov 1999 by robinlambert@compuserve.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Sinister and clinical in it's execution
Typically Kerr in the twists and turns of the plot. Just as you think the end is in-site, yet another twist. Read more
Published on 25 Oct 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars A good alternative to Michael Crichton.
This futuristic story about a intelligent building turning against its designers by mistake is as good as Kerr's other books Esau and The Second Angel. Read more
Published on 25 Jul 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars A damn good book
A good, twisting plot which follows the ideas of every technophobe's nightmares.
Published on 4 Jul 1999

2.0 out of 5 stars For diehard Kerr fans only
This is an airplane book, but if you read it in either of Norman Foster's recently designed airports (London's Stansted or Hong Kong) you'll probably conclude that the thinly... Read more
Published on 6 Jan 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, technically, great
I read this book just the last two days in german. It was absolutely great, I was thrilled from the first to the last line - starting smooth, running wild, exploding to the end -... Read more
Published on 9 April 1998

4.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Good
Good suspense. Good Technically. Good characterizations. Ingeniously creative plot. Intriguingly different. Highly recommended.
Published on 29 Dec 1997

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